Friday, February 10, 2012

South Africa -A Travelogue Part II

Johannesburg was the group’s first tryst with South African city life. Before we stepped out of my aunt’s residence we were warned by her that this being the criminal capital of the world, it would be wise to leave behind at home any gold or diamond jewellery, even if it meant they were costume jewellery. This to avoid inviting any attention of local thugs. Though we were aware of the notoriety of the city, it still made us jump out of our skin hearing her chilling words. My mom and MIL didn’t think twice before handing over what they had immediately to my aunt for safe keeping at home. This piece of information was not meant for scaring us but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Also she added that other than this piece of information about South Africa, all that there is to experience here is undeniably beautiful, exhilarating and unique. And that's the exact impression we all wished to carry back home at the end of our holiday.
Johannesburg or Joburg as it’s famously called may not have the best variety of entertainment and sightseeing options but I would still recommend couple of places. One of them being the Gold Reef city for its Underground Gold Mine Tour.The mine tour really is a one of a kind experience and would recommend it to all. Moreso because it throws light on the extreme perils all the miners went through in the olden days and how tough their life was. To think about it, we just went down approx. 230 meters of the mine and that took us 5 to 10 minutes in a upgraded lift but in those old days the miners went down as low as 3200 meters and it took them 3-4 hours in some rickety lifts. Morover, it could get very hot and clammy down there in extremely difficult conditions. Phew, what a life! This image gives an insight on the depths they used to go to get the most sought after gold.






The other highlight of the Gold Reef city is the theme park with its thrilling rides one of which is the Anaconda which I truly loved. If you like the thrill of a joyride that zips at break neck speed and goes upside down and lateral, then you should go for it. Besides this we also got to watch 2 peacocks unfurl their manlihood in an attempt to woo a hard to please peahen. It was indeed a fun experience for all of us to watch this romcom drama. Here is one of them who tried hard to woo but alas to no avail.







For shopping of local handicrafts a visit to the flea market at Bruma Lake is a must. It has around 200 shops which sell local handicrafts and bargaining is welcome.
For those who want an up market feel a visit to Mandela Square and the Sandton City Mall for window shopping is also suggested.Monte Casino is another place to visit for its architecture and also to spend a evening and if interested in gambling, you have reached the right place but rather wait for a trip to Sun city for the same. All the above can be well covered within 2 days unless you don’t have a long shopping list.

A day of relaxation later after we landed in South Africa, we literally started looking for places to stay for the next day onwards. Our road trip was to begin and we had charted our journey to Cape Town via The Garden Route which was going to be 1700 kms. This was the first leg of our South Africa sojourn which was to cover a total of around 4000 kms.




Before we reached Cape Town we intended to have 2 stop over nights to provide a much needed break for the drivers and also the enthusiastic travelers. Considering the distances between the 2 locations we zeroed in on Queenstown and Port Elizabeth for the city breaks. We hunted down some interesting websites viz. http://www.booknowsa.com/ and http://www.wheretostay.co.za/ (and also classified ads in local news papers in Holiday Accommodation section) which came to very good use while finding our accommodations.
The adventure of hunting down the right accommodation or finalizing the sightseeing options and then actually living that thrilling experience can be fulfilling more so if they turn out good.



Time would only tell whether our 'go with the flow' strategy was going to work or otherwise.



I am of the opinion that If you're not living on the edge, then you're taking up too much space. But what I didn't know that this holiday was indeed going to turn out to be an edge of the seat entertainment like one of the roller coaster rides. Was this going to be a case of 'eat my own words' situation, would only be known at the end of 15 days.




All the moments still run fresh in my mind like a movie just released. The first stop over was in Queenstown. It was a muddy and splashy entry our cars made as we entered into the quaint Roydon Private Nature Reserve on a dark rainy night. And then waking up the next day to a beautiful morning to the cry of the cantankerous adida bird and with a view of a scenic horse ranch right outside our lodge window was an exhilarating feeling by itself . The serene sight washed away all the muddy misgivings we had of the lodge the previous night. Spending half a day at the Royden's reserve truly relaxed us before we headed for the rest of the journey to Cape Town via Port Elizabeth.










