Botswana

In the morning we officially embarked on our Ultimate Africa experience.  We flew from Johannesburg to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe where we were met by our trip leader, Vitalis, who would be with us for the next 15 days.

This is Vitalis saving us from a falling tree.  Okay, not really- but he would if the situation arose!

From Victoria Falls, we boarded a bus headed across the Botswanan border to the Baobab Safari Lodge.  There we were greeted by the staff with a song and a warm washcloth to wipe the day's travel and dust from our brows.  The main lodge was open, with a thatched roof, comfortable furniture and a beautiful view of the Chobe River.

The sun was low in the sky as we drove up and by the time we made our way to the main meeting area in the lodge, it was beginning to set.  Suddenly the weight of that moment in time brought such joy to my heart.  I watched zebras come to graze and frolic, and cape buffalo wade across to the islands in the middle.  I heard the elephants grumbling and snapping young trees, and baboons calling to each other as they settled in the trees for the night.  That moment was a milestone in my world and a quintessential African experience.  I was suddenly very aware of where I was... and it brought a tear to my eye.

Johannesburg part II

Our first hotel (the broken shower one) was not to be where we would meet the rest of our party.  We had arrived a day earlier than the rest, and due to the hotel being full, we were shuttled to another for a night.  The next morning we arrived at the O.R. Tambo Protea Hotel where we would eventually join the rest of our group, who were just arriving from their layover in London.

Clean, simple rooms at the O.R. Tambo Protea Hotel

The whole hotel is designed and decorated around air transport with wooden packing crates, airplane parts, even a flight simulator in the lobby.  The bathrooms showed a hint of humor- I appreciated that.

There's an oxygen mask hanging near the toilet... NICE

Indeed- Oh Sheet!

We spent the afternoon hanging out by the pool and watching the airplanes come in to the airport across the highway.  This was just the beginning of our Africa adventure.

But first things first . . .  

Good Morning South Africa

And we're off!  Met my dad and stepmom Mary at the airport so that we could embark on a glorious adventure.  But first things first.  A sandwich and a beer.  Okay, Mary had a soda, but you get the idea.

 

Bright eyed and bushy tailed in San Francisco before the first 10 hours.

I watched the sun rise over the top of the world from the plane on en route to Amsterdam, our half-way point.  Watching the sun rise from a point of origin not officially on earth (thousands of feet above) while perhaps not what astronauts or space aliens experience, is a pretty phenomenal sight.  We spent all of two hours in Amsterdam, waiting for our flight to Johannesburg, South Africa.  It was overcast, but green and lush, from what I could tell looking from the airplane window as we landed.  I'll have to come back sometime.  Dad and Mary have done this before- they're seasoned travelers. I couldn't ask for better travel mates, thought the joke we all shared while awaiting our flight is that after our trip, we'll not want to see or hear each other for a bit.  Somehow I doubt that.

Post flight in Amsterdam, looking at the next 11.5 hours on a plane. Are we there yet??

Safely in Johannesburg, I slept like a baby in a plush, clean bed.  My shower spit brown water at me shortly before stopping altogether, but the problem was quickly rectified and I was able to wash the airplane travel stink off of me.  I'm sure dad and Mary are grateful.  I watched the sun rise again, this time over the city.  At first glance it is not unlike any sunrise I might have seen before, but upon careful inspection it is very different in subtle hue and intensity.  Probably a different flavor of smog over here.

Good morning South Africa- It's a pleasure to meet you.