Tuesday, September 19, 2023 Today we embarked on a full-day private tour of Cape Point & the Cape Peninsula. After an excellent large buffet breakfast in the hotel restaurant, our Kwathlano driver, Vaughn, picked us up in the lobby at 9:00 am. Vaughn was an interesting guide who had grown […]
Monday, September 18, 2023 We embarked on our final safari drive this morning and it was a memorable one. Our vehicle was the first one out of the Idube gate and Joas had a destination in mind. After driving awhile, he stopped and found lion tracks in the road. We
Sunday, September 17, 2023 Today was our full day of safariing at Idube. We again witnessed a glorious African sunrise early in our morning excursion. While driving about, we spotted more rhinos and elephants, then an announcement came over the radio and off we sped to another leopard sighting. When
Saturday, September 16, 2023 This morning, we squeezed in one final safari drive at Lukimbi before our 10:00 am transfer ride to another lodge. The drive was lovely and we once again saw lots of wildlife: giraffes, elephants, rhinos, hyenas, zebras, waterbuck, and more. A Breakfasting Giraffe Giraffe hanging with
Friday, September 15, 2023 Today was our first full day of safariing. We followed the following hectic schedule which was roughly continued for the next several days: 05:00 Wake-up call 05:15 Coffee 05:30 Morning Safari drive (3 hours) 09:00 Breakfast 10:00 Optional Bush Walk (1 hour)
Thursday, September 14, 2023 This morning, we enjoyed an early light breakfast and coffee with Fikret who then escorted us to the EZ Shuttle pick-up location where our van was arriving just as we walked up. I introduced myself to the driver and before he started loading our bags, he
Wednesday, September 13, 2023 We enjoyed a leisurely morning before departing for the Cullinan Diamond Mine about 10 am. After a 45-minute drive, we arrived at the town of Cullinan. Fikret and Paula had recently seen the mine with other visitors so they found a place to enjoy coffee while
Tuesday, September 12, 2023 Today, we were on our own to implement a plan Fikret and Paula suggested. Fikret dropped us off at the Hatfield train station in Pretoria on his way to work. At the ticket window inside, we restocked two transit cards that Paula had lent us with
Monday, September 11, 2023 I arose around 6:30 feeling refreshed with no signs of jet lag. Fikret, after he had a quick shower, made us coffee and we enjoyed chatting before he and Paula left together for their respective appointments. I watched from the patio as their car left the
Saturday, September 9, 2023 Today is the day we finally depart for South Africa after months of planning and preparations including updating Jane’s passport, vaccinations, obtaining anti-malaria prescriptions, making arrangements with our intrepid cat- and house-sitter (Will), installing eSIM cards in our phones, etc. This adventure promises to be a
Thursday, June 29, 2023 We didn’t need to ramble far for this unique adventure. Mid-morning we headed to Pleasant Valley Promenade in North Raleigh to take in Nathan Sawaya’s LEGO®, art exhibition, ART OF THE BRICK. For the next two hours, we were mesmerized as we walked through rooms full
The Frampton Family in Bygone Days (John is door boy) The purpose of the trip was to attend a reunion on my mother’s side of the family (Donnelly). Friday, June 9, 2023 This morning we (including Zorro) drove the RV while towing the car to Paris Mountain State Park in
Sunday-Tuesday, May 14-16, 2023 Kane Little sister, Lisa, came to celebrate my birthday before we embarked on this trip. We enjoyed a celebratory dinner at a nice restaurant and caught up on news Friday evening and Saturday before departing Sunday morning for this excursion. Late Saturday afternoon we took Zorro
Tuesday, May 2, 2023 Well, Jane got another itching to go RVing, and so made a reservation for two nights at Medoc Mountain State Park. This park became the 22nd North Carolina State Park (of 41 total) that I have visited. We shoved off around 3 pm with Zorro on
Thursday, April 20, 2023 As spring has been unfolding around us, Jane has been wistfully eyeing our RV which has been hibernating alongside our driveway since late October. She finally could no longer resist the urge to camp, and so, made a two-night reservation for us at nearby Raven Rock