Jan 2016 World Cruise live report

[Waynetor]

Well we made it through 1 month, just about 5 more to go.

 

Another beautiful day, sunny with a few puffy clouds and just a slight sea swell. As we sail southward, the day light hours will slowly get longer. Today we get 12 hours 40 minutes.

 

Last night Dave Kristian put on a great show – he started with a couple songs – great voice, then did about a 35 minutes comedy act and then finished off with another song. Tonight we will have Bettine Clemen again.

 

Since this will be a slow activity day I thought it would be a good time to give an example of what a sea day is like on Insignia. Today’s activities are:

9:00 indoor golf putting

9:15 Canyon Ranch Spa Club Seminar

9:30 Beginner’s Bridge Class with Bridge Directors

9:30 Coffee Chat and Needlepoint with Social Hostess

9:45 Enrichment Lecture – Ten Great Mysteries in Astronomy

10:00 Table Tennis

10:00 Master Class with Artist in Residence

10:00 Canyon Ranch SpaClub Seminar

10:30 Intermediate Bridge Class

10:30 Napkin Folding with Social Hostess

11:00 Cooking Demonstration with Executive Chef Farid Oudir

11:00 Mah Jongg – non hosted

Noon Bloody Mary Snowball Bingo

1:30 Scrabble Players - non hosted

1:30 Duplcate and Social Bridge Play with Bridge Directors

2:00 Canyon Ranch SpaClub Seminar

2:15 Enrichment Lecture -21st Century Pirates From East to West Africa

2:15 Shuffleboard

2:30 Oriami for beginners

2:30 Blackjack Tournament followed by Texas hold’em Tournament

3:00 Master class – repeat with Artist in Residence

3:00 Golf Putting

3:15 Photography Lecture – New Ways of Sharing your images to WOW your audience

3:30 Martini Tasting ($15.50)

3:30 Up your game – table tennis techniques

4:00 Afternoon Tea

4:30 Team trivia

8:30 Brainteaser Trivia

9:15 Bettine Clemen show in Insignia Lounge

10:00 Night Sky Viewing with astronomer Dr. Norman

11:00 Jukebox hits – Horizons Lounge

Other Musical options include Pre Dinner cocktails and dancing with the Insignia show band 2 45 minute sets, Alex at the Piano (4 45 minute evening sets), The Ginger String Quartet 3 45 minute evening sets, and Pre Showtime dancing with the Insignia show band 8:30-9:00

The table tennis, shuffleboard and gold are always open for non-organized and most important is the 24 hour option to sit back and relax.

 

Saw lots of flying fish today. They look like the ones seen in the Caribbean but seem to fly further. Off to the Polo Grill tonight for a nice steak dinner.

 

A couple related thoughts for the day - There is no experience better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up. - John Andrew Holmer

When you rise in the morning, form a resolution to make the day a happy one for a fellow creature – Sydney Smith

Praise does wonders for the sense of hearing. - Arnold H. Glasgow

An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.

[Waynetor]

Wow – big change in temperature - Today is mostly cloudy, with a stiff breeze and choppy seas. The temp at 9 this morning was 22c (72F) and has not improved much. No problem getting a good lounge chair near the pool.

 

Not much else to report about today – the only extra thing was an Officers Challenge for bonus ‘O’ points. You played 4 events on the pool deck against officers and for each you won you got 2 point or 1 point if you lost. The events were ping-pong- bean bag toss, mini golf on the deck and toss a ball though a hoop – this got some people that don’t usually play the regular games involved. (I got 7 out of possible 8)

 

At lunch I could see a large area with a lot of splashing in the sea which continued until out of sight. It was about 200 meters off the side. I could see a small part of the back of something– either a pod of whales or dolphins feasting on a school of fish. Also saw a turtle yesterday while looking over the edge. No sign of any birds the last couple days.

 

One the passengers as started a Super Bowl jackpot buy in - $10 per box with number to be drawn tomorrow.

 

Tomorrow is going to be a very busy day (Walvis Bay).

During the day I have a private group tour. Its description is:

Sandwich Harbour

The Turnstone Tour to Sandwich Harbour begins when you are collected about 08h45. You drive along a beautiful dune chain adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean, zigzagging the original railway line between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. This is an opportunity for a detailed look at the formation of 'the world's oldest desert' - its origins, its composition and its movements.

Your first stop is at 'Bird Rock '- a guano island inhabited by about 200 000 birds and one of the first examples of man's efforts to utilize the rich natural resources of the area. The Lagoons at Walvis Bay and at Sandwich Harbour have been is designated as 'Wetlands of International Importance', while the 'Bird Paradise' at Walvis Bay is also a key nesting and feeding site for thousands of visiting and resident birds. A recent bird survey, overseen by expert ornithologists from Namibia and South Africa, counted record numbers of Flamingo, Plover and Tern between Walvis Bay Lagoon and Sandwich Harbour. Other favourites, such as Pelican, Avocet, Turnstone and a huge variety of waders can be seen, with numbers peaking at around 170 000 in November. Several endemic species, such as the Dune Lark and the Damara Tern, are also in the vicinity.

Leaving Walvis Bay behind, you head for the lower reaches of the Kuiseb Delta. This unique ecosystem is dotted with archeological sites, 450 year-old animal tracks, wind blown graves and magnificent dunes. There is evidence of ancient and recent gathering, harvesting and trading by the Topnaar, an indigenous Namibian community descended from the !Khoi group, which relies on the naturally occurring !Nara fruit for survival.

Turning south, you begin the approach to Sandwich Harbour. This crosses barren salt pans and vegetation covered hummock dunes, which shelter small groups of Springbok, Ostrich, Jackal and the occasional Brown Hyena. Peregrine Falcons, Pale Chanting Goshawks and Black-breasted Snake Eagles can sometimes be seen hunting small mammals (such as gerbils and three-striped-mice) which share the dunes with a fascinating variety of desert-adapted insects, reptiles and plants.

This section of the journey is as dramatic as the landscape, and it soon becomes clear why Sandwich Harbour is often described as inaccessible! Spring tides and shifting sands ensure an unpredictable route, but as you approach the towering, wind-sculptured dunes at the edge of Sandwich Harbour, there is a sense of entering a different world. All that is left of the old whaling station and its community of traders and fishermen, is the freshwater lagoon, a solitary deserted building and the strange greenery of this unique coastal wetland. This is the setting for your picnic - a large hamper full of homemade cakes, savouries, salads, fruit and drinks - and a spot of bird watching. Some 40 000 birds - 34 different species - were recorded in this area during recent surveys. Take a leisurely walk around the Lagoon (an official marine sanctuary) and you may also see seals, dolphins and even whales.