The next stop over was Port Elizabeth for which we didn't have accommodation yet to spend the night and we literally searched high and low for the same. It was a cloudy night when we entered the city limits of Port Elizabeth (PE) and then to add to our woes it started pouring. After scouring over the drenched city and crossing out all options like Formule 1, City lodges and Town lodges we just had 1 option left to go. It was my uncle’s old acquaintance who came to our rescue like a god send angel. With his help we finally found a self catering accommodation without which we would have had to spend the whole night in the SUV and station wagon in which we were traveling.




The road journey there after from PE to Cape Town was one of the important highlights of the trip. Its the much popular Garden Route known for its natural beauty. Its so breathtakingly stunning almost as if God had all the time in the world when creating this part of the countryside. Also, its extremely diverse in its landscape which is dotted with lush green mountains, lakes and ravines, lovely pine forests, vineyards as well as turquoise blue backwaters, bays and white pristine beaches.




The first stop on Garden route was at Storm river ravine which is so deep that it can make you feel giddy when you look over the ledge. It also has the Tsitsikama National Park with its canopy tours which we could not visit unfortunately for lack of time.









The next stop was the picturesque Knysna lagoon which is rightly called as the pearl of the Garden Route. A ride up a hill which has a look out cliff provided us a perfect view of The Heads - sandstone cliffs which treacherously guard the mouth of the lagoon. After spending some time here and passing through towns of Plettenberg Bay and George we headed for Outdshoorn for our date with the Ostriches. The Ostrich Farm was a stretch too far out of our way but that's where we wanted to go, come what may!


Taking a detour of almost 150 kms we veered towards Outdshoorn and almost made it in time to join the last group at 5 pm for the Cango Ostrich Farm tour. As soon as we reached the gates of the farm, we ran inside to register before the tour could begin. Phew, what a ride that was. Imagine our luck if we hadn't made it on time after driving almost for 2 hours.But lady luck had been kind to us so far and this time as well.



Here you get to know about the Ostriches, their eggs, hatching process, you also get to stand on the strong ostrich eggs, feed the voracious lot and ride on their backs too.
On this tour we got a chance to make great friends with the flightless feathered variety and whose antics we will cherish for a life time.





In Outdshoorn one can also do the Cango Cave Tour however we had to reach Cape Town before dusk and hence we skipped it. Our drive to Cape Town (CT) that followed is strongly etched in my memory. It was a long journey to cover and the anxiety and thrill we experienced in reaching CT and finally locating and reaching the B&B accommodation in the middle of the night was akin to discovering a diamond in the dark mines of Africa after much painstaking efforts.


On reaching the place we were also half relieved to know that the owner of the self catering accommodation was an NRI who turned out be my uncle's acquaintance. The next day he was kind enough to provide us good tips for local sightseeing to be done during our stay there.
There is so much to see in Cape Town and with only 3 days in hand in the city we had to ensure we didn't miss it all. The tips from Mr. Lalu helped us here to save some time and also focus on must see experiences.


Cape Town has it all truly. Heaven on earth and a city we all would love to keep coming back. Its so magically attractive that only a fool would not fall for its beauty. Our first day turned out to be a breezy yet sunny day and a good weather to head to the world famous Table Mountains. It started with our 3 hour wait in line to get on the cable for a ride up the Mountains also called as 'Gift of The Earth'. But I must say, the wait was worth every penny. The lookout from top provides a perfect view of the city with its vast azure blue ocean with Robben Island like a round blob at a distance, the new uniquely shaped football stadium and the city port also grabbing your attention. You can spend half a day on this vast plateau soaking the picturesque landscape and walking around leisurely through the misty clouds.
Besides this, the ride up to the neighboring windy Signal Hill is a must do activity. It is so windy that you can literally get swept off your feet.











On day 2, the must see attraction on the list was a visit to the iconic Cape of Good Hope and a scenic drive on the meandering Chapman’s peak. Both these locations provide a perfect photo opportunity to its tourists and they are truly once in a life time moments to experience. I recommend to one and all who wish to visit South Africa.












