South Africa and Zambia 2010

Catching up with Family & Friends and meeting loads of animals

South Africa

Janeen, Cassia and I landed in Cape Town, spent some time at Simons Bay with the Penguins before travelling the Garden Route to Port Elizabeth. We stayed with Janeen's cousin Sue and spent time catching up with the Aunties etc. whilst taking time to bungee jump from the Bloukrans Bridge.

A short stop at Addo game reserve.

We then made our way up to Johannesburg to see more cousins and to stay with Janeen's oldest friend Liz who took us around Soweto.

Zambia

From Johannesburg we flew on to Zambia to meet Ted and Dominic. We all stayed with Janeen and Ted's cousin Trevor and his wife Monica before meeting our driver who took us up to McBride's Bush Camp.

Chris and Charlotte McBride are good friends and the camp is miles from anywhere on the Kafue River. It is the most magical place, minimal conveniences, no TV, no mobiles. Just a few straw lodges between you and the wildlife of which there is plenty. Evenings sitting in the dark listening to the hippos laughing and to the lions roaring around us.

After 5 days with the McBrides we had to move on so Janeen could revisit more of her childhood. We overnighted at Nsobe, a small game park, before driving on to Ndola where Janeen grew up.

Ndola

Janeen lived in Ndola from age 3 to 14 and being back in Ndola was very emotional. The infrastructure, although run down and a lot busier, was still there.

After Ndola, we headed back to Lusaka for night at Trevor an Monica's. Ted and Dominic stayed on to do more interesting stuff, Janeen headed back to Johannesburg to spend more time with Liz whilst Cassia and Jon headed back to the UK. An epic journey, an excellent holiday.