The drive back home affords a last look at these haunting landscapes and a chance for reflection.

 

Today’s thought for the day - You can shake the sand from your shoes but not from your soul.

[Waynetor]

The Republic of Namibia in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean, it shares land borders with Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east.

In 1990 South-West Africa gained independence as Namibia, but Walvis Bay remained under South African sovereignty. On 28 February 1994 South Africa formally transferred sovereignty over Walvis Bay and the Penguin Islands to Namibia.

Namibia has a population of 2.1 million people and a stable multi-party parliamentary democracy. Agriculture, herding, tourism and the mining industry – including mining for gem diamonds, uranium, gold, silver, and base metals – form the backbone of the economy.

Namibia’s Coastal Desert is one of the oldest deserts in the world. Its sand dunes, created by the strong onshore winds, are the highest in the world.

Walvis Bay (means "Whale Bay” is located on a large bay of the same name surrounded by sand dunes. The bay has been a haven for sea vessels due to its natural deepwater harbour, protected by a sand spit, being the only natural harbour of any size along Namibia’s coast. Being rich in plankton and marine life, these waters also drew large numbers of whales, attracting whalers and fishing vessels.

The town is situated just north of the Tropic of Capricorn in the Kuiseb River delta. The town has 85,000 inhabitants and is the 2nd largest in Namibia.

Walvis Bay offers the ideal setting for sun-drenched sport and recreational adventures, including sand-boarding, kiting, surfing, swimming, angling, sailing, golf and other in and outdoor sports.

Walvis Bay receives an average of less than 10mm (.4in) of precipitation per year, making it one of the driest cities on the planet. Despite the fact that it has an arid climate, due to cold offshore currents near Walvis Bay, it seldom gets very hot or very cold. Temperatures average around 25°C (77F) during February.

[Waynetor]

I came across 2 ways to pronounce Walvis Bay - "Valvish By" or “Wal-fish Bay”.

 

Today started out mostly cloudy but turned into a very nice day weather wise.

 

Oceania offered a shuttle to town and there were a few vans offering tours in the port. Our group had to take a shuttle to the port gate to meet our tour group. At the gate a lot of vendors had set up displays of goods – again all the wood items looked mass produced.

 

We were in a group of 20 arranged by the same lady that did Benin and Togo. – she did a great job – the price with the exchange rate changes dropped to $90us each.

 

Our first stop on Walvis Bay was at low tide. There was a fair number of flamingo, plus white pelicans and cormorants that we could see. There were some very nice, modern homes overlooking the Bay in this area.

 

Soon after we were out of town and the scenery turned to all sand dunes. Driving along we saw a Jackal on top of a dune. We also saw a lot of their tracks as well as hyena tracks. Next we stopped near a salt farm (industrial grade only). They use ponds with fresh sea water, let it evaporate to 30% salt level, transfer to another pond where it goes to 60% and later to 80% where it is processed. The large farm is going under a massive increase in size.

 

In any area that was flat we could see mirages – it continuously appeared to be water just ahead but it kept on appearing to be just ahead. As you got to where water appeared, it was just sand – this is caused by the sun reflection.

 

After a bit more, we got to an area where quite a few people were fishing from the shore. From there on it became a park and they were not allowed to go further. Our guide showed us photos of fish he caught the week before – they were quite large – don’t remember the name he said.

 

Our guide made a few stops to try to find a gecko. He found one on the 3rd try. They dig a hole in the sand during the day and come out at night to feed on insects. Using his hands he dug down about a foot. The gecko blended in with the sand very well and was about 3cm or 5in long.

 

Next we drove along an area where the sand dunes came right down to the sea – just enough room for some tracks – No room here for big buses. We passed the carcasses of about 5 seals – our guide said they get caught up in fishing nets and drown – the fishermen then just toss them overboard.

 

Once we were about 40km (25mi) out of the city, we hit the point where no unauthorized vehicles were allowed to go further. We had about 45 minutes there which included time to climb a very high dune, look around a nearby lagoon with flamingos (larger variety than seen before) and enjoy a light lunch.

 

After lunch we headed back to the salt mine and then into the desert. In the desert we saw Springbok, Ostrich and Jackal. Going through the dunes was a bit like an amusement park ride. We would go up steep dunes and as you go over the top, the hood of the vehicle blocks the view so you don’t see the very steep drop until you are on the way down. It takes a very experienced driver to handle driving in this area. We did get stuck going up one dune but being in a group one of the other vehicles was easily able to pull us out. While it is mostly just sand here, there are patches of various plants that have taken. Our guide said tracks in the sand dunes usually only last a day or 2 before the drifting sand covers them over.

 

After going up and down for quite a while, we stopped at an area where a flash flood back in 1933 had drowned several natives. Their bones along with the bones of various animals were just lying around. Our guide gave some of history of the area and how the natives were buried. Near this we stopped at a small wooden shack where 2 men lived with their 2 dogs. They are part of a tribe of about 450 people that live out in the desert living off melons that grow there and anything else they can manage on. They dig wells for water which is not very far down. In one flat area we stopped and the guide asked those willing to participate to remove our shoes and socks. We formed a circle and started jumping up and down. - quickly we started to sink in the moist sand below the surface. Most sank about half way to their knees, some even more.

 

We did not see much of the city. As we entered the city from the north east there were a series of fences, similar to snow fences in purpose, the drifting sand is stopped by the fences and then gathered and trucked back out to the desert.

 

We were warned not to take photos of police officers

Unemployment in Namibia is around 50%

 

Looking out the window in the main dining room during diner just after setting sail I saw a couple of seals jumping around in the sea. There were a lot of small freighter ships docked off shore but no big tankers.

 

Today’s tour we had today’s tour booked on the 2015 cruise and rebooked for this cruise. Originally Freda was going to try it but decided it would not be good for her back so again she stayed on board –like the previous times she stayed on board it was pretty much just her and the crew.

 

We have several upcoming safaris as we move through the rest of Africa. I went to buy some camouflage trousers the today but I couldn't find any.

 

Today’s thought of the day - "Kind words are short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." - Mother Teresa

[Waynetor]

Lüderitz is an isolated harbour town in southwest Namibia, lying on one of the least hospitable coasts in Africa. It is surrounded by the Namib Desert. It is a port developed around Robert Harbour and Shark Island. Lüderitz exists as a town largely thanks to the diamond industry in Namibia, and to this day diamonds continue to be an important part of the town's economy.

In 1909, after the discovery of diamonds nearby, Lüderitz enjoyed a sudden surge of prosperity due to the development of a diamond rush to the area. The town has also re-styled itself in an attempt to lure tourists to the area, which includes a new waterfront area for shops and offices. With the railway being refurbished and new buildings going up all the time, the future is looking bright for this sometimes forgotten town.