Day 3 was spent at the Victoria & Albert Waterfront, a shopping getaway and great place to eat and hang out at. The whole of CT comes out here to spend their evenings and weekends with their family. Besides
V& A Waterfront, we could also spent some wonderful time at Fish Hoek, Camps Bay and Clifton which are regarded as upmarket areas in CT.
If you are a non vegetarian, don't forget to entice your taste buds with all the different variety of sea food cuisine which is on offer here. Its truly delectable and mouth watering.
In those 3 days we saw all that there was to see and experience in Cape Town and now it was time for us to head back to Joburg for the second leg of the tour which was the much anticipated Kruger Safari.
This was going to be a distance of only 1300 kms as we were planning to take a shorter route back to our base with a stop over at Richmond a small town exactly midway between the 2 cities. This drive though not as scenic as Garden route had its own charm as we drove through the vast Karoo (desert) of Northern Cape state and other lesser known towns of South Africa. The small town of Richmond was a perfect break for the weary travelers and we made some very good friends with the locals over a dinner which had a mouth watering rustic flavor.
After reaching back to our base which was Joburg, the next leg of our tour was going to be even more exciting but of a different nature. We were eagerly looking forward to the Kruger Safari experience and watching the Big 4 (Leopard, Lion, Rhino & Wildebeest)at close quarters . In spite of my uncle being unwell that day, he and my aunt trudged along sportingly with us on the 4 hour journey from Joburg to Hazyview so that we don’t miss out on the most exciting leg of the tour which we had been looking forward to since our first step on this land. However, due to his poor health that day, he and my maushi had to sacrifice the full day safari trip.
Though they could not come on tour, we got our wish fulfilled only because of them. Seeing the BIG 4 was always our dream for a long time and then accomplishing it, was really close to salvation. The elusive leopard played hide and seek with us till the end of the day and we didn't get to see him. However, I must say that watching the Honeymoon lion/lioness couple up close at couple of feet was truly the highlight of the Kruger safari and will remain with me for a lifetime. They looked every bit the much in love celebrity couple indulging in their public display of affection and completely unperturbed by the paparazzi and flashbulbs hounding  them.  The other animal sightings included the black rhinos, zebras, giraffes, wildebeest, iguana, elephants, turtles, hippos, gazelles, impalas, mountain goats, warthogs and a vast variety of birds. Each of these animals we would never get to see in such abundance and variety anywhere else on the surface of the earth. The safari was worth every rand and more than what we paid for the trip.



























There were many many moments which are still buzzing in my head and for want of space and time cannot be covered. Whether it was watching the bling, casino and electric nightlife of Suncity or soaking in the heavenly beauty of Stellenbosch vineyards, heart stopping beauty of Hartbeespoort and its Dam or hanging around at the buzzing Victoria & Albert Waterfront, many such moments made our South Africa a holiday of magnificent experiences. And add to that the earthy moments of pleasure during our stays at quaint self catering lodges across small towns of South Africa, having meals in cozy cafes run by the locals and last but not least making new friends truly made our South African road trip a complete holiday experience.
Was it sheer luck or our good fortune, I don’t know! But the entire sojourn turned out to be an eventful and exhilarating joy ride we wished would never end. The wonderful vacation was possible only thanks to my dearest aunty (Jyoti Maushi) and Ajit uncle who took time out from their very busy schedules and spent 16 days with us on this road trip. With such beautiful people in our lives, who needed a planned itinerary, for they made everything impossible, possible.



Indeed we had left ordinary behind just like the ad said for a extraordinary holiday and it was only possible here in South Africa.



Notes -
For those who would like to experience SA at their own pace and plan their own itinerary, I would recommend a fantastic website http://www.booknowsa.com/ where you could find all types of hotels, maps and distances, sightseeing details and all important information you would need to know about SA and its cities. I was completely floored by the user interface and also the information that this website had to offer. The other websites which you can refer to especially for booking your safari at Kruger is http://sanparks.org.za/parks/kruger/, other hotel bookings is http://www.sa-venues.com/hotels_south_africa.htm and http://www.mtbeds.co.za/

