Arriving at Lebombo

There were warm greetings for us as the staff lined up at the entrance (nothing more than a wooden plankway along a gorgeous wall that looked like it was made with dirt, rock and mud embedded in it). If this was the first impression, then I couldn't wait to see the rest.

I have to admit I was a bit jaded though as we're so used to living our manufactured lives that I wasn't sure if I was in Adventureland at Disneyland or the real deal. While it took time, I soon left behind all vestiges of the U.S. and [sort of] became one with Africa and the entire experience.

Walking into the main lodge (which isn't realy true since there really isn't an inside, just a wall here or there and roofs in some places), the vistas were amazing -- the N'Watetsi (the Shining) river below and the Lebombo (literally, the ridge) mountains in the background.

Upon entering the “lobby”, we were greeted with wonderfully citrus/lavender cool towels to wipe our faces with and refresh. And it was 4pm tea. So cocktails and great little desserts awaited.

We quickly went to our rooms, changed and then scope out the room before heading back for tea as it’s the meeting place for the afternoon game drive.

The room deserves describing as it’s more of a cliffside treehouse. You walk by the pool and then a long wooden that runs along the top of the ridge that Singita is situated on. No railings, but not more than a few feet to the ground on either side.

The view atop the landing before descending into our room was beyond compare.

Upon entering our room, we found a one gigantic room suite with 180 views of the river below and the surrounding bush, it truly is a sight to behold. Since the river is below is mainly dry because the country is just coming off the dry season, a couple huge water holes exist at either end of the lodge with its residents “raft” of hippo as a group of hippos is known.



And they let it be known that they are there, especially at night.

We also were told by the staff to ensure all the latches on the doors were engaged before leaving. The latches were eye and hook type and they were put on all the doors to stop the baboons from entering. Apparently, you couldn't leave yours doors open (there were no windows, just giant sliding doors everywhere) as the baboons would come in raid all the food in the mini-bar, then leave you little surprise piles of crap throughout your room.

We quickly changed, headed back to the living room area, had a couple snacks and we were off.

As we were running late, Stefan, who brought us back from the airstrip lead us out into the bush to hook up with our guide and the two other people in our truck.

Onward to Lebombo

We headed toward Lebombo on the main drag through Kruger National Park – a paved street that allows the various lodge owners as well as day drivers and those staying at rest camps to access their land concessions. This was our first initiation into the animals of Africa.

The minute someone saw an animal, cameras were whipped out and everyone started snapping pictures. Not such great quality as they were through the van windows. Baboons, a warthog, some wildebeast and giraffes made for great viewing, although I don’t think anyone who hasn’t been in the bush had any sense of what was to come.

Airplane Troubles

Sorry gang -- internet issues at Lebombo with a fleeting signal. We've moved on but there are tons of stories and pix forthcoming.

We arrived at tiny little Federal Air on the backside of the Joburg International Airport – a quaint little thatched roof terminal where you checked in with the woman who sat at her card table with folding legs.

We watched as a few other people and their planes took off. Flight 6 now boarding. Flight 7 now boarding. Flight 8 – not boarding. And then 15 minutes after scheduled takeoff we were called to board. About 16 of us hopped onto a small plane that only had about 5 feet of head room so you had to duck as you walked down the aisle - only one seat on each side of the aisle - incredibly claustrophobic. The cockpit was open to the cabin which was kind of cool. And oh yeah, it was hot in there.

We sat for about 10 minutes and then they shepherded all of us off where were asked to wait as they had mechanical difficulties. See they have airline issues in this country too.

So back to the little thatched roof hut we went.

We were called about an hour after the original flight time and a new plane awaited us to fly the one hour to Singita (two of the Singita lodges were here at this first stop).

A quick one hour jaunt and we landed on a small airstrip to drop passengers. From there, eight of us flew on to Singita Lebombo and Sweni lodges, our final destination. Flying over Kruger National Park after leaving the first passengers behind at their lodges, I finally found the Africa I was looking for. Completely void of civilization, with nothing but green earth below for as far as the eye could see, that was the Africa I wanted to visit.



We landed 20 minutes later on a dirt airstrip, the red earth kicking up dust as we landed and made our way to the “terminal." And yes that word is used loosely. It consisted of a bathroom, and a small covered area where we were offered dried mango, a beef stick (kind of like a Slim Jim but must better (dried beef, spices and then encased in intestines, it was delicious). They also had the real version of Corn Nuts which were amazing and cold drinks.

A quick loading of the luggage onto the van, and then we were off on a 40 minute drive down the main [paved] road of Kruger National Park to Lebombo.

