More travel info:

Packing and luggage:

• 20 KG check-in luggage allowance for domestic flights to cape town, and as we cannot be certain that there will be time to stop by my parents place on the way back to Europe, you will have to fly with all your luggage to cape town. Because of this please try to pack as small suitcase as possible, otherwise we will not have space in the cars if we have too much big luggage!! We will all be able to do clothes washing.
• Try and pack with the following in mind: Cape town will be warm and pleasant, and you need comfortable summer clothes, flip-flops and one clubbing outfit. You will need one warm jacket (for the sometimes windy cool evenings) and something to cover your legs for mosquitoes in evening. You don’t need to pack anything special for the bush, cause this will be normal summer clothes + hat. Normal shoes/flipflops will be fine, as it is NOT muddy and we are not walking. Bring one pair of jeans.
• Ensure your Luggage is secure… the plastic wrapping for example is not enough, there have been cases where this has been ripped off and the suitcases opened. Also try not to pack any valuables into luggage, instead keep them in hand luggage.
• Hand luggage and handbags: 5 KG total amount (they weigh it in SA airports!) and you have to ensure that you keep everything in sight and on your person all the time.
• Bush trip: We are arriving at Jhb International (newly renamed O.R.Tambo International – our government has money to waste) and we are dropping the main luggage off at my parents place. We will pack a smaller bag for the bush trip (my parents have extra bags, so don’t worry about bringing an extra one).

Security and safety:

• When out and about do not display phones, wallets and other valuables in a way that someone can grab it from you.
• When at restaurants and café’s, NEVER place phones or wallets on the table.
• When at restaurants ensure that all belongings are in sight.
• NEVER leave phones or wallets in the cars. It is an invitation to break in.
• Always lock the car doors while in the car and also when you are leaving the car.


Enough about the serious stuff, here is some fun information:

Itinerary (its not really… ;)

• We will arrive at Jhb international, and my sister and mom and dad will come to pick us up from the airport. There are two options, either relax at my parents’ house and take it easy, or go out for a drive in Jhb.
• Really bad traffic (the worst in SA) means that those who want to go on the Jhb drive will quickly drop the bags at home, and then we will leave again, otherwise we will be stuck in traffic all afternoon. I was thinking of going to Rosebank Mall via Jhb central, so that you can get an idea of the city. We have a coffee at Rosebank, and then return to be home by approx 4pm…
• We have the evening to chillout and my dad is preparing a traditional Afrikaans dinner for us
• We will pick up Anne-Laure from Airport in evening.
• We can leave our main bags at home and pack a smaller bag for the bush if you want.
• The next morning we depart at 5am (I know it is early, sorry for that, but we have to due to the same bad traffic!) to go to Bakgatla Camp, Pilansberg.

This is the Friday start of our bush safari, of which we have two game experiences and the rest of the time doing what YOU want…
I am warning everyone now that I will be doing NOTHING most of the time, just being by the pool and relaxing, talking to people. :) lets see if this really happens!
• Christelle will be picked up by Andrew and Abrie as she arrives at the airport on Saturday, and they are coming through to the camping site on that day.

• We will probably leave Bakgatla Monday midday, to be back by late afternoon. Reason for this is the bad road (unlit and many animals) which is not good to drive at night. Any washing that needs to be done can be done by my mom. :)
• Tuesday morning at 5:45 our flight departs O.R.Tambo international, and we will arrive bright and busy in Cape Town!!!!

No plans or structure for this week – we will all discuss, decide and splinter off to do what we want for these days, if you have any special requests please let me know!!!
So far we have table mountain and Robbin Island as two activities which a few people will probably go to.

Little surprise:
I know some of you are gonna kill me for this, but we don’t actually have a place to sleep for the last night in CT. The idea was that we go to another place for the very last day of the trip, somewhere where very few tourists go, so that you can get another view of South Africa. I am still looking into this, and I will also find out if we can extend our stay in the Camps bay house, perhaps we can each decide what we want to do (some people just enjoying another day of quiet, others adventuring off) but we will discuss this when we see each other!!