Hello!
I'm coming to you from Hazyview, just a hop, skip and a jump from Kruger National Park (where we're going for a safari in a couple of days - exciting!).
There's so much to update, and not that much time (internet is surprisingly expensive), so I'll do my best...
We started off with me spraining my ankle in Joburg in a pothole in the pavement, which could have been absolutely disasterous, but thanks to some Macgyver-esque strapping with a pack handle the crisis was averted and it's only slightly sore now. We watched a football game then drove up through the night to Rustenburg. Our car is great - roomy enough and already lots of chips and dents so we won't feel too bad if we make too many more!
Rustenburg was FREEZING. Absolutely so, so cold. However, my fantastic new sleeping bag was a star and kept me nice and toasty. Adam on the other hand was slightly less prepared and spent a first pretty uncomfortable night before borrowing some thermals to sleep in the next night. The first game in Rustenburg was great fun, particularly due to that brilliant late goal! We stayed in a camp site in a nature reserve which was ok, and spent a lot of time at the malls just getting camping gas, new gloves, pies etc. We also went out to Sun City, which is this apartheid-era resort which was absolutely crazy. It's all completely over the top, but we saw these crocodiles at their crocodile reserve which were incredible. A) I've never seen that many crocodiles, B) I've never seen any that big before (some were over a tonne!) and C) I'm glad it's winter and they're not so active...
After Rustenburg we drove into Limpopo province to a small town called Thabazimbi where we stayed at the Thaba Nkwe Bushveld Inn with some really nice people. We were the only people camping (and they thought we were insane), but they took us out on a hunt one morning (fortunately none of the shots were successful) and we ate the biggest steaks I've ever seen. We also went to the Marakele National Park where we saw giraffes, warthogs, lots of varieties of antelopes and even a herd of elephants!! That was very cool - and slightly scary when our car somehow got caught between them, but a brilliant experience.
From Thabazimbi we drove down to Joburg to pick Emilia up via a town called Bela-Bela which has this big hot baths complex. I've got a massive bruise on my cocyx from bumping down these incredibly fun hydroslides (we're all just big kids really). From Joburg we've come out here to Hazyview. Yesterday was the NZ vs Italy game which was fantastic. The goal at what, minute seven, led to everyone being drenched with beer, hugging complete strangers and generally just being extremely excited. If NZ goes through our travel plans are completely shot (we'll have to drive down to Cape Town...) but wouldn't that be amazing.
We've been watching pratically every other football game going which has been a bit of an overload for me, but the others are absolutely loving it. There are lots of tourists about, probably about 500-750 NZers I'd say, and everyone seems to be in a pretty good mood.
I'm sure there's lots I've forgotten to say, and I wish I could post some photos, but rest assured you'll all get bored with them when I finally do!
We're having another braai (bbq) for lunch today, then off to a reptile park and potentially some waterfalls this afternoon too.
I'll check in soon!
I'm coming to you from Hazyview, just a hop, skip and a jump from Kruger National Park (where we're going for a safari in a couple of days - exciting!).
There's so much to update, and not that much time (internet is surprisingly expensive), so I'll do my best...
We started off with me spraining my ankle in Joburg in a pothole in the pavement, which could have been absolutely disasterous, but thanks to some Macgyver-esque strapping with a pack handle the crisis was averted and it's only slightly sore now. We watched a football game then drove up through the night to Rustenburg. Our car is great - roomy enough and already lots of chips and dents so we won't feel too bad if we make too many more!
Rustenburg was FREEZING. Absolutely so, so cold. However, my fantastic new sleeping bag was a star and kept me nice and toasty. Adam on the other hand was slightly less prepared and spent a first pretty uncomfortable night before borrowing some thermals to sleep in the next night. The first game in Rustenburg was great fun, particularly due to that brilliant late goal! We stayed in a camp site in a nature reserve which was ok, and spent a lot of time at the malls just getting camping gas, new gloves, pies etc. We also went out to Sun City, which is this apartheid-era resort which was absolutely crazy. It's all completely over the top, but we saw these crocodiles at their crocodile reserve which were incredible. A) I've never seen that many crocodiles, B) I've never seen any that big before (some were over a tonne!) and C) I'm glad it's winter and they're not so active...
After Rustenburg we drove into Limpopo province to a small town called Thabazimbi where we stayed at the Thaba Nkwe Bushveld Inn with some really nice people. We were the only people camping (and they thought we were insane), but they took us out on a hunt one morning (fortunately none of the shots were successful) and we ate the biggest steaks I've ever seen. We also went to the Marakele National Park where we saw giraffes, warthogs, lots of varieties of antelopes and even a herd of elephants!! That was very cool - and slightly scary when our car somehow got caught between them, but a brilliant experience.
From Thabazimbi we drove down to Joburg to pick Emilia up via a town called Bela-Bela which has this big hot baths complex. I've got a massive bruise on my cocyx from bumping down these incredibly fun hydroslides (we're all just big kids really). From Joburg we've come out here to Hazyview. Yesterday was the NZ vs Italy game which was fantastic. The goal at what, minute seven, led to everyone being drenched with beer, hugging complete strangers and generally just being extremely excited. If NZ goes through our travel plans are completely shot (we'll have to drive down to Cape Town...) but wouldn't that be amazing.
We've been watching pratically every other football game going which has been a bit of an overload for me, but the others are absolutely loving it. There are lots of tourists about, probably about 500-750 NZers I'd say, and everyone seems to be in a pretty good mood.
I'm sure there's lots I've forgotten to say, and I wish I could post some photos, but rest assured you'll all get bored with them when I finally do!
We're having another braai (bbq) for lunch today, then off to a reptile park and potentially some waterfalls this afternoon too.
I'll check in soon!
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