Savvy Navigator’s brilliant partners in Cape Town, Vanessa and Liesl, sent over this recent photo of a reposing, female Baboon down at the Cape Point nature reserve, through which our gay tours transit on the day trip down to the Cape of Good Hope.

As always, a picture is worth 1000 words...

With AA’s announcement today that they are retiring the Airbus A300 fleet — a mainstay to and from the Caribbean for over 20 years, it’s only fitting that we upload this 1990s A300 safety video, which also shows off a bit of Savvy Navigator’s talent. While this one does not feature the full-on seat-cushion twirl, you do see Savvy’s spindly fingers lifting the life vest pouch flap.

Enjoy!

Back before Savvy Navigator was offering his gay tours and taking cool trips around the world, he was a corporate guy at American Airlines. Very early in his career (like the early 1990s), he had a starring role in the AA in-flight safety videos as “The Seat Cushion Guy.” His spindly fingers also make an appearance showing where the life vests are located under the seat.

Enjoy!

For those of you who have traveled on a Savvy Navigator gay tour to South Africa, a trip highlight was always the Cape Town dinner with local historian, actor and raconteur, Guy Willoughby. 

This morning, we received word that Guy passed away today, and this saddens us greatly.

Over the past several years, Guy entertained and regaled our travelers with his insightful take on the history of South Africa, as well as the gay history of the country. An evening with Guy was always interesting and fun, and one never knew what to expect. I, Jeff, honestly believe that my own knowledge of Southern Africa history is based on the evenings spent with Guy.

Guy was truly a savvy friend, whose presence made the Savvy Navigator tour different from any other. He will be greatly missed.

Here’s his Cape Times obituary:

Cape Town - Actor, director, playwright and entertainment writer Guy Willoughby died on Tuesday of Aids-related complications, after being ill for some time.

"We've lost a great actor. He was brave and clear-sighted to the end," ex-wife Finuala Dowling told News24. "He's been sick for a while and it was a relief to speak to him about his illness and approaching death."

His death was met with shock and great sadness in the industry.

"Guy was extremely witty and wit rather than farce made him laugh. I remember him having an incredible turn of phrase," actor Anthea Thompson told News24.

She said that Willoughby was a comedian who displayed passion and creativity in his work.

Passionate and driven

"I saw a stand-up that he wrote and his work was topical and he would also look at the funny side of things - that make ordinary people laugh. He was a passionate and driven man and the range of his work was incredible."

"Of course his creativity rubbed off on those around him. I played opposite him in a play (African Star) that he wrote and he was hands on and incredibly on the go."

However, she added that Willoughby was demanding of himself in the work that he did.

"Guy was a hard task master and was very hard on himself; he always wanted the best, but I never saw him shout at somebody because they weren't doing something exactly the way he wanted."

Willoughby, renowned in entertainment and media circles, also wrote for newspapers around the country, including the Mail & Guardian, Sunday Times and Cape Times.

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