Well where do I start,
On Friday got to the East London airport for a 8:30 am flight to Cape Town and was asked to stay behind, me and 15 other passengers as the pilot did not want a full load to land in Cape Town due to bad weather.
The next flight was at 4:30pm arriving in Cape Town at 6:30pm and that flight was full as well but they kicked 15 passengers of that plane to accommodate us.
Finally arrive in Cape Town my clients half at the hotel and the other landing on a KLM flight at 9pm. By the time they cleared customs and changed money we got to the hotel just after midnight.
Cape Town received record rain fall of 820mm about 28inc of rain in 48hrs, flooding and hail with snow on top of table mountain.
On Saturday morning we had breakfast then a welcome briefing and then left on a full day cape point tour visiting the Cape of Good Hope, the African penguin colony, Lunch, then on to Kirstenbosch botanical Gardens, getting to the hotel just after 6pm, Then on to a welcome dinner with live music.
A really good day. Still a little overcast with some light showers, but a good day.
The next morning Table mountain and city tour, when we got up I looked out my window not a cloud in sight, yea baby Jason got it right again, up we go, got to the mountain a bit of a cue but spent one and a half hours up there , all excited and wow when we came down the cue was at least 3 hrs long.
Did the city and then returned to the Hotel 1:30 some went out on an Optional tour the rest went to the water front and visited the Aquarium.
Monday today we went out on a optional wine tour to Stellenbosch visited Simonsig and Fairview all had a good time.
Tomorrow we fly out to Durban and move north wards , I will update again in a few days
Jason Mair
Tracey my Wife
Monday, 23 September 2013
Thursday, 19 September 2013
Gate 1 starts tomorrow 20 /09/2013
Well I am all packed and ready to go, sadly I hear cape Town is expecting some bad weather, with a chance of snow on Table Mountain.
But I am not going to let that get me down, The trip starts in Cape Town and goes to Durban then on to Kruger Via Swaziland the on to Joberg 2 days in Victoria falls then 2 days in Chobe Botswana what a great trip.
stay tuned and follow the trip
But I am not going to let that get me down, The trip starts in Cape Town and goes to Durban then on to Kruger Via Swaziland the on to Joberg 2 days in Victoria falls then 2 days in Chobe Botswana what a great trip.
stay tuned and follow the trip
Sunday, 1 September 2013
Aussie group Part 3
So we have arrived in Hluhluwe and all checked in and having dinner, I was approached by the Manager if was able to help them out by driving one of the Safari vehicles the next morning, so I agreed.
In the morning there were 4 jeeps parked out side the hotel knowing what I knew I told the group to fill the other jeeps first so Megan got 10 the other two got 8 and 7 and I ended up with 8, and of we went to Hluhluwe Umfalozi National park, the oldest park in South Africa.
Now I have been here lots with groups if you read some of my past blogs and seen some good sightings, I personally haven't seen cats in Hluhluwe for a very long time and that was my goal,
Kind of knowing where to head, I asked the other divers what there plans are they all said they are doing their own thing , yes, so of I went, we entered the park around 8am and had 9 hours to play with, by 12 I found my Lion a little far but he was lying in the grass, we got some really great close sightings of all different animals and birds, around 2pm I met up with one of the other jeeps at Hilltop Camp we still had not found Elephant, he said to go look on Simons road they were last seen there, so I called on the radio but no answer, so I told the group its luck of the draw we still have a few hours,
Any way to cut to the chase I found a heard of over 50 Elephants drinking, remember Addo we only got one, so this was awesome, now we have about 45 min left of the 9 hour drive and have to head for the gate Driving along we meet this massive Rhino, ( now I don't talk about these guys due to the poaching crisis to date 550 in 2013), but this was so funny I have to talk about it.
This guy was spray marking his territory on the right hand side of the road, but there was a ridge going up, so he could not move in, turning on the jeep displaying all sorts of different behavior I have never seen, eventually crossed the road and reversed in to the bushes watching us, now I know there eye sight is really bad but smell and hearing excellent, so now I think its safe to drive past the animal and as we are about half way past HELLO he comes rushing out of the bushes the clients in the jeep start to scream< he's going to hit us > I am laughing ,driving a little faster but keeping an eye in the review mirror and this bull keeps on coming I slow down and it runs faster I speed up and he keeps coming the group is now laughing but very nervously , as we go round a slight bend there is a pick up approaching , so I start to flash my lights at him they stop I also noticed the rhino stopped to smell a midden , I see the vehicle is a reservist ranger, I told him what was happening and we drove on as we had to get back to the hotel now the group are talking and laughing still a little nervous, but something they will never forget.
I was very shocked to see how much of the park they were burning at the same time almost the whole park was burnt.
Back at the hotel the stories came out and all seemed to have had a great day on the jeeps .
The next morning back on the coach and down to Duma Zulu cultural village were the group experienced some Zulu dancing and the way they used to live, then we made our way down to St Lucia lagoon where we boarded a boat to go view the Hippos and crocs, we used Advantage tours and the new boat really nice all enjoyed the day , to end it of we had a Braai (Barbeque )
The next morning we were back on the road but this time heading to Swaziland and the boarder formalities, lucky another bus was behind us so we moved through quite quickly and on we went to the Candle Factory, were we stopped for lunch as well. then on through Mbabane the Capital city and on to Magugu Dam where we stayed for the night, something different. Over looking the dam and having animals running around with some great bird life.
