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Published: March 9th 2007
Well Sat it coninued to rain in Cape Town. I like to think CT was crying becasue I was leaving.. Anyhow after failing to dry my washing I went with Lena to Mimis which is the cafe I went to on my first day in Cape Town. In the evening me and some new volunteering friends went to Cafe Ganesh, which is reccomended in a travel guide, and is in Obs. I had falafel, then we went to Obs cafe for desert (choc cake).
Sunday I was up early and the wonderful Ursula from AVIVA picked me up. Short trip to the ariport, good BA flight.. although I was right at the back... which I wasn't so keen on!! BA are official carriers of Sprignbox rugby.. Met at Jo Burg by Glyn and Alan from the Fly Inn Lodge where I'll be staying. So good to have a big sign with my name on it when you step off a plane and walk into the arrivals bit! Fly Inn lodge is FANTASTIC!! Tracy is a twin, and she really looked after me today. Upgraded me to a room of my own for free (I had booked a dorm), dried my
laundry for me, and generally was fantatsic. Everything here is new, there's internet, a bar, pool, pool table and lots of great things. I relaxed by the pool. Swam a bit and then in the evening the marketing director from Nomads (who I booked my safari with) Arno, and Marei from Argentina who will be on Safari with me was there too. Had take out pizza, watch P&P a bit, and slept like a log!
Monday was a 8am pick up from Nomads. 10 of us on tour, 5 from UK, 5 male 5 female, 1 couple, 2 friends a the rest singles. A great group of people!! Long drive up to near Kruger. We stopped at Canyon, and then arrives at Tambavatti. I love road trips. Great surprise to fidn we had a hut instead of a tent, not that it mattered as I didn't make it to bed that night anyway! Did a twilight game drive in a private reserve. Saw White Rhino, buffalo, deer, lots of things - it was amazing on the first night. Had a sundowner.. ie a beer when the sun goes down! Drove back in the dark.. was actually really good to
be in a reserve at ngiht - I thought I wouldn't see anything but we did, and it was very quiet.. lots of animal souinds and things. I did keep thinking as we were looking out on side of the jeep that a lion might come up and grab us out of the other side of the jeep... Went back to lodges, and saw some zulu dancing I think. Food was amazing Justine of Nomads is a fab cook, also Jorn a fab driver/guide by the way). Went swimming in the evening, had a few drinks, the in the small hours a few of us went skinny dipping (which I did every night.. nice to be at one with nature and the world and it was dark!) , and I was in the pool until very early.. as I had a 5am startr for a game walk I slept for 30 mins on the sunlounger by the pool. Was beautiful.
Tuesday we all wnet on a agme walk around a rpvet reserve with Axom our guide.. and he had NO GUN!!! I wasn't sure if that made me feel safe or more nervouse of beign pounced on by
a lion... Anyhow it was a 3 hour walk, I got to see lots of things that you just done see in a vehicle. Animal tracks, toothpaste plants, giraffe and also a couple of times we saw a herd of buffalo.. we stood very still and when I heard the herd moving I wasn't sure if it was towards us or away from us... Anyhow it was brilliant and oen of my highlights of the trip.
The big 5 are the most dangerous animals to a human hunter on foot and are:
Black Rhino
Leopard
Elephant
Lion
Buffalo
We saw buffalo and elephant, and also white rhino (which comes from wide rhino as he isn't white really!!)
Anyhow after the walk we drove to Kruger NP and did a game drive on the way to the campsite. I loved seeing the giraffe and hippos and ellies. For me it wasn't about a tick list of 5 things, it was about the whole experience of camping, new people, wildlife, seeing giraffes, hippos etc was brilliant, equally as good as if we had seen 100 leopards for me anyway..!!
Putting up the tents was fun..... but some were
already experienced Nomad tour tent puteruppers!! More great food and game drives, then a new swimming pool which was very hard to find and more swimming. I may have done a Liz at red cross thing :-) A lot of fun. A couple of hours sleep in my tent this time!! I might ask NOMAD for a refund of the accomodation/camping bit as I didn't realy sleep much..
Wed was another early start 6am and game drive in Kruger to new camp site. More tent building.. and another game drive. In the evening there was some red wine drinking.. and also I've been trying brandy and coke mixed in a can called kilpers something I think. Can you buy that and Savvannah dry at home???
Thursday we travelled back home.. went via the potholes which were fun.. reminded me of Wales.. sadly it was raining so we never made it to God's window.. the curtains were closed, but it would have been a great view of SA and Mozambique. Back to Jo'Burg and the Fly Inn... two of the girls are staying here tonight and we're all going on a tour tomorrow.
The animnals were amazing.. I
could write for hours. Saw lots of tracks, and all sorts of beautiful things. So were the people. Human nature is a very variable thing in travelling, esp when you are alone. I've meet wondeful people on this whole trip and sometimes people who are not so nice.. This group were superb. I love Nomads too - check them out they do lots of great tours!! Also I love the Fly Inn of course!
Today.. Fri was a tour of Soweto.. So where to... or South West Township. First we went to a local settlement with no running water (just one tap) and no elec. Saw a day care centre there. Met the locals and went into a shack. Like Kosovo. Went to the Regina Mundi catholic church where political meetings were held during apartheid, and the police shot on innocent unarmed people. Saw Henry Patterson's memorial - he was one of the first to be killed in 16 June 1976 riots - students protesting peacefully and again being shot. Saw Winnie Mandela's House, Desmond TuTus's and also Nelson Mandela's house which we could look around. Was where he and Winnie lived. He was there for 11 days after leaving jail as too many people would stop by. There was a great painting of him called tears of freedom with his head and sholders, and in the background robben island, and feet in shackles walking towards the beach.. and with each step the shackels fell off until it was bare footprints on the sand. Went to local restaurant for traditional food, then to Apartheid museum which was AMAZING. Could have stayed all day. Superb place, very emotional, excelllent museum. Takes about 3 hours I think,. but we were fairly quick as time limited. Went across to Gold Reef City which is a theme park, and went on a mine trip.. where you go down and see an old gold mine. Was great, very dark, some annoying people who kept talking over the lady guide (why do people do that!!??) but I really enjoyed it. Rode a Rotary Jo Berg South penny farthing.. very badly..
Half of the time I think SA is great, being a democracy, avoiding civil war, the truth and reconcilliation tribunals, the other half of the time I feel mad that SA has so much wealth with the waterfront in CT, the world cup, gold and so on yet so much poverty!!
Priya and Marie Louise were dropped off at the airpot, and so tonight I have ben enjoying the delights of the Fly Inn and catching up with my blog! I could write for hours more about this week.. some things are not for bloggin. And others about how wonderful the safari was would take me all night...
Well I fly to Sydney on Sunday. I may not blog as much now.. as I will be moving around alot,. but I think about you all, and send lots of love from wherever I am.
Thanks MJP for comments, didn't publish them but you are a star, much appreciated.
Liz stop having a go at my spelling - I will correct it in UK...!!! Good luck for all your things... !! xxxxx
Love Mich xxxxx
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Be gentle with Sydney and don't mention cricket!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! mjp ps - animal photos were great, what about the skinny dipping photos - don't tell me, no where to carry the camera!