8/4/09 Egypt to Jordan - Dahab to Petra

At the end of the day's tour in Aswan, our guide dropped us off at our cruise ship, the Sheraton Anton in time for lunch. Another amazing place to see is Abu Simbal which is a 600 klm round trip south from Aswan - but due to the extremely high temperatures we decided to give that one a miss for now - perhaps another time in cooler weather.

The ship departed in the early afternoon and we began a relaxing two day cruise northward on the Nile, visiting the villages of Kom Ombo and Edfu along the way. The ship went down through one set of locks at Esna on the Nile. It appears to be cheaper to buy a ticket at the ship or from an Egyptian agent than to purchase it from the home country. We heard many people saying it was 4 times the price to book from their home country, so many felt it was excellent value. We were upgraded to a suite on the 4th deck so we were very happy also. The current season is extremely hot and perhaps that is one of the reasons why tourist numbers are very low here at the present time.

Pat enjoyed lazing in the sun on the top deck whilst yours truly sat enjoying the open air from under shade covers. The top deck is a wonderful place to relax with many lounges, tables, chairs, palm trees and a great swimming pool. It's great just lazing away the time watching the river and the date palms on the banks of the Nile slip by. The banks are very fertile and seem to be full of crops and people working the fields. On the cruise we met a very nice Korean couple, Hankeon and Seunghee, both from Seoul. After breakfast, on the morning of our arrival in Luxor, our group was picked up by a guide and we headed out for an exciting day of exploring.

The Valley of the Kings - visiting this dry, barren limestone valley and hearing about the Kings who were buried here, the processes involved and the finding of the burial sites will give me some interesting reading in the future. I have only ever had a basic knowledge of Egyptian history and I have now found it to be fascinating to say the least.

When a King's Coronation takes place, commencement on the stone work of his burial chamber begins - so therefore the longer the King's life, the bigger the tomb and the more antechambers will be incorporated. When the King dies, there are just 70 days available for final preparation to take place, in which the body is mummified and his final chamber room for burial is made ready.
King Tutankharum's tomb was very small because he had lived a short life and died suddenly at age 19 - his was the first tomb discovered and was actually found by accident. When the archeologists were scratching around back in the 1920's a jug of water fell from a donkey - the water ran out of the jug but disappeared - this is where they they then began to excavate and ultimately found the tomb - the first of 63 tombs which have been found to date in the Valley of the Kings. At this valley we visited 3 King's tombs.

Al-Deir Al-Bahari Temple - another wonderful site to visit. Built by Egypt's only and very controversial female ruler. It is a grand tiered structure built into the side of a mountain and graced by huge statues.

The Valley of the Queens - here we visited 2 substantial tombs. This valley is by no means on the same grand scale as the Kings' valley and many tombs have been simply dug downwards into a shaft-like structure. The tomb of Queen Nefatari is supposed to be the best in the whole of Egypt, but the Government decided to close it to the public. You can however visit, if you pay the entrance fee of 20,000 Egyptian pounds.

Karnack Temple - another fascinating site and a very impressive area incorporating one section alone with 134 huge columns of stone.

We strolled down through the streets of Luxor in the evening - enjoying the street scenes, the people and those wonderful food smells. Due to the extreme heat during the day people seem to spend more time inside and after sundown they are able to get out and about in the cooler temperatures of the evening. At our Hotel we decided to check out the view so went to the rooftop restaurant and enjoyed the view and a cold beer and glass of wine. By the way, the aroma in Egyptian spice shops here is great.

The following morning we were well organised and headed out of town to the bus stop for the 8:30am departure for Hurghada on the Red Sea - or so we thought. The large air conditioned bus was delayed - then it was broken down - then of course, it wasn't even going to arrive. We were assured another bus would be here soon. The bus finally left at 11am - a big clapped out heap of junk - no air conditioning - but anyway, we were on our way. Those of us waiting for the bus chatted amoungst ourselves - Japanese, Italian, French and Australian - it certainly helps pass the time.

We had a very long, hot bus trip across the arid land and through the wild scraggy mountains to the Red Sea, arriving after 5pm. We teamed up with the little French family Vincent and Stephanie with their two children, Pierre 7 and Adele 4 as we were all heading to the same destination. We stayed the night at a "very basic" hotel at the port of Sigala as we had decided to take the 4am fast ferry across the Red Sea to Sharm El-Sheikh on the Sinai Peninsula. Pat thought it would be best to catch the ferry, otherwise we could be waiting a long time for it to open up like it did for Moses. The crossing was very rough and many people on board were seasick. The ferry was travelling at 50 km/hr but they decided to go "slowly slowly" to 37 km/hr which made the trip more comfortable. The usual 1.5 hr crossing became a 2.75 hr crossing!

At Sharm El-Sheikh Pat negotiated a good price for a mini van so we headed north up the Peninsula to Dahab on the coast. What a relief - great sea breezes and a very enjoyable little hamlet. We checked into a little Bedoin Village called 7th Heaven and decided to stay put for a few days to enjoy the coastal location and perhaps the opportunity to sample some local seafood.
At lunch time we strolled along the waterfront and were lured into a little restaurant with the sea lapping the sides of the dirt floor - here we sat down for a very enjoyable lunch of grilled calamari and vegetables with all the trimmings - what a wonderful spread. Our lunch was topped off with tasty cold watermelon and Bedoin tea. Absolutely delectible.

We gave Kelli and Sonya a call - it was great to hear their voices. Kelli knew exactly where we were, as she had been here on her backpacking trip 10 years ago - she said these are the restaurants where the best food is determined by the most number of cats! Yes, the place has a big population of cats roaming around. One actually grabbed Pat's leg and scratched him while we were having lunch!

Pat was keen to visit Mt Sinai and St Catherine's Monastery, where Moses is reputed to have received the 2 tablets of stone, containing the 10 Commandments. The trip was to be 12 hours from 11pm and returning the following morning at 11am. I chose the alternate option and enjoyed a great night's sleep! I am currently sitting in the same restaurant enjoying the sea breeze, the view and breakfast - it has given me a great opportunity to write my Blog.


Well Pat returned from his expedition looking a bit tired, stiff and sore but with some wonderful photographs of his trip. Pat's trip incorporated a 7 klm trek up the mountain on a camel and the last 750 steps on foot and returning all the way back down on foot. To quote the Lonely Planet:


Rising up out of the desert and jutting above the other peaks surrounding St Catherine's Monastery is the towering 2,285 metre Mt Sinai. Although some archaeologists and historians dispute Mt Sinai's biblical claim to fame, it is revered by Christians, Muslims and Jews, all of whom believe that God delivered his Ten Commandments to Moses at the summit. The mountain is beautiful and at the summit it offers a taste of the serenity and magnificence of southern Sinai's high mountain region.

There are two well defined routes - the camel trail and the Steps of Repentance - that meet about 300 metres below the summit at a plateau, where everyone must take a steep series of 750 rocky and uneven steps to the top. Most people make the climb in the predawn hours to take in the magnificence of the sun rising over the surrounding peaks, and then arrive back at the base when the Monastery opens for visitors.

