::Title: South Africa / Zimbabwe / Zambia Trip 1999 ::Author: Steve Engelhardt, steven_t_engelhardt ::

South Africa / Zimbabwe / Zambia Trip 1999

Work in Progress

November 11: Thursday: Mpls - CapeTown

After an early 4 hour flight to Miami I had a 5 hour layover so after lunch I took the City J bus to Miami Beech. I spend 5 Min and back on the same bus to the airport $1.25 each way. I board the plane and we leave shortly after 5PM EST for Cape Town a 14 hour flight. We all hunker down for the long flight. We pass over the tip of brazil.

November 12: Friday: CapeTown

We arraive in Capetown at 2PM GMT+2. After immigration I stop and exchange money at $1=6R. Next to Avis and some paper work and I get a Opel Corsa and a Cell phone. Well it is now time to learn how to drive on the Left side during rush hour in CapeTown, and I have no Idea where I am staying. After driving around a bit and getting Downtown I end up on Green Point and I come across a place called Sleep Easy. Later I walk down to the Water Front and stop at Hard Rock Cafe, I return before the sun sets.

Cape Town, Victoria Waterfront

Novembr 13: Saturday Capetown

This morning I got back down to Victoria Water Front and I catch the fairy to Robben Island the Alcatraz of SA and where Nelson Mandela spent 26 Years. We visit may buildings and visit Mandela's Cell. After returning to Capetown I drive to the Cable Car station and a trip to the top of Table Mountain. There are many good views from on top. After returning to my car I head for the Cape of Good Hope. There are many lovely towns and sites on the way as well as the Cape it's self. I return to Capetown it is getting dark and I hit something on the side of the road and I flatten 2 tyres and bent 2 rims ouch! I called Avis and they came out with another car. I get back to the hotel late.

Cape Town - Robben Island Prision

Cape Town from Table Mountain Cable Car

November 14: Sunday: Capetown

After breakfast I start out for Cape Agulhas the southern most point in Africa first I pass the massive shanty towns by the Airport. I go over several mountain passes and then travel down to 316 to the Cape passing through farmland. I stop at the cape for a while and I then head for the town of Hermanus and whale watching off the coast, I see both Right and Humpback Whales. I return to the CapeTown and my hotel.

November 15: Monday: Capetown - Oudtshoorn

Today I travel to Oudtshoorn, It is a lot longer drive than I thought and I retrace quite a bit from yesterday. I travel on N2 to Mossel Bay and then north on 328. It gets barren rather quickly leaving as get further from the ocean. I start seeing Ostrich and I proceed through town to Cango Caves and a tour. I return to town and get a hotel room for 140R. I ate downtown and had ostrich neck for dinner.

Oudtshoorn, Ostrich Capital of the World

November 16: Tuesday: Oudtshoorn - Port Elizebeth

I travel from Oudtshoorn to Port Elizabeth via the Garden Route. First I travel back to Mossel Bay on 328 and then North on N2 the Garden Route. There are many pretty meadows and lake and ocean views. I stop at Storm River part of Tsitsikamma NP. I continue on to PE, I stay at the Summerstand hotel which is on the coast.

November 17: Wendsday: Port Elizabeth - Graaff-Reinet

I left the Summerstrand hotel and headed inland for Graaff-Reinet. I am back in the Karoo again, It reminds me of Nevada. I reach town at 2PM and head directly for the Valley of Desperation. I spent the night at the Panorama Hotel on top of the hill. It is a nice town in the middle of nowhere.

Graaff-Reinet

November 18: Thursday: Graaff-Reinet - Durban

After breakfast I return to PE to catch my flight to Durban. on the way I stop at Addo Elephant reserve and saw a dozen at the water hole. These are a isolated band of Elephants that live in these dense thicket. I leave PE for the short flight to Durban where I pick up a new Avis rental a Toyota Venture a SUV type vechicle. I head north and I stop at a hotel on the coast the Westbrook Beach Hotel right on the coast. The view is great and I hear the waves pounding the beech all night, attually very pleasant.

