Adventure Luxury Travel Ideas

 Here is the second journal entry in the on going series on my clients’ exploits in Southern and Eastern Africa. Enjoy:

CAPE TOWN:

 Nearly 20 years ago when apartheid still existed and was hearing the
protests of the world, I saw the broadway play Safina; (Whoopi made the
movie) and there is an incredible song the children of South Africa sing
and the chorus is, “Freedom is Coming Tomorrow”.  That is all I could
hear…I had my own soundtrack playing for the next 2 hours.

We were met by one of the many handlers our trip provided and set out to
check our luggage for our domestic flight to Capetown. Funny thing…we
could check 2 bags at 50 lbs each person flying from the US. We were
slightly over, but did not have to pay. Once here, we were only allowed
44 lbs EACH person for domestic travel for a total of 88 lbs. This is
where either our handler or my new second South African friend helped. A
beautiful South African Airways attendant responded to my compliments of
her wardrobe and a SAA’s scarf in particular by giving me her home phone
to tell her the days I would pass thru Johannesburg again and she would
meet me to give me the scarf I so admired!!! (The people you meet…).
We were allowed to travel with our luggage without paying additional
fees.

Our 90 minute airport stay was pleasant; we ate in an Irish Pub, watched
Rugby and found an older gentleman who enjoyed answering my many
questions about the game and country. We were then off to another
pleasant two hour trip on SAA where we were fed dinner again and I slept
the entire flight.

Flying into Capetown was again like flying into any beautiful city with
all of the lights, etc. We were surprisingly transported by bus to the
terminal and happily secured all of our luggage with NO problems!  Met
by handlers again, we were transported to our hotel, The 12 Apostles,
which sits near Table Mountain overlooking the Atlantic ocean. It was
approximately 30 minutes ride and the city is Spotless!  Wealth appeared
to be rampant, at least in the sections we were driving through as BMWs
appeared to be everywhere with other luxury cars. The drive up to the
hotel near Table Mountain was winding and scary as you could see the
valley or waterfront below. There were no streetlights or guard rails!!!
At 3 PM US time, 9 PM South Africa time, 25 hours after I left my home
Friday, we arrived at one of the most beautiful hotels I’ve stayed.
Truly a 5 star hotel. I will show photos later. But the room was lit
with beautiful scented candles and a wonderful fruit basket adorned the
coffee table in the sitting area. Hot tea English style was carried upon
our arrival and the bed turn down including the most decadent thing I
ever had the pleasure to eat. I will be bringing these back to the
states for sure for you guys and dolls.   Considering it is 2:30 AM South
Africa time and we are leaving the hotel in 3 hours for a day on the
water and shark diving, I will close and wish you goodnight.

Please stay tuned for the next entry by Diane. Please comment on her articles as she would love to answer any questions you might have. Let’s get a dialog going here!

Before traveling anywhere, a good rule of thumb is to research what there is to see and do. Here are some ideas in case you decide to travel South Africa:

• Kruger National Park: a top safari destination, where you can go on game drives and walk freely around the park, which is home to 147 different species, including lion prides and elephant herds.
• Cape Town: The second-largest city in South Africa has been rated the best travel destination in South Africa, and one of the best in the world. There are many sights to see, including Table Mountain, and the penguin colony at Boulders Beach.
• Garden Route: A tapestry of large trees, freshwater lakes and deep gorges, stretched along Africa’s coast. This gorgeous strip of Africa’s beauty is a must-see, and is home to animals such as dolphins and whales, and some of Africa’s best beaches.

In Africa Travel, how many couples think South Africa? I find more and more couples are looking for adventure with their beach resort or mountain retreats. Many of those couples, especially scuba divers, are looking at South Africa. Why? because they can combine the adrenaline rush adventure of Great White Shark Cage Diving with the romance of a true African Safari. You can throw in a romantic trip to the top of Table Mountain at Cape Town with a private champagne and cheese picnic basket or a wine tasting tour of the South African Western Cape. For a true Africa travel honeymoon or romance vacation, end it with a trip to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe or Zambia. Think you are just romantically viewing the falls? Think again, for you adrenaline junkies there is river rafting, helicopter rides, and white water kayaking. Want a little softer adventure? Try a half day elephant back safari! Add to this the romantic sunset cruise at the Falls and you have a perfect ending.

How many of you out there have tried any of these ideas for a honeymoon/romantic vacation? Fill me in on your experiences. I want to hear some ideas or experiences on what you think would be a perfect Africa travel honeymoon. Would it be climbing Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania or trekking with the Mountain Gorillas of Uganda? Let me know!