Beginning of the Journey

We have been planning this trip for some time - Cameron has been with the Peace Corps for over a year now, based in the Limpopo province, in the northeast corner of South Africa.  So a great opportunity to see a new part of the world.  For both Caroline and I, it is our first trip to the African continent.  The closest I have come was visiting the Seychelles (off the coast of Kenya) in 1999.

Tonight has been a night of frantic packing.  I started with a very organized list of what to bring, but of course we left most things to the last minute.  Between that and being in NYC all day, the evening has been pretty busy!

But we got there - three big bags - 7 dresses for Caroline (plus a butterfly net), two hats for Dad, and safari clothes for both of us.  We leave tomorrow at 6:00 am from Princeton - the question will be whether or not the snow, which is forecast to start between 9:00 and 12:00 - gets in our way!  Our flight leaves JFK at 11:15 AM.

Cameron in the mean time has had a journey of his own to meet us in Capetown.  We often forget how big South Africa is, and in fact it is close to a 24 hour journey for him to Capetown.

We brought a change of clothes for when we land in Johannesburg - that's a 14 hour flight.  We have a two hour layover until our flight to Capetown.  We arrive there at about 12:00.  They it's crash by the pool for the day!

My main question is how I will do with my 6'4" frame and a coach seat for 14 hours...

Here is our itinerary:

March 20 - Fly JFK – JNB – CPT (JFK 11:15 am, arrive JNB 8:05 AM March 22; JNB 10:10 am arrive CPT 12:15 pm March 21)

March 21, 21, 23 (3 nights) stay in CPT area.  Rent car.  Leave CPT AM of March 24

·      March 21:  Hilton Capetown City Centre: 126 Buitengracht Street, Cape Town, Western Cape, 8001 South Africa

·      March 22 - 24:  The Speir Hotel:  R310 Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, Western Cape (in the middle of the winery region)

Morning of March 24 drive to Port Elizabeth.  Two nights overnight driving to Port Elizabeth (March 24 and March 25).  Stop along the way and (maybe) dive 1-2 times, arrive Port Elizabeth morning of March 26

March 26, 27, 28 safari in PE (three nights).  Leave PE morning of March 29^th

March 29 fly PE to CPT

March 29^th:  stay in Capetown - Hilton Capetown City Centre

March 30 fly CPT to JNB to NY JFK.  Leave CPT at 3:50 PM.  Arrive NY JFK 6:40 am March 31

Caroline working hard at packing (by making sure Tiger the cat is happy)