This was the trip that Pat took - he couldn't wait get into a shower and have a much needed sleep. On reflection, I think I chose the better option. I am currently sitting in the same restaurant enjoying the sea breeze, the view and breakfast - it has given me a great opportunity to write my Blog.

That evening we had dinner at the 7th Heaven Restaurant with Vincent & Stephanie, Pierre and Adele the French family we had met a few days earlier. They are partners in a vineyard in France so it was very interesting to hear how a vineyard is looked after and ultimately the wine prepared for sale. We have been invited to visit the vineyard so we'll look forward to doing that on our next visit to France.

We left Dahab the following morning with an Aussie Tour Group as we were offered a lift to Nuweiba further up the coast with them. Nuweiba is the ferry port from which we departed Egypt for Aqaba, Jordan. The process of buying the ferry ticket in Nuweiba; going through security; sitting and then lining up for a bus to the ferry; boarding the ferry and then finally cruising across the sea to Jordan was not carried out at any shattering speed - I guess there's just no rush when you're leaving Egypt! We finally arrived in Aqaba at about 5pm so decided to stay a night before heading north.

Jordan feels so much better to be travelling in than Egypt - the people are more laid back - they're not so much in your face and we've noticed the streets are cleaner. Jordanians are passionate about their Royal Family and love King Abdullah, the son of King Hussein. People love to talk about the good deeds their King carries out on a regular basis - from travelling around the country to visit the people, sitting down and sharing a meal with the Bedoins to building homes for the poor.

There are some ruins from an early medieval port city in Aqaba called Ayla, so we decided to visit as our little granddaughter has the same name.

We packed up early in the morning, negotiated a deal with a taxi driver and headed north to Wadi Rum. Wadi Rum is a protected area and is considered to have some of the most extraordinary desert scenery in the world. Our 4WD driver was called Eed and he was 16 years of age - a little younger than we're used to, but nevertheless he handled the Toyota well and he certainly loved his job.

(In 1916, the Arabs with the assistance of T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) launched the Arab Revolt and helped the British drive the Turks from the region.)

This is the region where the Arab revolt took place and was also the location for scenes from the movie, Lawrence of Arabia. Eed took delight in showing us the highlights of Wadi Rum, especially Khazali Canyon which is a deep narrow gorge and home to many early inscriptions in the rock.
When we left the Protected Area, a taxi driver made us a a good offer to take us to Petra, our next destination. Along the way he stopped and bought us a cup of tea and refreshment - quite a bit different to the taxi drivers in Egypt! Mini buses are available for transport between many of the towns and cities here, but they wait until they have a full bus before leaving - so if time is not an issue then buses are very cheap to get around. Taxis are everywhere and they also offer reasonable fares.

Petra is a very special place and Jordan's most visited tourism spot - it has been a Cultural World Heritage site since 1985. We visited both at night and during the day. To quote the Lonely Planet:

Hewn from towering rock walls, the imposing facades of the great temples and tombs of Petra are an enduring testament to the grandeur of the Nabatean vision. The Nabateans - Arabs who controlled the frankincense trade routes of the region in pre-Roman times - chose as their city a hidden valley concealed from the outside world and transformed it into one of the Middle East's most memorable sites.

La Vrine, France to Switzerland, Germany and Austria

We headed out of La Vrine in France and crossed the border into Switzerland. As we crossed the border we were greeted with one of our magical memories of Switzerland - the sight of cows grazing in the lush green paddocks and the clanging of the bells hanging around their necks - each farm has its own bell and individual sound. It's great to be so welcomed back to this beautiful country.

Our Swiss friends Marianne and Raymond, rescued us in 2006 when our Toyota 4WD lost a wheel in the mountainous countryside of Tibet. It was great to be able to meet up with them again at their home in Bussigny. They invited us to stay at their Chalet in the Swiss Alps, so we made some quick changes to our itinerary and made plans to meet them there the following Saturday.

Interlaken is a beautiful part of Switzerland and we enjoyed driving in the mountains and around the lake over the next couple of days. The weather was quite cool and we had rain each day, however it did not spoil it for us. We decided against the trip to the top of Jungfrau on the gondola because of the fog and poor visibility. Pat headed up to the Town Square to watch the World Cup game of Switzerland against Spain on the big screen. The atmosphere was pretty amazing and even more amazing when Switzerland actually won the match.

Our journey continued onto the Lotschberg tunnel in Switzerland where we drove our car straight onto a railway carriage to travel the tunnel through the mountain. We then followed the valley along to the village of Tasch where we stayed for the night. From Tasch it is a 10 minute train trip to Zermatt at the foothills of the Matterhorn, fortunately we were able to leave our car at the hotel in Tasch for the next 24 hours.

We arrived at the Helvetica Hotel in Zermatt and took our bags straight to our room - 84 steps up from the street! Our room was on the top floor with a wonderful view through to the mountains. We then walked through the village to the encased chair lift where we took off up the mountain to commence our 40 minute ascent to the Little Matterhorn. Further up the mountain we changed to another enclosed chair lift and yet further up again we climbed aboard a gondola designed to carry 8,000 plus kilograms. The gondola ascended to the lookout at the Little Matterhorn where we sat in the sun and snow for one hour, waiting for the cloud and fog to lift so we could get a clear view of the Matterhorn - Europe's highest peak. There was a real league of nations on the lookout - Australians, New Zealanders, Americans, Koreans, Italians, English and Scottish - it was a great atmosphere as we all chatted and waited for the cloud to lift. The air was thinner at the top, so we had to walk slowly and reserve our oxygen. We had full mobile phone coverage so gave PJ and Kelli a call from the top of Europe!

Back in Zermatt that evening, we enjoyed a traditional Swiss meal and music by a Swiss quartet. After 4 trips in our hotel up and down our 84 stairs on our first day in Zermatt we were ready to call it a night. The next day we took the train back to Tasch, picked up our car and headed for Marianne and Raymond's chalet in the Alps.
Our day's journey took us through Sion, Nendaz, Bramois, Nax and onto the Village of Mase. Marianne's directions were spot on, so we had no difficulty in finding Marianne and Raymond. The view from the Chalet is out of this world - across the valley and the wildflowers to villages high up in the mountains. In the evening we had a traditional Swiss meal called Raclette with wines from this wine growing area of Valais, to match each course! Oo-la-la! C'est bon! Tonight was a special evening as we raised our glasses and toasted Marianne and Raymond and helped them celebrate their 29th Wedding Anniversary - a great occasion.

The weather had become quite cold during the evening and we awoke to see fresh snow on the mountain tops surrounding the chalet! Brrrr - it's the first time we've experienced snow in the summer time! Raymond took us out for a drive to the village of Evelene where we walked around the streets and enjoyed the scenery. In the afternoon we learned how to play the game called Rummikub - we thoroughly enjoyed the game and will try to buy it on our trip home. Tonight's meal was something I have never eaten before - horse! It was very tender and very nice. Horse is a very common meat here and particularly in eastern Europe.

