South Africa travel? - Page 3

SkyCougar · March 12th, 2008, 13:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by FOXES

Well,
I'm off to Africa in a few hours. Still haven't decided what to pack.
Looks like the non-rev folks will be on the same flight. That will be great.

Going through Cape Verde on the flight to Africa. Interesting...ALL THE DAKAR HOTELS WERE FULL SO THE flight staff had no where to stay. So they switched...

Delta will be flying direct to Capetown soon.

I ended up getting a ton of shots and had a nice hour long consult with a nurse.

I sprayed my clothes with permethrin...and put some sun protector "Rit Dye" on my cotton/silk clothes.

Sorry I missed hooking up with ya.

Dr. Spears

I may have already missed you, but have fun! I will be checking my email every now and then while I'm there, so feel free to email or PM me. It looks like we're going to be in Cape Town around the same time - maybe we can get together for dinner or drinks.

I'm stopping in Dakar on the way from JFK to Jo-Burg as well - not spending the night though. Pack lightly, as it's probably going to be warm there. I'm taking mostly lightweight stuff, lightweight safari pants, shorts, hiking shoes, and shirts that I bought at REI, a dressy sundress for the nightlife in Cape Town. I've got a couple of business functions that I have to attend as well, so I have to pack some business casual clothing. Basically, I'm told that people dress there pretty much like they do in California or Florida.

I am SO ready for this trip! WhoooHoooo!

Hope your vaccinations went well - I've had a bit of reaction from mine, but nothing too bad.

SkyCougar · March 23rd, 2008, 01:02

WhoooHoooo!....and off I go!

Let's compare stories and pictures when we all get back!

SkyCougar · March 23rd, 2008, 01:04

WhoooHoooo!....and off I go!

Let's compare stories and pictures when we all get back!

ATC RET 2003 · March 23rd, 2008, 12:23

Let's do it... have a safe trip!

bike21 · March 23rd, 2008, 19:34

22,800 miles traveled
1,321 photos taken
40 hours to get home
37 cups of instant coffee
11 monkeys
6 delayed flights
4 separate flights to get home
2 rentals cars
1 crazy wedding
1 yamika

one unforgettable trip.

more pics & stories to come soon

SkyCougar · March 24th, 2008, 13:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by bike21

22,800 miles traveled
1,321 photos taken
40 hours to get home
37 cups of instant coffee
11 monkeys
6 delayed flights
4 separate flights to get home
2 rentals cars
1 crazy wedding
1 yamika

one unforgettable trip.

more pics & stories to come soon

I can't wait to hear your stories! I'm about to start collecting mine!

I'm in the business departure lounge for SAA (and a bunch of other airlines), so if anyone is at JFK in the vicinity of the South African Airways Business lounge, stop in and say "hi"! I'll be here for a couple of hours before I board. Ask for Brenda.

SkyCougar · March 28th, 2008, 12:09

I'm in Cape Town right now and am LOVING it! I've been here for 3 days and the weather is picture perfect! What a stunningly beautiful place!Cape Town is gorgeous! Also, lots of good-looking dudes from all over the world here as well.

I saw the little penguins on the beach, watched a wild baboon walk across the road and steal a cell phone from a German tourist and proceed to run up the hill with it and appear to make phone calls on it. It was funny! More later, my mates are telling me to hurry up, we've got lots of things to do before we head up north for safari and nature reserve time.

bike21 · March 28th, 2008, 12:26

Excellent! Have a great time, I am missing it already! Still working on getting photos uploaded and my blog/story written up

SkyCougar · April 2nd, 2008, 08:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by bike21

Excellent! Have a great time, I am missing it already! Still working on getting photos uploaded and my blog/story written up

Thanks Nick, I'm having such an awesome time! The weather has been perfect during this whole trip, we've been so lucky!

I writing this from the safari lodge. I'm about to have afternoon tea, then we have an evening game drive for a couple of hours and then a African BBQ dinner under the stars of the African sky. We did an evening game drive last night, and saw a lot of game at the watering holes having a drink after the heat of the afternoon sun had dissipated. I wonder what we'll see tonight?

I have fallen in love with Africa and the African people - they've been so warm and friendly to us! I wish I could stay for a few months! Back to the US in a few days though.

bike21 · April 2nd, 2008, 13:13

At least you had a 'lodge' and 'electricity'

We had no such thing on our safari (by design of course). It was luxury camping for us

I am still working on sorting pics, but will have some available soon!

SkyCougar · April 5th, 2008, 08:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by bike21

At least you had a 'lodge' and 'electricity'

We had no such thing on our safari (by design of course). It was luxury camping for us

I am still working on sorting pics, but will have some available soon!

LOL...I have to admit that I've been staying at some pretty nice places! But then again, the whole point of this business/personal trip is for me to sell South Africa to the American masses, therefore injecting our tourist dollars into their economy, as well as offering Americans an international bang for our weak US buck.

