Menzel

My lips are pursed, my teeth are purple and I have grown a mushroom top from all the eating... this is what three days in the wine lands does to a person. We underestimated our drive from Knysna to Stellenbosch and arrived at night and got lost again as the street signs were virtually non existence (remind me to thank our car rental company that never gave us our GPS). After stopping to ask for directions we finally found our way through the valley to our guesthouse, Sugarbird Manor. In the morning we got to see the striking view of the valley from our infinity pool (which would be our life saver for the next couple days when temperatures would hit 35 degrees). We hit the road after getting some recommendations on the good wineries to ... read more

Note - more pictures to be added, wireless is too slow here so check back soon! ************************************************* After our fill of surf and sun in J'bay Ryan and I headed to Addo Park via Port Elizabeth. We decided after all of our backpacking we wanted to stay in something morel luxurious. I had booked a game drive and accommodation package through Woodall Lodge just outside Addo. Although I knew it would be nice, I really had no idea what a 5 star place would be like here as it seems star ratings vary across the world. We pulled up to the iron gates, were let in a greeted with cold towels and had a beverage overlooking there pond on the deck while we were briefed on our 2 days ahead. So far... excellent. Next up we ... read more

Ok time to catch up! With our Argentinian friend in tow, Nico, we headed out on the N2 and passed the Cape Flats which is all the shanty town of Cape Town. Beautiful in its own way. Most of the houses are built from sheet metal in a variety of colors. It was funny to see that some of the houses had satellite TV... We decided to do the drive along the scenic route 62. It's an area of magnificent landscapes and towering cliffs, crystal clear streams and an abundance of trees and indigenous flora - all contribute to make Paarl, Wellington, the Breede River Valley, Klein Karoo and Langkloof some of South Africa's most diverse regions. Majestic mountains, scenic passes, rivers, vineyards and orchards, as well as the multitude of attractions, provided us with an ... read more

The sunny, windy, charming and cosmopolitan city of Cape Town. It is cultural, vibrant and is the jewel of SA. I am in love and could stay here for ever. We are bunking at an amazing place and you meet so many traveller's around the world - just fantastic. I can see this is a place where you just get stuck! It also doesn't help that the weather has been high 28-31 and the wine is outstanding...a deadly combination. We picked up a bottle of Goast Du Roam that would cost $15 CAN for $5 here. Needless to say, we will see if my liver will hold up as we try all the new labels. Our first night here we decided to head to Newlands stadium to take in some Rugby. Cape Town Stormers vs. New ... read more

Finally internet that is fast - sorry for the long delay in postings. ************************************************ We arrived in Livingstone Zambia on a British Airways flight (Boeing 300) that had 20 people...including crew if you can believe it. I am shocked they didn't cancel the flight. We arrived at Chanters Lodge, our home for the next 3 nights. This is no five stars, or any star for that matter. The hotel has a quaint garden and pool but the rooms leave something to yearn for. In fact, Ryan refuses to have a shower in our bathroom and you never know what sort of critter you are going to find or if your electricity will work, but the place is great to organized activities and meet fellow travelers. There is a huge disparity of accommodation here, you can either ... read more