South Africa

I spent my day after the safari at one of the big malls outside Jo’burg uploading photos to Flickr, buying a new rain-resistant jacket to replace my deteriorating North Face jacket, and catching a matinee showing of “Quantum of Solace.” The mall was decorated for the holidays, with cheerful music playing over the sound system. […]

Myself, Lea (Belgium) and Moira (Canada) awoke before dawn for a 3-hour game walk near camp with two armed park rangers.It was my last chance to see a leopard, or maybe even a lion, though the idea of encountering any of the animals up close was concerning.We started with a thirty minute drive as the […]

I arranged to stay a full third day in the park since I had yet to see a rhino, let alone a leopard. Luckily, Livingstone Trails could accommodate my request. It was also nice to relax into the rhythm of each day, now that I knew the routine. Highlights on day 3 included a black-backed […]

It’s amazing how much of a sense of security a chain link fence provides. I slept well my first night in the park, if only for 5-6 hours. Around 6am, we received our new arrivals while several people left. Since Livingstone Trails offers daily departures from Jo’burg to Kruger Park, there is a constant rotation […]

Up at 5am, on the road to the park by 5:30am, and in the gate when it opened at 6am, we dropped our backpacks and sleeping bags off at Livingstone Trails’ permanent camp within the park, and climbed aboard a modified Toyota pick-up for our first morning game drive.Our safari guide was named Stuart, and […]

The price for my hasty departure from Gemini Backpackers was a 5:30am pick-up, and another full day of driving.The thought of having to spend another night in the dreary dorm was enough to get me out of bed on time.Gideon, the driver for Livingstone Trails, then spent the next two hours picking up customers from […]

Three nights in the Drakensberg were enough for me, however due to the Baz bus schedule between Durban and Jo’burg, I was required to spend a fourth day and night. I was satisfied with the two day tours, and spent my free day writing and hanging around the lodge (bored). In the evening, I played […]

I departed Durban for the Sani Pass Lodge, a great jumping off point for tours into Lesotho and hikes in the southern Drakensberg Mountains. The elevation is about 1,500 meters. I decided to spend my first day on a 5-hour return hike to see some San rock art in its natural environment. The weather was […]

I chose to stay at Tekweni Backpackers, yet another party hostel, due to its proximity to restaurants along a popular street a mere block away. It thrilled me even more to find a swanky, one month old internet cafe nearby as well. I wrote off sightseeing in Durban long ago, considering the required metropolitan stopover […]