Wednesday, August 29th - On our way!

Hello all. Alison and I are sitting in the Delta Crown Club lounge at Hartsfield Airport, Atlanta, waiting for our flight to Johannesburg (via Dakar, Senegal) at 4.10 this afternoon. We had originally purchased our internal flights so that we could leave Myrtle Beach on an 11.30 AM flight to Atlanta instead of having to catch the 7.25 flight which would have been "free"using frequent flyer miles (no FF seats available on the 11.30). This reservation was made back in January. Delta then changed the 11.30 AM departure time to 12.30 PM which we subsequently ascertained has a record of being late so frequently, that we had a 45% chance of missing our International flight. Not acceptable, so we ended up catching the 7.25 AM after all. When I told this (true) story to the concierge at the Delta CC lounge, he waived the $25 each fee for the use of the lounge! Anyway, as we knew we were going to be here for a good seven hours, we decided I would take this opportunity to post!

As you can imagine, since we returned from Falls Church (see previous post), we have been busy with final preparations for the trip, including trial packing (weight calculations). However, Alison had decided that we must have a small "going away" gathering and that was scheduled for a braai at 4 PM on Sunday. Alison has also had a major goal to achieve prior to leaving for SA, which was to reach the 3000 mile mark on her bike's odometer. As you can see, she reached her goal.

We had 14 people attend the braai and a good time was had by all. Unbeknown even to me, Clare and Josh had ordered an inscribed "trophy" in anticipation of Alison reaching the 3,000 mile mark and it was a great surprise when we were all sitting around the dining room table (drinking port!) and Clare presented the trophy to her mom!

Unfortunately, there were no photographs of the festive evening, during which we toasted our good friends Roger & Penny Pocock in Maidstone, England, who celebrated their Ruby Wedding anniversary that day, and we also toasted my cousin Bernard and wife Arline (who were present), congratulating them on their 43rd wedding anniversary, which is today. Of course, Alison's acheivement was also toasted - that's a lot of toasts!

In my second post, I said I would add more about what we were going to do after we left the Kruger Park, so here is a bit of information about that. By an incredible coincidence, Alison's Godson, Shaun Murphy (see picture right on his Christening day in 1981 with his mom, Anne!), is getting married on Saturday, Sept. 8th, the day after we leave the Park. Consequently, Alison & I will fly to East London (see SA map) on Friday night and attend the wedding on Saturday, while Chris, Linda, Vic & Carol will start the two day drive from the Park to Port Elizabeth.

Below is Shaun fishing in 1983. Notice that he is already being distracted by the female species! That is "Uncle Bob" in the background, teaching the daughter (Cathy) of another old SA friend, Wout Offerman, how to windsurf.

To the right is the present day Shaun. This picture was taken at Mazeppa Bay, one of Shaun's favorite fishing spots. We will be joining Shaun and his new wife, Nikki, his mom & dad, sister & hubby(Anne, Barry, Miranda, Riaan) at Mazeppa Bay for 6 days later in October (which will include my 66th birthday). We will be renting cottages. For those reading this who are keen fishermen, here are a couple more pictures of Mazeppa Bay (just to make you envious!).

Arial of Mazeppa - see cottages top right. Note bridge access to peninsula.

Right - Wave coming!




Wave arriving! - not for the faint hearted.

All for this post, the next one will be in SA!

Sunday, August 19 - Back In Myrtle Beach with ten days to go!

After a long drive from Falls Church to Myrtle Beach yesterday, we were pleased to be sleeping in our own bed again - even if it's not for long! We had a great couple of days with M&D and of course Indigo Wen. Although she was nervous with us at first, it didn't take long for her to become comfortable with us again and she was giving us kisses. Having promised to post some pictures before the end of the weekend, we suspect there are folks in the UK who are hoping we will post before they go to bed. As they are five hours ahead of us, we need to get moving. This post is going to be all about photographs and not too many words.




Indigo Wen testing the water!










Granny and Indigo playing at the lake



Indigo Wen in her stroller at the Capitol in Washington DC (she went to visit her Congressman--just kidding of course)







Feeding Granddad






Indigo Wen with Granddad

Two Weeks to go!

Bob at the keys again. Alison’s responsible for the photos. After my last week of working up in Pennsylvania, I returned home on Thursday, August 9th and the next morning we left for Hot Springs on the Appalachian Trail (AT) and the wedding of David & Rachel as mentioned in the first Blog. When I say Hot Springs is “on” the AT, it is a true statement, because I had not realized that the AT actually runs straight down the main street! Our journey from MB was a long one because we got stuck in a very bad traffic jam on the I-26 heading into Asheville and ultimately got off the Interstate and went backwards a few miles to the Blue Ridge Parkway and went around Asheville on the Parkway – a few miles longer but at least we were moving. On the front page of the Asheville paper the next morning it showed a truck carrying flattened cars for scrap that had overturned on the Interstate and traffic had been held up for hours. We had made the right move and were in good time for the rehearsal dinner.

