My Dream Vacation to South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana

[crazyBLUE]

Now it won't take so long for that page to load More Pics

[master_8ball]

Thanks for sharing, great pictures of what looks like an amazing trip.

[agoofykindasuperman]

Love the way you're capturing your adventure for us sir! I can only wait in high anticipation for when it will be my turn to journey through Africa.

A tip though about photographing people and culture, don't be afraid to! I know it seems like you're just being a "tourist" taking pictures of people so deprived of what we take for granted back at home, it feels like we're turning them into "tourist attractions", but really that only applies to a few instances. Such as if you go into their homes and villages just to take photos of them. But at the schools, and while at work, in my own experience I found that most people love to be seen by others, and get their pictures taken! Especially children. However don't just shoot right away, ask them or even talk to them a bit before you take their picture. That way they feel more like they're being noticed and not just brushed off and forgotten.

Again, thanks for all the images, I'm feeling inspired to do the same thing with my trip I took last year to the Middle East and Nepal!

[rkolinski]

Thanks to all who are enjoying and commenting on my posts!

[rkolinski]

Isandlwana and Rorkes Drift Battlefields and Shakaland

Isandlwana Hill where the battle between the Zulu and British soldiers took place (see the movie Zulu Dawn which is available on BD)


Cairns mark the spots where mass graves of British soldiers are buried

A natural setting with Zulu owned cattle seen grazing on the battlefield site


A memorial to the valour of the fallen Zulu impi which fell at Isandlwana Hill


Rorkes Drift Battlefield


All that remains of the original hospital building at Rorkes Drift

Memorial to the valour of the fallen Zulu which fell at Rorkes Drift


Memorial to the fallen British Soldiers at Rorkes Drift

Fugitives Drift Game Reserve and Memorial (the memorial is to Lts. Nevill Coghill and Teignmouth Melvill who tried to save the Queen's Colours of their regiment)





The Buffalo River which both Melvill and Coghill struggled to cross after the Battle of Isandlwana can be seen just a short distance from the memorial


Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, South Africa

Zulu King Cetshwayo Memorial Plaque

Shakaland





It is polite to drink Zulu beer when it is served to you and so I was polite and drank it with gusto!

This Zulu guide is holding the Zulu shield and Iklwa (assegai) which I purchased to go on the wall next to my original UK Zulu poster


Fort Nongqayi Museum

[rkolinski]

Cape Town - Part 1
Rode on the upper deck of the bus to see the sites better and took the red route the first day to go to Table Mountain


Too cloudy over Cape Town so I rode on the upper deck and took the red route 4 times before the clouds cleared so the city could be seen from Table Mountain. Result of forgetting to wear a hat - a sunburned scalp and face.












Lion's Head

Cape Town Stadium

Bo-Kaap, the historical centre of Cape Maylay culture



Cape Town is a major port





I ate lobster here

and photographed seagulls while waiting and joked to the waiter that I felt I was having an Alfred Hitchcock moment

Castle of Good Hope


Cape Town City Hall

[master_8ball]

I was starting to wonder where all the people and crowds were. Looked like the historical sites and lodges were all pretty empty or void of much tourists.

[rkolinski]

Originally Posted by master_8ball

I was starting to wonder where all the people and crowds were. Looked like the historical sites and lodges were all pretty empty or void of much tourists.

I asked tour guides about this and the general consensus was that the Ebola scare frightened a lot of tourist away. When I was at the Kampala Buffalo Camp safari, one day there was just 2 couples and on another day there was just a women and her two children. During my visit to Shakaland, there was just one woman and me and there was just one other tour van visiting the Zulu battlefield sites when I visited them.

[Carlanga]

Originally Posted by rkolinski

I asked tour guides about this and the general consensus was that the Ebola scare frightened a lot of tourist away. When I was at the Kampala Buffalo Camp safari, one day there was just 2 couples and on another day there was just a women and her two children. During my visit to Shakaland, there was just one woman and me and there was just one other tour van visiting the Zulu battlefield sites when I visited them.

Makes sense; can I ask how much are the lounges and tours?

