Oct 7, 2018 - Bon's Travels - Near JoBerg Airport

Text from Bonnie: "Just arrived at Dove’s Nest after a Long day it seems. This is a real splurge ... thought about doing JoBerg Backpackers and had actually sorta decided “well why not try it” until the bus drove into the city a different way than before - longer - and that did it ...All I ever need to see of JoBerg! Haha! Walked thru the street market to the train station again, had a helper - who of course wanted, and I’m sure Needed! - Baksheesh as before, arriving just about 5. Got ticket, Track 8 or 11. Went to 11, proceeded to wait...

Oct 5, 2018 - Bon's Travels

"It’s beautiful here, but very cold - it snowed the day/night before I got here. Melted off, but still until only warm enough - with all the clothes on I have - when the sun is high. Not sure I’ll stay tonight after all - may go to Maseru -main town & lower - tonight and then? Should have good wifi there - it’s Very iffy here!"

Sep 27, 2018 - Bon's Travels

Cape Town...Cathy tours garden coast...Bon to Cape of Good Hope/Point tour and Alghulas on day trips. Then both Cathy and Bon go to Cape Aguhless, see some whales then inland through miles and miles of gorgeous flat and rolling farmland and the highest pass in S. Africa. Took a train to Simonstown to see pelicans...fun to watch!

Sep 8, 2018 - Kapama Karula (update #2)

Last night (Friday) was our last 4pm/evening game drive at Kapama (private game reserve in norther South Africa). As always another awesome drive and experience! We decided to first check look got some elephants and we did..a about 10 around a water hole. First, we had one give us a few warning behaviors (flapping ears and low trunk) and then be moved pretty quickly towards us so we backed up and he went on to a new tree to eat on. Then a smaller one/youth, got agitated and did some trumpeting. He still wasn’t happy and came right at our...

Sep 7, 2018 - Kapama Karula (Place of Peace)

Hi family and friends! Sorry it has taken me a few days to write, our stay at Kapama Karula (place of peace) has been spectacular! Just from the airport to the lodge we saw giraffe, zebra and elephants! The lodge is unbelievable....we have our own safari guide (Abrie) and tracker (Elvis) for every drive. They are fantastic and very well educated on all of these animals, the bird and grounds and even the happenings amongst the male lions to be king (fight between 3 sons and the dad who lost and and lost an eye in the battle). Our villa has...

Sep 4, 2018 - Day 29

Today is the last day that I am at South Africa. Cannot believe my journey is ending tomorrow. Got up late around 8:00am. Naaz already made coffee and toast for me. She also did my laundry yesterday. She is so warm and nice. Leonie said Naaz could be a tiger to deal with others also. First, I went to the Castle of Good Hope. It was built in the 17th century by the Dutch East Indian Company. It was a huge fort and still carries on some traditions such as the change of the Key ceremony at 10:00am and firing of the cannon at 11:00am. There was...

Sep 4, 2018 - Cape Town, SA

Hi! We successfully made it to Cape Town, SA on Sunday after two long days of traveling and a total of 20 hours of air time. We were greeted by our wonderful host/guide at the airport, Noel (“Nole”). Got checked into the hotel and then ventured out to the V&A Waterfront area for dinner. Sunday night so it was a little slow but neat area with shops, bars and restaurants on the water. Terrific dinner with gourmet burgers and miikshakes (120 flavors)! Monday, Noel picked us up bright and early....overslept so we missed breakfast.....but had...

Sep 3, 2018 - Day 28

It was raining when I woke up. After checking the forecast, I decided still to proceed to go to the Botanical Garden. An Uber car showed up within 2 minutes and he got me to the Garden at 8:30am. This time I had 3 target birds: Grassbird, Orange-breasted Sunbird and Spotted Eagle-owl. It was drizzling until past 10:00am. A staff showed me where one of the owls was. She was sitting on the nest inside a large planter near the entrance! I could see her head. She has intense eyes and long ear tuffs. It is a large owl like our Great-horned Owl....

Sep 2, 2018 - Day 27

Today is a traveling day again. Started at 7:30am from Satara camp. Shortly after I got on the main road H7, saw lots of animals at the watering hole. Stopped for a while to watch them. Groups of impalas, zebras, wildebeests, Kudus came to drink. Big flock of birds also. Saw a Hammerkop hunting from the surface of the water. It is large heavy bird-of-prey, however, it could hover low near the surface to catch fish. Saw a mongoose moving around. After left it I encountered groups of zebras and baboons crossing road. The zebras just stopped...

Sep 1, 2018 - Day 26

I had a marvelous day! Met my group for early morning drive at 4:45am. We did not see big cats but a hyena with a pray in her mouth, two African Wildcats, big herds of elephants, a dozen or so giraffes, and a big group of baboons. The sunrise was beautiful. The sun somehow looked redder when it just rises above the horizon than Seattle’s. The night sky has at least 10 times more of stars and clear. It was so enjoyable to watch the night sky. The moon rise was orange than yellow. After we finished the drive at about 9:30am, I went back to...

Aug 31, 2018 - Day 25

Got up very early at 4:30am to join my 5:15am morning bushwalk. A few French people, an Israeli father and son, and an Australian were in my group. The two armed rangers told us they grew up in a very remote region where there is still wildlife. They learned animal behavior, footprints and calls from childhood. After they went to school they learned English. We drove passed a fenced area and the ranger told us that belongs to 10,000 hectors wild buffalo sanctuary. In early 90th they were dying of tuberculosis and mouth-and-foot diseases....

Aug 30, 2018 - Day 24

Shortly after breakfast I packed up, then left the Skukuza camp. From the coordinates of the Satara camp my GPS found a route that will take 2 hours and 15minutes. Halfway at a rest place I was taking a bathroom break. At a picnic table I took my snack bag out and started to eat some dried mango. While I was watching a young Vervet monkey picking crumbs from the table, another adult monkey, maybe his mother suddenly came down from a branch above me and quickly grabbed my mango bag, then she/he jumped back to the tree. This happened so fast...