The Mountain Magnolia Inn is a beautiful place in an even more beautiful setting. We were also fortunate enough to have been allocated the “Rose Room” which must be one of the best rooms in the house, with a lovely balcony that had a fabulous view of the mountains as well as a grand view of all the activities taking place in the gardens below.

This is the view of the outdoor venue for the rehearsal dinner. The picture was taken from our balcony shown on the picture above.

To the right is a view of the mountains from our balcony.

A good time was had by all at the rehearsal dinner and, fortunately, breakfast didn’t start until 9am. The breakfasts themselves were worth the journey!

After breakfast, the wedding guests all gathered together and drove in convoy to a place called “Max Patch”, which is a grassy expanse 4600 ft above sea level on the “real” AT with a 360 view and mountains and valleys all around (note the AT "white blaze" marker on the post in the left side picture - the parking lot is in the background). We were there to fly kites and have a picnic lunch. David bought some kites for those who didn’t have their own, but I have my own kite,

purchased in Morro Bay, California over 16 years ago. I love to fly my kite, but flying on the top of Max Patch was a real treat (remember, men never grow up!). You can see a kite in the picture below, but there is also a small dot in the middle and if you keep magnifying the picture, you will see my kite way in the distance!

We got back to the inn in time for an afternoon snooze and then got dressed for the wedding. I say dressed rather than “dressed up” because it is so hot at the moment all over the USA and particularly in North & South Carolina, that most of the guests wore casual shirts and the groom was almost the only person in a suit (minus a tie). The wedding was an outside ceremony and the preacher who married David & Rachel was one of two preachers (Bill Newman & Henry) that David had met on his 2,150 mile hike on the AT, and in fact, they are walking the AT again this year, ministering to the hikers when needed, and left the trail up in Vermont and drove to Hot Springs to perform the ceremony and they are now driving back to the AT in Vermont to continue their walk to Maine.

On Sunday morning, I got up early as I was determined to walk a (short)

segment of the AT in the Hot Springs area. All I had to do was to walk to the main street and follow the AT arrows that are cemented into the sidewalk. I followed the arrows across the French Broad River bridge and then followed the signs along the river bank and eventually started to climb the switchbacks that take you out of the river valley. It is a good climb. This little segment of the trail is called “Lovers Leap” as there is a legend regarding an Indian (Cherokee) maiden who threw herself from the cliff when she was promised to one brave while she loved another. At the top of the valley, the AT continues on and I followed the Lovers Leap trail back to town. It was a short but satisfying hike.

After another scrumptious breakfast on Sunday morning, the guests left at their leisure and we left to find our way to the “Broken Arrow” cabin, again as mentioned in the first blog. It is only 15 miles from Hot Springs and is up in the mountains with a wonderful view and a sight of the French Broad River running in the valley below, the gentle flowing noise of which is only drowned out when the train runs along the track that follows the river! One of the instructions for the cabin says “Do not trespass on neighboring properties, failure to heed this warning could get you a good ol’ Madison County welcome which usually includes a view down the barrel of a shotgun”. We took this warning with a pinch of salt until we saw this sign on a property driving along one of the mountain roads! This is definitely “Hill Billy” country!

The plan was to go hiking on Monday, but with the heat, we were concerned about getting on the 13 mile one way section of the AT that we had had in mind. Sensibility overruled our impulses and we decided to head up to the Blue Ridge Parkway where there were more choices of shorter and medium length walks. Fortunately, because of the diversion we made to

the Blue Ridge on our way to the wedding, we knew exactly how to get back to the Parkway from our cabin. We headed up to the visitors center at milepost 364.5 where coincidently we had last been with South African friends Vic& Carol (see previous post) in September, 2006, on our way back from Chimney Rock Park to Banner Elk. This area of the Blue Ridge is called “Craggy Gardens”. We walked to Craggy Pinnacle (5,892 ft) and then took a longer walk on a stretch of the “Mountains to Sea” trail, of which the Craggy Gardens trail is a segment. We had a great time and no one has shown any ill effects so far!

Tuesday, August 14th, we decided to do a trek of a different sort – we decided to visit the Biltmore Estate in Asheville. It is something that we have wanted to do since we moved to Myrtle Beach, but in the couple of times we have been in the Asheville area, have not found the time. The Biltmore Estate was the vision of George Washington Vanderbilt, who started the Estate as a country retreat (he lived in New York), but the house (mansion, castle, chateau) became and remains the largest private residence in America. The building and estate are simply magnificent. We finished the day with some wine tasting at the Biltmore winery and of course purchased a couple of bottles as a reminder of another wonderful day.

Today, Aug.15th, we drove 460 miles from the hills of North Carolina to M&D in Falls Church, VA, just outside Washington DC. We are having one last visit with them and of course granddaughter Indigo Wen before our long trip to SA, where we will arrive, two weeks today. Look for more pictures of Indigo Wen later this weekend. We drive back to Myrtle Beach on Saturday.

