Anyone been to the Southern tip of Africa - Advice?

[kiwigtx]

I’m going because I want to see and experience what I can’t anywhere else. Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

We had a TV advert many years ago about seeing New Zealand before departing on our world adventures......



It became a running joke down this way. "Somewhere near Taupo bro...."

 

[alsant]

Have a good time and stay safe.

 

[Hey-O]

Apartheid has gone full circle in South Africa.

Knew a guy, British, born there and the family had a farm. The next day they didn't own it and he was sitting next to me, HERE. That's the short version.

 

[YY1]

I've got 40 million dollars in Zimbabwe currency...

...but I don't think I could buy lunch with it.

 

[j-c-c-62]

I went to Africa one time in 1980 with Bob Marley to do a few government sponsored concerts. We had a 100 in our group. We got expelled after less than a week. there where flights out to Paris only every other day and they were always booked solid. The government kicked everybody off the plane so we could take the next flight leaving. The reason, you are not going to believe this, pot smoking.
It was beautiful there, clothes in public for the locals were optional. The wildlife are the humans, the animals are the ones running free, I saw natives hand washing their clothes in running streams that had water I would not wash my car's tires with.
Not sure how a trip is done safe today, but enjoy, and smell the flowers, it sounds neat.

 

[JackR]

I have a neighbor who retired two years ago. He and his wife just got back. Think they lived in Cape Town or Durban for a year and a half. They loved it and are going back.
I have a crazy brother who went swimming with the sharks there. No cage or anything. Pictures proved it too.

 

[Don selleck]

Sounds like a hell of a trip, Good luck on your adventure.

 

[GetX'd]

For all the well wishers and even the naysayers - My wife and I just returned a couple of days ago from our 4 country, 17 day trip to Africa. We did everything we planned to do and more. We met some truly beautiful and wonderful African people all along the way. And I’m not referring to the tour guides, wait staff etc - I’m also speaking of just regular people that we’d strike up conversations with or ask for help etc. We never once felt any discriminatory resentment the entire time in-continent. We met fewer white SA people, some very nice and a few kind of dismissive.

We did the whole nine yards in SA, Zimbabwe, Botswana with a sort of crossover into Zambia via the Chobe River on Safari. Four x in safaris. Three by land and one via river. We saw everything many times over except the elusive leopard. As I said earlier Joberg was an in n out pit stop to move quickly to Kruger National Forest and game reserve. That’s where most of the issues lie as far as nasty **** going on. Cape Town was a beautiful city w/much to do. Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe was beyond spectacular - makes Niagara Falls seem like a leaking toilet by comparison. We cruised the Zambezi River at sunset for more game viewing, food and drinks. The Zambezi feeds Victoria Falls and is one of the longest rivers in Africa.

I could go on but I won’t bore you any longer. I will say this - For those that desire to enjoy the comforts and safety of home, or travel in organized, luxury and controlled safety in staid well known tourist areas, more power to you. But that’s not now or ever been for me. I thrive on the road less traveled. I’m a traveler not a tourist. My preference has always been under developed, third world countries. Go most anywhere and do most anything. I can roll with the punches and consider that part of the experience I’m looking for. As I get a bit older I realize I must be a bit more careful and more so when traveling with my Asian wife who is not very worldly and had lived a sheltered life before me. More recently I’ve been able to coax her out of that cocoon and take her to places she never even dreamed of. She’s had the “C” now twice in five years. I want to take her to and show her the real world, not just the make believe tourist world. I won’t stop traveling this way until health possibly forces me to settle. Our trip to Africa was a gift and a blessing, and we’re both grateful for having gone and done as we chose w/o fear or reservation.

I wish you and all whom you love have a very Blessed Easter - The most important day in all of human history.

Froala

 

[kiwigtx]

For all the well wishers and even the naysayers - My wife and I just returned a couple of days ago from our 4 country, 17 day trip to Africa. We did everything we planned to do and more. We met some truly beautiful and wonderful African people all along the way. And I’m not referring to the tour guides, wait staff etc - I’m also speaking of just regular people that we’d strike up conversations with or ask for help etc. We never once felt any discriminatory resentment the entire time in-continent. We met fewer white SA people, some very nice and a few kind of dismissive.

