Blogs from North West, South Africa, Africa
August 24th 2011
Today was only a short drive over the border into South Africa. I liked South Africa straight away as we didn't have to fill out any immigration forms and it was sunny! :) We got to our camp and then a few of us went kayaking down Orange River. Once Sarah and I were in the rhythm it was really great fun. The only downside were the annoying flies that kept biting us! That evening the camp cooked dinner for us - roast lamb on a spit! The next morning was the long drive to our final destination: Cape Town! The scenery was spectacular on the way and we arrived around 5pm. Then we checked into our lovely hotel. We had been upgraded! Woohoo! There was TV, showers and baths! There was even a minibar! Then ... read more
February 18th 2011
We met Jane, Eric, Karen (Jane’s daughter) and Karens son, Gianni at Pilanesberg Game Reserve. We spent 2 nights there. Jane and Eric had a tented camp set up for us. They are permanent canvas tents with wood front and doors. They used to be all canvas but the baboons kept tearing the doors open. We had Impala, mongoose, baboons, guinea fowl and Yellow hornbills around our tent a lot. Jane is an H.O. (Honorary officer) at this reserve. She drove us around different places in the park. We saw white rhino and an elephant herd with babies, also giraffes and zebras. We were happy about the rhino picture because we never got a good picture of rhino in Kruger. Note: 2 days before we arrived at Pilanesberg a bull elephant rolled a car with a ... read more
Sun City...extravaganza in the middle of nowhere!
Published: November 22nd 2010Africa » South Africa » North West » Sun City
November 17th 2010
There is Disneyland, there is Dubai and Las Vegas....you like them or you don't like them, and there is also Sun City. The original concept of Sun City was created 25 years ago on the same concept of Las vegas...aka Casinos! At the time, capital cities in South Africa could not get their owns casinos. So Sun City came out of the plans, 2 hours drive from Joburg, in the middle of nowhere not that far away from the Botswana border. To make people feel better, they did not only built casinos, the added two golf courses. 15 years ago, to complement the all thing came a Palace, the place is called the Palace of the Lost City. You are in fantasy, disneyesque or other would say bad taste extravaganza. We stay there, but imagine people ... read more
July 11th 2010
Tuesday We packed our stuff into the car for the last time, detouring via Suncity on our way back to Joburg. For the second time the Sat Nav lead us up the garden path this time to the back gate of Sun City not accessible to the general public! We eventually found the front gates and a park and set to exploring Sun City. Designed by entrepreneur Sol Kerzer it’s a disturbing cross between wet’n’wild and crown casino jungle style. Glitzy and tacky originally designed for rich white South Africans to splash out. We wandered through the Lost City to the Valley of Waves by but it was way too cold to swim in the wave pool or water slides so we waited the earth quake simulation on the bridge… an experience not to be missed! ... read more
Elvis goes to Rustenburg for US vs Ghana
Published: June 28th 2010Africa » South Africa » North West » Rustenburg
June 27th 2010
Getting around South Africa ain't easy. Especially going to a little town like Rustenburg that doesn't even have a direct route to Johannesburg. Rustenburg shouldn't really exist as a town at all, except it's sitting on the biggest deposit of platinum on the planet. The other other things it has is the "Platinum Highway" linking it to Pretoria and the Royal Bafaking Stadium -- a name that lends itself to misuse. After failing to hire a driver we had to resort to driving ourselves. Wayne kindly offered to do the driving but Tim and I vetoed that idea immediately -- Wayne's much better company drunk than sober. I ended up driving by default, so the three of us collected our Elvis costumes and piled into the car for the 3 hour trip. Wayne mentioned that he ... read more
June 21st 2010
Friday (18/6/2010) We arrived to the breakfast room greeted by host Scott, bacon and eggs how you like ‘em, plus cereal, toast, quiche, juice coffee, fruit salad and yogurt. Perfectly poached eggs and some directions we walked to collect our hire car. Our Kia Picanto (despite its tiny boot) was definite upgrade on our Citi golf (mini tank from St Lucia), we set off for the mall. Dodging some local drivers we arrived to a huge mall, 300 plus shops and barely more than a handful of Aussie soccer shirts. Keen for some warmer layers Carly jumped ship scoring a cheap Brazil jumper. We grabbed some lunch and hit the road for Rustenberg ahead of Australia’s second game. We arrived at the Traveller’s Inn, checked in with some complimentary sherry and set up camp. Made slightly ... read more
June 20th 2010
I had an early start that morning as I seemed to do every day on this trip. I packed up my gear then went down stairs to wait for my car to be delivered at 8am. Naturally the car company was late with delivery, but it was a cute little car none the less. I departed the hostel thinking, I knew the way out of town, but I must admit I was a bit nervous driving on African roads for the first time and this probably lead to me missing the turn off. I was on a one way road and couldn’t turn around so I took a road on the left that took me into a produce market area. I couldn’t find an exit so I wound down my window to ask directions of couple ... read more
June 14th 2010
First thing in the morning we headed to the airport to pick up our car around 830 AM. Little did we know we wouldn't be leaving the airport until nearly 11 AM. Friday was the opening day of the World Cup so the airport was PACKED with cheers and vuvuzellas (the horns you hear on TV) everywhere. We ran some errands, buying a converter and a road map because we don't trust GPS. We attempted to deal with the issues with my phone, but that was an epic fail. I went to two phone companies and waited for a total of 2 hours. Both of the piece of crap companies told me I would need their service and that my phone was locked and wouldn't work in SA. I tried to explain that it had been ... read more
March 4th 2010
Elisha and I love these little gummy candies here..the funny thing is that they are gummy booze... port, wine, rum, gin etc etc.. but they just taste like gummy bears.. there is not much to update at this point as we have just been swamped at the lodge and working hard... we have not been able to get anywhere too exciting since Predator World. Elisha is apparently working miracles in the office and Antoinette says she did not think anyone could organise her chaos as well as she has. quite a nice thing to say... I am so happy with her and her willingness to adapt and try...not that we are roughing it in any way... The plan is this Sunday or Monday to head to Pilanesberg Game Park and spend the day there... I cannot ... read more
February 22nd 2010
I would like to start by saying thanks to all my great family and friends in Texas for the nice and warming comments. It means a lot and you know, if you know me, I am not just saying that... I have yet to take Elisha to a real game park yet..that is coming soon. Probably within the next 2 weeks we shall be taking a nice trip to Pilanesburg...I cannot wait to see her face when that first group of majestic giraffes lumbers by the vehicle looking in at us in the same way we look back at them...and the most beautiful beast of them all, the giant elephant... It will be an experience that she will never forget...I know it. We did go to Predator World, which collects all of the big cats of ... read more