The town is known for its colonial architecture, including some Art Nouveau work, and for wildlife including seals, penguins, flamingos and ostriches.

The population is only about 13,000.

The average annual precipitation is 23mm (1in). The average high temperature in Feb is 22C (72F).

Edited February 7, 2016 by Waynetor

[Waynetor]

One more note I forgot for Walvis Bay – In the Insignia Lounge at 4PM the Namibia young people's choir did a performance singing beautiful African songs that the conductor had written. I only saw a small part of it, but Freda and others thought they were great. They had CDs were on sale with Oceania not keeping any of the proceeds which was nice.

 

Late this morning we had a nice sail in giving us a view of the coast and the islands in the harbour area. Some of the islands and coast in the area have African Penguin colonies as well as Cape Fur Seal colonies. We were in no rush to get off so enjoyed lunch on deck overlooking the town. I did see one seal as we docked but that was the only one. It was very sunny but also VERY windy. It started off cool but the high temp. was 33C (92F).

 

We thought of doing a walking tour but with the wind and the fact the town is built into a hill that surrounds the harbour, Freda decided to stay on board. The dock area and main street are all easily assessable but much of the town is up and down hill. At the port gates there were people offering tours or taxi service. With today being Sunday, not much was open but I did see 2 stores that had a variety of souvenir type products.

 

The strange thing was as I walked around for an hour and half I saw no children, no pets or any type animal, not even the common pigeon that seems to be everywhere – just a few gulls and the seal

 

Many of the buildings in charming and quaint Lüderiz were built in the early part of the 20th century when the area was German West Africa. While guided group walking tours are available many passengers and other tourist did their own. Everything is easily walkable and the tourist information has a walking map with sites and history listed. Include the restored Goerke House (German architecture), it was inexpensive. The "Rock Church" is a beautiful gothic style church. It is one of the oldest Lutheran churches in Namibia, it was completed in 1912 with donations earned from the diamond mining business. This is a very lovely little church in town that really doesn't have an over-abundance of sites. The stain glass is very impressive and its location on the hill top offers 360 degree views. Everything for the church was imported from Germany. I read the Lüderitz Museum is a small museum showing mainly local history including diamond mining as well as information on local marine life. Not sure, but it appeared to be closed.

 

I had hoped we could do a tour out to the islands to see the penguins but all the tours leave much earlier than when we arrived.

 

With the time we had in port it was also possible to do a tour to Kolmannskuppe, a mining town that is becoming a ghost town located 10km (6mi) from Lüderitz. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or at the safari shop in town (N$ 80 per person) – the guided tour times are just in the morning. The guides give a historical overview of some of the houses (round about an hour) and afterwards you can walk through and take photos. This did not look very accessible so we passed.

 

Another option would have been to take a scenic drive along the coast to Diaz Cross and the Lighthouse. The area is a nature reserve. Cape fur seals can be seen in this area. The beaches near Lüderitz are also quite spectacular but we were warned due to the cold water and strong Benguela current swimming is extremely dangerous. The white sands and shallow waters make these beaches perfect for picnicking and sunbathing.

 

Before we sailed tonight all passengers had to go through a face to face departure inspection with Namibian Immigration Officers.

 

As another segment of this cruise draws to an end, tonight’s show was ‘Celebrating the O Spirit’ with a special farewell from the crew.

 

The Super bowl start time is very late. It will be shown in cabin TV and in the Horizons lounge at 1:30 on the 8th and will be repeated at 9AM. I will be pleasantly surprised if we get to see any more live sports. While away we will be missing about a half a season of several sports but with the record of most Toronto teams we don’t expect to really miss very much. – maybe the Raptors of the NBA will come through

 

We were down in the doctor’s waiting room today for a minor issue Freda wanted checked out before we hit South Africa. There was a lady waiting there when we arrived. She mentioned she was waiting for her husband who had been in with the doctor for a while. After a bit more time the doctor came out and said to her, “I don’t like the way he looks.”

“Neither do I”, she said. “But he’s handy around the house.”

 

Today’s thoughts for the day: - Super Bowl is the one occasion each year when Gluttony becomes a patriotic duty.

"Football is like life - it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority." - Vince Lombardi

[Waynetor]

As we head south along the coast of Africa the daylight hours are quickly getting longer. Today we have 13 hours and 20 minutes of daylight.

 

Happy New Year to any readers following the Chinese calendar. Based on the lunar cycle, the dates for Chinese New Year vary from year to year. According to be Chinese Zodiac this is now the Year of the Monkey.

 

There was no sign of Chinese New Year on the ship or ports. Despite there not being many people of Chinese heritage on board, last night we gave a New Year’s toast - seemed as good a reason as any for a special beverage. The theme to the buffet tonight is Chinese.

 

In case someone is planning a tour in Walvis Bay; a correction for our tour a couple days ago there – The itinerary I posted was the plan for last years cancelled cruise – this year the group booked through Photo Adventure – they did an excellent job.

 

Super Bowl did not turn out to do much of a deal on the ship. Reports are about 30 people stayed up to watch it live and those watching starting at 9 this morning varied only from 20 -30 people and some of those seemed more engrossed in reading, needle-work, photo-editing etc. just looking up when something exciting happened. Oceania set up coffee and Danish for breakfast and later burgers and hot dogs with a Super Bowl inspired cake.

 

We had our roughest seas overnight (2.5 – 3m or 7 – 9 ft.) and early morning but as we got into the afternoon things calmed down some. It is quite cool today – only 19C or 66C with a stiff breeze – the top deck is closed due to the wind. Tonight there is no show in the Insignia lounge - just the showing of the movie ‘Long Walk to Freedom’ – the biography/drama on Nelson Mandela which seems appropriate with our arrival there tomorrow.

 

Yesterday we received a notice of an upcoming itinerary change. The ministry of transport in China has informed Oceania that for the time being cruise ships will no longer be authorized to sail directly between a mainland China port and Tianjin (Beijing) without first stopping at a foreign port so after leaving Shanghai we were to have a day at sea and then 2 days at Tianjin which would include a day long trip to the Great Wall of China. Now we will have our 3days in Shanghai, then a day in Cheju South Korea, followed by a sea day and then a single day in Tianjin – this means if we go on the tour to the Great Wall there will be no time to do anything else – makes no sense what China is doing but it’s their country and if they want to drive people away, that their problem.

 

Tomorrow we have a very special itinerary planned for Capetown. We have to go through immigration when we get off the ship. Soon after docking we will be heading out on an overnight safari. The planned itinerary is:

 

Day1: February 9, 2016

.