We said goodbye to Marianne and Raymond in the lovely village of Mase and headed through the beautiful Swiss Alps and many mountain passes before arriving in the famous city of St Moritz. We crossed over many passes including Julier Pass at a height of 2,284 metres. Crossing the border into one little corner of Austria we stayed in a lovely little village called Landeck. Our journey took us through West Tirol into Germany to the magnificent and truly beautiful Neuschwanstein, otherwise called Ludwig's Castle in south western Germany.

The castle was fantastic and the tour very interesting - this is yet another story for me to follow up on when we get home. King Ludwig was a very interesting character however he was an accomplished swimmer but drowned with his Doctor in the lake, when he was in his early 40's. The castle was then left unfinished. Fussen is a quaint little village nearby and is the beginning of the Romantische Strasse or the Romantic Road which we followed north in Germany. In the village of Landsberg we headed to a traditional Bavarian restaurant and were served the biggest meal I've ever seen! Our dinner was a huge joint of pork served with knodel, a traditional type of dumpling.

The towns and villages along the Romantic Road are so traditional and interesting - we stopped in Augsburg and shopped for some traditional German clothes - we decided to get ready for Dingo Beach's Oktoberfest celebrations on October 1st. We travelled onto Nordlingen and checked into a great 600 year old hotel. The floorboards creaked a bit - but it was very well kept.

We travelled further north to Wurzburg and stayed in the beautiful city of Bamberg with it's fantastic Old City. This area of Germany is also known as the Beer Road - so Pat thought that would be the obvious road choice to follow. Bamberg has many private breweries and we visited the oldest and most famous brewery in the Old City called Schlenkerla. We sampled four types of beer - light, white, lager and black smoked! Once again we booked into a 600 year old Hotel - these buildings are great - although I did notice the floor in this one was on a bit of a slope!

Pottenstein and Gossweinstein are beautiful little villages, with the latter having a magnificent Basilica which was well worth a visit. Heading south once again through Germany towards Austria we travelled through some beautiful scenic areas with green rolling hills. The town of Regan has a Guesthouse and Resort which is home to a famous German horse and wagon team, seen at all major functions including the Munich Beer Festival. It looks very impressive with the wagon loaded with huge beer barrels and being pulled by a team of eight horses. We checked into the Guesthouse and were served a fantastic four course dinner at a cost of 8 Euros each - unbelievable!

Southern Tirol in Austria is just soooo beautiful. We travelled past a lake and through the town of Zell am See to a little village called Lengdorf. Here we met up with Reiner, Fred and Ulla whom we originally met back home at Dingo Beach. They were spending some time with their friends Sepp and Ina who also invited us along to their holiday house in Lengdorf. This is one serious holiday home - it has 3 floors with a kitchen and bathroom on each floor; a cellar; a barbeque in the garden and about 12 bicycles in the shed! Sepp told me this house will sleep about 20 people in beds and after that it's swags and sleeping bags on the floor! The most they have ever had was 35 people in the kitchen at the same time.

We all walked out for dinner in the evening to a restaurant about two kilometres away. The village is in a valley, flanked on both sides by beautiful green rolling hills and mountains. The food was great and the walk back home was very enjoyable. This evening there were many spot fires on the mountain sides - this is the time (after the winter) to burn fires as a celebration to St Johann - one such fire high up on the mountain was in the shape of the alpine flower The Edelweiss. Wunderbah!

Reiner drives a 2009 Porsche GT2 - 540 hp with a maximum speed of 336 k/ph - it goes from 0 to 100 k/ph in 3.6 seconds!!!! Pretty impressive! Pat and I both shared the day travelling with Reiner - the remainder of the group travelled in Sepp's normal car! The Porsche certainly is a speed machine! As there is no speed limit on the Autobahn it is possible to drive a car at whatever speed you like. Reiner said he has actually taken the Porsche up to 310 k/ph!!! That's a serious speed! This day we didn't travel on any Autobahns - thankfully! Today's scenery was glorious - travelling to Mayhofen, Hintertux Glacier and Lanersbach.

The following day we visited the highest peaks in Austria including Grossglockner in Hohe Tauern National Park. As we drove through the mountains we came upon perhaps more than 5,000 people walking - they were all on a pilgrimage and attended open air Mass high up in the mountains. At home in the early evening we set off on a bicycle ride along the waterway close to Sepp and Ina's home at Lengdorf, Neidersill. We had a wonderful visit in Southern Tirol and would certainly love to return on another trip.

Further north in Austria, we visited the lovely city of Steyr where Finnigan's diesel motors were made. We toured the Steyr facility with Hubert - he then took us out to a restaurant on the river for a traditional Austrian lunch. We were now Hamburg bound and headed back into Germany through Nurnberg and Bamberg, staying the night at Pfarrweisach in an old Guest House, once again about 400 years old. The amazing thing about this guest house is that it has been in the same family over all these years. The lady who currently runs it moved in with her husband when she was 18 years of age and she is now 62 years of age.

We set off early the next morning and headed through Fulda, Gottingen and Hannover into Hamburg. It was great to see Heine and Sieglinde again and to meet their daughter Steffi. Heine grew up with my Uncle Joe (Sepp) in Austria - they were next door neighbours. The last time we were in Austria, Heine took us walking in the mountains - a wonderful experience and memory for us both. Steffi has an apartment in the same complex as her parents, so it is great for them that they have a daughter living close by. We spent the next few days with Steffi in her lovely apartment.

Heine and Sieglinde took us to the old Hanseatic city of Lubeck. We toured the Cathedral and took the lift to the top of the Cathedral tower which gave a great view over the whole city. At the entrance to the Old City there are two round towers - one of which is on a very noticeable lean - but then I guess we all lean a bit as we get older! After having a good walk in the Old City, we had a lovely lunch in the City Square.

That afternoon, Pat and I visited an amazing elderly lady, 94 years of age in the City of Hamburg - she is our friend Otmar's Mother. She lives by herself in an apartment on the 4th floor of her building. Otmar has always told us his Mum lives on the 4th floor and walks up and down the stairs herself. When I was going up to her apartment I purposely counted the steps and stairs - 84 in all! She is 94 years of age and walks up and down as many as five or six times a day!! Now that is what I call amazing - she said when her younger relatives come to visit they always complain about the stairs! I guess this is part of how and why she has kept so well and fit for all these years. We spent a lovely couple of hours with her - she wouldn't let me clean up after our afternoon tea - she said she wants to be able to look at her table and see that she has had visitors after we have gone! What an inspirational lady.

We bought a train pass and travelled into Hamburg's Maritime Museum for the day. The Museum was 10 floors high and we managed to spend many hours checking out all the floors. Pat wanted to do some research to find out more information about an old Hamburg ferry named Elisa which was bombed in Hamburg harbour during the war. An elderly gentleman from Bundaberg who was once a skipper on the ferry managed to salvage the steering wheel which he later gave to Pat. The old gentleman has now passed away and the steering wheel has pride of place in Pat's bar. We weren't able to find out any more information, however the Museum staff will contact Pat with any information they may be able to research for him.

