2010

South Africa, here we come!

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November 2^nd thru November 16^th, 2010:

Well, PACK YOUR ELECTRONIC BAG and let’s head out to South Africa for 17 days of unbelievable fun!

We take United Airlines out of SFO at 10pm on the 2^nd of November to New York’s JFK. After a 3-hour layover we’ll board a South African Airlines jet to Johannesburg, South Africa, arriving Thursday November the 4^th. The weather should be identical to southern California: low 50’s in the evening and upper 80’s during the day.

Inoculations: we both have taken a shot for typhoid fever and will be taking a shot for malaria during our stay. I am required to take, as an extra precaution, a measles inoculation and a flu shot.

Jewelry: none whatsoever.

Currency is the “Rand” where one US dollar = 7.5 Rand and VAT (value-added tax) tax is 14%.

South Africa has eleven official languages. Just to name a few: Afrikaans, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Swati, Tsonga, and Zulu.

On November 12^th we will depart Johannesburg and fly to Cape Town for four days returning to Johannesburg on the 16^th to catch our plane back to New York, and arriving home on the 17^th.

One of our Airstream members asked if we could pick them up an “African Sisters” artifact, whatever that is — we haven’t a clue. They only said, “you’ll find out when you get to Johannesburg.”

South Africa itinerary (more detailed)

11-4 arrive 8:40am Tambo International Airport.  Head to Protea Hotel Balalaika.  7:30pm dinner at Lekgotla Restaurant in Nelson Mandela Square.

11-5 Full day at the Veterinary Science (University of Pretoria – Onderstepoort) and Pretoria City Tour. Pretoria is informally known as “the Jacaranda City”

11-6 Full day at the Bryanston Veterinary Hospital

11-7 Depart Johannesburg and head to Mpumalanga for afternoon of open vehicle game driver in the Kruger National Park. Kruger National Park is larger than Israel, nearly 2 million hectares (5 million acres) of land from north to south along the Mozambique border. Stay overnight at the  Protea Hotel Kruger Gate.

11-8 Early morning game viewing. 2pm – professional meeting and presentation by Dr. Roy Bengis, currently the chief of state veterinarian of Kruger National Park, since 1978.

11-9 leaves for Kapama Private Game Reserve in the Limpopo Province. Convene at noon for high tea. Overnight at Kapama River Lodge.

11-10 Wakeup call at 5am seeking the “Big 5 Country” Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino and Buffalo” during a two day safari in Kapama Game Reserve.

11-11 Early morning game drive.  Depart and travel along the Panorama Route to Hazyview.  Overnight at Protea Hotel Hazyview.

11-12 4pm depart onboard SAA from Johannesburg to Cape Town, arriving 6:10pm, overnight at Protea Hotel in Victoria Junction.

11-13 Visit Table Mountain and tour Cape Town.

11-14 Full day Cape Peninsula Tour.

11-15 Full day at leisure for independent exploration of the “Mother City” and surrounding areas.

11-16 Depart Protea Hotel Victoria Junction Hotel to the airport at 1pm back to Johannesburg for our flight to New York, then on to California arriving 11-17.