The Sunrise That Wasn't

Day 4 – November 22

Still screwed up from 23 hours of flying and 10 time zones, I woke up really early. Mike had mentioned that we should wake up for the sunse. But at 5:00am, it was far too late as the sun rises around 4:15!

So we decided to take advantage of the day and grabbed some space on a comfy sofa under a veranda back by the pool.

For the next three hours we drank coffee, we read newspapers, sat on our computers, talked, relaxed and just enjoyed the peace. We even eschewed the restaurant and had breakfast on the veranda, expertly served by Lucky – the guy we kind of adopted who served us lunch the prior day.

We were the only ones at resort, or so it seemed, as we didn’t see another guest except for two people wheeling their suitcases by. We could have easily spent another day just relaxing here but alas, Singita and our journey into the bush (South African’s don’t call it going on Safari) awaited.

First Views of Johannesburg

Day 3 – November 21

We flew into Johannesburg (Joburg) nearly 12 hours later. As we flew above the clouds and began our descent, I had no idea what to expect as the city is situated in the middle of South Africa. Was it lush and green or was it dry and brown? A cover of clouds obscured the view until we got closer to the ground, revealing a land that was vast and green, kind of like you expected it to be, yet unlike anything I’ve flown over before. We were both anxious to get off the plane, find our driver and head to the hotel.

We cleared customs and got into area outside customers where friends and relatives met up with their friends and families who were arriving from somewhere else. We searched for our driver but to no avail. No driver, no ride, no sign saying Kraus or Poullos/Saxon hotel. Plan 2. Call the hotel – but first you have to figure out how to dial the hotel from a US cell phone but you’re on the cell network of the country you’re in. Having gone through this in January in Paris and Germany, we got through to the hotel who tracked the driver down and who found us in about a minute after we had placed the call.

Finally, the final leg, a 40 minute ride to the hotel. As we drove down the highway, we could have been anywhere. The buildings and the types of businesses were all the same as you find anywhere, except of course that driving is on the left side of the road, not the right as we in the states drive.

Of course, not everything can go to plan. An accident slowed traffic to a crawl. After 40 minutes of that, our driver took a long, roundabout way to get us to the hotel but avoided what we later learned was a 10km backup (and we were at the end).

That detour gave us a unique perspective on Johannesburg -- and that was an eye opening experience.

I had recently watched a movie Tsotsi about a hustler and thief in South Africa and thought it might have been filmed in Joburg. After seeing the townships and neighborhoods, I knew it was filmed here. Beautiful homes were surrounded by 10 foot high walls and electric wiring at the top. Modest homes were surrounded by 6 foot walls and fences and electric wiring at the top. And you’d break out of those neighborhoods to vistas not of wide-open green space, but of places Alexandra Township that stretched as far as you could see. These were miles of shack towns, built by the government and given to citizens to live freely as they were mostly unemployed…they simply had to pay for water and electricity.

My sense of wonder about Africa and all the romance associated with it (maybe Out of Africa wasn’t so relevant anymore) quickly gave way to reality. And harsh reality. This is a city that has issues and I couldn’t help but be saddened by the woman at the side of the road cooking something and selling it. At the unemployed at many intersections who were begging, or passing out flyers, or selling everything from a child’s bright red inflatable vest for swimming in one hand to handful of car cell phone chargers, dangling like the legs of some bizarre sea creature in the other. Or collecting empty cans and bottles to trade in for change.

One driver in the car next to us rolled down his window and placed an empty Coke bottle in a young man’s plastic bag, taking its place alongside a cornucopia of cans and bottles of different shapes and sizes. It was his lucky day as the driver placed a coin in his hand as well. The young African man thanked him profusely, as if this was not a simple coin, but a gold Krugerand, worth hundreds of dollars. To this young main, it may have well been a Krugerand, for you could see the value he placed on it in his eyes.

I was thankful to have seen part of Joburg I may have missed if it was just a simple trip down the highway.

So 90 minutes after leaving the airport, we made our way down winding roads through a residential neighborhood full of mansions behind 15 foot walls, eventually coming to the gates of the Saxon Hotel.

Stopover in London

Day 2 – November 20th

Well, we made it to London. A quick stay here including a jaunt into city center for 5 hours, and then back to the airport for the flight to Johannesburg at 9pm.

Rocker man didn’t even look at me this morning on the plane and as we deplaned (embarrassed or memory lapse perhaps, who knows).

We walked for hours (or so it seemed) from our gate in search of the Star Alliance lounge where a hot shower awaited (and never felt so good) before we hit the Heathrow Express train into London.