Heine took us to the beautiful area of Blakenese along the River Elbe in Hamburg. They took us out for afternoon tea to the Saegbiel Hotel, overlooking the river, where he and Sieglinde had their Wedding 40 years ago. The waiter told us he has worked there for 50 years - so we think he was probably there at the time of their Wedding reception 40 years ago. Imagine working as a waiter at the same place for 50 years! Hopefully he did receive some recognition for his many years of service. We said goodbye to Heine, Sieglinde and Steffi and look forward to Steffi's next visit to Australia sometime down the track.

The European leg of our holiday was nearing an end so we headed south from Hamburg through Bremen, Reine, Essen and Olpe to the little village of Marienheide in another beautiful and scenic area of Germany. We spent a couple of days with Annette, Harald and their 4 year old son, Ole - all of whom we met in South Australia last year while we were travelling with our caravan. Their little Yorkshire Terrier Morris was also lovely company - I think we have a soft spot for Yorkies! We visited some great caves in the area and enjoyed a very traditional pancake lunch in a restaurant Pfannkuchenhaus.

In the evening we walked about 3 to 4 kilometres to a beautiful old Castle which is now a Police Training Venue, enjoyed a good German beer and then headed off for the walk back to the village. It was great walking along the country lanes and through the woods and fields. Harald's parents live alongside their home, so at dinner time it's a trip out to the veggie patch to choose the vegetables for the salad - beats a trip to the supermarket!

We visited the city of Koln and the beautiful old Cathedral then headed through Aachan in Germany, Maastricht in the Netherlands (home of Andre Rieu) and onto Liege in Belgium. In a short period of time we had driven in three countries. We followed the river for most of the day and stayed in a beautiful old Villa on the River just south of Namur in Belgium. In the evening we went for a walk along the banks of the river before dinner. The Tour de France would commence the following day and would be coming through this area so there are many visitors to the area.

Our journey into Paris took us through the lovely Champagne Valley of France, where we visited the ancient wine cellars of Pannier wines. These cellars were amazing as they were dug out by hand over one thousand years ago and digging was carried out over a period of 300 years. The caves were originally dug out to provide the rock to build the village nearby - it was in later years it then became the wine cellars. We checked into the Ibis Hotel at Charles De Gaulle Airport, unpacked our bags and the car to prepare for our flight to Bangkok the following day.

Le Havre, France to the Switzerland Border

Le Havre lies at the mouth of the River Seine and is the gateway to Paris and northern France. We travelled through the countryside up the coast to the beautiful little seaside townships of Etretat and FeCamp. Breathtaking cliffs grace the coastline and it is easy to understand why so many famous artists came to this area to paint their interpretations of this magnificent scenery. One such famous artist who frequented this area was Claude Monet a young native of Le Havre.

FeCamp is the largest cod fishing port in France and is famous for its magnificent Abbey, which has been restored and rebuilt several times. FeCamp Abbey is also the home of the world famous Benedictine liquer.

There is a world of history here in Europe compared to our relatively short history in Australia of just over 200 years. The Normans from Scandanavia first raided the northern coast, then decided to stay as settlers. Norman French was a strong influence on the formation of the English language, which I guess would explain why we have many words that look similar to the French version.

William the Conqueror set out from Normandy to invade England in 1066. Normandy was also the site of the D Day invasion of Hitler's Europe in 1944. Visitors today would never know that Normandy took more physical damage during World War II than any other region, as the cities have all been restored and rebuilt.

We travelled the coast to Dieppe where surprisingly we found a Ivoirier - a Craftsman who carves pieces of art from ivory - it was different to hear his side of the story as opposed to thinking about the poor animals being mercilessly killed and butchered for their ivory tusks.

In the afternoon we left Dieppe and headed south for the little village of Ferrieres Haut Clocher where we spent the next three days with Vincent, Stephanie, Pierre and Adele, the French family we met in Egypt just last year. Vincent is a part owner in a Vineyard and we were welcomed with the tastiest wines I have had for some time. Over the next few evenings we tried Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Red wine, Cider and the spirit of Calvados. The most amazing thing for me was that I did not have one headache from drinking the wine - which was very welcomed.

Vincent drew up itineraries for us to follow each day - set us up with maps and off we would go. With Vincent's guidance we visited great places that we would not otherwise have known to visit. La Bouille on the Seine is a very quaint little village where Pat was able to have a leather belt made while he waited. We visited the beautiful abbey of St Martin de Bosherville before heading into the city of Rouen.

Rouen is truly an amazing medieval city to visit and is the city where St Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in the Old Market Place. We walked the city area for several hours checking out the many medieval streets and visited many sites including: The Church of Saint Joan of Arc, the Church of Saint Maclou and the Atrium of St Maclou which was a hospice where lepers went to die. We visited the Gothic Notre Dame Cathedral which was commenced in the 12th century on the foundations of a 4th century basilica and an 11th century Romanesque edifice. We also saw the beautiful Great Clock of Rouen which was fully restored in 2006.

We drove along the banks of the River Seine which winds its way through the picturesque countryside and then headed up into the hills to visit a beautiful place called Les Andeleys. Monet's Garden in Giverny is also a beautiful place but unfortunately it rained the whole time we were there so we did not get to do the full tour of the gardens - we had to settle for the short tour.

The city of Honfleur is a gorgeous city in Normandy where we visited the striking old timber Church of Saint Catherine, which has two parallel naves and a vaulted roof. A visit to Normandy would not be complete without a visit to the amazing Bayeux Tapestry. It depicts the history of William, Duke of Normandy's conquest of England in 1066 on an almost 70 metre length of linen cloth. This 11th century production depicts more than 600 embroidered people, 200 horses, about 40 ships and hundreds of animals and mythological figures. It was made at a time when most people could not read or write - so it tells the story in pictures - in embroidery.

As we travelled along the Normandy coast we visited the many locations of the D Day Landing Beaches, including Sword, Juno, Gold and Omaha. It was here at these landing beaches on June 6th 1944 that the courage and sacrifice of war servicemen and women brought freedom back to the European continent. It is a very thought provoking trip and particularly the visit to the American War Cemetery where over 10,000 servicemen are buried.

Further along the coast of Normandy is the magnificent Abbey of Mount St Michael which is a marvel of medieval architecture. All the rooms related to monastic life and are stacked one on top of the other around the top of what was once a rock. According to the legend, after the appearance of the Archangel Saint Michael, the monastery grew - the construction was carried out from the 10th to the 15th centuries on several floors around the Abbey - truly an amazing place to visit. The spire of the Abbey crowned with a statue of the archangel reaches skyward from atop the Abbey and can be seen in the countryside for miles. We checked into La Vieille Auberge Hotel right inside the fortress and really enjoyed our visit - our room had a balcony with views out across the bay. The tide was amazing to watch - incidentally, twice a month during the spring tides, the flood tide registers the biggest tides in Europe.

