South Africa sacked, Ferry Booked (1 Viewer)

funflair

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Some of you might know that we had a SAGA tour booked to South Africa, into Jo'burg, then hotel for 3 nights right on the edge of the Kruger national park with viewing platform to watch the animals etc, well that was what the itinerary BUT the hotel listed in the small print was in a town 40 miles from Kruger and next to a Casino and shopping mall, SAGA in their infinite wisdom thought that this was OK and they didn't even need to point out the change or even update the itinerary:mad:

Well we didn't agree with them and thankfully neither did our agent Thomas Cook so we got our money back, we should have been leaving on Tuesday so not a lot of time to make alternative arrangements, so motorhome to the rescue, Ferry booked from Hull on Monday and then doing a @DavidG58 "do we turn right or left" or I suppose we could go straight on just to be different.

We only have 2 1/2 weeks so might bimble down toward Brittany and do some of the coast that we cycle camped a lifetime ago.

Martin
 

MC 55 FUN

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The best way to do the R.S.A. is independently, SWMBO lived there for 40 years so if you have any questions feel free to ask (y)
 
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What a shame Martin. These tour operator's can be such liars.

I must admit that I did think k that your schedule seemed to be covering quite a lot in 2 1/2 weeks. We didn't do as much as that in 3 1/2 weeks at our own pace.

Thankfully you have the motorhome as a fallback and France should be getting into springtime.

Hope you have a lovely time
Jon

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andy63

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Ah sorry to hear that Martin. ..
I do recall you were going there and thinking what a lovely holiday that would be...
Hope you enjoy plan B and hope you can rearrange the S. Africa trip soon...
Andy.
 
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funflair

funflair

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The best way to do the R.S.A. is independently, SWMBO lived there for 40 years so if you have any questions feel free to ask (y)
I am on your side and thanks(y) my other half is getting a bit timid in her old age and has this thing called a "comfort zone" but please feel free to talk her out of it. The other thing was we did book it last minute so just when with what they had, we are talking about booking for November now so will see what happens but whatever it won't be SAGA.

Martin
 
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The best way to do the R.S.A. is independently, SWMBO lived there for 40 years so if you have any questions feel free to ask (y)

I agree, its even possible to rent mh's.

And if you really want to go for it sea bridge will do a group tour by mh covering RSA Botswana and Namibia, we met a Swiss couple who did it, only in German though.

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funflair

funflair

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What a shame Martin. These tour operator's can be such liars.

I must admit that I did think k that your schedule seemed to be covering quite a lot in 2 1/2 weeks. We didn't do as much as that in 3 1/2 weeks at our own pace.

Thankfully you have the motorhome as a fallback and France should be getting into springtime.

Hope you have a lovely time
Jon
Hi Jon

It was a lot to cram in and especially for somebody who "doesn't do mornings":LOL: next time we see you see if you can talk some sense into Jen because you know she doesn't listen to me.

Martin
 
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funflair

funflair

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I agree, its even possible to rent mh's.

And if you really want to go for it sea bridge will do a group tour by mh covering RSA Botswana and Namibia, we met a Swiss couple who did it, only in German though.
Now that's an idea Jon, I wonder how it would sit with the boss's "comfort zone"

Martin
 

MC 55 FUN

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I am on your side and thanks(y) my other half is getting a bit timid in her old age and has this thing called a "comfort zone" but please feel free to talk her out of it. The other thing was we did book it last minute so just when with what they had, we are talking about booking for November now so will see what happens but whatever it won't be SAGA.

Martin

Maybe fly to Jo'burg or Capetown ( amazing place ) plan a route ,book a few hotels, hire a car / landy & follow your nose, or sat nav :) . . you'll need at least a month though (y)
 
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Robert Clark

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Sorry it didn't work out for you Martin
We loved South Africa

You'd never take a pic like this on your phone anywhere in Europe

IMG_1147.JPG


Maybe you should look again?
 

MC 55 FUN

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I agree, its even possible to rent mh's.

And if you really want to go for it sea bridge will do a group tour by mh covering RSA Botswana and Namibia, we met a Swiss couple who did it, only in German though.

