Speaking

With a face for radio and never short of words, David is an established speaker on the circuit around Gauteng. As such, he has put together several popular Powerpoint presentations based on his books and illustrated with his own photographs.

Clubs and societies who have hosted David include various chapters of Rotary, The Decorative Arts Society, The Horticultural Society, Writers 2000, University of the Third Age, Tuesday Forum, hiking clubs, birdwatching societies and various luncheon clubs.

David has also done quite a few radio interviews about travel in South Africa and appeared on TV a couple of times. Additionally, he has spoken at the Cape Town Book Fair, the London Book Fair, The Travel Bookshop in Notting Hill and other promotional events.

Currently, David offers four popular presentations of approximately one hour each. However, as in all things, he is flexible and ready to discuss your specific speaking needs. For more information, please use the form below to send David a private email.

Details about David’s presentations follow below:

Back Roads of the Cape:
Back Roads is a state of mind. It’s about choosing poorly marked gravel roads over the highway, even if that means turning a two hour drive into a 12 hour epic. It’s about taking time to stop and explore small towns en route. And it’s about following the human history of the region, which very often follows the roads as they spread over the countryside.

‘Back Roads of the Cape’, then, is a road-trip; a talk that covers the various routes between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It includes maps, stories and historical background on the beautiful city of Cape Town, the False Bay coastline, the famous Garden Route, the charming Little Karoo and the dramatic Cape Agulhas coastline. It also includes information about many of the exciting mountain passes throughout the region.

Fair Game – the hidden history of the Kruger Park:
The Kruger National Park is an institution. It is South Africa’s flagship wildlife reserve and an internationally renowned tourism destination. As such, ‘Kruger’ is well known and well loved; a shining jewel in South Africa’s tourism crown.

But this was not always the case. For much of its early history, the Kruger Park was very unpopular with hunters, farmers and politicians, and the reserve was nearly deproclaimed several times. Luckily, thanks to the hard work of several dedicated individuals, the Kruger endured and has now grown in size to become one of the most important wildlife sanctuaries in the world.

Fair Game tells the fascinating story of the Kruger Park’s establishment and development over the last 100 years. From its humble beginnings as the Sabie Reserve, through the 50 year stewardship of its first warden (a stubborn Scotsman named James Stevenson-Hamilton), to its political re-birth as the Kruger National Park, the history of the reserve is filled with adventure, adversity and courage.

Pride of Place – the World Heritage Sites of South Africa:
The World Heritage List was started by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 1972. Its aim is to identify, protect and preserve ‘the world’s superb natural and scenic areas and historic sites for the present and the future of the entire world citizenry’. Since signing the World Heritage Charter in 1997, South Africa has had eight sites inscribed on the World Heritage List.

In this entertaining and enlightening talk, author David Fleminger takes audiences on a cross-country tour through each of the eight sites. The talk includes an overview of each site, beautiful photographs and travel tips on how to explore South Africa’s unique and remarkable World Heritage assets.

South Africa’s eight sites of global significance are The Cradle of Humankind, Robben Island, The Vredefort Dome, Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape, The St. Lucia Wetlands/iSimangaliso, The Drakensberg/Ukhahlamba, The Cape Floral Region and The Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape.

Swaziland and Lesotho – the timeless Kingdoms
The landlocked kingdoms of Swaziland and Lesotho have a lot in common. Both are friendly, compact and enchanting countries to visit. Both contain unforgettable landscapes with dramatic mountain peaks, deep river valleys and lush rolling hills. And both move to a thriving cultural heartbeat, with traditional monarchies and a proud national identity.

This talk offers audiences an illustrated tour through both of these compelling Kingdoms, including an account of their fascinating histories and cultural heritage. With both Swaziland and Lesotho less than half a day’s drive away from Gauteng, they really are special vacation destinations that deserve to be explored.

A Short Biography of the Speaker:
David is a writer and director, working in the media industry for the last 15 years. His passion for travel began as a child, when his family would pile into a motorhome and drive around South Africa for their holidays. He has also done extensive road trips through America, Europe, Canada and Australia.

His interest in travel writing grew out of an insatiable curiosity about people and history, and his love of the open road. David likes nothing better than to explore obscure byways and has been known to turn a short, 2-hour drive turn into a 12 hour epic – much to the annoyance of his passengers. Nevertheless, he believes that travellers should stop more often and experience the small towns en route.

He has published several travel books that mix history, science and practical travel information in a humorous and accessible package. All his books feature his own photographs.