We travelled from the City of Blois in the magnificent Loire Valley onto Chambord Chateau - the biggest chateau from the Renaissance time. The Chambord Estate is the largest enclosed park throughout the world with an area of 5,440 hectares and its size is equivalent to the inner city of Paris. Francois 1st chose Chambord in order to satisfy his passion for hunting. We toured the gardens and checked out the furnished apartments, the panoramic views from the roof terraces and the outstanding double revolution staircase, a range of tapestries and works of art from the Renaissance.

We crossed the River Loire at La Charite sur Loire and headed for The Domaine Du Puits De Compostelle the home of Emmanuel - Vincent's close friend and owner of the Vineyard from where the beautiful wines we had been partaking of, had come. Emmanuel showed us around and we sat down to try some more wines - of course we bought some bottles for the trip!

About 40 klms north of the Vineyard here in the Burgandy area of France is the beautiful little village of Vezelay. We walked up the narrow winding street of the village to the Basilica of Saint Madeleine - at the time Benediction was underway - the singing and the sound of the organ was glorious. Vezelay has become one of the most important holy places of the Christian world and a departure point for the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

This particular evening in the Burgandy area we stayed in a little village Arnay Le Duc - the full French menu and wine list in the restaurant was amazing. We sat down to a candlelight dinner, complete with fresh flowers on the table. Our meal was amazing - truly French and truly traditional - right down to the waitresses in traditional French folk costume. Tonight for dinner Pat chose Escargots while I settled for the Beef Bourgogne to be in keeping with the atmosphere!

We visited the city of Beaune famous for its undergound wine caves and the Hospice de Beaune Hotel Dieu. These buildings built in 1443 have been perfectly preserved from the Middle Ages and were built by the Duke of Burgundy. In the wake of the 100 year war Beaune was suffering from poverty and famine. Three quarters of the town's inhabitants had no supplies so with a plan to redeem the situation, The Duke and his wife, Guigone de Salins decided to found a Hospice for the poor. They endowed it with an annual income from a saltworks and with its own resources from the vineyards went ahead and engaged a large number of artists in its decoration. The Hotel Dieu, or Hospital with its gothic facades is today considered a jewel of medieval architecture. The multicoloured roof tiles are thought to have originated in central Europe - from whichever angle they are viewed they take on yet another pattern - truly wonderful.

What an interesting place. From the Middle Ages to the 20th century countless sick were taken in and cared for in several of the large rooms by the Sisters of the Hospices de Beaune. The Hotel Dieu rapidly gained a great reputation amongst the poor, nobles and middle class alike. It was subsequently enlarged with donations from the latter and embellished with new rooms and works of art, thus becoming a true "Palace for the Poor".

We drove around the grape growing areas north of Beaune in this beautiful Loue Valley, to the old Citadel city of Ornans. Just inside the border we stayed at the little village of La Vrine at La Ferme Hotel where we had the pleasure of meeting the friendliest Hotelier on the planet! Thank you Nadine for all your help and for a great visit!

Banjul, The Gambia to Le Havre, France

One evening after dinner onboard The Beautiful White Lady (as our Captain calls his ship) we headed to the Tahitian Lounge for a 50's and 60's night of music and dancing. It was a fun night with Brenda and Darrell being chosen as finalists in a Twisting Competition - once that dance floor was under Darrell's feet it was hard to get him off! They were in a dance-off with 5 other couples - they all won a bottle of Champagne for their great efforts - while we were all kept wonderfully entertained - it was a hoot!

Banjul, The Gambia - The Gambia flourished as a trans-Saharan trade route for ivory, gold and slaves until the 16th century. The Gambia was made famous in the 1970's as the birthplace of Kunta Kinte, the main character of the saga series Roots. Banjul, the capital, is situated on an island and is located near the mouth of the Gambia River. James Island was used to hold slaves for several weeks before they were shipped to other West African ports to be sold - it's dungeon still remains intact. Thankfully the slave trade was officially abolished in 1807, although it took several years after that date for it to be completely wiped out.

We set off on foot heading to the Albert Market, but due to being harrassed by too many young Africans we returned to the ship and took the bus to and from the Market. The market was a very busy place - full of batiks, wood carvings, fabrics and silver jewellery. I stopped to chat with some of the locals - one lovely young man told me he lives on The Smiling Coast and that when he speaks with visitors he must be Soft like a banana and not Hard like a coconut!

Dakar, Senegal - Senegal's history has been turbulent - contact with the West destroyed the coastal kingdoms of West Africa as English, French and Dutch adventurers vied for control of the slave trade in the 16th century. Control of Senegal passed to the French, who made Dakar the centre of their West African colonial empire.

We have been given lots of information to be very aware of our personal safety, items and money when we visit these West African ports, so prior to going ashore, we remove all items of jewellery and leave them behind in our cabin safe. In Dakar we booked a taxi for two hours and headed off to see the highlights of this major centre, the westernmost point and most strategic trading city for the west coast of Africa. Our taxi driver, a large robust man took us to the 1906 Presidential Palace and to the new impressive Milennium Door Monument built atop a mountain, where we climbed the 200 steps to the monument and enjoyed the views out over the city.

We took the ferry to Ile de Goree, a small island lying just off the coast of Dakar, which was the site of one of the first French settlements in Africa and a slave trade centre from the early 19th century. This is an island with a very tragic past - we were told that 20 million Africans were held as slaves here before being sent to other ports only to be then sold and shipped off across the Atlantic to the Americas - of that 20 million, 6 million died on the island. We visited the Maison des Esclaves (Slave House) with its famous doorway which is held today as an important monument to the inhumanity of the slave trade. We toured the various rooms where slaves were held and saw the horrific shackles and implements that were used on the slaves.

Back onboard ship, after a brisk walk from the ferry terminal, we were treated to a fantastic show The Senegal Folkloric Show by the National Ballet Linguere of Senegal. The sounds of their native drums and the rythm of the dancers is truly amazing - Africans seem to have a wild style of rythm and an ability to move their bodies like no other!

Mindelo, Cape Verde Islands - the Cape Verde Islands lie off the North African coast. The natural harbour is actually a volcanic crater, where the sea has eroded away the wall of the crater on one side, thus offering vessels calm sheltered waters in a strategic location in the Atlantic. In the early 20th century, the harbour became a coal port and shipping increased to approximately 2,000 ships per year. In 1952 the coal camps were eliminated as vessels switched from steam to diesel. In 1885 Mindelo became the home to the switching station for the first Trans-Atlantic telegraph cable.

By 1912, Mindelo had become one of the most important cable stations in the world. A major problem the residents of these islands face is the lack of water. We were also told that hurricanes are born here in this area and from here they move towards the eastern coastline of the Americas.

We walked into town and checked out the markets and town squares before stopping off in the Irish Pub for some cold drinks. The population here is a lighter colour mix between the Africans and the Portugese who first settled in the Cape Verde Islands in the 1600's. The people were very nice and it was a refreshing change to be able to walk around and feel quite safe.

Meanwhile back on board that evening, we had a special dinner planned to celebrate (in advance) Brenda & Darrell's 40th Wedding Anniversary. We headed up to the Sterling Steak House where we had the most fantastic evening, with exquisite meals and drinks. We had booked a table for four and we had no less than four waiters and a waitress looking after us for the entire evening.

