Welcome to BackPack Africa!

1) 6 Day Victoria Falls Trip - 10th October 1998

I am presently in South Africa and have done a 4 day Kruger Park Tour and a 6 Day Victoria Falls tours. I did the white water rafting on the Zambezi just nelow the Victoria Falls.
Its totally awesome and I recommend these trips.

Rapid number 8 called Midnight dinner.
" This was the first of three flips ! "

Michael Riemann :
Lohestrauss 1, 82008, Unterhaching, Bavaria, Germay
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2) WHAT'S HAPPENING IN CAPE TOWN

19th October - 31 October 1998
INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

12 International - 44 local comedians
Ben Norris, Nick Wilty, John Johnson, Martin Davis,
Ian Cognito, Micheal Smiley, Mel Miller, Magic Man,
Kfm radio after party.

25th September - 15th October 1998
21ST FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL
The Life of Jesus, Love Tangles, My Sexual Life,
On Guard ...........
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3) BEACH LODGE SPECIAL!!

TWO NIGHTS FREE ACCOMMODATION.
e-mail :- beachlodge@hbic.co.za
Tel :- (021) 434 5494
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We arrived in Jo'berg , kids were sick, we were knackered , and were picked up by my old friend , Stuart , to go to our accommodation . We had been booked into a Backpackers Lodge which was near to where they live . At R90 (£9) for each double room , we thought it may have been a little basic ( it was ) but turned out to be an ideal start point for our holiday, as everyone there was very friendly and helpful , having a wealth of knowledge for anyone traveling in Southern Africa .
After getting over our flight ( 11 hours of turbulence and buffeting ) we were dropped off , by Helen (Stuart's wife) , at Sandton City to have a look around . We found that we were going to have a very inexpensive holiday , as most things were a third of the price that we were used to in England ( the exchange rate was R10 to the pound ) .
The next day was spent digesting the huge steaks ( by our standards ) eaten at the night before's barbie , getting used to driving a manual car ( hire car ) which I hadn't driven for 2 years , and eating at a beautiful Italian restaurant , before heading off to explore , the next day.
We had booked , through the inter net , two nights in Kruger Park , and headed off there early in the morning . What we saw there, words cannot do justice to, these photo's, I hope, can . We stayed one night in Skukuza, drove up to Olifant's and then were lucky enough to get another night in Letaba Camp, before leaving by Phalaborwa Gate.
As we hadn't booked anywhere for the night, we looked around Phalaborwa for a bed for the night, and found the Royal Game Guest House, which was superb. We had planned to have a lie in the next morning, as we were all tired from getting up before dawn and peering into the bushes in search of animals, but on mentioning that we didn't see any lions, we had set our fate!

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Apparently, about an hours drive down the road , in the right direction , there was a lion breeding project where we were guaranteed to see as many lions as we could want . The tour set off at 8 am, the alarm clock was rescued from the bottom of the luggage and set for 6 am, a lay in?
The lions, at Mokwalo Park , were a little too tame for our liking ,just like big pussy cats , but we had seen some none the less . The best was to come though, for as we were driving through the wild part of the park we saw our first rhino which disappeared into the bush , calf in tow.
Later in the day we set off on our way to Newcastle, why Newcastle you may ask. Karen comes from Newcastle in England and wanted to see her home towns namesake. We decided that the best place in town was the Holiday Inn, which turned out to be cheaper than a couple of grotty hotels we had checked out earlier. We spent the night here, a well earned rest, after the early mornings we had endured.

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After a late breakfast in Newcastle, we loaded the car up to set off for the coast. We had decided to head for Richard's Bay as Richard, our oldest son , was to have his 13th birthday during the week . On the way, down a dirt road, was Rourke's Drift which looked like a good place to visit ( the film Zulu Dawn was a big hit in England a few years ago ) . The dirt road turned out to be very long and very dirty, and with not much to see at the end of it, wasn't one of our best ideas. The road to Richards Bay was very scenic and we arrived there wondering whether we had made a mistake. Passing threw the Port on the right and the aluminum smelting works on the left.

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Getting through the industrial area and heading for the airport we found the Woodpecker Inn, thatched lodges around a central pool area. We had found an ideal spot to relax after all the travelling. A day around the pool doing absolutely nothing was followed by Richard's 13th Birthday where he chose the days activities - the beach, 10 pin bowling and then shopping for presents took the day.
The next day we had booked a tour around Hluhluwe and Duma Zulu village with Crackerjack Safaris. A 7am start - back into the old routine. The early start was worth it though, we saw plenty of Rhino's, Nyala and other more common species and managed to miss all the bad tempered Elephants. Duma Zulu village, the second part of our tour is a living village where the Zulu customs and way of life are still carried out today. After the tour of the village, we sat and were entertained with about 45 minutes of tribal dancing.

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Saturday we spent visiting a Crocodile Farm and then travelling down to Durban. Unfortunately the rugby was in town that day and all the guest houses were fully booked so after consulting the "Backpack Africa" backpackers guide we ended up around 25kms out of Durban at Angle Rock Backpackers, right on the beach at a place called Warner Beach. The next two days we spent catching the buss going into Durban. The kids wanted to play on the computer games. Two weeks away from their play station had taken its toll.

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On the Tuesday we started our way back to Johannesburg, pausing at Mooi River to see the Drakensberg and finding the unofficial best grub in South Africa at Otter Lodge Guest House. We arrived back in Johannesburg on the Thursday afternoon staying again at Happy Valley and not looking forward to going home one little bit. That night was spent with our friends. Barbie time again! Our last day was spent sunning ourselves, washing the poor little midge which had taken us all over the place with only a flat tyre as a protest, shopping and then returning to the Italian restaurant we had visited what seemed like an age ago.

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It then came to our last day. The flight back wasn't until late. The kids had time to go go karting. The last bit of shopping was done and drinks were had at the Waterfront then it was back to Stuarts house to watch the Springboks beat Australia to win the Tri Nations rugby. A perfect end to a perfect holiday.
We arrived back in England. Good flight with no one being sick. The summer time weather was aboout 14'C and grey. We knew we were home but as Arnia says " WE WILL BE BACK !

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Hi,

Our current manager, Glen is leaving next Friday (16th) so a bit of urgency is required.

We would appreciate your help if you could give our details to anyone you think may be interested.

Cheers
From Bruce and Allyson (cell 082 4625209, Angle Rock 031 916 7007)
e-mail anglerock@iafrica.com

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