Not really knowing where we wanted to go in London, we disembarked and decided to head for Sloane Square, an upscale shopping district with great stores and restaurants.

We opted to have a spot of lunch (nod to Mouse Club) at the busiest restaurant (and the only really busy one) at 3pm in the afternoon called The Botanist. Full of life on a chilly London day, a glass of red wine and a delicious lunch followed by a decidedly British version of carrot cake was perfect. Although the tiredness we both felt was starting to creep in.

A couple of Brits (women) two tables down started chatting us up about where we were going and what were doing. And then the conversation turned to politics and they wanted an American perspective on Obama. They said that everyone they know was really excited at the prospect of Obmaa being president and ready for America to take the lead again in world issues. We couldn’t agree more.

We headed out into the dark, chilly London evening at about 4:45 and yes it was dark and strolled down Sloane street, popping into a few shops here and there, eventually winding up at Harvey Nichols – London’s version of Bergdorf-Goodman meets Barney’s meets Fred Segal.

Tired of lugging a 50 pound carry-on (ok that’s a bit of an exaggeration), we got a wheelie duffel bag which took a huge load off our shoulders and then it was back on the Tube to the train station and back to Heathrow.

Nothing horribly exciting to report except we hopped aboard our South African Air flight to Joburg exhausted. I needed to sleep so I popped an Ambien which took effect immediately. Twice Mike woke me up as I had fallen asleep mid-dinner, literally while chewing my food. Gross, I know, but it wasn't like I sat there for hours with food in my mouth -- just seconds....but man, was I tired.

Long flight!!!

Africa Here We Come

Day 1 – November 19th

Of course, no trip would be a trip without the usual pre-trip stress. We were our customary 15 minutes behind schedule – something that drives me nuts and after 11 years, something that I still fail to plan for. Now I know why my parents always got in little tiffs on Christmas morning as we were trying to get the family out the door on the way to Grandma's house -- there never failed to be a little spat that was over once we all were in the car and on the way.

So we kept the car service waiting and a bit of traffic delayed our arrival at LAX, but not enough to cause any harm oh er than a few irritated nerves.

But enough for the bad stuff -- on to Africa.

Upon making it through security at the airport, we headed over to the International lounge to hang out for 25 minutes before boarding. A rocker and his wife and two sets of business guys were the only people in there.





And then the fun began.

We boarded our flight, enjoyed a quick glass of champagne and then we were pulling back from the gate. Because Mike and I were in the middle section, our two seats faced inward/forward, while the window seat on either side of us faced outward/forward. Looking to my right was most natural as we taxied toward the runway, given the augment of my seat. I looked past Mike, across the aisle to the window, but all those window shades were closed. And who was sitting in that seat? The rocker guy from the lounge. And his wife was in the other window seat to my left across the aisle from me. Just the rocker guy and his wife in our row, with Mike and I in between the two of them.

Since I couldn't see out the window to my right, I had to crane my neck around to the left to see out as we taxied, then took off.

No sooner had the wheels left the ground than the rocker guy started screaming at me to stop looking at his wife. Huh? “Stop f#*king looking at my wife. I see you checking her out, “ he yelled in a drunken or drug induced rage.

I told him I was looking out the window and that I would happily look the other way but his shades were drawn. I was happy that Mike was in the seat to my right and the barrier between us. Not sure Mike felt the same.

Rocker guy then stood up (and the wheels had just left the ground), slammed all four of his window shades up and started yelling at me again. Drama to my left as his wife started yelling at him to stop it, to sit down. I chimed in that I was gay and didn’t really care what his wife looked like which got a laugh from the people around me.

I motioned the flight attendant who was already out of his seat and basically told Rocker man that he would have the flight turned around immediately if he didn’t settle down.

A few minutes of peace and then rocker man started in again. I motioned the flight attendant who went over and threatened him to stay quiet for the remainder of the flight or he would be forcibly restrained, the plane would be diverted and he would be arrested upon arrival.

He settled down but kept looking at me. The flight attendances couldn’t be more apologetic. Apparently rocker guy was upset because he wasn’t sitting next to his wife but he had requested a window seat of which there was only one. The flight attendant had to explain to him that there wasn't such a thing as two window seats next to each other which got a chuckle from a bunch of us.

So the flight attendants attempted to disrupt the cabin, moving others around to satisfy rocker man once the plane had leveled out. Long story short, the guy had passed out, and hard. So they didn’t end up moving him and he pretty much kept quiet the rest of the flight.

I won’t bore you with the rest of the details like movies and food. Suffice to say, it’s now 10:30am London time (2:30 LA time) and we’re here (and I’m beyond tired), having probably slept about four hours.