Passports ... check, tickets ... check, bags packed ... not quite - haven't started actually!!
When I first started planning for this trip 3 months ago, I figured three weeks would be ample time to see a bit of the country, visit the major sites, do a safari, see the Big 5 (I should make sure I know which animals make up this elite club so I know what to look out for) and attend a wedding, all whilst trying to avoid the inevitable gun point mugging that everyone I speak to is adamant will happen. How naive was I? I figure I'm not Robinson Crusoe in admitting that my knowledge of SA has been limited to Nelson Mandela, Apartheid, rugby, the Boer War, diamonds, Kruger National Park and accents almost on par with those of our cousins across the ditch! I soon realised how superficial my view of this country was. I'm sure that South Africa's socio-economic issues are front and centre and at times in your face; and that at least in certain areas, (as with any number of cities around the world), safety and personal protection should not be taken for granted, but there is so much more to this country I can't wait to experience with my family.
Our itinerary will include Cape Town; driving the Garden Route, taking in Cape Agulhas - the southern most tip of Africa and the point where the Atlantic and Indian Ocean's meet, George and Stormsriver (Wilderness and Tsitsikamma National Parks) ; Adam and Collette's wedding at the Tala Game Reserve just outside Durban (the reason for this hair brained trip) and the hippos of St Lucia Estuary's iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Throw in a few wildlife parks, cave tours an ostrich farm and the odd city site seeing tour and we will have a very full, but hopefully fascinating adventure holiday with a party thrown in to boot!
Well it's off to bed now so I can knock off one of these sleeps and start that packing in the morning!!
