Catching Up Series: South Africa 4 of 6
The fourth installment in the “Catching Up: South Africa” series. A single line pecked from a stray internet cafe in Madid, and the excitement of first touchdown on African soil.
(so o.k. perhaps not quite as grand as “One small step for Man, one giant leap for…”, but still – quite the thrill for this solo TravelnLass.)
| Catching Up on…
South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho & Mozambique (March 30, 2004) Hola Para Madrid
All´s well, the Prado was great – off soon for the next flight to South Africa…
(March 31, 2004) First Glimpse of South Africa! We’re here, we’re here – we’re finally HERE! O.k. so admittedly, this pic doesn’t look like much – but at least we’ve managed to upload a pic from the camera – here at my hostel in South Africa (Rockey’s at Fourways, just outside of Johannesburg). Just got in this afternoon – brain utterly fried from 20+ air hours, but totally excited. Beeeeee-U-tiful weather (’bout 24 degrees celsius – am already getting the hang of the conversions – that’s about 68 degrees fahrenheit) in short – a sunny, breezy, beautiful welcome! Much to relate but too loopy to peck it just now (plus am paying 40 rand per hour here on this ‘puter) But speaking of “rands” – have already been on the telly and have got everything set up to snag those Krugerrands y’all want – at a nearby coin shop tomorrow. Sorry to be so wacky and brief, but mainly just wanted to see if I could upload pics here from this hostel computer. A piece-o-cake. No special software needed. Works like a charm, so… You can look forward to more pics soon. Dy the Loopy |
Fast-forward 9 years:
Note, for those not in the know: My surname is “Kruger”. Indeed, Paul S. Kruger (President of South Africa back in 1880, and thus immortalized via the gold “Krugerrand” doubloon, was apparently my great-great-great-great-or some such uncle.
So o.k. I’m distantly related to a bigot, who seriously believed the world was FLAT (how ironic, given my own penchant for skipping ’round the GLOBE), but still…
That’s one of the reasons I’d long dreamed of tiptoeing amid the bush trails of the World-renown Kruger National Park – established more than 120 years ago by my uncle.
Thus… the anecdote above about my quest to track down a few gold doubloons as souvenirs for my family (mere .1 oz. coins mind you, ‘cuz even then gold was hovering at $450/ounce)
(OMG, I just checked today’s gold prices and those bitty .1 ounce doubloons are now worth nearly FOUR TIMES what I paid for them 9 years ago!)
| Check out all in the “Catching Up” South Africa series HERE |
About the Author
Dyanne Off-the-beaten-path travel is my passion,and I’ve always lived life “like-a-kid-in-a-candy-store” – eager to sample as many flavors as I can. Indeed, my life motto has long been: This ain’t a dress rehearsal, folks!
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Off-the-beaten-path travel is my passion, and I’ve always lived life “like a kid in a candy store” – eager to sample as many flavors as I can. Indeed, my life motto has long been:
