South Africa Itinerary

Thought I would set up a list of all the places we'll be, and when we'll be there. Will be posting more info about all of these places, from the "road" of course. This will just give you a sense of where we'll be on various dates...

Feb 1-3: fly out through London, arrive Johannesburg (Jo-burg) early on the morning of Feb 3. All in, two flights and a 6 hour layover in London, 28+ hours total travel time, UGH! But my brilliant hubby has found us some Air Canada lounge passes, so we'll be able to relax, shower and drink heavily at the open bar while in London.

Feb 3-4 Sun City/Pilanesberg: As it turns out, Steve has an immediate mine site visit booked -- right after we land on the 3rd, another flight is booked out for this visit. I am very thrilled, because they just confirmed that I can go along with! (and all expenses paid, which is even better). The company that is hosting this visit is putting us up at a luxury hotel called Palace of the Lost City in Sun City. Looks very Las Vegas to me...then again, I think that's what Sun City is all about! The place looks somewhat surreal, not quite what I imagine Africa is about. Then again, not the kind of place we'd ever afford (rooms average $700/night!) They are flying us in, wine and dine as well, apparently. Steve has a presentation/site visit the next day, but I get to hang out at at the hotel which is excellent. Then they whisk us back to Jo-burg on the afternoon of the 4th. All by private air charter. Boy, I could seriously get used this fancy VIP lifestyle Steve gets to enjoy on this junkets! Nice!

Currency note FYI: the exchange rate for South African Rand to CDN $$ is about 6:1. (R100 is about $16 CDN)

Feb 4-9 Cape Town: we fly out the night of the 4, and take up a 5 day stay in Cape Town. Our friends Karl and Jane will be flying in about the same time, and staying with us there. Steve's conference in Cape Town will keep him busy from Feb 6-8 all day, but he'll have the 5th to explore around the City with us. Our first night we are staying at a small inn (before we can check into the aprtment we have rented), called The Village Lodge. We found this excellent apartment to rent together called (oddly enough) Manhattan Lofts. I think the private jacuzzi on the roof with the view of Table Mountain is definitely what sold it for Steve...well, more like he thinks the blond chick comes with the place! ;-)

Feb 8-9: Steve ventures off on his own to a mine site visit, a world wind visit up to Botswana, through Jo-burg and back to Jo-burg, all in less than 24 hours. Often how they book that kind of travel for him.

Feb 9-12 Cape Town to Plettenberg Bay: Mary Ann, Jane and Karl venture out on a trip along the Garden Route, (Western Cape Region they call it) to a small coastal town called Plettenberg Bay. We are staying in a very funky place called Stone Cottage (the Oupa Jannie Cottage specifically) -- looks rustic, but WOW, what a view. Steve is flying in from Jo-burg on the 10th, and will join us from then on (after that he has no more work to do, all holidays for him now!). From here we can explore the gorgeous coastline all along this southern area.

Feb 12-15 Stellenbosch: on the 12th, the four of us head back up to Cape Town region, to stay in the Cape Wine Region, which is only about 100 km outside of Cape Town itself. We'll be staying at B&B called The Beautiful South, and from there exploring the wine region. The town of Stellenbosch and nearby Franschhoek are two of the main town in the wine region, which also include more than 500 wineries. We anticipate a very good time will be had by all. Sadly, Karl and Jane will be headed off on their own by the 13 or 14, so it will be just Steve and I after that...

Feb 15-18 Kruger National Park: we fly out of Cape Town on the 15th and head for our sarafi adventure at the Vuyatela Game Lodge in the Sabi Sands Reserve area of the Kruger National park. Three days of lions, elephants, cheetahs, giraffe, and more! This is going to be truly COOL!!

Feb 18-20 Johannesburg: finally a chance to see Johannesburg and Soweto. We have two days of specialized tours booked, to Soweto and the Apartheid Museum, and a tour of the city centre itself. Very excited about finishing up our trip this way. We are staying at a lovely little Boutique Hotel called The Peech.

Feb 20-21: time to go home again! Arrive back in Vancouver on the 21st.