That's a wrap!!

at the top of Table Mountain - fog rolled in just as we got there
Chapman's Peak drive on the way to Cape of Good Hope
some more of this beautiful drive to Cape Good Hope
around Cape of Good Hope

Friends of Jim Corrigan - Lucas and Sue who came to visit us for a few hours in Cape Town
view from the cablecar on Table Mountain, Cape Town
view from the first level of Table Mountain
another Table Mountain view of Cape Town
Ted being Ted

Well we're finally beginning to feel a bit normal...staying up a bit later and getting up at a more decent time. Hard to believe it's back to work tomorrow. Our holidays went so fast.

Both of us feel that this had to be one of the best holidays we had. I think it's mainly because we did and saw so many different things without feeling like we were always on the go. It would have been nice to spend more time in Kruger National Park and in De Hoop Nature Reserve. As well, we would have liked to spend more time in Swaziland. Next time, we would skip Durban and Swellendam and probably Oudshoorn since we did the Swartberg Pass. There are so many great things to do and beautiful things to see it's hard to decide. We would definately add another week to the trip and make it 4 weeks.

The question has been asked...Where will our next holidays take us? Well, we're not quite sure at the moment. I think we decided that we would do a ski holiday next winter with my cousins from Germany who want to come to North America and ski and then maybe even get to do some extended camping next summer since that looks out this summer due to Ted's holidays. Sounds like next year will be a bit lower key for holidays. Who knows though...things could change. We have talked about going to Scotland.

Anyhow, I leave you with some final pictures. Again, we hope that you enjoyed our travels and thank you again for your comments. Bye until next time.

Karen & Ted

We're Back!!

Just a short note to say that we made it back in one piece. We're still feeling the effects of jetlag...getting up at 5 am and going to bed at 8 pm and needing a snooze in between!! Our luggage finally arrived yesterday...2 days after us. Apparently, it did not get out of South Africa. Anyhow we got it now and everything was intact. I will d/l some more pics and write a bit more in the next day or too. Can't over do it now. We are both back to work on Monday.
Bye for now. Karen and Ted

It's the Final Countdown!!! :(

Jackass penquins in Cape Agulas
sunset from our deck
our deck
Cape Town from the boat to Robben Island
Mandela's prison cell
De Hoop Nature Reserve (wish we could have spent more time here!!)
Ted at De Hoop
Karen at De Hoop
Indian Ocean at De Hoop
the real tip of Africa where the 2 oceans meet...Cape Agulas

Alas, the end is near. Hard to believe though. We've had such a wonderful holiday and have managed to fit incredible experiences in less then 4 weeks!! We are now in Cape Town and have been here for 2 days. We lucked out and booked into a wonderful apartment right across from the ocean. The deck is huge and we were able to enjoy a beautiful sunset on our first night. We spent yesterday going to Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela was held in prison with other "political" prisoners) and then toured around the waterfront. Had supper last night a Mexican restaurant (of course...the only one on this trip!!) We woke up today to a foggy day which is trying to burn off. We haven't been up Table Mountain yet because of this fog but hopefully sometime in the next 3 days it will be clear. It's also a holiday weekend here...Freedom Day. The day the apartheid supporting government was voted out. Seems to be quite a celebration and Cape Town is celebrating their city festival at the same time. Looking forward to participating in those festivities as well. We just spent the last 2 hours wondering around the city market and managed to do some damage although we had no intentions of buying anything. We've done well up until now. Anyhow, this may be our last posting so I will leave you with some pictures. I'll do a final wrap up after we get home on Tuesday. Bye for now, hope you enjoyed our travels and thanks for your comments!!

On our way to Cape Town

Yeah...the pictures worked!!! Enjoy them. Karen and Ted An Ostrich for which Oudshoorn is famous

Working our way up Swartberg Pass
Made it to the top!!
Working our way down Swartberg Pass
Nice road, eh!!
Full moon in the southern hemisphere

along the Garden route
Ted and his Toyota Yaris
still Swartberg Pass
another windy stretch of road
self portrait Mark...no need for a baboon!!

enjoy a cool one at our safari tent at Hluhluwe park
lions waiting for us to leave so they can cross
lion cub part of this pride of 6
our accomodations outside Durbin
who's that animal in red???

part of a herd of elephants crossing the road

our diggs in Swaziland-Gary!!!
view from Overwin Country Lodge in Ubombo
another safari tent shot in Hluhluwe park

the end of the herd

Buffalo during our morning buh walk
Thank God someone has a gun!!
a lion cub searching for mom on our evening drive
think this is a picture of rocks???
our diggs at Berg-en-dal in Kruger National park

giraffes in Kruger
zebras in Kruger
Ted in Kruger
a picture for Kim
a hyenna on our night drive

pretty cool, eh??

We are in Swellendam at the moment. We spent last night in Oudshoorn and explored that area in the drizzle as well. We spent most of the day travelling thru the Swartberg Pass which reaches a height of 1600 m (about 5000 ft) and is quite an engineering feat. The roads wind and turn thru the mountains with rock walls put up at each curve. How they managed this is anyones guess. Today we'll hang out here and enjoy the sunshine. I want to try and d/l the pictures again. Had to find a place with working internet so Ted has gone to get the car. Some shady character was hanging around it anyhow so I'm sure Ted's glad to move it. This is a one street town so I don't think anything would happen during the day but one never knows here. Here goes thepicture trying.