Awesome pics! Thanks for the digital tour

Also, MOREEEEEEE pics

[rkolinski]

Trip to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was for 18 of the 27 years he was imprisoned. Former President Kgalema Motlanthe and current President Jacob Zuma were also imprisoned on the island.








Mandela's Cell



These girls won 5th place in netball in the UK and their prize was a trip to Cape Town and a safari




The Codfather, the second place I ate lobster and easily a 5 star restaurant



Seal Island



The CSS Alabama visited Cape Town in August of 1863 and Louisiana style Mardi Gras was brought to South Africa



The one African dish I had on my trip was Ostrich; interesting red meat that taste and looks like beef

[agoofykindasuperman]

Those penguins seem far away from home! lol

Not a bad prize for those girls for 5th place! Wonder what the other 4 winners got!

Did you get attacked by any of those wild baboons? lol

[Forehead_of_Security]

To anyone going to South Africa: just tell them to be nicer to those Prawns.
I haven't been there, but that documentary was gut-wrenching.

[rkolinski]

Originally Posted by agoofykindasuperman

Those penguins seem far away from home! lol

Not a bad prize for those girls for 5th place! Wonder what the other 4 winners got!

Did you get attacked by any of those wild baboons? lol

No fortunately, the baboons seemed to like cars more than vans.

[rkolinski]

Originally Posted by Forehead_of_Security

To anyone going to South Africa: just tell them to be nicer to those Prawns.
I haven't been there, but that documentary was gut-wrenching.

I didn't eat any prawns on my trip and I don't know which documentary you are referring to.

[master_8ball]

Originally Posted by rkolinski

I asked tour guides about this and the general consensus was that the Ebola scare frightened a lot of tourist away. When I was at the Kampala Buffalo Camp safari, one day there was just 2 couples and on another day there was just a women and her two children. During my visit to Shakaland, there was just one woman and me and there was just one other tour van visiting the Zulu battlefield sites when I visited them.

Interesting and makes a lot of sense, certainly made for a lot of good pictures... Did you find this affected the cost of your trip in a positive way as well?

Originally Posted by rkolinski

I didn't eat any prawns on my trip and I don't know which documentary you are referring to.

He's referencing the movie District 9 which was filmed in Johannesburg.

[rkolinski]

Originally Posted by master_8ball

Interesting and makes a lot of sense, certainly made for a lot of good pictures... Did you find this affected the cost of your trip in a positive way as well?

The two cheapest places I visited were South Africa where the exchange rate was approximately 12 Rand to the Dollar and Botswana where the exchange rate was almost 10 Puma to the Dollar. Zimbabwe, including Victoria Falls, only accepted Dollars and was the most expensive of the three countries I visited although they did reduce their Visa fee from $50 to $30. I spent about a third of what I had budgeted and that might possibly be due to the Ebola scare. It certainly did not affect the cost of air travel; before I left I had read the negative reviews given to South African Airways seating and tried to fly their business class but was unwilling to spend $3200 more for a better seat.

[master_8ball]

Originally Posted by rkolinski

The two cheapest places I visited were South Africa where the exchange rate was approximately 12 Rand to the Dollar and Botswana where the exchange rate was almost 10 Puma to the Dollar. Zimbabwe, including Victoria Falls, only accepted Dollars and was the most expensive of the three countries I visited although they did reduce their Visa fee from $50 to $30. I spent about a third of what I had budgeted and that might possibly be due to the Ebola scare. It certainly did not affect the cost of air travel; before I left I had read the negative reviews given to South African Airways seating and tried to fly their business class but was unwilling to spend $3200 more for a better seat.

Ya I figured airfare would be the most costly part of this type of trip, $3200 just for a business upgrade is insane. Glad you were able to save a little and thanks for sharing; going on a safari has always been on my bucket list.

[rkolinski]

Next up I will post images from the Great White Shark cage dive I went on!

[agoofykindasuperman]

Originally Posted by rkolinski

Next up I will post images from the Great White Shark cage dive I went on!

Sweet!

[rkolinski]

Great White Shark cage dive