When we first announced our travel plans to my parents, they started brainstorming where they could meet up with us. They threw out ideas like Ireland and Italy, but we thought they could go bigger so we said, why don’t you join us for safari in South Africa? Initially said no, mainly because of the very long flight to get there, but after a very persuasive sales pitch and my inability to take no as an answer, they finally agreed. 5 months later we were meeting them after a 26+ travel day at the Johannesburg airport to start an unforgettable trip. 

After a deep sleep in Johannesburg we hopped on an hour long flight to the Timbavati Game Reserve for a 3 days safari. I recently learned that Timbavati means “the place where something sacred came down to Earth from the Heavens”, which I think is really beautiful. One question my parents asked during my sales pitch was, “what if we don’t see any animals?”. Well that question was immediately answered when we saw giraffes and impalas just on the shuttle from the airport. We then arrived at our lodge, Kambaku River Sands, a beautiful lodge made up of about 10 guest rooms, a spa, and a main lodge house. Cordy greeted us with friendliness and warmth (and a welcome drink), before we settled in to the rooms and had a quick lunch. During lunch a herd of elephants came up for a drink out of the lodge’s pool - that’s not something you see everyday.

The following 3 days looked like this: 5am wake up call, coffee, 3 hour safari drive, brunch, nap, 3pm snack, 3 hour safari drive, happy hour while out driving, dinner, lights out, repeat. A pretty ideal day by any standards. 

This was AJ’s and my second safari so we knew we were going to love it, but we didn’t expect to be blown away like we were the first time. We were wrong. It’s so magical to watch the animals in their natural habitat and to be so close to some of the most beautiful animals on the planet. There’s also the adrenaline rush you get when a lion or elephant looks you right in the eye and starts walking your direction. Luckily the guides are so in-tune with the animals that they know if there is a threat to safety. They respect the animals and leave them to live their lives as naturally as possible. We saw every animal we hoped to see - elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras, kudu, cheetah, leopards (my favorite!), hippos, rhinos and more. Sadly there is a very serious rhino poaching problem so we can’t share photos online, but their massive, thick bodies are a sight to be seen. 

Going on a safari is an incredibly moving and special experience, and I think my parents felt the same way. to see their reactions to the animals and to have them receive the level of service we receives was very special for AJ and I. I wish everyone had the chance to go on safari and hope to take more people on one in the future. 

After 6 memorable game drives, we left safari and hopped on a flight to Cape Town. Cape Town is a fairly easy city to visit - there are a few “can’t miss” things to do, gorgeous sceneries, and UNBELIEVABLE food. Every meal we ate had something unforgettable; from the chicken and the eggplant at Black Sheep, to the truffle polenta fries and kingklip at Kloof Street House, to the craft beers at Tigers Milk, to the fresh seafood at The Codfather, we couldn't go wrong if we tried. Outside of eating far too much food, we did the usual Cape Town sites: Table Mountain, District 6 Museum, Boulders Beach, Robben Island, and Camps Bay. Recently Cape Town has received a reputation for being unsafe, but we never felt that. If anything, people saying how dangerous it is and the levels to which their homes employ security systems made it feel much less safe than it actually was. But despite the scare tactics we found it, once again, to be a stunning and truly enjoyable city. 

The last stop on our South African tour was the Cape Winelands, located just east of Cape Town. This is a stunning part of the country full of wine estates, vineyards, mountains, and clear blue skies. We stayed in downtown Stellenbosch, a quaint university town, at the Coopmanhuijs Boutique Hotel. The hotel was a perfect property with a great restaurant and pool. During our only full day in the Winelands we hopped on the Vine Hopper, a mini van that took up around to 5 different wineries in the area, having wine samplings at each one. Miraculously we all survived, sober and unscathed. 

Then the day finally came for my parents to leave us. It was truly amazing and special to share this trip with them. I can’t believe we actually got them to travel to Africa! But in the end, we all agreed that it was 100% worth the long flight. 

We’re now in our final two weeks of travel before returning to the US (NYC, Sept. 18th) for the first time in 5 months! But first, Zimbabwe and Cairo.