Pick up around 9H00

- Arrival at the lodge at 12H00

- Lunch outside under the trees starting between 13H00 - 13H30

Buffet 5 starters, 2 main courses and 2 desserts

- Safari in open 4X4 with a professional guide at 16H30

- Aperitif and dinner in the boma under the stars at 20H00

- Overnight in our comfortable Guesthouse, Chalets or Luxury Chalets

 

Day 2:

- Early morning safari with the sunrise 06H00

- English Breakfast at 09H00

- Check out around 10H30 and return to ship

This will be the 1st time we have spent a night off the ship during a cruise.

I will not likely post until back on the ship.

 

As we are getting off to do our excursion, others will be disembarking as tomorrow ends the 2nd segment of this voyage. The photo lecturer is leaving tomorrow and he held a photo contest that ended today. Also today there is DVD available for the highlights of this segment ($40).

 

Today’s thought of the day - By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you’ll become happy; if you get a bad one, you’ll become a philosopher Socrates

[pickbent]

There are two different alcoholic beverage packages

HOUSE SELECT $39.95 (Gratuity Included) This package includes beer and a selection of wines by the glass during lunch and dinner in any dining venue or through room service.

PRESTIGE SELECT $59.95 (Gratuity Included) This UNLIMITED package includes beer, a selection of wines by the glass, most top shelf spirits and cocktails. Unlike similar packages on other cruise lines, the drinks can be ordered through room service.

Those buying the package get their card marked either -BIA - Beverage Included, plan A (House Select)

BIB - Beverage Included, plan B (Prestige Select).. This plan is also known as ‘Booze In Bulk’.

 

We are not big drinkers so will not be going with those options.

There is also a package where you get 7 bottles of wine from a selected list, each prices at $7 including tip. Individual drinks - bottles of wine start at $32-34, then add 18% on top of that. Glasses of wine start about $9 without gratuity. Beer is around $6.50 per glass, again add 18%. Cocktails start around $10. There is one daily cocktail special at $6.50. Happy hour prices are 2 for 1 from 5pm to 6pm in Martinis and in Horizon from 10 -11pm

Sorry, I'm a little confused on several points: "--7 bottles of wine from a selected list, each prices at $7 including tip" You don't mean a bottle of wine at $7 per bottle surely? then "individual drinks"ok her $7 sounds more like it, then bottles of wine at $32-34+18%tax-OK , that's probably about right-any information about typical selections for these bottles?But then you follow by mentioning "glasses of start at about $9 without gratuity." Which is it? $7 or $9? When do you get to select the 7 bottle wine packages? Are they then kept for you in dining rooms-or your to bring as you wish? Are there any menus with typical selections of wines by the glass with prices for each?

As we are joining your cruise at Sydney and its our first on oceania, we appreciate all the information on this we can obtain and look forward to meeting fellow cruisers (especially any wine lovers). Thanks for clarifications.

[Waynetor]

Sorry about the wine price error - I believe the price with gratuity is $47 per bottle. I will double check and add to tomorrow post with the other answers.

[Waynetor]

The Republic of South Africa is located at the southern tip of Africa. It has 2,798km (1,739mi) of coastline that stretches along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe; to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland; while within it lays Lesotho, an enclave surrounded by South African territory. South Africa is the 25th largest country in the world by land area, and with close to 53 million people, is the world's 24th most populated. South Africa is a multiethnic society encompassing a wide variety of cultures, languages, and religions. Eleven official languages are recognized in the constitution. Two of these languages are of European origin: English and Afrikaans, the latter originating from Dutch and serving as the main language of most white and coloured South Africans.

Cape Town is the second-2nd most populated (3.75 million total area) city in South Africa after Johannesburg, and the provincial capital of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. Situated on the south west coast on Table Bay, the city is famous for its harbour, as well as for such well-known landmarks as Cape Point and Table Mountain with its near vertical cliffs and flat-topped summit reaching over 1,000m (3,300ft) high. It is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, reflecting its role as a major destination for immigrants and expatriates to South Africa.

With its good climate, natural setting, and well-developed infrastructure, Cape Town is not only the most popular international tourist destination in South Africa, but Africa as a whole. Among its many attractions are its beaches, Aquarium, architectural heritage , the Cape Fur Seal colonies on Seal and Duiker Islands and the 36 hectare Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden that contains a variety of animals and birds and over flora 7,000 species.

[Waynetor]

Howzit/Hello from South Africa.

 

9th - Today is the end of the Mardi Gras Carnival (New Orleans) with its famous parade today. We would like to make it down there some time.

10th - Ash Wednesday (always 46 days before Easter)

 

Tuesday started with about 285 passengers debarking and later in the day 312 will join the cruise for the next segment taking us to Singapore. There is very little activity scheduled on board today – The show will just be a movie again.

 

We are expecting a high of 32C (91F).

 

Cape Town was voted the No. 1 place to visit in the New York Times ’52 Places to Go in 2014” article.

5 reasons to visit south Africa 1- Cultural Encounters, Safari, wine tasting, Freedom Struggle, Wildlife. Over the next week or so we hope to experience each of these.

 

We will be doing a few safaris while in Africa. The African safari has long been the kind of exotic adventure I only dreamt of — the untamed wilderness, majestic landscapes combined with unforgettable wildlife encounters. We are going to have the extraordinary opportunity to witness the iconic Big Five (the lion, elephant, leopard, rhinoceros and Cape buffalo) along with other stunning animals in their pristine, natural environments.

 

For our trip to Inverdoorn Game Reserve we were in a group of 16 in 1 large van with a trailer for our overnight bags and wheelchair.

 

There is a nice modern highway heading N/E out of Cape Town. Once out of the city, past the sprawling suburbs we headed into an area with rolling hills – there was a mix of land use – wineries, cattle, crops and vacant. A lot of the fields looked very dry and barren – they are going through a 5 year drought in this area.

 

We passed a lot of stores and restaurants along the way – the only US based I saw were Toys R Us and KFC.

 

Eventually we ended up on a single lane road with a wide shoulder; I noticed that slower vehicles would move to the shoulder to make it much easier for others to pass. Never heard a horn used.

 

About a half hour before the park as we drove through a mountain pass we saw 4 baboons at the side of the road – there are signs warning people not to feed them (I would see them again along the guard rail on the way back). We also saw a few ostrich out in the fields.

 

Inverdoorn Game Reserve is on a very nice property; includes 2 pools but it is dedicated to the game drives – no TV, radio or anything like that in our room, not even an electrical outlet to recharge camera battery.

 

The property is over 10,000 hectares. At 2.5 hours from Cape Town it is the closest game reserve to the city. There are 3 main areas. There is one area for 3 lions (rescued from a hunting farm) and an area for Cheetahs while all the other animals share the majority of the park. This means there is no wild animal hunting other animals.

