Chapter 1

“Learn as tough you’re going to live forever,

but live as though you’re going to die tomorrow.”

I think quote is a great way to start this story.  I think it sums us up very well. 

When we were planning our honeymoon, Kate and I decided a few things right off the bat:

1.)    We would plan it after the wedding.

2.)    We’d go in January to escape some of the Minnesota winter, i.e., a warm place.

3.)    It had to be somewhere neither of us had been.

Our point was to make it something out of the ordinary that most couples don’t consider, much less do for their honeymoon.  We didn’t want to do Mexico or Hawaii. We considered doing something in the Pacific like Bora Bora or Tahiti but thought we would get a little bored just laying around for two weeks.  I don’t think we’re the type to sit on a beach for more than a couple of days. 

We decided on Africa because it was the one continent (outside of Antarctica) that neither of us had visited.  College friends of Kate’s had done the same thing so we felt like we had a bit of a blueprint.  We contacted the same tour company Emily and Ryan used and after four or five conversations, we were in business.  Our itinerary would include the countries of South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe.  We couldn’t imagine a better way to spend two weeks in January.

Africa here we come…





Sunday, January 9^th, 2011.

We landed in Johannesburg (Joberg for those in the know) after almost thirty hours of transit.   Tired but excited we cleared customs and immigration with ease and were out of the airport with the quickness.  I married a savvy gal that packed a small roller and a messenger bag for a two week honeymoon.  Needless to say we did not check bags.  This would come in handy considering we would be on seven flights in twice as many days…

In the planning phase of the honeymoon, I had most of the conversations with our travel agent.  What I don’t remember telling him is that we wanted to stay in a hotel that would evoke the feeling of Saddam Hussein’s palace.  I’m not kidding.  If you’re wondering what I’m talking about, book the Aventine Suite at the Emperor’s Palace complex in the Metacourt Suites Hotel.  It’s huge, there are tons of sparsely furnished rooms, and everything looks like it was decorated in a late 80’s, middle-eastern theme.  That being said, I don’t know what kind of taste Saddam had so I can’t be sure.  My wife agrees with my sentiments and she’s always on point when it comes to aesthetics.  See below…

You can see the front door on the right several rooms way.  I think it had three bathrooms.  We were leaving the following morning so we were able to enjoy the digs only briefly.  Not surprisingly we didn’t pick up any decorating ideas during our stay.

Monday, January 10^th

We were met after breakfast by our guide for the next five days and nights, David Dela Querra.  David is a 62 year old South African originating from the coastal city of Durban.  He was a police officer for 18 years before becoming a registered national guide in South Africa.  Kate’s father (Greg) having spent his career in the Chicago Police Department provided an immediate bond for she and David.  He would prove to be an excellent guide and a very kind man who kept us fortified with indigenous fruit and Impala venison.   By us I mean me.  The Impala venison was a little too exotic for Kate's pallet. 

Not long after departing Joberg, the first stop on our journey appeared to be your typical petrol station on the side of a highway.  The difference with this petrol station is the wildlife that grazes behind it…

So here we are half way around the world and it has just been revealed to us that rhinos camp out behind filling stations.  Great.  Can it get any more exotic than this?  I’m now expecting to see zebra scattered about like whitetail deer on the side of the road in Wisconsin.  There were also emu and ostrich behind here as well.  Not to mention a few officers at the filling station armed with automatic weapons.  David said they were only meant as a “deterrent” and there was nothing to worry about.  Makes me wonder what sort of effect the same scenario would have in North Minneapolis…

From the oasis we traveled on to the Panorama Route tour to see some incredible beautiful views.  Much of the country we traveled early became mountainous as you will see. 

Along the way we made a quick stop in a small town called Pilgrim’s Rest.  Had our first sample of South African beer in Castle Light.  It was lovely. 

Right across from where we sat for this picture, several souvenir stands were located.  Among the proprietors running them, we could see some children playing.  As we finished up and were getting back in to David’s car, we noticed he snuck over and handed each of them a biscuit (cookie.)  It was a very kind gesture as most of these children are living a very poor life.   It felt good to be in the hands of someone capable of this generosity.

Back on the road we found the region is also full of timber farms or “plantations” as David kept referring to them.  In a nation with a population that is 95% black, as an American, you hesitate to refer to ANYTHING as a plantation.  The plantations are mostly pine, yellow wood, and eucalyptus with the latter being the only exotic of the three.  Here you see pine.

The Panorama Route has its name for obvious reasons.  The vista below is referred to as “God’s Window.”

We kept lucking out with the rain.  It would appear in the distance and we were driving through it often, but it never seemed to interfere with a stop or picture…

It certainly helped to improve the water falls we would see…



The following set of falls we would view from the bottom.  Not quite as tall as the one we see above here, there were still impressive.  We really enjoyed viewing them from a completely different perspective.  Unfortunately it meant no pictures. Water + digital camera = very bad.  Took some great pics of Kate though.  Her red jacket really jumped out with all the green fauna around her.  She would say it really “pops.” 



From Lone Creek Falls which would be the third of the day, we traveled to the Lone Creek River Lodge to enjoy some great food and accommodations.

              

This is the back of the main building.  I took the photo on the right while I was standing under the archway on the left.  You can see our cabin straight ahead.  It came complete with the P-Diddy bathroom.   We woke to some uninvited guests and our first lesson learned on the trip.  Don’t leave napkins with muffin crumbs on them inside your bag.  Ants LOVE them.  







Found behind our cabin.



 

It really was a beautiful place.

The service was wonderful and so was the food.  Our server for dinner was named "Confindence."  She was the first of several natives that had chosen unusual nicknames to go by at work.  That is unless I am a total moron and am unaware that names like "Confidence" and "Freedom" are African in origin.   

 



Just proir to leaving the Lone Creek Lodge.