Not forgetting Mozambique, not much beats a Braai & several nice cold, ice cold Savannahs on their glorious beaches (y)

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funflair

funflair

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Sorry it didn't work out for you Martin
We loved South Africa

You'd never take a pic like this on your phone anywhere in Europe

View attachment 152576

Maybe you should look again?
Nice one Robert(y) will certainly do it but just didn't want to do this one and take what felt like second best after reading the glowing reports of "our" hotel and then finding we were going to be in a completely different place.

Martin
 

GeriatricWanderer

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Forget Kruger. Too big, too commercialised, in malaria risk area.

Been in and around South Africa, and it's game parks, for 40+ years.

My suggestion - fly drive into Cape Town, loads of safe and affordable guest house type accommodation. Lots to see there then along the coast to Port Elizabeth. Not the prettiest of towns but only 30 minute drive to the Addo park. Self drive, face to face with the animals, like it? go again the next day or stay in camp overnight.
Avis rental about £10 day.
Easy and cost effective to put together a diy package.


Just a few safety rules to stick to but most are common sense.

Do make the effort to try again.

.

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Maybe fly to Jo'burg or Capetown ( amazing place ) plan a route ,book a few hotels, hire a car / landy & follow your nose, or sat nav :) . . you'll need at least a month though (y)

This is pretty much what we did. We seriously thought about doing it again this time - catching a few of the places that we missed. Ithink the problem with organised tours is that you are totally at the mercy of things that you have little or no control of - If its Tuesday and this is the allocated day to whale watch but the sea is terrible??? If you are independent you can watch the weather and look at the reviews and make your own choices, you are equally free to choose your own hotel or one of the excellent guest houses of which there are hundreds.

I enjoyed some good organised tours when I was working working and had limited holiday time but I also had my fair share of moments where I thought ' what idiot planned this?' Independant is so much better in so many ways.

Security wise - are you safer in a coach clearly indentified as tourist or driving along the highway in your silver toyota?
 
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Just thread hopping a little.

NZ is F A B U LOUS!! What a place to go motorhoming, and for Jen - they speak english, they are really freindly, the food is like Uk food, the shops are like UK shops and its really really safe (apart from the odd earthquake).

They have freedom camping - Im going to be boring people to death about that back home!

Ok its a long flight - the weather is a bit changeable and it is expensive but the scenery, the wildlife, the motorhoming.......

Jon
 

MC 55 FUN

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Security wise - are you safer in a coach clearly indentified as tourist or driving along the highway in your silver toyota?

Security is probably the only downside i.m.o. - an average of 51 reported murders per day, every day, isn't to be sniffed at . . having said that I've driven thousands of miles in R.S.A. with no issues at all & we'll be going back regularly to visit SWMBO's family.

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DBK

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I know I've said it before here but if going to Cape Town area, go around October so you can see the whales - they come right into the edge of the shore in some spots. Magical. Plus the flowers of course, it being spring. :)
 

pappajohn

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Security wise - are you safer in a coach clearly indentified as tourist or driving along the highway in your silver toyota?
Driving along isnt the problem.....stopping at red lights is...
Carjacking is, or at least was, rife in RSA cities.
Windows up and doors locked ?????? You may still get a gun pointed at you through the window.

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Security is probably the only downside i.m.o. - an average of 51 reported murders per day, every day, isn't to be sniffed at . . having said that I've driven thousands of miles in R.S.A. with no issues at all & we'll be going back regularly to visit SWMBO's family.

I dont think many of them are tourists though?
Driving along isnt the problem.....stopping at red lights is...
Carjacking is, or at least was, rife in RSA cities.
Windows up and doors locked ?????? You may still get a gun pointed at you through the window.

So on that basis you would also avoid many of britains cities?
 

MC 55 FUN

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Difficult to state without appearing racist or using apartheid terms but the vast majority of violent crime in South Africa is still black on black and takes place in the "townships" and like most of the rest of the world, is drink or drug driven.

You are quite right (y)

The only real iffy place we encountered was Cosmo City :eek: near Jo'burg - that was a tad scary.

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