We did the whole nine yards in SA, Zimbabwe, Botswana with a sort of crossover into Zambia via the Chobe River on Safari. Four x in safaris. Three by land and one via river. We saw everything many times over except the elusive leopard. As I said earlier Joberg was an in n out pit stop to move quickly to Kruger National Forest and game reserve. That’s where most of the issues lie as far as nasty **** going on. Cape Town was a beautiful city w/much to do. Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe was beyond spectacular - makes Niagara Falls seem like a leaking toilet by comparison. We cruised the Zambezi River at sunset for more game viewing, food and drinks. The Zambezi feeds Victoria Falls and is one of the longest rivers in Africa.

I could go on but I won’t bore you any longer. I will say this - For those that desire to enjoy the comforts and safety of home, or travel in organized, luxury and controlled safety in staid well known tourist areas, more power to you. But that’s not now or ever been for me. I thrive on the road less traveled. I’m a traveler not a tourist. My preference has always been under developed, third world countries. Go most anywhere and do most anything. I can roll with the punches and consider that part of the experience I’m looking for. As I get a bit older I realize I must be a bit more careful and more so when traveling with my Asian wife who is not very worldly and had lived a sheltered life before me. More recently I’ve been able to coax her out of that cocoon and take her to places she never even dreamed of. She’s had the “C” now twice in five years. I want to take her to and show her the real world, not just the make believe tourist world. I won’t stop traveling this way until health possibly forces me to settle. Our trip to Africa was a gift and a blessing, and we’re both grateful for having gone and done as we chose w/o fear or reservation.

I wish you and all whom you love have a very Blessed Easter - The most important day in all of human history.

View attachment 1638241View attachment 1638242View attachment 1638241FroalaView attachment 1638243View attachment 1638244View attachment 1638245

I'm pleased you had a safe trip Kevin, and you came back to share the story.

As it happens I now have a South African Electrician working with me on a major strip-out job.....he is one of only a handful of nice ones I have ever met. I guess being a part-time Catholic Pastor has something to do with that. A good hard-working guy with a great sense of humour.

 

[qkcuda]

Glad to hear you had a great time.

 

[coronet68mx]

Enjoy your trip to the cradle of humanity,

 

[GetX'd]

I've got 40 million dollars in Zimbabwe currency...

...but I don't think I could buy lunch with it.

I hate to do this - but I can one up you on that. When in Zimbabwe I added a little to my foreign currency collection. I have in my possession about $75,000,000,000 in Zimbabwe dollars. Here’s the deal - Recall the global financial crisis back in 2008. Well the Zimbabwe dollar essentially blew up and became almost w/o any value during that event. I met a Zimbabwean citizen that at that time had $4.75 trillion Zimbabwe dollars in his bank account - he was well off until that point. When all was said and done he got a whopping $90 USD for his local currency. Then it became completely worthless in totality. Now what little you can find of it is simply a souvenir of sorts. I was off the beaten path at the time and found a guy - I gave him $5 USD for my Z $75B. He was very grateful and gave me an extra Z $100 as a “tip”….Lol.

Now in Zimbabwe it’s $USD from an ATM. They accept €Euro, $USD and the South African Rand for goods and services. So in closing - Yes you’re right you couldn’t even buy lunch unless you found a sucker like me to give you a few bucks for your worthless Z$ currency.

 

[YY1]

You got a better exchange rate than me, too.

I want to say it's circa 2013, and the cost was the same $5 USD that you paid for your lot.

 

[j-c-c-62]

To the OP, thanks for the follow-up, wish more would do the same when they ask for advice here on their escapades.
And not a bore at all.

 

[WileE]

Great story, glad you both experienced and enjoyed it ! ( if I were to go to a "nowhere land", it'd probably be Antarctica... )