But we've spent a few hours without the benefit of electricity as well, including not having electricity in what I call "white" South Africa. (they have rolling brown-outs too, much like California, which is quite the controversial discussion here in SA) I actually made my last post via electrical generator, as the lodge was without electricity. (apparently they keep the generators running for critical things like communications/computers in the African bush)

But regardless of the "Best of South Africa" that I have been shown, my warm and gracious African host has sensed what kind of person I am, and has shown me the "real Africa" as well. I've been in the "townships" as well, and this trip has been somewhat of a life-changing experience. I'll elaborate more when I get home and back to normal.

SkyCougar · April 6th, 2008, 02:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by bike21

22,800 miles traveled
1,321 photos taken
40 hours to get home
37 cups of instant coffee
11 monkeys
6 delayed flights
4 separate flights to get home
2 rentals cars
1 crazy wedding
1 yamika

one unforgettable trip.

more pics & stories to come soon

I'm finally home and I have a serious case of jet lag.

33,500 miles traveled
46 hours to get home
56 hours of sitting on the plane (round trip) including 3 1/12 hours of taxi time at JFK alone
297 photos taken
Many South African meals eaten, including ostrich and springbok

1 baboon with cell phone sighted

Many animals spotted

One memorable evening of Brenda jamming on African drums, as well as Brenda shaking it with some African tribal dancers

Lots of new friends made

One safari jeep that left the ground and almost went over a cliff with me on it.

One unforgettable trip!!!

staplegun · April 6th, 2008, 03:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyCougar

I'm finally home and I have a serious case of jet lag.

33,500 miles traveled
46 hours to get home
56 hours of sitting on the plane (round trip) including 3 1/12 hours of taxi time at JFK alone
297 photos taken
Many South African meals eaten, including ostrich and springbok

1 baboon with cell phone sighted

Many animals spotted

One memorable evening of Brenda jamming on African drums, as well as Brenda shaking it with some African tribal dancers

Lots of new friends made

One safari jeep that left the ground and almost went over a cliff with me on it.

One unforgettable trip!!!

Can't wait to see the pics!

Kevin

SkyCougar · April 6th, 2008, 03:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by staplegun

Can't wait to see the pics!

Kevin

I'll try to get them uploaded from my camera tomorrow Kev. I'm too beat right now....and yes there are pics of me jamming with the Africans.

At one point, one of the African drummers put his headdress on me and everyone laughed because it was the same color as my hair and it looked like I had a huge 'fro...ahhh music, the universal language that unites all people!

Kev, I thought of you and your culinary curiousity, as I sampled many unusual animal dishes - you would have been so proud of me!

aerosmith · April 6th, 2008, 19:14

Hey Sky

wow - sounds cool - glady you enjoyed good ol' SA !

also never ever thought I would see any Xhosa words on this forum !

aero

SkyCougar · April 6th, 2008, 20:57

Quote:

Hey Sky

wow - sounds cool - glady you enjoyed good ol' SA !

Oh I did! We need to talk!

Quote:

also never ever thought I would see any Xhosa words on this forum !

You should have seen me trying to get the "clicks" down in the Xhosa language! Londi, my Xhosa safari guide had some great laughs at my expense!

Let me see if I can attach a couple of pics for ya - hope they don't make you homesick for Cape Town!

aerosmith · April 7th, 2008, 01:07

Hello Sky

sure - be interesting to hear what all you did - PM me and I'll get in touch (would love to see photos). Damn I miss Cape Town - its such an amazing place, the things I have experienced in that city, as well as the rest of the country, are unbeliveable.

ahhh yes the clicks - and the Afrikaans hard "g" can be "intersting" to say the least. When done by someone who has spoken the language all their lives it sounds so normal but when you try it, well its another story

speak to you later

aero

bike21 · April 8th, 2008, 20:05

Finally got around to getting a few shots resized, will have our big photo album done online by tomorrow morning for anyone interested

SkyCougar · April 9th, 2008, 01:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by aerosmith

Hello Sky

sure - be interesting to hear what all you did - PM me and I'll get in touch (would love to see photos). Damn I miss Cape Town - its such an amazing place, the things I have experienced in that city, as well as the rest of the country, are unbeliveable.

ahhh yes the clicks - and the Afrikaans hard "g" can be "intersting" to say the least. When done by someone who has spoken the language all their lives it sounds so normal but when you try it, well its another story

speak to you later

aero

Hi ya Aero! - PM sent! We'll have a good chat!

Was just reading some emails from South Africa and looking at pics of us having dinner at the Africa Cafe - wow, what an incredible dinner! My mouth is watering just thinking about that restaurant in Cape Town....Mmmm...Mmmm!

SkyCougar · April 9th, 2008, 01:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by bike21

Finally got around to getting a few shots resized, will have our big photo album done online by tomorrow morning for anyone interested

Those are awesome photos Nick! Can't wait to see the rest! I'm still catching up on email and work stuff, but hope to get to mine soon. Please PM the link to your album if you don't post it publically - you know I want to see them!! - would love to chat with you and your wife as well, about our time in South Africa.