Elephants in Addo National Refuge

November 19 : Friday: Durban - Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park

After breakfast and a walk along the coast I head out on N4 again, slow going many trucks. I go to the town of Standish to cash some travelers checks. I cannot find a parking meter that will take my coins. It takes a long time to get the paper work and my money from the bank. The town has a lot of people of India backround. Back on N4 northbound for the park. I stop in town for lunch, supplies and gas. On the way into the park many kid jump in front of the track trying to get money. After going through the gate I stop at the gift shop and watch the local girls dancing for tips. I then drive toward hilltop camp, I pass several Rhinos, Zebras, and Impalas. I get a Rondoval for 2 nights. I drive around a bit more and saw some White Rhinos and some Wildbeast. After dinner I go out on a night drive and saw many more animals including Lions, Giraffe, Warthos, Monkeys, Bush Pig, and Hyenas.

Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park, Zulu Girls

HU Giraffe

HU Rhino

November 20: Saturday: Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park

This mornig I head for the souther part of the park. I leave at 9Am and get back at 4PM and I use 1/2 tank of gas. i see more animals including a spotted leopard. along with Zebras, Rhinos, Gazzels, and many Giraffes.

UH Zebra

November 21: Sunday: Hluhluwe-Umfolozi - Swaziland - Krugar

I leave the park and head toward Krugar. I cross the border into Swaziland not much here to see just a lot of sugar cane. I cross back into SA and arraive in Komatpoort a border town to Mozambique. Not much here to see, I turn around at the border. I drive north toward Krugar crossing the Crocodile River I drive tp Lower Sabie and obtail a Rondoval for the night.

HU Zulu Girls and Steve

Krugar National Park, Hippo

November 22: Monday: Krugar

After breakfast I head north toward Letabe, it is a long ways. I stop several times for Giraffe, Water Buffalo and Zebras. The highlight was seing a mother Cheetah and her 2 cubs stalking prey. At Olifants I did see several Elephants in the bush. Later I saw a bunch of monkeys playing dead in the middle of the road. I hope I can sleep tognight, the hippos are burping down by the river.

Krugar, Elephants

November 23: Tuesday: Krugar - Johannesburg

Today I leave toward Johannesburg passing through the Blyth River cannyon. I arraive in Hoedspruit only to have another flat tyre. Fortunately there is an Avis office at the airport and I bought 100% coverage. Unfortunately I waste 3 hours in town befor I get yet another vechicle. I continue on through the Able pass and Blyth river cannyon. I make it to N4 and I only made it to Machadodorp where I hunt down a room to stay.

November 24: Wednesday: Johannesburg - Victoria Falls

This morning I continue on to Johannesburg to catch my 1:30PM flight. I turn in my rental car at the airport. This is the most impressive airport in africa it is very big. I catch my Zimbabwe Express flight for Victoria Falls. I arraive about 2:30 and after immigration I take a bus for the Sprayview Hotel at $45 a night. I take a taxi to the Falls and pay $10 to enter the park, another gouge. The falls are very powerfull even though it is the dry season and it is very dry. I return to the hotel.

Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls

November 25: Thursday: Victoria Falls

This morning I took a taxi to the border with Zambia, I cross the border and exchange some money $1=2500K. I tour the falls on this side and return to Zimbabwe. At 4pm I take a boat cruise on the Zambezi river.

Zambia, Victoria Falls Bridge

November 26: Friday: Johannesburg - USA

This morning I take a taxi to the airport for my 11:00 flight, there is no flight, there is one a 4:30PM. And there is nothing at this airport so I camp out for a while. I was able to get on a Air Zimbabwe flight at 3PM. At Johannesburg I call a local hostel and they agree to put me up for 5 hours until my flight leaves for New York. They came and got me and I rested for a while and they drove me back to the airport. I catch my 16 Hr flight to New York.

November 27: Saturday: New York JFK - Minneapolis

We stop in Cape Verde to refuel. We are a little behind but we still made it to new york at 7AM plenty of time for my 9AM connecting flight Wrong, it took them 1.5 hours to get my baggage and Northwest is in a differant terminal. So then I got there there were 1000 Japenesse trying to get to Tokyo. When I got to the counter they said there were no more flights today! Well what I could do is take a taxi from JFK to Lagardia and catch a flight there which I did and I attually got home at the same time I would have anywhy. This is the 2nd time I have been screwed at JFK the last time was from Argentina.