over the past several weeks i have run into some retirees who have had to cancel trips due to the arab spring...one dropped out of a tour for egypt and its ancient wonders...i asked her if she didn't want to have a picture taken in tahrir square...after all the demonstrations were over with and some stability has returned...
another teacher who has been traveling to wonderful third world countries like mongolia and burma had to cancel a trip to libya...i told her she could get evacuated from benghazi if it got a bit tight...she just laughed that one off...
and the third one related her anti-pirate drills aboard a princess cruise line while they were in the indian ocean heading for the seychelles...
but then it all started years ago when a venerable biology teacher told me about her new guinea experience when her van driver stopped the van and told everyone this was a rest stop...she looked around for the toilets, asked the driver where they were, and he said, "women to the left, men to the right; and you better go because it will be a long ride before our next stop."
well, here is a summary of a safari trip the anti-pirate drills teacher recently took with her husband:
First 2 nights were at Chobe National Park's lodge - very nice accommodations (4-unit bungalows) with great food and service. Took 4-wheel drive rides and boat ride to see elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, one lion, hedgehogs, impala, kudo, etc. and crocs, hippos in water. Next 2 nights were at Camp Okavango on delta - accessible by prop plane, short trek through "jungle"/grassland. Stayed in elevated tents (only 12 for 24 max. guests), with netted bed, tiled shower, porch, battery lanterns after generator off at 10p.m. Had to be escorted from tents at night for dinner, since wildlife (inc. resident hippo) roaming though elephants kept out with electrical wiring at perimeters. Took canoe and small boat trips on delta through marshland and 2.5-hour walking safaris through grass with 2 guides, no weapons (just had to be quiet and move fast when told - to stay downwind of elephants). Saw enough impala at both sites to last a lifetime. Botswana natives at both sites were very friendly, hospitable, knowledgeable. Johannesburg definitely white/black contrast - we were only non-blacks walking around (e.g., on trek from Mandela Square back to our hotel - about 45 minutes), as whites are in own cars or taxis. Blacks were even walking along freeway hillsides. Zulu tour guide took us to Soweto,and homes of Mandela, Tutu, Winnie Mandela, etc. Earlier shore excursions off ship had taken us to Zulu and Xhosa villages. All in all, a great 4 weeks on ship - though Amazing Race from Narita to Singapore (to board ship) via Bangkok due to earthquake diversion to Yokota Air Force Base was our biggest adventure. We got to ship with an hour to spare - since we had fortunately added 1.5-day stay in Singapore. The young Singaporean and American businessmen we met up with at Narita's Delta Air desk were a godsend - with their computers and resourcefulness. They were determined to get us on board the ship to celebrate our 39th anniversary. We called ourselves the Magnificent Seven.
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