Sunday, February 05, 2012

South Africa...Travelogue Part 1

A few days ago, on my way back home from office, a series of giant hoardings caught my tired eyes. Apparently all were a part of a campaign, lined up one after the other urging Mumbaikars with a enticing message, ‘South Africa...Leave Ordinary Behind’. What was more attractive was that each had a breath taking and thrilling image breathing life into it.
Having just come back from a vacation to this beautiful Rainbow nation, I could not agree more on the brand promise. It took me back in the recent past and suddenly unfolded a myriad of beautiful experiences safely locked in my memory chest.
Truly, our South African family holiday had been unique, had a lot of firsts to its credit and in many ways, we had left ordinary behind for an extraordinary sojourn.
To begin with, it was a first international holiday for Ashish and me with our respective parents and parents in laws both together. It was the first time my mom was to visit her dear sister and my sweet maushi’s residence (aunt) since the time she had been inviting her over (for more than 15 odd years that too!).It was our first holiday overseas where we were to spend our New Year's Eve away from home.Leave ordinary behind ...was indeed the flavor of this holiday right from the time we embarked on the journey.Last but not the least it was our first holiday where we had no idea what our next day was going to look like...A holiday without an itinerary!
An international holiday without a planned itinerary! ‘Are you serious?’…is what I can hear you say out loud and see your raised eyebrows touching the top of your forehead.
Yes, I am serious. It’s unbelievable but true isn’t it?

We did travel without a fixed itinerary for the whole of 15 days. Notwithstanding that we had 2 sets of senior citizen couples in tow and that we were holidaying in the thick of a tourist season, the entire holiday panned out extremely well. Given the situation, it would have been hard to believe that it was going to be a plausible and a viable situation at the start of the holiday. But, as I mentioned, South Africa...It’s possible!

The only invaluable possessions we had with us were the air tickets, the South African visa, Maps, ‘What to do, what to see?’ kind of information on SA (all thanks to Google and http://www.southafrica.net/ ) and of course the unbridled child like enthusiasm and unquenchable thirst for new experiences within all 6 of us.
Disclaimer - The above situation is strictly recommended only if you have relatives/near and dear ones (who will bend over backwards for you in the tightest of situations) based at the holiday destination. Otherwise, holiday without an itinerary can be foolhardy and a situation completely avoidable.

Once the destination and dates were decided, the next step was to get the flights booked and also start with the visa process. The best place to check for flight tickets and availability is the myriad of online Indian travel websites viz. makemytrip.com or cleartrip.com. And for visa it is VFS India website or your local travel agent for the details of the formalities. If you want direct flights into Johannesburg, then nothing better than Jet airways (says my personal experience) and the next best option being South African Airways.
I would suggest you to go with a reliable travel agent if you don’t want to run around for the paper work and other stuff.
In my prologue I had mentioned that we had a complete 2 month window to plan our holiday, but alas it remained only on paper. Though flight bookings and visas for SA were done on time, our Botswana visas took immensely long, so much so that we never got them in hand before we left India. However with the warm reassurance from my uncle and aunt that everything will be alright and our unwavering faith in them, we decided to not be bothered by the situation.

The group had plans for an ambitiously long road trip of about 5000 kms as taking planes within the country was going to be a horrendous cost for the big group.
The road trip was to cover the length and breadth of SA, visiting the must see places and activities we wanted to experience in the 15 day period. The roads in SA being smooth with 100 kms /per hour speed limits and accompanied by scenic beauty in most places we were gung-ho with the idea of a road trip. Also, exploring SA by car is what most tourists would do and recommend.
Though we had plans to see a lot of places, we didn’t want to overwhelm ourselves with excess travelling too. Knowing that we were a group of 8 (6 of us plus my maushi and uncle) travelers with 2 ½ pairs in the senior citizen category; we thought it apt to take each day as it came along. A risky proposition but a gamble we were ready to take. And that was the reason why we didn’t do any hotel bookings or any bookings of the local sightseeing tours.
With relatives such as my maushi and uncle, we knew we were in safe hands (taking into account my previous SA experience) and we had no reason to be anxious about what lay in store ahead.
Moreover, we didn’t want to travel the typical tour operator style and do the usual drill of 6-7-8am. We wanted a holiday which had all the perks including fun sightseeing, unique experiences and flavors and yet was going to be at our own pace and requirements.
So, which all places did we eventually visit in SA and whether travelling on an unplanned itinerary was a wise decision, we would only know in Part II.