 

When we arrived we had a nice lunch followed by a couple hours free time. At 4:30 we headed out for our first 3 hour ride. We used 2 game vehicles that were great for viewing. First we went into the cheetah enclose where 4 of them were relaxing in the shade by a small pond. In the main area we saw small groups of zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, rhinoceros, eland, and blesbok. Other than the separate areas to protect the animals, this is where a game reserve really shows it difference from a true safari. Many of the animals here are feed hay which is left in areas that are convenient for easy viewing. Helps get great photos but not a ‘real’ safari experience. This possibly is due to the dry conditions. Most of Inverdoorn is relatively flat with very bumpy trails. It is mostly low plants with some trees. The area is surrounded by mountains.

 

After our drive we had a nice dinner – main course option of ostrich or prawns. Ostrich farming was very big business here – a few years ago there was a report of bird flu in a farm so the country has a 5 year ban on exporting. The report later proved to be false but the ban continues so some farms have closed and others are struggling – now it is the cheapest meat in South Africa. After dinner it was off to bed, but not before a great look at the Milky Way.

 

At 5:30am we were woken up by a knock on the door. At 6am, coffee and light snack and then at 6:30 out again for a 3 hour safari. This time we started with the lion enclosure followed by time in the main enclosure. This time we saw the 2 elephants, both rescued from outside, as well as most of the same animals as yesterday. There are quite a few young animals, some only a few days old and others a few months. Our last stop was a large pond with a pair of hippo and a lot of water birds. Our driver/guide was very helpful. I told him most of us had been out on the dunes in Walvis Bay – I think at times he took that as a challenge to make it a bit more of a thrill ride.

 

Our guide had a little joke for us. What is a zebra? - 26 sizes larger than an A" bra.

 

The reaction of the animals varied, some would ignore us, sometimes the dominate male would give us a good grunt and stare, maybe taking a step or two towards us and often they would slowly walk away giving us nice butt shots for our souvenir photos.

 

Once back we had breakfast before heading back to Cape Town. On the way back we made a stop at a store for restocking wine. Very cheap – will find out later how good. My birthday is next week so will have to give myself a bit of a toast.

 

All in all, we found the trip to be very exciting despite the artificial reality. Everybody’s camera got a very good workout. In many cases we were able to get within 10 -15m (30 – 40 ft) of the animals with the driver always ready to move quickly if needed. There were other guest at the lodge so several vehicles were out at the same time but generally they went different routes so that we were not crowding the animals all at the same time.

 

Once back from our mini safari we dropped off our goods and then headed over to the waterfront area – about a 10 minute walk. This is one of those places where one could have a nice day just looking around and people watching or be non-stop spending $. There is the very large Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre as well as the smaller Alfred Mall, both offering a wide range of merchandise. The area has 5 museums.

 

The waterfront area is a bustling spot with shops, restaurants and bars and tourist boats offering trips to Robben Island and other tours. It was a perfect weather day.

 

There is a hop-on hope-off tour bus here. The whole waterfront area is quite wheelchair friendly – just some areas are cobblestone which offers a rough ride. The HOHO buses are wheelchair friendly.

 

Between the ship and the waterfront area are several new buildings under construction – not sure what they will be – but sure to make a busy area, more busy.

 

The 9th was the end of the second segment. Before heading out on our excursion we said our goodbye’s to some people leaving. As we do tours over the next few weeks we will meet some of their replacements.

 

Everyone had to do a muster drill before sailing. We had a beautiful view of Table Mountain from the stern. As we reached the harbour’s outer break walls we met a heavy fog bank which lasted to various degrees until our bed time.

 

The show last night was the regular welcome aboard show with a teaser from various acts on board and introduction of the CD and his staff.

 

This is a major port for those that like to keep a stock of wine in their cabin. While there was wine available in the Caribbean and Brazil, the selection and prices here are excellent. Australia and New Zealand will also be good for restocking but prices there are not a bargain by US standards – more like prices in Canada.

 

A trivia question for you – which city is further south – Cape Town, Sydney Australia or Buenos Aires Argentina – I’ll give the answer tomorrow.

 

Today’s thought for the day - You are younger today than you ever will be again. Make use of it for the sake of tomorrow. – Anonymous

[tvmovielover]

I enjoy reading everyone's live from the ship reports but Waynetor, your reports, jokes, and quotes have taken it up a notch. I just wish there was a like button at the end of each of them! I do not know if I will ever go on a RTW cruise (6 months is long) but I am really enjoying reading both threads about this one.

 

Also, if there were like and unlike buttons, we could just unlike the bad comments instead of flaming them.

[Waynetor]

Sorry about the wine price error - the price with gratuity works out to about $47 per bottle. I have not seen the list so can't say if it is much of a discount. You purchase the order and select your 7 bottles from thier list. The bottles are then sved for you so they do not run out. They do store them for you. I imagine if you wanted to take 1 to your cabin that would be alright. The list of wines offered changes depending on stock.

 

When they had a wine bottle sale one day, anything you bought, they would store for you, you just give your room number in any dining room and they bring it to you. They will also store partial bottles until you want to finish them.

 

Wine is available at bars and dining room by the glass - start around $9.00 most a couple $ or so higher.

 

To answer yesterday’s trivia question the winner is Buenos Aires Argentina at 34°36′12″ S, Sydney Australia is 33°51′35″ S, and Cape Town is 33°55′31″ S – For a North American example, Los Angelis is 34°03′08″ N. While the distance from here to the South Pole is roughly the same as from LA to the North Pole, from here going south it is just water while one could, if so inclined walk from LA to the North Pole.

 

The fog of last night had lifted by the morning – just plain, good old fashion cloudy. We had our CC meet and greet session this morning – again well attended with about half of those attending being new arrivals. Nothing formal at the meeting - just as the name suggests, we did a quick introduction, people chatted and various people filed gaps in their tour groups.

 

Tonight we had an open bars from 5:45 to 8 as part of the Captain’s welcome aboard. By diner time the heavy fog had returned. We are basically sailing striaght eastward going from south west to south east corners of south Africa.

 

The show was comedy illusionist Wolfgang Riebe. This was a very hard show to critic, many of his tricks we had see before - maybe we cruise too often or they are just easy if you know what you are doing. Another problem with his show was he only used a mike stand so when he stepped away it was hard to follow at the back of the room,plus with no spot lighting (first time) it was hard to follow his card tricks.

 

Tomorrow in Port Elizabeth I have a 7.5 hour tour was to Addo Elephant with Calabash Tours. The tour will be just covering this very well know park that has large elephant herds as well as many other animals. Freda was to come on this tour but she twisted her knee getting out of the van in Capetown and decided to give it a rest.

