Unplugged - A trip of a lifetime

When I met Steve, my now husband, one of the first things we bonded over was our love for travel and adventure.

We both dreamt of getting married on a beach in the Caribbean ?

AND we both hoped to go on an African safari “before all the animals were gone” ??

After our 10th wedding anniversary, we seriously began to plan for this trip.

Unfortunately, the universe had other plans; and our first two attempts were thwarted by a family medical emergency in 2018 and COVID-19 in 2020.

Then a year ago, after I received my Certified Mortgage Banker #CMB designation, we decided the time was right and put the plans in motion once again.

Third time’s a charm ????

Fast-forward to Oct 2024; and as our flight began to taxi down the runway at Dulles for the long, long flight to Cape Town, I could almost hear Toto singing “I hear the drums echoing tonight” ????

?Sixteen (long) hours later, we landed in Cape Town.

One of the first thing I saw was this sign in the arrivals hall, welcoming us to the "Mother City”. Fun fact: back in the 1930s, Cape Town was the only city in South Africa that could be called a “metropolis” from the Greek word “metros”, meaning Mother, and “polis” meaning City.?The nickname stuck and you truly feel the big warm motherly hug as soon as you step out of the airport.

Nothing, and I mean nothing, prepares you for Africa ...

?? She will take your breath away.

?? She will steal your heart.

?? She will leave you speechless.

?? She will grab a hold of you.

?? And she will leave you wanting more …

Over the next 15 days, we crisscrossed the Southern part of the Continent, going from Cape Town to Sabi Sands in Kruger National Park (stop #1). From there, we flew to Zambia and crossed the border into Zimbabwe (that journey is a whole other blog) to see the Mighty Zambezi River and Victoria Falls (stop #2). Then, we flew to Botswana for a full-on grasslands experience in the Okavango Delta (stop #3).

The caveat? All internal flights are on small (like REALLY small!) airplanes. You are limited to one bag and one carryon that, together, cannot weigh more that 20kg (44 pounds). Fun fact #1: you CAN survive for two weeks with only a small duffle bag. Fun fact #2: most lodges provide laundry services (either included or at a minimal cost).

Yop! Those are our bags for the entire safari portion of our trip ???? One for Steve and one for me ??

Three very different geographical areas + three very different accommodation styles = three very different safari experiences.

There are SO many lessons that Africa tries to teach us:

?? Mother Nature is a bada$$

?? Nature and nurture can, and do, coexist

?? The circle of life is a real thing

?? You are predator one day, prey the next

?? You never know what's around the next corner, so PAY ATTENTION

?? There is strength in numbers

?? Protect the young, the old, and the vulnerable

?? Silence can be deafening

?? Darkness is ablaze with light

?? Everything has a reason and a purpose

We saw the Big Five on our very first Safari drive in Sabi Sands: rhino, elephant, leopard, Cape buffalo, and lion. We were told that rarely happens ????♀? Fun fact: did you know that there are also the Little Five? Their names are derived from the Big Five: Ant Lion, Leopard Tortoise, Rhino Beetle, Elephant Shrew, and Buffalo Weaver. We were fortunate to see a couple of those as well.

Aside from the Big (and Little) Five, we also saw so many other wonderous animals: the endangered African wild dog, so many birds, kudu, impala (aka “M Butt”), hippo, honey badger (cute but nasty!!), hyena, giraffe, wildebeest, scorpion, crocodile, genet, nyala, multiple kind of snakes and lizards, wild boar, warthog, zebra, waterbuck (aka “Circle Butt”), springbok, ostrich, baboon, vervet monkey, steenbok (smallest of the antelope family), and so much more.

Between the two of us, we took over 4,000 photos and close to 100 videos. So what were some of our memorable moments?

? First and foremost, the people we met and our amazing guides and trackers. I cannot describe their kindness, their joy, and their indomitable spirit

?Climbing to the top of Table Mountain, one of the world’s new 7 Wonders of Nature, and seeing the extraordinary 360 views

? Touring the Winelands of Cape Town: Stellenbosch, Paarl, and Franschhoek. Fun fact: this area is known for its Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc – two of our favorites ??

? African rhythms are pretty much every where you go. Their harmonies and beautiful, haunting, jubilant, and entrancing!

? Standing at the Cape of Good Hope, the most south-western point of the Continent and meeting the African Penguins up-close at Boulders. Fun fact: to reach the true southern-most point of the Continent, where the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans meet, you’d have to go to Cape Agulhas, three hours south of where we were standing ????

? Having to call ?? for an escort at night at the lodges because, well, there are no fences and WE are the guests in this animal kingdom. Fun fact: if you zoom in, that IS a leopard hanging outside the lodge.

? Waking up to animals roaming the grounds, some drinking from the pool on our deck ??

? Seeing firsthand the quintessential African sunset ??

? Watching a lioness catch the scent of a kill then tear across the plains and seeing a leopard retreat and leave his kill behind.

? Witnessing a family of 20(ish) endangered African Wild Dogs work together to bring down two Impalas. I know, I know – it WAS gruesome BUT this is nature and it is unfiltered.

? The amazing art scene that was all around us in Cape Town and in the Lodges

I truly can go on and on about our adventure. Our 15 days flew in the blink of an eye; and before we knew it, it was time to pack and board our flight from Cape Town back to the US. This time, I swear I could hear Toto singing “It’s gonna take a lot to drag me away from you” ??