Thursday, November 27, 2008

Top 10 things to remember

1. Chances are we won't be reachable when on safari. We may be either escaping from the wildlife, dying from the heat, be immobilized by awe of the beauty before us or trekking through the jungle...umm, I mean South African land where wild animals live and it's hot and is sometimes referred to as a jungle by those who don't know that jungle isn't a scientifically recognized term. Right, Liza?
2. Chances are we won't be reachable at all. LOL. Liza was told her phone would work internationally. If not we won't have to worry about calls in the middle of the night. So sad. Yes, they are 9 hours ahead of Pacific Time, 6 ahead of Eastern Time.
3. We will try not to get eaten by wild animals (including potentially malaria-carrying mosquitoes), but we can only run so fast
4. We won't have internet access on safari and are hoping to have it once in Cape Town. We'll download pictures and write blog posts daily, but may not be able to post them on that schedule. If our laptops, cameras, money or any one of us get stolen, we won't post them at all while in South Africa. We hope you understand
5. We have each others' emergency contact information, so we'll take care of each other--even Liza
6. We won't be able to bring everyone gifts, but we can do the postcard thing. Send me your address and I'll send you one from Cape Town. Please don't say, "I haven't received your postcard yet" for at least two weeks after our return. You will get it. I promise
7. While I just received a camera as a gift, I cannot guarantee that I will either take tons of pictures (Roger will, I can assure you) or that those pictures I do take will be good ones. If I ask you to see a slide show of my pictures and they're blurry, dark, have body parts cut off or make you blush then I apologize beforehand. However, you WILL look at every picture and comment on how amazing it was that I got such a good shot of said subject in the picture. Thank you.
8. If there is anything you want me to do, see, take a picture of, buy you, etc. let me know. I will only guarantee that I will try my best to do it for you. Pictures of me in a leopard print thong on the beach will come at a price, so send the money order before you ask
9. I will seriously be wrecked for at least a full day after I return. I love you all, but I won't be likely to call most of you for a few days. That means I may not take calls, respond to emails, get out of bed or want to talk/see/think about airplanes until I recover. I said seriously, right?
10. No Mom, I won't be doing a walking safari amongst wild man-eating animals, won't frequent ATM's where there are criminals and card thieves, won't crash the car, won't get eaten by a shark (please, I hope not), won't have unprotected sex (you really are being optimistic that I'll have any at all!) and won't do anything stupid. I know I'm still your baby at 40, but you may be able to stop worrying just a little bit. Love you!

Itinerary

December 1, 2008 Monday - December 3, 2008 Wednesday
Flt 8549 Depart 6:25p Los Angeles (seat 30G)
Air France Arrive 2:00p Paris (Charles De Gaulle) (it's now Dec. 2)

Long layover (Lucky Roger gets there early and tours the city. We have to determine whether we can make it out of the airport for a bit as well.)

Flt 8512 Depart 11:15p Paris (seat 27A)
Air France Arrive 10:40a Johannesburg (and now it's Dec. 3)

Short layover

Flt 8835Y Depart 1:10p Johannesburg
S. Africa Air Arrive 2:05p Kruger

1 hour drive to Jock Safari Lodge (www.jocksafarilodge.com)

Night safari

Pass out

December 4, 2008 Thursday
Early morning safari
Afternoon safari
Safari safari
(Okay, at least one safari, but I don't know what else we'll end up doing)

December 5, 2008 Friday
One hour ride to the airport after breakfast

Flt 8842Y Depart 1:35p Kruger
S. Africa Air Arrive 2:30p Johannesburg

Flt 115 Depart 6:30p Johannesburg
1Time Air Arrive 8:40p Cape Town
(yes, the airline scares me)

Meet Gareth (my South African friend). Rent a car (guess who will be driving on the opposite side of the road?! We may die, but we'll be laughing a lot just before we do.)

About 11p: Arrive at 3 bedroom villa in Camps Bay (19 Fiskaal Road, Camps Bay)

Pass out again

December 6, 2008 Saturday
My 40th birthday! No clue what we're doing, but in the evening we're going to dinner at one of the best restaurants in South Africa--the Showroom (www.theshowroomrestaurant.co.za). This will be the first night of a few of good food and wine. After dinner we'll see what happens!

December 7, 2008 Sunday
No plans. We'll probably hang by the pool and explore our immediate surroundings.

December 8, 2008 Monday
Tentative plans to go to Robben Island. This is where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned.

December 9, 2008 Tuesday
No plans. We might go shopping, hiking, etc.

December 10, 2008 Wednesday
Tentative plans to go kayaking on the ocean to see the penguins in Simon's Town. Sharks not invited!

December 11, 2008 Thursday
Let's drive the Garden Route and go wine tasting. South African wine has become internationally recognized in the past few years and this international contingent must determine it for ourselves! Wine tastings require full pours, right?

December 12, 2008 Friday
Gareth goes back to Johannesburg (sob). We recover from all the wine the day before. We can do that by eating (mmm!), exploring and shopping some more.

December 13, 2008 Saturday - December 14, 2008 Sunday
I have no clue, but we do need to go volunteer at a township for at least a day, do more hiking, eat and explore.

December 15, 2008 Monday
Leave Cape Town

Flt 104 Depart 12:20p Cape Town
1Time (again) Arrive 2:20p Johannesburg

Stay at a 4-star hotel (why not?) Protea Hotel Balalaika (20 Maude Street, Sandown, Sandton, Johannesburg +27 11 3225000) (www.proteahotels.com/protea-hotel-balalaika.html)

We may meet up with Gareth and get a tour of the city and have dinner. Please, Gareth!

December 16, 2008 Tuesday - December 17, 2008 Wednesday
Flt 35 Depart 7:20p Johannesburg (seat 21D)
Delta Arrive 2:20a Dakar (y'know, in Senegal!)--it's now Dec. 17
Depart 3:20a Dakar
Arrive 8:30a Atlanta (back in the good ol' US of A)

Flt 939 Depart 9:50a Atlanta (seat 46A)
Delta Arrive 11:42a Los Angeles

Pass out for 2 days!

December 18, 2008 Thursday
Yes, I said pass out for 2 days.

December 19, 2008 Friday
Do I really have to go back to work on a Friday?! Okay, okay, I'll be in...how about by 2p? :)

Thanksgiving morning

We've hit the 5 day countdown. I'm a bit nervous. This is a big freaking trip! Not only do I have plenty to do before I go, but I'm thinking about the fact that I'm gone for almost 3 weeks. I've never done that!

The adventure once we take off will be great. Flying for a total of 21 hours to Johannesburg and then another 2+ hours to the airport near we'll be going on safari, plus a 6 hour layover in Paris and an hour jeep ride to the safari lodge will certainly not be the best part of the trip, but I can guarantee you that we will find a way to have fun (sleeping pills and stiff drinks will only accentuate it!).

I'm going with two dear, dear friends, Liza and Roger. I met them both while I was living in Santa Cruz. I met Liza in a volleyball class and I met Roger at a social volleyball group in Santa Clara (by San Jose). They are the kind of people with whom you instantly connect. They're fun, kind and after only a few weeks they became part of my family. I'm very glad they decided to go with me.

More to come the day we leave...