 

For much of the first 150 years of the existence of postcards they were the fastest way to communicate to folks back home “wot a luvly ‘oliday we’re ‘avin”. With my tendency to ramble sometime it’s hard to imagine how many I’d be sending for this voyage.

 

Today’s thought for the day – The fragrance always stays on the hand that gives the rose. - Heda Bejar

Edited February 11, 2016 by Waynetor

[Waynetor]

East London is a city on the southeast coast, situated at 32.97°S and 27.87°E of the Eastern Cape province. The city lies on the Indian Ocean coast, largely between the Buffalo River and the Nahoon River, and hosts the country's only river port. East London is at the northern end of a 300km (186mi) stretch of coastline referred to as the "Sunshine Coast". East London today has a population of over 400,000, with over 1.4million in the metropolitan area. British settlers first established a town here in 1836. A port began operating in 1870. A major Daimler Chrysler plant is located next to the harbour, manufacturing Mercedes-Benz and other vehicles for the local market, as well as exporting to a few other countries. Other industries include clothing, textiles, pharmaceuticals and food processing.

East London's sweeping white beaches extend for miles, unpolluted and not crowded. Swimming, sailing, water-skiing, boardsailing and boating are enjoyed all year round. The Amalinda Nature Reserve is situated less than 10km (6mi) from the ever-growing city hub of East London in the Eastern Cape. Established in 1968, this reserve measures 134 hectares and boasts some of the stunning vegetation for which this part of the world is so loved. Average high temperature in February is 26C (79F).

Long before written history the banks of the now Buffalo River and the seashore were inhabited by early man, the Nahoon footprints have been dated at 200,000 years old, the oldest fossilized human footprints found in the world.

[Waynetor]

This is clearly a major tourist destination. The Port Elizabeth area is famous for its outstanding beaches and its tropical climate. It is considered by many people to be the water sports capital of South Africa. Today was not ideal for some of these activities – it started very heavy clouds, got nice and sunny for several hours and then solid cloud again. Great day to be out sightseeing as it was not too hot.

 

For those with nothing planned there were a few companies offering tours by the gangway. There was also a shuttle available to town. The port area and the bit of town I saw seemed to be alright for wheelchairs. There is nothing to see real close to the port.

 

In South Africa we are not allowed to take any food off the ship due to local laws, but so far no one has been checking.

 

For our t we had 10 people in a 13 seat van. Ideally an open viewing vehicle would have been best but most were prebooked by Oceania. Our tour included a light lunch – fruit, small bags of stuff like chips and water or juice.

 

Addo Elephant Park is a National Park founded in 1931. It is 180,000 hectares (that’s big). Much of it was originally a citrus farm where elephants were causing problems. The first option was to kill off the elephants until it was suggested to get rid of the farm and make a park – more employment opportunities. The park had 6 elephants to start and now has over 500. The park has a wide range of landscapes. It includes 5 of the 9 Blomes (an ecological community) in South Africa.

 

One of the very few controls they have added that makes it a bit unnatural is they have reduced the number of lions to only 6. This gives the other wildlife a better chance.

 

Tours like todays are a 1,000 times better than any zoo, even much better than the Cape Town tour as far as a real life experience. Despite being such a massive area, it did not take too long to see some wildlife. The first we saw was Warthogs – they turned out to be the most plentiful animal as far as number of groups seen. Not too much later we saw ostrich, zebra and a jackel. At a small watering hole a single elephant was taking all the time he wanted – 2 families of warthogs (4 youngsters each) were trying to get a small drink but each time they got close, the elephant would wave his trunk at them as a warning.

 

Next we saw antelope, Secretary bird, herons, egrets, and a turtle crossing the road. At one small watering hole it was just mud but a family of about 10 elephants were having a good time playing in it – technically they are not plying but it seemed they were having fun.

 

The park has an enclosed picnic area where we stopped for our mid-day break – the washrooms there were modern (as were the ones near the later gift shop/ restaurant area). These areas included wheelchair accessible washrooms also. There were sign at the picnic area not to feed the monkeys but we did not see any.

 

The 3 highlights of the afternoon were a large watering hole surrounded by around a 100 elephants of all sizes and ages. Saw one big bull with a hole in its ear likely an old battle injury. Also we stopped at another watering hole that had a large bird population including the Blue Crane, South Africa’s national bird– strange thing was no other animals were taking advantage of the watering hole. One of our last stops was at the highest point in the park which gave sweeping views so we could appreciate the vastness of the park.

 

Besides not seeing lions (would be very rare) we did not see the buffalo or wildebeest and some other residents.

 

For tomorrow in East London from 8 – 4 we are joining a 12 person group doing a Xhosa Experience Village Tour. The Xhosa (pronounced KOH-suh) are a South African people traditionally living in the Eastern Cape Province. They form the 2nd largest ethnic group in South Africa after the Zulus.

The tour of the township includes stop at a herbal shop, day care center, orphanage home, market, a visit to a shebeen (a drinking hole/traditional bar) and includes lunch. The tour with Imonti Tours cost 670R.

 

One more note from last night’s show – the comedian/magician must be reading this travelogue – he told my little story about the parrot, ship magician and the sinking ship I told back when we left the Caribbean.

 

Today is the anniversary of Abe Lincoln's Birthday

 

Today’s “Success” thoughts for the day –“I'm a success today because I had a friend who believed in me and I didn't have the heart to let him down.” - Abraham Lincoln

There is a 4 word formula for success that applies equally well to organizations or individuals – make yourself more useful.

"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference."

1ststep toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of environment in which you 1st find yourself. People who succeed have momentum. More they succeed, more they want to succeed & more they find a way to succeed.

"Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results." - Willie Nelson

Edited February 12, 2016 by Waynetor
typo

[Waynetor]

East London is a city on the southeast coast, situated at 32.97°S and 27.87°E of the Eastern Cape province. The city lies on the Indian Ocean coast, largely between the Buffalo River and the Nahoon River, and hosts the country's only river port. East London is at the northern end of a 300km (186mi) stretch of coastline referred to as the "Sunshine Coast". East London today has a population of over 400,000, with over 1.4 million in the metropolitan area. British settlers first established a town here in 1836. A port began operating in 1870. A major Daimler Chrysler plant is located next to the harbour, manufacturing Mercedes-Benz and other vehicles for the local market, as well as exporting to a few other countries. Other industries include clothing, textiles, pharmaceuticals and food processing.