Santa Cruz, Teneriffe, Spain - Tenerife is the largest island of the seven islands of the Canaries. The landscape here is dotted with volcanic cones and areas of geothermal activity. Mt Teide is an extinct volcano 12,200 feet above sea level and is the highest peak in Spanish territory. The Canary Islands are part African, part Spanish and a lot of Atlantic - they are not either one but take on elements from each - the people are not black like the Africans, however they are taller than the Spanish.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the island's capital where we hired a taxi and set off with Miguel to see some sights of Teneriffe. He took us uphill through some narrow winding streets to visit The Balcony House which was once the home of a wealthy family and built as the name implies, with many balconies. Locally made produce, wines, materials and traditional costumes were all displayed throughout the house. San Cristobal de la Laguna is a World Heritage Site and is the second largest city on the island. Another beautiful city, Puerto de la Cruz, has been the premier seaside resort here since the 19th century, with beautiful bays, swimming pools and lagoons along the waterfront.

Funchal, Madeira, Portugal - Madeira is an absolutely beautiful place, probably high up there on the list of places we would like to come back to visit. Funchal the capital is named after the fennel that once flowered here in profusion. The Archipelago was discovered in 1419 by Portuguese explorers venturing south in the Atlantic. Madeira lies an equal distance from Lisbon on the Portuguese mainland and from the African coast. The early settlers grew sugar cane which still continues today - it also produces excellent wines and of course the world famous Madeira Cake. Madeira's mild climate and lush valleys also make it a winter haven for European Aristocrats.

Once again our taxi driver was named Miguel and he took us to see some amazing places. We followed the winding, narrow streets uphill to visit Our Lady of Monte Church, home to the island's patron saint. From here we went over to the Monte sled ride, where we climbed into hand made wicker baskets to experience the island's thrilling "Snowless Sled Ride". We were taken on a two kilometre slide downhill - steered and guided by two traditionally dressed men the whole way down - it was a real buzz - the most amazing thing was that when we arrived at the bottom they had our photographs, which were taken just as we left on the slide, already printed and mounted in a great frame to keep as our souvenir .... hmmmm technology!

The Madeira Botanical Gardens which were established in 1960 are truly beautiful and include a bird aviary with many tropical and exotic birds. We visited the picturesque little fishing village of Camara de Lobos and then headed up to Cabo Girao for views from the world's second highest sea cliff - a 1,500 foot drop to the waves below - the City actually has plans at the moment to build a glass bottom deck out over the cliff edge!

We cruised out of Madeira in the early evening and followed the spectacular coastline for as far as possible and then headed back toward Africa, to our next stop, Casablanca.

Casablanca, Morocco - the location of the famous movie Casablanca with Humphrey Bogart and the song which includes these words: Just remember this, a kiss is just a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh - the world will always welcome lovers as time goes by! I particularly love that song as it used to be part of my Dad's repertoire! Casablanca (Spanish for white house) is Morocco's largest city and chief port.

Twelve of us got together and hired a 15 seater bus, a driver and an English speaking guide for the whole day. As we so often say, it is certainly a small world - Kay (an Aussie) organised this trip - as it turns out she is a first cousin to our next door neighbour at Dingo Beach! The Four Ambassadors from Dingo Beach spent a great day out with Kay & Fred from the Sunshine Coast; Victor & Molly from Hong Kong; Marion & Allan from Bermuda and Dora & Horst from Germany.

We travelled to Rabat, the Capital of Morocco, a city of tree lined boulevards, beautiful parks and gardens. We checked out Chellah, the site of Roman ruins and an 11th century necropolis overgrown with palms, figs and hibiscus - where every tree in sight came complete with large nests - all full of birds. A visit to the Mausoleum of Mohammed V is a must, as is a walk in the old quarter - the Kasbah. In the Kasbah they are very proud to let us know that there are Muslims, Jews and Christians all living peacifully side by side - the Muslim homes have a symbol of a Hand at their front entrance while the Jewish homes have the Star of David. The Kasbah was very interesting, with narrow passageways heading every which way past homes predominantly painted white with blue trims. Our guide, Indie, told us that a home in the Kasbah would have sold very cheaply about 12 years ago but now people they are paying up to $500,000 for them. The previous King of Morocco died 12 years ago, but it sounds as if the country has progressed very well since the King's son, who is now 43 years of age, has taken over power. He has moved the country along with the times; encouraged an education for all children at no cost and a Medical system that provides half of all medical costs for all residents.

In Casablanca we visited the Habous Quarter, home to merchants and souks, with a special visit to the olive souk where we couldn't resist buying a bag of various types and colours of olives - yummo! We also went to the world's tallest minaret at the seaside Hassan II Mosque. The Mosque can accommodate 25,000 worshippers but was not open for visitors when we were there. Our final stop in Casablanca was at Rick's Cafe made famous from the movie Casablanca.

Ceuta, Spanish Morocco - I awoke in the morning to a beautiful sight - a blazing sunrise on the Straits of Gibraltar with the Rock of Gibraltar looming in the distance. I thought about how my Mum and Dad must have felt as they sailed through this very same place on their way to a new life in Australia, way back in 1951, when I was just fifteen months old. Mum and Dad have both told me it was an amazing trip and a trip that led them to the best life they could ever have possibly imagined.

We had plenty of time ashore this day so decided to take local bus #7, at a cost of 80 cents, and head out along the beautiful coastline towards the Moroccan border. We filled out the necessary paperwork, had our passports stamped and walked across the border into Morocco. After chatting with some locals we found out that the closest city of Tetouan was a 40 klm taxi ride away so we decided to give it a miss - we then filled out more paperwork, had our passports stamped again and walked back across the border into Spain, where we once again took local bus #7 and headed back along the beautiful coastline into Ceuta. The beautiful bus trip at a cost of $1.60 made the trip well worthwhile!

The Straits of Gibraltar separate the ancient city of Ceuta from European Spain. Ceuta has an easy going charm and a cosmopolitan mix of cultures - it is also the gateway to Morocco proper. The narrow, paved avenues in Ceuta's City Centre make it a great place to browse and shop at a leisurely pace.

Cadiz, Spain - Cadiz is one of Europe's oldest continuously inhabited cities and is built on a narrow spit of land hemmed in on three sides by the sea - Cadiz forms part of the autonomous community of Andalusia. The older section of Cadiz lies within the remnants of the city walls and is commonly referred to as the Old City. We took an open top bus tour in the morning - well timed, as by lunch time a heavy sea fog had drifted in, giving poorer visibility. It was very enjoyable walking around the narrow winding alleys which connect large plazas in the City centre - by 2:00 pm shops began to close for their daily siesta time, not to open again until 5:00 pm.

Lisbon, Portugal - We have visited Lisbon previously, so took this opportunity to visit Fatima, a Catholic pilgrimage centre. Together with 3 other couples we hired a van, a driver and a guide and drove about 90 minutes to this beautiful and peaceful place - Tom & Margery from New York, Tom & Julie from California and Rick & Bella previously from the Phillipines but now from California all joined us for this wonderful day out.

