Background on Africa

Over 6 years ago – I wanted to go to Africa – it was when South African Airways joined the Star Alliance, and started its non-stop flights from New York to Johannesburg – and I dreamed of 16 hours in Business class (redeeming Star Alliance Points!) Crazy Dreams eh? Well in those days I heard from parishioners of a priest friend of mine who had been to South Africa who said it was not safe.  That the luggage was always pilfered. Etc. 
So I put this idea off…
As part of my 50th Birthday planning – to go to Barcelona etc. last fall, I noticed in Feb. 2013 that there were business class reward flights to South Africa in January 2014 – and I said to Fr. Scott that I wanted to go… He had points. I had points. Lets do this…
He had a parishioner who had family there in South Africa – and they said – Johannesburg was not always safe – but there were lots of areas that were. So we booked it!  I wanted to see Victoria Falls – so we included Livingstone in Zambia on the itinerary, since we had also heard that Zimbabwe was not always safe.
Years ago I went to Iguazu in South America – to see the magnificent falls there… I wanted to see Victoria Falls in Africa… (Bucket List kind of trip) and so I committed to 3 weeks of Holidays! Eventually - even though my Dad decided not to go on this trip - 2 other friends who we have travelled with before booked economy seats and we travelled together.

Fr. Scott and I booked Business Class all that way – including the short flights from Cape Town to Livingstone. And then back to Johannesburg. Our routing was: 
Toronto – Washington DC – on United
Washington DC – Johannesburg – on South African Airways
     (With a 1 hour Technical stop in Dakar, Senegal)
Johannesburg – Cape Town
  Stay in Cape Town / Wine Region / Garden Route for 12 days
Cape Town – Livingstone, Zambia 
  Victoria Falls for 3 days  
  Chobe National Park in Botswana for 5 days 
  (Known for Safari’s and Elephants,  etc)
Then Livingstone – Johannesburg – New York – on SAA
And JFK – Toronto on Air Canada.
We handled all the bookings / hotels ourselves except for the final 8 days which we did thru a tour company we found online.

I left for the Airport on January 6th with both excitement and a bit of nervousness. That was after the big storm on the north east coast – which did not hurt Toronto so much as the rest of the NE seaboard in the US.
United delayed our flight.  Then delayed again.  We would miss the connection.  The Check in agent was useless.  Could not find any re-routing… finally we suggested Air Canada to Baltimore – and we would take a taxi – shuttle to Washington DC - Dulles airport.
We got on that Air Canada flight – just before it “closed” but then it was delayed an hour – due to the freezing cold – and the ground crews who could only stay outside for a 30 minutes per hour!

We got to Baltimore - got a cab to Dulles and arrived just as SAA flight would have been taking off. By now United Airlines had cancelled the Toronto – IAD flight – crew timed out…
So now United is responsible to get us to Cape Town.  After 45 minutes with a UA Special  “Additional Services” Agent we were booked on the 10 pm flight to Frankfurt with a 9.5 hour layover – then the overnight flight to Johannesburg on Lufthansa.
She can’t get SAA to confirm the JNB-CPT Leg of the flight… We say OK…
We get to Frankfurt – and in the lounge & the special United agent there – gets us on a flight to Munich at 6 pm – and then the Munich flight on Lufthansa direct to Cape Town. I could create a collage with all of the different Boarding passes I have had…

Eventually we get to Cape Town 1 day later than scheduled, and lost a prepaid room night, and have tickets that are so messed up that each time we check in they have to go to the special sales desk to get things straightened out! But we get there!

So now the holiday:  As I have said - one word – EPIC!

It was fantastic.  We felt safe at all times.  The people were so friendly everywhere. We had a terrific time in Cape Town and the Wine region. We rented a car and I drove on the left side of the road. The scenery on the Garden route – the southern oceanfront drive in South Africa – was stunning. Vast beauty.  Wonderful beaches and coastline.We also saw Ostriches and drove Mountain Passes. Incredible.

Then we went to Livingstone Zambia and stayed at a hotel that is part of the national park that the Victoria Falls are in.  
We could walk to the falls daily.  Eventually we ended up taking a Helicopter Ride over the falls.  This was a gift of our travelling companions for all the work Fr. Scott and I had done in organizing and researching things…
Again – incredible.  Then we had a minibus transfer to the Botswana border – 1.25 hrs or so – and then a boat ride across the river – this is the only place on the earth where 4 countries come together: Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia!
Then a 20 minute ride to our Safari Laodge – hotel which was very nice.  All of our meals were included from this point on…

Elephants, Hippos, Baboons, Giraffe, Zebra, Lions, we saw it all on 3 game drives, 4 boat rides, and a trip to a Namibian Village!
AWESOME…

I left feeling so blessed, and we had an extra day in Pretoria on the return because of SAA Flight Changes and schedules (Not connected to the original delays in getting there)
So I got to visit the Union buildings where Mandela was waked before his Funeral…

The people we encountered, the safety we felt, the beauty of God's creation - simply marvelous. 
God is good - All the time!   All the time - God is good!
Peace