East London's sweeping white beaches extend for miles, unpolluted and not crowded. Swimming, sailing, water-skiing, boardsailing and boating are enjoyed all year round. The Amalinda Nature Reserve is situated less than 10km (6mi) from the ever-growing city hub of East London in the Eastern Cape. Established in 1968, this reserve measures 134 hectares and boasts some of the stunning vegetation for which this part of the world is so loved. Average high temperature in February is 26C (79F).

Long before written history the banks of the now Buffalo River and the seashore were inhabited by early man, the Nahoon footprints have been dated at 200,000 years old, the oldest fossilized human footprints found in the world.

[Waynetor]

Hoe gaan dit? ("How are you?" in Afrikaans) Hope everyone out there is doing well. We arrived in port just as we were having breakfast so did not see too much. The weather was mostly cloudy and started to rain when we were about 5 minutes from the port in returning from our tour. With the overcast conditions and playing trivia as we are departing, there was nothing to see at sail-away. The captain came on as we cleared the outer barrier walls and announced the winds were over 40mph and waves would be 7-9ft (2-3m) for a few hours before slowly getting a bit better. He made another announcement at 7pm that winds were now gusting to 80mph but it would not last too long.

 

The port area is accessible but there is not much to see in the area except the women prison where Nelson Maldela’s wife was held. There was a shuttle to the city centre. I heard I person say it was just to a shopping centre.

 

On the main street of East London there were quite a few vendors on the sidewalk. Many just had a basket or 2 or a shopping cart of items for sale. I saw one person with a small bowl of candies for sale – hard to imagine he could make anywhere near enough to live on.

 

We spent most of the morning in the settlement area. Garbage is a big problem here. Any empty lot was an eyesore of rubbish. In the settlement instead of garbage pick-up at homes, it is piled up on street corners and picked up occasionally.

 

We spent some time at a school – even though it is Saturday, a teacher showed up as did several students when they saw us arrive. The teacher showed us around a bit and explained how the school worked. Parts of the school was an old shipping container that had been donated. One of our group is an amateur magician. At each stop today he did some tricks for the children which they loved.

 

While most of the homes in the area are made with very poor materials, there were some decent ones that people were able to buy with government assistance.

 

Regardless of what day you die in this area, funerals are held on Saturday’s allowing family and friends from other areas to attend. We saw several places were ceremonies were being held. Many young people are dying leaving children in the care of grandparents. HIV is around 25% and alcoholism is also very high.

 

Our driver warned us about a couple scams – at ATM machine crooks will dress up as security guards and offer help while eventually robbing you or taking your info – he said to only use ATM inside banks and the other scam is fake tour guides. A real tour guide has on his badge the area his is allowed to operate in, plus his license # and he has paperwork with that number, if he loses his badge a crook may try to get tourist to take a tour with him insisting on going to an ATM to start. Once agreed to he would drive to the ATM and rob or go to a secluded area to rob, so if you don’t have a pre tour booked, check license before booking a tour outside the port.

 

On the way to the Xhosa village we passed a very large modern mall and riverfront homes that were in the millions US$

 

The village is the most important of 15 that Xhosa people use. We were greeted by a 96 year old lady who gave us a talk on some history with a very good dose of morality thrown in. The village is surrounded by maze (corn) which is their main staple. We were treated to a dance by the children, and given a typical meal. They also gave us a lot of info on the different roles men and women have - when we were there all the men were away slaughtering an ox for a ceremony. They had a few items they had made like necklaces and handbags for sale.

 

Our last stop was at the beach. As we drove along the beach we could see large crowds there. Some people earn a living by doing BBQ for others – people bring their own meat and have it cooked when they want. We got out did a few photos from a deck by a memorial. Across the street was the aquarium (the oldest in South Africa). You can go in and use their deck for more photos. As I did that there was a loud clap of thunder. I could see into the aquariums open area with a pool with 5 seals and an area with lots of African penguins that were being fed – just enough time for a few quick photos as the rain started.

 

At the beach and anywhere else we stopped I did not notice any white people, even when driving through the nice areas.

 

This tour with Imonti tours was about as different as what I did the last 2 ports as could be.

 

We got talking to some other passengers about what they had done so far here in South Africa. One gentleman told us about the various tourist sites he and his wife had been to. Then he added that yesterday he walked into a Post Office to see a middle-aged, balding man standing at the counter methodically placing commemorative "Love" stamps on bright pink envelopes with hearts all over them. He then took out a perfume bottle and started spraying scent all over them. As the passengers curiosity got the better of him, he goes up to the balding man and asked him what he was doing. The man said "I'm sending out 1,000 Valentine cards signed, 'Guess who?'" "But why?" asked the passenger. "I'm a divorce lawyer," the man replied.

 

Today’s thought of the day – Each day is a new life. Seize it, live it – David Guy Powers

[RachelG]

Haha about the lawyer joke. I will have to tell my husband that one.

 

The reason perhaps that you could not find camouflage trousers to purchase was that in many countries in Africa, it is illegal to wear camouflage. My son learned this when he was working in Ghana.

[Waynetor]

A quick note as we arrive in Durban -Valentine’s greeting to all the love birds out there.

Due to the winds since leaving East London, we are now just arriving and it 1pm – 3 hours behind schedule. We had a rare event – the pilot came on board via helicopter – he was dropped down onto deck 11 by the funnel. This drew a big crowd on deck 9. Due to the late arrival the morning schedule had to be change . I will report on the rest of the day later.

 

Roses are red

Violets are blue

Sailing with you

There's nothing better to do –

 

A few quotes from Kim Groves Love is...book –

Love is what gives you a smile ear to ear

Love is coming home when you said you would

Love is eating garlic bread only when he does

Love is the greatest felling you can have

Love is listening to his problems instead of telling him yours

Love is knowing the sun won’t shine without him

Love is paying her a compliment

Love is knowing that a girl in the hand is better than two in the bush

 

For Valentines I had trouble picking a single thought for the day so here are several - "Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away." - George Carlin

Never go on trips with anyone you do not love.- Ernest Hemingway

I don’t know if all you need is love, but I think it is true all you can give is love. The monuments of Egypt are a stark witness you can’t take it with you, so it seems wise to give love away; I believe it has a chance of lasting in one form or another, and I believe love is like rabbits, tribbles or fleas—it multiplies quickly when its passion is inflamed.

Treasure the love you receive above all. It will survive long after your gold and good health have vanished - Og Mandino

Who being loved, is poor?

Men always want to be a woman’s first love; women have a more subtle instinct: what they like is to be a man’s last romance.

"Love is not finding someone to live with but finding someone you can't live without."

 

And one last special poem

 

“I am a sailor, you're my first mate

We signed on together, we coupled our fate

Hauled up our anchor, determined not to fail

For the heart's treasure, together we set sail

With no maps to guide us, we steered our own course

Rode out the storms when the winds were gale force

Sat out the doldrums in patience and hope

Working together, we learned how to cope.