Le Havre, France - We arrived in France early in the morning and walked around the city of Le Havre. A neat little train toured the sites of the city - it gave us a good view and also took us out of the rain. Le Havre was bombed and destroyed during the war, but today it is a beautiful and vibrant city. We headed back to the ship in the afternoon, said our final goodbyes to our waiters and stewards who had looked after us so well over the past month - we then headed down the gangway to our taxi. After some fantastic experiences and travelling together for the past two months, we said goodbye to Brenda and Darrell - our next get together will be at Dingo Beach.

We have hired a car for 30 days to travel in France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland - we will pick it up tomorrow morning in Le Havre.

Knysna, South Africa to Ghana, West Africa

In the Knysna district we were lucky enough to visit an Elephant Sanctuary and a Wild Cat Rehabilitation farm where we were even allowed inside some of the enclosures (thankfully after their lunch). We were fortunate enough to see leopards, cheetahs and other wild cats of Africa - up close and personal!

We boarded our Drifters Overland truck for our final leg of the journey with our Trusty Krusty behind the wheel and we travelled south from Knysna through the Lake District and then on through the magnificent Hottentots Holland Mountains, bound for the beautiful city of Cape Town. We stopped off in the scenic coastal town of Hermanus for a couple of hours - Pat and Darrell braved the winds - cut up a pineapple and made fresh bread, butter and pineapple sandwiches for their lunch.

As we travelled on the freeway into the City past Capetown Airport we could see the thousands upon thousands of ramshackle homes in yet another Shanty Town - bricks and tyres holding down tarps and tin roofing - washing out to dry - children playing - people walking everywhere - walking many kilometres to and from work each day in order to save on bus fares. The day was bleak and cloudy so we were unable to see Table Mountain as we followed the coast around to the Drifters Inn at Sea Point.

Over the next few days we were able to do some wonderful sightseeing in and around Cape Town - I think Krusty really enjoyed showcasing his home town for us. We headed out to Stellenbosch and visited Fairview Winery and enjoyed the tasting of the wines and exotic cheeses - we then sat down to a great lunch. In the evening we visited The Waterfront and were surprised to see the Ocean Princess had arrived early and was moored alongside the wharf. Pat had to forego this trip to the Waterfront as he had become ill and needed to rest - thankfully he had fully recovered by mid morning the following day.

We travelled down to the southernmost point which consists of the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Maclear and Cape Point - this area is the junction of earth's most contrasting water masses - the cold Benguela current on the West Coast and the warm Agulhas current on the East Coast - Cape of Good Hope is popularly perceived as the meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

Our time had come to say goodbye to Cape Town, our fellow travellers and our special driver and guide, Krusty. Marie-Lynn will spend a couple more days in Cape Town and will then fly to Namibia for 3 days; Bruno and Michel will spend 2 more days in Cape Town and will then set off on a 24 day Overland Camping Trip from Cape Town to Johannesburg via the West Coast and Victoria Falls; Amy will fly to London for a couple of days, then to Rome and onto Venice for a Mediterranean Cruise; Krusty will have some days off before taking a bus back to Johannesburg and then will prepare for another 18 day Overland tour the same as the one we have just completed. Thanks crew, for a magnificent trip and for all the great times we shared. Wot you say???????

South Africa - what a magnificent place - our overland trip of 4,666 klms of scenery and experiences beyond expectation. I have to admit that Africa was at the bottom of my list of places I personally wanted to visit - something has changed - we are already putting thoughts and plans in place for yet another visit in the near future. Our Drifters tour was a fantastic and safe way to see this magnificent country.

Our taxi arrived at the Cape Town Drifters Inn, our bags were loaded so we headed off to the Waterfront to board the Ocean Princess for a 31 day cruise from Cape Town to Dover. Brenda and Darrell will then head into London from Dover - Pat and I will disembark in Le Havre, France. Ocean Princess is a small ship with only 617 passengers and 370 crew, so we should be well looked after.

As we sailed out of Cape Town harbour, the view of Table Mountain, the coastline and surrounding mountains was nothing short of spectacular. Our first 24 hours at sea were quite rough as we cruised north in the area where the two great oceans, the Atlantic and the Indian meet. We had expected to shed some kilos on our overland trip in readiness for the fine dining on the ship - somehow that didn't happen! Oh well - here goes - 31 days of eating out!

Luderitz, Namibia - Our first port of call was founded in 1883 on behalf of Adolf Luderitz from Germany. The Port of Luderitz was initially set up as a trading post, however in 1909 diamonds were discovered nearby so this township enjoyed a sudden surge of prosperity. Today, however, diamonds are mostly found in other areas of Namibia and offshore so the population of 20,000 has a much quieter existence.

Walvis Bay, Namibia - Walvis Bay has the best harbour on the Namibia coast - thus the British added it to their enclave in Southern Africa in 1878. It was not until 1994 that the now-Republic of South Africa returned Walvis Bay to Namibia. The port is the gateway to the vast Namib Desert, one of the oldest and harshest deserts on Earth.

We left the port area and organised a taxi into town, then took another taxi to the very nice township of Swakopmund, which was also originally a German settlement. The 33 kilometre journey from Walvis Bay to Swakopmund follows the coastline and is fringed by the orange coloured sand dunes of Namibia. Swakopmund is a very modern town with a big emphasis on Safari Tours and Tourism and the town's roadways are dotted with huge date palms. In this area of Namibia, the world's largest uranium mine can be found - there are actually three mines here. The town looks very prosperous, although our taxi driver told us that many men work a nine hour day and receive about $3.00 pay - he is fortunate that his Mother bought the taxi and he is able to make a good living for himself and his family.

We now have four days at sea before our next port of call. Days at sea are very relaxing to say the least - there is as much to do or as little to do as one wishes. Brenda and I have been enjoying games of Scrabble while Pat and Darrell have been enjoying the swimming pool, the spa and the sun. The further north we travel the warmer it becomes so card games are a great way to pass the time on deck whilst enjoying the outdoors.

There is a library on board, a card room and an internet room, not to mention the theatres, restaurants, lounges, bars, gymnasium, fitness centre, swimming pools and the casino. The entertainers, musicians and dancers on board put on great shows every evening and there are countless choices of lectures, classes and get-togethers to attend during the day. Yesterday we crossed the Equator, so several people agreed to take part in the Crossing the Equator Ceremony whereby participants faced punishments such as being washed with oil and flour before having eggs broken and poured into their clothing - I'm glad I was a spectator!

Last night we attended a concert by an amazing (and easy on the eyes) Italian Violinist, Vincenzo Gentile from Anacona in Italy. The violin he was playing was made in the 1700's and is currently insured for $200,000 - the collector/owner asked Vincenzo to take it on tour so that people around the world could see the violin and enjoy the sound of this most amazing instrument - and we did hear the most beautiful music imaginable eminate from that violin.

Cotonou, Benin - we headed ashore at Cotonou, unsure of what to expect - the Lonely Planet describes it as follows: "Benin's commercial capital is an unlovable example of urban Africa, and spending a day here is like being locked in a car with a chain-smoking speed freak. The zemi-johns (scooter taxis) swarm down the boulevards like kamikaze pilots, filling the air with fumes that only clear at night."