FOUR WEEKS TO GO!

Where did the last week go? So let us give you a little more detail about our SA trip and what we will be doing in the first week. On Aug 29th we fly from Atlanta to Johannesburg, SA (subsequently referred to in the colloquial as “Joburg”), leaving Atlanta about 4.00PM and after an 18 hour journey (we have to stop to refuel) and a 6 hour time difference, we arrive at 4 PM the next day! We will be recovering for the next 22 hours before returning to the Joburg airport at 2.30 on Friday to pick up our good friends and one time work colleagues from Pittsburgh, Chris & Linda Umble. Chris and Linda are flying South African Airways (SAA) from Dulles to Joburg and their flight is direct and less than a 15 hour flight (both our flights are longer than Melanie & David’s flight to China!).
Also arriving in Joburg around the same time as Chris & Linda will be our long time friends and our hosts for the next two weeks and beyond, Vic & Carol Wolff. Vic & Carol will be flying into Joburg from Port Elizabeth, our old home town in SA from 1968-1985.

Also meeting Vic & Carol, and completing our four couple group, will be Ted & Marilyn Turner from Johannesburg. Ted & Marilyn were also with us for our trip to Kruger in 2002.
After what we are sure will be a good night's sleep, we will be out and about in the Sandton (a Joburg suburb) Shopping Center purchasing the necessary goods for our trip to Kruger Park (beer, wine, spirits, etc…). On Saturday evening we join Vic & Carol for dinner at the Montecasino complex which will be followed by a night at the theater to see the SA stage production of “The Lion King”. We are looking forward to this event, which apparently has had rave reviews.

On Sunday morning we leave Joburg in a two vehicle (SUVs) convoy and make the journey to the Kruger National Park, about 250 miles north east of Joburg.
Once we are in the Park, we make our way to the Berg en Dal Restcamp (bottom left) and we have to be there before 3PM. At 3.30PM, we will be picked up in a “bush wagon” by a game ranger and his tracker. We leave our vehicles at the main camp and are driven to the Wilderness Camp (Bushmans, west of Berg en Dal) in an area of the park which is off limits to the general public. We only take a couple of changes of clothing (but all the beverages!). The camp is securely fenced and only has accommodation for the four couples and the three park personnel (the third is a cook who also makes the beds and stays at the camp while we walk with the ranger & tracker). In the evening, we sit around the fire and have a couple of sundowners (fortunately, the sun takes a long time to go down). The cook brings the supper (also cooked on the fire), and we sit around the fire and eat & drink under the African sky.

Here is an “official” description of the Kruger Park “Wilderness Trail” option:
Established in the world-famous Kruger National Park, wilderness trails allow adventurous visitors a close personal encounter with nature by traversing large areas of unspoiled wilderness on foot, under the guidance of armed and experienced trail rangers.In keeping with the wilderness atmosphere, sites for the trails camps are carefully selected for their scenic beauty and diverse plant and animal life. Groups spend three nights in four rustic two-bed huts. Ablution facilities comprise reed-walled showers and flush toilets. A covered lapa serves as a dining/socializing area where the campfire’s flickering shadows encourage stories of adventures in the African bush.Simple, wholesome meals are provided. The day commences with coffee and rusks in the crisp morning hours. A light meal is enjoyed in the bush and brunch awaits the group when they return at noon. After a “siesta”, the group leaves the camp once again for an evening stroll in the wild.Evening meals comprise either a hunters’ stew or barbecues, supplemented with salads and vegetables.

Here is a "stew" delivered by the cook! (note: all pictures of the camp, etc. are from 2002 - at a different wilderness camp we were at.

They get us up early in the morning and after coffee and rusks, we will either leave the “compound” on foot, or be driven in the bush wagon to where we will start our walk. We now walk in single file with the ranger and tracker leading the way (and carrying big guns). I have to admit, having done this once before, it sounds scarier than it really is. In truth, the animals are very wary of humans on foot and if they see you, they will run away. It would need to be a very unusual situation for us to be in any danger.

The "Trail Gang" in 2002

On Wednesday morning, we will be driven back to the main Berg en Dal Restcamp http://www.sanparks.org/parks/kruger/camps/berg-en-dal/ (There are 12 main rest camps in the Park) where we will then move into the most luxurious accommodation in the camp, the “Rhino Donor Guest House” which can be seen in the top right corner of this map and will be a far cry from our “rustic two-bed hut” at the Bushmans wilderness camp. We will spend the next two days driving ourselves within the Park on various routes on both tarred and dirt roads, hoping to catch sight of some of the more elusive game in the park such as rhino, lion, leopard, wild dogs and cheetah. We are guaranteed to see elephants, hippos, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest and much more. It is a wonderful experience. Our time in the park comes to an end on Friday morning Sept. 7, when the next leg of the journey begins – but you will have to wait for the next posting to hear about that!

Victor Max Wolff

Couldn't resist adding this one great picture of Vic and his magnificent catch!