Life is an ocean and love it a boat

In troubled waters it keeps us afloat

When we started the voyage there was just me and you

Now gathered round us we have our own crew

Together we're in this relationship

We built it with care to last the whole trip

Our true destination's not marked on any chart

We're navigating the shores of the heart” - John McDermott

Edited February 14, 2016 by Waynetor
grammer

[jaxw17]

Loving this I am following both reports look forward to it each evening, I then report it back to my Husband

Carry on enjoying it.

[Waynetor]

Durban is the largest city in the province of KwaZula -Natal. It is also the 2nd most important manufacturing hub in South Africa after Johannesburg. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism because of the city's warm subtropical climate and extensive beaches. The municipality, which includes neighbouring towns, has a population of almost 3.5 million, making the combined municipality the biggest city on the east coast of the Africa.

The area was sighted by Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama, who sailed parallel to the KwaZulu-Natal coast at Christmastide(Dec. 24 to Jan. 6) in 1497 while searching for a route from Europe to India. He named the area "Natal", or Christmas in Portuguese. The modern city of Durban dates from 1824 when a party of 25 men under a British Lieutenant Francis Farewell arrived from the Cape Colony and established a settlement on the northern shore of the Bay of Natal. From 1860 to 1910 the British brought about 150,000 indentured labourers from India on 25 year contracts to work sugar cane fields. Durban has the largest Asian community on the African continent, and the largest Indian population outside of India.

Durban attracts tourists looking to enjoy its miles and miles of golden beaches and its many resorts and offers many outdoor activities including surfing, sailing and fishing.

Average high temperature in February is 28C (82F).

[Waynetor]

There was not much on board today for Valentines – just a drink special. We were able to get a reservation in Polo Grill tonight – not sure if it was because people cancelled due to late excursions but nice to have for Valentines. Despite the wind at sea we were still able to enjoy the sail into this large port (very big on shipping coal to China).

 

We were not able to get off the ship until 1:30. Once again the shuttle offered by Oceania only went to a shopping centre that was no where near any of sights to see and would not drop you off at the port gates. If not on a tour and not interested in shopping, you had to take a taxi. Freda felt like reading on board so I took a taxi to the beach area.

 

The beaches of Durban this time of year when the Indian Ocean is just the right temperature for locals and tourist to swim, surf, sail, picnic and simply lie under the sun are a huge draw. One of the main tourist attractions in the Durban area is the Golden Mile, a popular stretch of beachfront, including an esplanade that runs along with it. It runs roughly from South Beach to Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World in the north (many options there). It abuts the central business district of the city to its west. The wide stretch of golden sands provides excellent opportunities for sun-worshippers and swimmers to enjoy the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. There are 2 swimming pools in the area that are ideal for children and those not wanting to fight the waves and sand. Along the esplanade there is a wide range of eating options and there are piers to walk out on (free) for good views. Most of the Mile's beaches are protected year-round by lifeguards and shark nets. This being Sunday, the beach was especially busy. With the high surf only small area between lifeguard stations were open for swimming. there were several places where sad sculptures were being made - you ca get a custom one like 'Happy Birthday' or 'Marry me' or just pay to take photos of the ones there.

 

This area is very wheelchair friendly – I saw several in use. From the bit of the city I saw from the taxi it looked quite good also.

 

Durban is also famous for its iconic Zulu Rickshaw pullers navigating throughout the city. These colourful characters are famous for their giant, vibrant hats and costumes. For the most part they have been displaced by other forms of transport, and the 25 or so remaining rickshaws cater now mostly to tourists. Several of them were working at the beach.

 

I got back in plenty of time to enjoy some time with Freda over some nice beverages before diner. I was very surprised how quite the Polo Grill was for diner - at 6:30 there were 1 single, 4 couples and a table of 4 (guess a lot of tours went late). The Grill had their regular menu but added a nice Valentine desert. Despite the cloudy late day weather with a big lightning show as we were having desert, all in all, it was a memorable and most enjoyable Valentine’s Day. We hope yours is too.

 

Today’s thought for the day - "When you travel, remember that a country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable." - Clifton Fadiman

[cwn]

Thanks so much for your reports. We are really enjoying them. They are bring back some great memories from our RTW trip last year that included South Africa as one of the land segments.

 

We spent three weeks doing a self driving tour from Jo'burg to Cape Town. Our first stop was in Kruger for a couple of days of a self drive safari staying at the Park run camp grounds. Then it was on to on St Lucia (Hope you get to stop near that area also).

 

Then down to Durban where we stayed on the beach just north of the city at the Oyster Box. We did a tour of the Zulu Battlefields, then drove on to Cistsa which is sort of a beach resort area just north of East London.

 

The Beaches from St Lucia to East London were all beautiful...clean, white sand, very blue water, lots of surf action and many men surf fishing in the rocky areas.

 

It was very interesting driving through the Zulu Lands and Zhosa Lands which we hit on their Saturday market day. When we stopped for gas or food we were usually the only whites, but people were very friendly, checking to be sure we were able to get what we needed or just asking questions about our trip. The markets, the family compounds and the transportation system were fascinating! Saw many schools, elementary through High School...the children wear uniforms.

 

From East London we drove on to Addo for a few days and had a fabulous time elephant watching. The Park lodgings there are first rate and very inexpensive. On the way to Addo we stopped in Grahamstown, billed as a quaint Victorian college town, for groceries for the two nights at Addo. As we were parking, an attractive black lady holding a baby hears us talking and asks where we are from. She was a professor at the college and studied in the US. She was curious why we are in this part of South Africa and if we have liked it so far? We tell her we think the country is beautiful and the people are nice. She smiled and said SA is much better than the press it gets and wishes us a safe journey and please come back again. We totally agree and hope to return, it is a beautiful country.

 

OH, My husband loved you lawyer joke also! Please keep the reports coming and thanks again for the effort!

Edited February 14, 2016 by cwn

[AllisonJames]

Happy Valentine's Day. I am enjoying your reports and thanks for the quotes and the jokes!

[Waynetor]

Richards Bay is a town in KwaZulu-Natal. It is situated on a 30sq km (11.5sq mi) lagoon of the Mhlatuze River, which gives it one of the country's largest harbours. The Richards Bay area is generally very flat and is situated on a coastal plain and is blessed with beautiful beaches. The Richards Bay Game Reserve was set up to protect lagoon animals formerly subject to intensive slaughtering. The reserve features a prodigious number of aquatic birds and animal species including hippos and crocodiles.

Average high temperature in February is 29C (84F).