Kruger Park, Mpumalanga, South Africa ~ days 9-12 (June 11-14)

 Kian reluctantly braved the late flight to Johannesburg on Kulula Airlines.  We lived.

The first thing we noticed in our short stay in Johannesburg, just beyond the perimeter of the airport, is that all of the houses are surrounded by walls and fences.  ALL of them.  I feel like this city has earned its dangerous reputation.  And, honestly, I don’t feel like I need or want to see any more of it.  A quick night at the Premier OR Tambo Hotel, and we were on our way to Kruger Park early the next morning.

We winged it on our way into Kruger Park.  Having arrived (after the 5 hour drive from Johannesburg OR Tambo International … it is NOT the 3 hour drive the Kruger Park website suggests) just before the Park’s 5:30pm closing time, we were turned away at the gate.  This was our biggest blessing in disguise, as they suggested we try the Nkambeni Tented Lodge, just outside of the Numbi Gate.  A perfect African Safari stay.  Having lunch at the lodge bar our first afternoon here, we watched elephants walk along the riverbank, grazing and munching trees and wagging their tails.  Hippos popped their heads out of the water and lazily yawned.  We all were happy.  Kian napped on a bench. 

our view from the bench.  we called this guy "moopa"

Stay away from the Park lodges (we tried Skukuza on our second day and left immediately) – stay at Nkambeni Tented.  087-806-4909, management@nkambeni.com.  

We took a sunrise safari with Chewie (through the Nkambeni Lodge) and it was fantastic.  With him, and our own drive today, already we’ve seen Elephants, African Buffalos, Giraffes, Zebras, a Rhino, Hippopotamus, Impalas, Kudas (?), Hedgehogs (like Pumba), Gray Monkeys, Miniature Mongooses, and countless kinds of birds.  We’re still waiting to see some cats… no Lions, Leopard or Cheetah sightings yet.  And, Kian wants to add, we’ve seen a number of donkeys, cows and goats alongside (and on) the roads.

Sunrise in Kruger Park

 Now let me backtrack for a moment.  Driving in toward Numbi Gate from Jo’burg was another experience in itself.  Everything was “normal” until we reached the edges of Mahushu on R538.  Mahushu made us both sad; it touched us deeply and scared us a little bit.  Parts of it shanty town, parts dilapidated buildings, and thousands and thousands of young people.  Walking.  Walking.  Walking.  I wonder where they’re going; It hardly seems like there is anywhere to walk to.  I wonder whether this is what Lusaka will be like.  Many looked at us with suspicion.  Though they know we’re tourists here for Kruger Park.  Still, I’ve never felt so white in my life.  I realize I've never been, really, in the minority before.  I actually envy Kian for being “less” white (can I say that?), and am happy to be with him for that reason.

On our last day in Kruger, making our way in no rush out of the park, we had our most magical animal encounters yet.  We luckily decided to take one more gravel path on our way south to exit.  Within 5 minutes we spotted a herd of zebras (including babies!!) and two giraffes, all grazing together.  Something spooked a zebra, and they all took off running, prompting the giraffes to clumsily follow.  They stopped right in front of our car.  We lingered with them for a bit, then, as usual, they just disappeared in an instant into the thick bush.  A few minutes more down the road we came upon a cheetah.  A stealthy, purposeful, beautiful, cautious and curious cheetah.  That cheetah hung out with us for a solid 15-20 minutes.  Strolling along the dirt road.  Sitting and looking out at the valley.  Wagging its longer-than-life tail.  Rolling over and scratching its back in the road.  Staring at us.  It was amazing.  Kian finally saw a cat.  We are yet to see lions, though.  Maybe in Tanzania. 

Heading back to Jo’burg, I drove for the first time on the left-hand side of the road…  At dusk… Heading due West straight into a blinding setting sun...  On a narrow two-lane highway… With crazy drivers… and darting pedestrians everywhere.  We were both tense.  By nightfall we were approaching Johannesburg: lots of sketch, lots of traffic, and, of course, lots of scantly marked construction.  I think I have cut my international driving teeth on this one.  I can drive anywhere now. 

