South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe

[NJV6]

Gidday

Currently in South Africa on a work trip, I work for a seed company in a technical role and we export here. First trip here and was in time to see the Sharks Chiefs game in Durban - was a good result, pity it wazsn't the Highlanders.

It is very hot here, mid 30's each day and very humid meaning it is rather uncomfortable outside. Everything is so secure, the total oppisite to southland!

Alot of ute's getting about, looks like th only vehicles getting used for any sort off off road are what we would call the 79 series cruiser and the a fair few Defenders.

currently in pietermaritsburg, moving on tomorrow to underberg and then Cape town for the weekend whic should be great. Then onto to Port Elizabeth and finally Joburg before a 5 day africian safari up to Kruger National Park.

Glen

[nzhunter]

oh awesome man,

is the crime bad?
is SA left hand drive or right?
also how do ya mean everything is secure?

share some photos when ya get the chance!

Dan

[NJV6]

I was warned alot about the crime before I went, basically I haven't seen anything.

Of course there are places to stay away from and if you don't go looking for trouble then there isn't any. Just with such a high unemployment rate, it means that things can go missing pretty often so mach sure stuff is locked up and be a bit vigilent.

They drive the same as us, there are so so many trucks on the roads there, its amazing juts how many there are. Sometimes I wonder if they load the trucks and get the driver to go for a drive just to keep one more in a job.

The farms are crawling with staff, a 700 cow farm may have up to 24 staff getting paid 1500 Rand a month. NZ$1 = R5.2 so you can see how little they get paid. ANd it shows, life is very slow, everything gets done so slowly, very frustraiting, farming in NZ is streets and streets ahead. Not technology wise but efficiency wise.

Every thing is secure in the sence that to get into any house involves a swinging or sliding gate with a speaker or remote to get it and barred windows. Without these insurance is unobtainable.

Glen

[NJV6]

Looking down on one of Capetown's beaches



Robben Island (Nelson Mandella's home for 25 years)


Looking at Capetown




Canopy Tour near Durban


Overloaded?


Durbans Impressive new world cup stadium


Capetowns new world cup stadium


Kruger Park














Grumpy Rhino












All in all, great trip!

[mike]

Awesome! very jealous!

Love the view from the mountain and overload vehicle

[chrome]

some cool photos dude

[NJV6]

Well as luck/fate/whatever would have it, I have been asked back! so I am off in a months time - what I am wondering, had anyone here done any tours over there covering africa further norht, botswana, mozambique, namibia, zimbabwe etc and if so any suggestions of places to go??

[basics]

love the wild life pics,hopefuly i can enjoy SA one day

[NJV6]

Yea it was great cos it was all wild (except the lion in the pic) we were on their turf and you sure didn't go walking anywhere without an armed guide!

Loking forward to the next one!

[mercutio]

i am green with envy always wanted to do an african excursion

[NJV6]

Bye ORE,

Off tomorrow to SA, then jumping in a 4x4 merc truck and into Botswana, Zimababwe finishing at Victoria falls, back in a month!

http://www.drifters.co.za/index.asp?pgid=14

[Big]

ya lucky barsteward.. .. I can fit in ya suit case..at a squeeze...

[NJV6]

Made it through Botswana, great overland trip in a 4x4 merc truck, there was a hyeena fight about 3 metres from my tent one night!

Just now in Zimbabwe, juts had a chopper flight over the Vic falls and staying here for another 2 days.

The camping in Botswana was cracker, not recommended to get out of your tent at night due to animals, a pack of lions went within 30 metres of camp 2 nights ago.

Glen

[basics]

holy hell man, sounds amazing, im jealous, keep the pics coming

[aLUX]

Lucky bugger!!!

I too have been fortunate enough to go to SA, truely amazing and I want to go back. Didint get to go furhter north like you, keep posting about it.

Wildlife in Kruger park is awesome. When I was there I managed to see the big 5 in the wild! 5 day safari staying in tents, only troube we had was a monkey got into ur tent looking for food.

Crime was a shocker though, family that we stayed with in Joburg were highjacked the week before we arrived and the day after we left. Lucky us that we weren't there. All the baddies wanted was there vehicles and money though.

Capetown is exactly like your photos, beautiful. Could leve there any day if it wasn't for the South African screech.

I've been hooked on biltong ever since.

[NJV6]

Why I hated my trip.....

[lincooln]

[NJV6]

Here is a few photos, got heaps more if people want more!

Sunset in Chobe looking at Namibia

Lion in park

Loepard in the wild, mother and cub

James our poling guide

Colourful Frog

Swiming in the salt pans, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OETj9aTYO2Q for more on this place by Jeremy Clarkson

Sunset in Maun

Flying over the Okavango Delta

Hyena prints

Heading into the sunset

What Elephants do to trees

Our Guide (he sure loved his tah!)

[aroma]

are you working ? you call that work, jealous as hell
you look comfortable on the landcrusier

[mercutio]

not my pics but so kewl i thought i would show these to you guys.
they were taken on an expedition in the kalahari desert



lets have a closer look and see what we can see

[NJV6]

lets have a closer look and see what we can see

Close up of an eye, a bit of cat fur even. And a shitty old shitter reflecting in the lions eye with steam rising from under the bonnet. (zoom in and you'll see it)