Readers of travel magazine, Caravan & Outdoor Life, were greeted by an unusual sight on the front cover of the February issue. Instead of the latest caravan, camper or trailer on display, a very large '50' was prominently placed centre stage in a sea of black and gold. In this way the publishers announced that the first travel magazine ever to be published in South Africa, was celebrating its 50th anniversary.

This publishing milestone is impressive when considering that Caravan & Outdoor Life is also probably the oldest privately owned publication in South Africa and is placed in an exclusive group of magazines to have achieved this milestone, including Huisgenoot; Rooi Rose; and Car.

As publisher/owner, Godfrey Castle, says in his editorial: “Our 50 years translates into extraordinary levels of experience: there is simply no other magazine that has the same enormous history of all things caravaning, and the experience and knowledge in this field.”

The February issue takes a 50-year glance back at all things camping with some nostalgic black and white prints showcasing the distinctly South African camping life style of the 60s and 70s. “Did you guys really wear those funny safari suits?" were some of the snide comments made by the younger generation in the publication's design and editorial departments. Certainly the caravaners of yesteryear wouldn't believe their eyes if they saw today's million-rand motorhomes with granite-topped kitchens and satellite dishes.
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Caravan & Outdoor Life will be at the Beeld Holiday Show from 19 to 21 February.

The best birthday present the publication has received so far is being notified that Caravan & Outdoor Life increased its ABCs (core sales) in the fourth quarter of 2009 by 14% (unaudited).