13th June 2012
We are off again!  This time to Africa for a month.
We fly into Cape Town via J’Burg where we meet up with Wynand and head off on a road trip.  Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban, J’Burg. Awesome.
It’s then to The Limpopo District about 3 hours north of J’Burg. This place has no big cats but does have horses. Cannot wait to see Sarah galloping with Giraffes and Zebras.
From there we go to the Kalahari Desert for a few nights with the San Bushman, and to the Okavango Delta for a few nights on a boat. Victoria Falls follows that, then down to Kruger.
Some of the trip may be a bit rough – we are tenting after all. But I think we will survive.
It has been a big week leading up to this with school reports, lesson prep and Uni assignments as well as getting the house ready for the lovely Sarah Cox who is house sitting once again!
The day has got off to a good start. All the jobs are crossed off the list.  Bags packed – got the essentials…..passports, credit cards, phone, ipods and sunnies.  And MANY MANY cameras, lenses etc. Most of our luggage (once again) is electronics.
Now just sitting and chilling waiting for Nathan who is taking us to the airport. Very annoying having to go to Sydney for the night, just to stay in an expensive boring airport hotel! But int he morning it’s Africa bound!!!!
See ya.
Raina

SYDNEY.
We had a lovely time at the Qantas Club having champagne.   We hopped into our tiny plane and flew to Sydney –land of pouring rain. We arrived to torrential rain and did get quiet wet as we walked across the tarmac.
Before leaving home, many people warned us….don’t get eaten by a lion, don’t get eaten by a hippo, watch out for crocs.  Sage advise…….but nearly unnecessary.
We waited in queue for a taxi and were allocated one.  We hopped in and told him where we wanted to go.  It was down hill from there.  We hadn’t even done up our seatbelts when the driver through the car into gear and took off at Mac 7. It took a full 90 seconds before Raina spoke to him sternly and asked him to drive safely and to not try to kill us just because he had the shits with a small fare.  At least he maned by enough to  mumble back that yes he did have the shits.
$31, two almost crashes and many skids later, we arrived at the hotel.
We are taking the shuttle bus back to the airport in the morning!!!!
Thursday 14^th June 2012.
Lovely uneventful trip to the airport.  Must love the Qantas club with great food and drinks, space, computers etc.
We are travelling Premium Economy  – so bring it on!!!

South Africa!
14 hours, 5 movies, many meals and a few drinks later, we arrived in South Africa! We arrived at 4pm. Immigration and customs were really friendly and very quick.  We then went through to the domestic airport and met up with Wynand and Karen. After booking in to our flight to Cape Town, we went to a lovely airport pub and were introduced to a favourite new drink. Springboktje. A layer of peppermint liquor with a layer of Amarillo in a shot glass – Pepperminty, chocolaty and absolutely delicious.
Much to the joy of both Raina and Sarah, we then got onto another plane for a two hour flight to Cape Town.
We got our hire car and drove our hotel. How wonderful having a driver.
The Primi Royal Hotel – was amazing! Talk about luxury.  So plush! Wynand’s room only had ocean views. Our’s had view over the ocean and Lion’s Head. Not that we cared that much. We slept! Like Champions!

Click here for the next page 

Cape Town