We rolled into the City Lodge near the Johannesburg airport, and it was horrible.  And it was also our most expensive hotel to date.  Dirty rooms, faulty internet and I nearly broke my toe (which may have been my fault, but it made me hate the hotel and Jo’burg even more).  But I’ll save this review for Trip Advisor.

Kruger was great, but ready for the next stop :: Zambia!

Stellenbosch, South African Winelands ~ Days 6 & 7 (June 8-9)

The drive to Stellenbosch was easy, and we got to listen to our CD on the drive, so that investment paid off.  :)  If Cape Town is Los Angeles or San Francisco of the Western Cape, Stellenbosch is its Paso Robles or Napa.  Except even more beautiful.  Literally 100 wineries and vineyards to explore, with a great little village center.  And only about a 40 minute drive from Cape Town on excellent highways.

The first winery we hit in Stellenbosch was Delaire.  Beautiful grounds, architecture, art and sculpture. Gorgeous views.  

Checked into the first hotel we saw, Eendacht Self Catering (again, very affordable and very central, at R450 per night total, about $65).  Great, little private house with a front porch and small landscaped yard.  We’re sitting on the front porch now as I write this, drinking the Botmaskop rich red wine we bought at Delaire, listening to Sting and David Byrne.  Feeling happy.   Really happy.

Kian is looking forward to a steak dinner.  I am looking forward to seeing a little less “westernized” Africa, but still definitely appreciating the beauty of this land and all the people.  We’ll be here for a couple of days, then back to Cape Town to fly to Kruger/Jo’burg or Mozambique.  We abandoned the plans to drive to Durban.  Too much highway.

Dinner at Hussar Grill on Plein Street.  Excellent.  Excellent. Excellent meal, wine and dessert.  Everything is Hussar to Kian now.  Walking out and heading toward home, we heard live music in the air and followed the sounds of bass, banjos and fiddles to a little bread bakery with an entrance from an alley off of Church Street.  It was definitely the hip place to be in this sleepy old town, and 100% my kind of music.  I have the info somewhere, if anyone is going to be in South Africa.  You MUST come here.  The music magic happens only on Wednesdays and Saturdays.  I wanted to stay until Saturday just so we could spend the whole evening there.  :)

On our second day, we took a wine tour with Niel (Afri Vista Tours, Niel Oosthuizen, info@afrivista.com, +27 83 962 3290).  Started with the whole wine making process at Kanonkop.  Next was Rustenberg; amazing grounds, gardens, buildings.  Different from Delaire, and perhaps even more beautiful (to me) as Rustenburg is historic, with buildings dating back to the 1700s.  Le Pommier for lunch.  The Cape Jazz Red at Solms Delta was fantastic!!  (Delta Road, off the R45 between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek).  Last was Thelema; again, great wine and nice views.  Cool dogs -- Weimeriners -- too.

Then, on Niel’s recommendation, we had dinner at La Fayette, just off of Church Street, for dinner.  Tomorrow another road trip.

(I'll come back and add photos to this posting; the internet (again) is just too slow where we are now)

Cape Town ~ Days 1-5 (June 3-7)

Well, already I have fallen behind on my intentions with this blog.  Here are some Cape Town highlights:

We got to our hotel, the Primi Oxford House in Greenpoint, around 5:30pm and had just enough energy to wander a block and a half to stumble upon the neighborhood favorite, Manos.  We filled our bellies with decadent food and a glass too many of wine (promising to hike Table Mountain the next day).  Instead, we ended up sleeping in until noon, the slow rhythm of rain keeping us under the covers.  So far, it seems to rain about every other day in Cape Town.

Highly recommended hotel in centrally located Greenpoint.

 The Primi Oxford House on Wessels in Greenpoint, is very affordable (ZAR 460 for two, approx. $50) and highly recommended, self catering, Ross the owner and Didier the manager so friendly, helpful, definitely a place to make home for a week or so...

THE V&A WATERFRONT

Saturday afternoon brought exploring the V&A Waterfront (think the Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, with San Francisco weather, as well).  Of course I bought a CD from the first group of street performers we saw for ZAR 100 (about $15).  I have no way to play it, but I don’t mind carrying it around for 3 months for the surprise when we get back home.   Having about all we needed of the waterfront, we took a stroll through the City Center (think downtown LA on a weekend; empty).   

We ended the evening at Long Street.   Anyone planning to visit Cape Town should plan to SKIP IT….  With the exception of Julep, which we found tucked away in a little alley behind the Long Street Café.  Finished with Long Street, we (unintentionally) hit some gay bars near our hotel in the Greenpoint and ended up staying up waaay too late with some new friends, Avier & Janine.

Sunday we did Nothing.  Literally nothing.  All day

ROBBEN ISLAND

On our fourth day, we hit the city early, determined to make up for our “wasted” Sunday.  (It wasn’t wasted at all, actually, we had a lot of fun doing nothing together and laughing a lot!)  We thought it time to explore some of the more cultural/historical aspects of Cape Town, and in this regard, there’s nothing more relevant than Robben Island.  The ferry ride was cold and choppy – at times a little scary – and an hour later we were dropped in the middle of what I’m sure will prove to be just the first among a number of humbling experiences on this trip.  Our tour guide was a proud and beautiful South African woman.  She was she was clearly strong yet elegant and soft-spoken.  And she was intelligent.  She lives on Robben Island with others who work as guides for the former-prison, now museum and historical site. 

Some of the most significant of these include former prisoners, who now give tours of the cells and grounds that used to enclose them.  What a strange experience that must be, to see families and foreigners strolling freely in and out of the very rooms you were limited to for so long.  Walking through the very doorways that were closed for so long.  Children laughing.  Running.  Oblivious – borderline rude – tourists snapping pictures in your face as you speak of the hardships to which you were subjected on a daily basis.  I’m talking about Jama.  He was imprisoned on Robben Island from 1976 to 1981.  Though his time overlapped with fellow political prisoner, Nelson Mandela, Jama never met the leader – as Mandela was kept in solitary confinement during his last seven years on Robben Island.  He was thought to be too charismatic, too inspiring, too intelligent – too dangerous – to be around the other prisoners.  His cell was smaller than the kennels that housed the dogs kept to guard him and the others.

Nelson Mandela's cell

 After Robben Island (a pretty lengthy excursion, taking about 4-5 hours in all), we headed to the polar opposite of experiences in Camps Bay.  A beautiful, westward facing beach town just south of Cape Town, Camps Bay has no shortage of money and people willing to spend it.  We had another lovely dinner, delicious wine, but I am starting to feel as though Cape Town is a little too westernized for my taste at the moment.  I’m ready for something different.

On the plus side, though, we’ve started to become friendly with Didier, the hotel manager.  We’ve learned about his children (daughter, Jessica is 8; Didier Jr. is 6, and Mikey is 4 and cute as a button, he acts pretty grown up -- he didn't really want Kian to tickle him -- and he loves wrestling), his family farms in Congo (his whole family except one brother are still there and he hasn’t been back to see them since 1996), the coffee (which is dying), his career as a soccer player in Ivory Coast, and mostly about his dream to move to America for a better life for himself and for his children.  Kian and I resolved that we want to help him.  Miss you Didier, but we'll see you again soon!!

Some notes on Cape Town:

Stay away from Long Street!

Visit Camps Bay at sunset.

Walk around Cape Quarter/Greenpoint, north of Somerset, go to Origins Coffee Roasters and Chenin Wine Bar, and a cool looking yoga studio – Yoga Life.  Sorry I didn’t make time to take a class. ....but I got back to my practice in the African bush... update coming soon.

Miss you all!!