Tour of Soweto followed by Okavanga Delta Safari
Trip Start
Oct 18, 2006
1
7
Trip End
Dec 10, 2006
Gaborone, Botswana
Saturday, November 18, 2006
We had a great afternoon with Mandy from Imbizo Tours - which ended up being a private tour by the owner of the company. We lucked out since the group tour initially signed up for ended up being overbooked. Mandy makes us want to come back and spend more time in Jo'burg, learning more about the city and issues that affect South Africa. We had drinks in New Town after the tour, which is a renewal area with museums, art groups (dance, fine arts, etc), bars, jazz clubs etc. Definitely a place to visit and spend more time.
The afternoon highlights, apart from meeting Mandy and friends, included a visit of a Soweto neighbourhood, the impressive Pieterson museum that commemorates the killing of this 13-year old boy during the 1976 uprising, a very good museum, the Soweto church that offered refuge to the people during the uprising, Mandela's former home (with Winnie) and we also spotted Desmond Tutu's and Winnie Mandela's present homes, but most of all it was our conversations with Mandy and others we met that day which offered but a glimpse into the South African culture. Definitely will have to return for a longer stay in the city and South Africa.
Our hotel was the swank Westcliff, an Orient-Express hotel that is also the company that organized the safari. They have 3 permanent camp destinations in the Okavango Delta, in Chobe (Savute Elephant Camp), Moremi (Khwai River Lodge) and Eagle Island Camp. It is a great formula, permanent luxury tents, canopied beds with linens, en suite bathrooms, which included an outside shower at one of them, viewing verandas with hammock and outside furniture,etc. The days started early, between 5:30 and 6 a.m., when staff brought a tray of tea or coffee with biscuits to wake us up. We managed to have our biscuits stolen only once by the resident monkeys. A continental breakfast was served in the common open-air dining area between 6 and 6:30, and then we were off on our game drives between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m. Then a coffee or tea break in the bush (with table and linens), and then more viewing until our return for brunch by 11:00 a.m. Brunch was followed by the siesta until high tea at 3:30, and by 4:00 p.m. we were off again on our afternoon game drive. We could also swim during siesta since all camps had pools, also the mandatory curio shop, and one camp even had a gym and spa! Sundowns (cocktail hour) was also in the bush, between 5:30 and 6:00, and then back to camp by 6:30 or 7:00 p.m., for a quick shower before cocktails and dinner. Definitely did not loose weight on this trip!
The sightings were great, highlighted by a terribly close eye-to-eye contact with male lions on our last night at Khwai River Lodge. My... my flight response had to be restrained by Diane --- I could take having a lion a couple of meters away, but him staring in my eyes as he walked straight toward me was a bit unnerving. We learned much about the various species of birds at Eagle Island Camp, and all our guides were very knowledgeable. They included Phillip at Chobe, Mighty at Eagle Island, and Watch at Moreni. There are many pictures and some MP3s and I'm still trying to upload them as we speak. It will probably have to wait until my next entry since time is running out for this session.
We met wonderful people on the safari, which we would befriend at one camp and often meet them again at the second or third camp. Many laughs were had with Ziggy and Joachim from Berlin.
We returned yesterday to Jo'burg, for barely 12 hours, and we are now in Gaborone for the next 5 days, where Diane is giving a workshop. Diane and I will part ways upon our return to Jo'burg on the 23rd, where she'll take her flight to Dakar and Washington, and I will be on my way to Cairo for the last leg of my trip for a bit of sightseeing and diving in the red sea.
I'll try more updates while I'm stationed in Gabs.
It's 5:41 pm now in Gabs, which means it's about 10 or 11 a.m. in Phoenix, where Lynn is now getting ready to marry! Happy wedding Eric and Lynn!