The next morning we were on our way to Kruger Park, We stopped the bus along the route were some guests wanted to give out pens and stationary to some kids so I found a place were we saw about 8 kids playing and as they were giving out the stuff like ants there were kids coming from everywhere. All were happy and back on the road we were. Jeppies reef boarder post and back in South Africa we were
On to Thanda Nani game reserve for lunch and a game drive where I saw my first Ardvark ,so I was very happy with that, dinner then an early night as we were heading into Kruger park at 6am.
At Malalane Gate we were welcomed by two hippos and a pair of Saddle billed storks. the game drive was slow but we were fortunate to find Hyena with pups and 4 Cheetah and some lions, very few elephant. Barbeque for dinner and the next morning we were on our way to Pilgrims rest via Kruger and Blyde river Canyon, the Bus safari well possibly my worst ever in Kruger hardly anything all the sightings coming through were on gravel roads and to far away for the bus to go with the schedule we had to cover.
Grasskop for lunch at Harries pancakes met some old friends and on to the three Rondawels , then to Blyde river canyon and the famous Burkes lucks pot holes and on to the Royal Hotel in Pilgrims Rest.
The last touring day was a trip to Joberg and then a dinner and the 25th at 8am we were on our way to the airport where some were going on to Victoria Falls and some going home like me
The group photo is on the list
It was great to have a different group for a change and I hope the move forward will be great
stay close for next adventure toward the end of September
In the morning there were 4 jeeps parked out side the hotel knowing what I knew I told the group to fill the other jeeps first so Megan got 10 the other two got 8 and 7 and I ended up with 8, and of we went to Hluhluwe Umfalozi National park, the oldest park in South Africa.
Now I have been here lots with groups if you read some of my past blogs and seen some good sightings, I personally haven't seen cats in Hluhluwe for a very long time and that was my goal,
Kind of knowing where to head, I asked the other divers what there plans are they all said they are doing their own thing , yes, so of I went, we entered the park around 8am and had 9 hours to play with, by 12 I found my Lion a little far but he was lying in the grass, we got some really great close sightings of all different animals and birds, around 2pm I met up with one of the other jeeps at Hilltop Camp we still had not found Elephant, he said to go look on Simons road they were last seen there, so I called on the radio but no answer, so I told the group its luck of the draw we still have a few hours,
Any way to cut to the chase I found a heard of over 50 Elephants drinking, remember Addo we only got one, so this was awesome, now we have about 45 min left of the 9 hour drive and have to head for the gate Driving along we meet this massive Rhino, ( now I don't talk about these guys due to the poaching crisis to date 550 in 2013), but this was so funny I have to talk about it.
This guy was spray marking his territory on the right hand side of the road, but there was a ridge going up, so he could not move in, turning on the jeep displaying all sorts of different behavior I have never seen, eventually crossed the road and reversed in to the bushes watching us, now I know there eye sight is really bad but smell and hearing excellent, so now I think its safe to drive past the animal and as we are about half way past HELLO he comes rushing out of the bushes the clients in the jeep start to scream< he's going to hit us > I am laughing ,driving a little faster but keeping an eye in the review mirror and this bull keeps on coming I slow down and it runs faster I speed up and he keeps coming the group is now laughing but very nervously , as we go round a slight bend there is a pick up approaching , so I start to flash my lights at him they stop I also noticed the rhino stopped to smell a midden , I see the vehicle is a reservist ranger, I told him what was happening and we drove on as we had to get back to the hotel now the group are talking and laughing still a little nervous, but something they will never forget.
I was very shocked to see how much of the park they were burning at the same time almost the whole park was burnt.
Back at the hotel the stories came out and all seemed to have had a great day on the jeeps .
The next morning back on the coach and down to Duma Zulu cultural village were the group experienced some Zulu dancing and the way they used to live, then we made our way down to St Lucia lagoon where we boarded a boat to go view the Hippos and crocs, we used Advantage tours and the new boat really nice all enjoyed the day , to end it of we had a Braai (Barbeque )
The next morning we were back on the road but this time heading to Swaziland and the boarder formalities, lucky another bus was behind us so we moved through quite quickly and on we went to the Candle Factory, were we stopped for lunch as well. then on through Mbabane the Capital city and on to Magugu Dam where we stayed for the night, something different. Over looking the dam and having animals running around with some great bird life.
The next morning we were on our way to Kruger Park, We stopped the bus along the route were some guests wanted to give out pens and stationary to some kids so I found a place were we saw about 8 kids playing and as they were giving out the stuff like ants there were kids coming from everywhere. All were happy and back on the road we were. Jeppies reef boarder post and back in South Africa we were
On to Thanda Nani game reserve for lunch and a game drive where I saw my first Ardvark ,so I was very happy with that, dinner then an early night as we were heading into Kruger park at 6am.
At Malalane Gate we were welcomed by two hippos and a pair of Saddle billed storks. the game drive was slow but we were fortunate to find Hyena with pups and 4 Cheetah and some lions, very few elephant. Barbeque for dinner and the next morning we were on our way to Pilgrims rest via Kruger and Blyde river Canyon, the Bus safari well possibly my worst ever in Kruger hardly anything all the sightings coming through were on gravel roads and to far away for the bus to go with the schedule we had to cover.
Grasskop for lunch at Harries pancakes met some old friends and on to the three Rondawels , then to Blyde river canyon and the famous Burkes lucks pot holes and on to the Royal Hotel in Pilgrims Rest.
The last touring day was a trip to Joberg and then a dinner and the 25th at 8am we were on our way to the airport where some were going on to Victoria Falls and some going home like me
The group photo is on the list
It was great to have a different group for a change and I hope the move forward will be great
stay close for next adventure toward the end of September
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