Our five-day mini vacation on the Garden Route unfortunately doesn’t have many opportunities for WiFi, so I’ve decided to blog “Victoria Falls-style” and keep a journal entry of each day, which I can then upload separately whenever I get the chance. I miss having the ability to constantly keep in touch through the Internet with happenings back home, but as everyone knows, sometimes it feels nice to be unplugged for a short while. I fortunately have Wi Fi access at the current hostel we’re staying in, so I figured I’d upload an update on the first part of our trip. I unfortunately don't have my cord to upload pictures onto my computer, so you'll have to wait to see photos when I return to Cape Town!
Bags packed and ready to go, we started our adventure early this morning by being picked up at our apartment in a roomy van by our tour guide (whose name is Dave Jones, funnily enough). Our destinations for today were the farthest distances from the city on the Garden Route, so we made a good deal cruising along in the van – no complaints, as the scenery was breathtaking. Our first stop was Betty’s Bay in Stony Point, where we got to see quite a large wild penguin colony (always a favorite activity of mine). We then made our way to Hermanus, a beautiful, charming city on the coast. After spending an hour perusing through little shops and markets, we had a quaint picnic lunch on the rocks along the water. Hermanus is known for its large marine animals, specifically Southern Right Whales and great whites, though unfortunately it’s currently not whale-sighting season. However, we will be making our back through the city on our return loop to go shark cage diving later this weekend.
We arrived at the Garden Route Game Lodge in Albertinia late afternoon in just enough time to enjoy a quick cocktail from the bar before our evening safari drive! The rustic lodge is gorgeous and reminds me a little bit of Mala Mala. We even get to stay in the cutest bungalows, equipped with a front porch. When we first set off for our drive, I hate to admit, I was a little disappointed – I had been extremely spoiled by Mala Mala and I could tell that this was quite different in many ways. It’s a nature reserve, but there are fences around each separate “enclosure,” and there aren’t a fraction of the sheer number of wild animals compared to Kruger. Our first sighting was of a male and female lion picking at a decrepit carcass (which was fed to them) and we were observing them from a disappointingly far distance – not quite the two feet away that I experienced on safari. However, I felt incredibly lucky to have the opportunity for a couple extra game drives, and I put the expectations from Mala Mala behind me and appreciated every sighting we encountered. Things certainly excitingly picked up later in the evening – we spotted a cheetah (my first!), which is highly endangered, by hearing the kudu barking at it, ears perked and eyes focused on its stealthy movement. We also drove right up next to a small family of three rhinos and later on had a practical face-off with a zebra right in front of the vehicle. Throughout the rest of the evening, there were sightings of giraffes, wildebeest, plenty of kinds of antelopes and buffalo. I’m stoked for our early morning drive!
After a buffet-style delicious dinner in the beautiful dining room, all four of us were pretty exhausted from the day. If our first day was this jam-packed, then I can’t wait to see what the next four days have in store!
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