With our inside information as described above, we set out to explore some parts of Benin. A shuttle bus took us to the Cotonou city centre where we saw badly littered streets - streets lined with food and clothing markets manned by both Benin and Nigerian people. We made a deal with a taxi driver to take us out to visit the village of Ganvie which is a little further out in Southern Benin.

Ganvie is sometimes nicknamed The Venice of Africa. It is a village of 30,000 people built out over the shallow waters of Lake Nokoue, accessible by pirogue (flat bottomed boat) which is designed for navigating shallow waters. Ganvie's bamboo homes and huts are built on stilts three feet above the water and all these buildings are linked by canals. We pulled into the local Hotel, also built over the water, and enjoyed a cool beer and bottle of water on the deck. When I walked down the hallway across floorboards with views down to the waters below, I was lucky enough to see a Ganvie style Hotel Ensuite room .... hmmmmm very interesting ... just outside of the open back door the vision I saw of huts on stilts, children fishing and people paddling along in their dug out canoes gave me an image of the real Africa, Africa in it's very own natural environment - it was a wonderful view and one which I shall never forget.

Lome, Togo - The nation of Togo is a narrow strip of country which features a full range of landscapes and cultures. Togo boasts over 40 different ethnic groups with their own traditions and rituals - interestingly this region is the home of voodoo, which migrated to Haiti as a result of the slave trade.

We were ready to explore the capital of Togo, unfortunately just before we disembarked the heavens opened and it then rained for most of the day. We took the shuttle bus into the city centre and set off into the market place. The people here dress in very bright and vibrant colours and material is available to purchase in about 10 and 12 yard lengths for approximately $10 to $20 US, which is very cheap - unfortunately these lengths of material are quite substantial in weight, thus making a purchase costly in terms of excess baggage on the journey back home. The women take their clothing down to the sea to wash as they say the salt water ensures the colour lasts in the fabric for many years - I guess that would also eliminate the need for spray starch!

Tema & Accra, Ghana - Europeans, mainly the Portuguese descended on Ghana in the 15th century in search of gold - with the wealth of the slave trade many of these early settlers decided to stay on and the region was named "The Gold Coast". Ghana is one of the most densely populated countries in West Africa and has a total population of about 20 million.

A group of us on board ship hired an eight seater wagon and set off for the day. Tema was originally a fishing village but today it is the largest and the main port for Ghana. One hour's drive north in the capital city of Accra we visited the Botanical Gardens and smelt many plants and trees growing there, some of which we use in our homes and in our cooking - eg cinnamon, bay leaf, allspice and camphor. We saw real extremes in Ghana - very wealthy people in beautiful large homes and very poor people living in shanties. The people have lovely big wide smiles and white teeth - the kids love to wave and say hello. Goats roam about the fields and streets and it was rare to catch sight of a dog.

We had a most unusual visit to a "Coffin Maker" - he makes coffins in whatever style the customer so chooses - he told me he has visitors who come from Europe - they bring their drawing/plan with them - place their particular order for a coffin and then the builder constructs it, paints it and ships it to them in Europe - virtually a door to door service! What more could one want? Completed coffins we saw today included - a chocolate topped ice cream sundae, a camera, a jet plane, a pineapple, a car, a truck, a magpie, an eagle, a bottle of beer and a lion - how bizarre!

The next three days will be at sea so there'll be some relaxation on the cards.

Dingo Beach to Knysna, South Africa

Today we set off for our next adventure - 3 months of travelling, mostly in Africa. Our good friends, Brenda and Darryl from Dingo Beach have joined us for a couple of months, so we're sure we'll have many adventures ahead.

Col & Eileen arrived in two cars and organised our transportation to Proserpine Airport. In Brisbane we headed for the Emirates counters, organised our seating and headed to our the departure gate in readiness for our 14 hour flight to Dubai.

While on the flight my breakfast was delayed and then forgotten about. When the hostess realised I had no breakfast, she was so apologetic for the oversight. Within minutes my breakfast was delivered. I was not concerned - things happen! After breakfast was over the hostess returned with a gift for me - a bottle of NZ Sauvignon Blanc, a box of Belgian chocolates and two large bags of mixed nuts! I must always remember it pays to be patient and understanding!
We arrived in Dubai - picked up our hire car and headed to our hotel which we booked online before we left home. We stayed at the Grand Flora Hotel and paid $100 for B&B in a 4 star hotel - it was excellent. Dubai lacks one major item in my opinion - a good street map. We certainly managed to get around and were able to see all the major sites, but a decent map would have been a bonus. Dubai is quite a place - lots of concrete and lots of roadways. We visited Bur Al Arab, the Palms and checked out the beaches of Jumeriah. We visited the old Spice souq and the old Gold souq, where Brenda and I both scored some beautiful jewellery.

In the evening, we visited a roof top bar and ordered some beer - at $6.50 each we decided to give the rooftop a miss, head back to our Hotel and partake of my lovely Emirates' gift. We had a great sleep that night, but very sadly I awoke to the news that my Uncle Bob had passed away in Greenville, upstate New York. Pat and I visited Auntie Bertha and Uncle Bob just last July in 2009, so I am so happy we had the opportunity to spend quality time with them both while we were there. Uncle Bob was an amazing man - at 81 years of age he embraced the latest technology and recently set up Broadband and Skype on his home computer.

In the afternoon of day two in Dubai, we set out for the desert in a Toyota Landcruiser. We had a great day - driving around the sand hills of the desert - dune bashing! It was a crazy drive and at the same time, very exciting - there were 100's of Toyotas dune bashing - all very organised of course. Following our driving extravaganza we arrived at a Bedoin camp and experienced a fantastic evening of belly dancing, twirling Dervishes, Arabian music and dancing. Our buffet dinner was out of this world - the spices and flavourings were truly amazing. Brenda and Darrell set off on a camel ride for a new experience - the look on Brenda's face told the story - they had a ball.

The eruption of the volcano in Iceland has sent airlines and airports into chaos in the northern parts of Europe. To date, approximately 16,000 flights thave been cancelled with travellers being stranded in all parts of the world. Fortunately, Dubai flights south were unaffected so we headed off to Johannesburg the capital of South Africa. We organised an 18 day overland trip in South Africa from Johannesberg to Cape Town with a travel specialist company called Drifters - this is a new way of travel for us, so we're interested to see how it will all work out. They provide the transport and a guide so then off we will go.

There is much to be said about Africa - but where do we begin to understand it? The following quotes give us food for thought.

Apartheid is exactly where it belongs - in a museum.

To be free is not merely to cast off one's chains but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. (Nelson Mandela)

Johannesburg is a huge city with a population of 10 million. We checked into the Drifters Inn and had a great night's sleep - changing international time zones plays a bit of havoc with the body so it takes a few days to settle back into a good pattern. We decided to book onto an organised tour of Johannesburg and Soweto, in order to gain a better insight into the political situations in Africa, the abolishment of Apartheid and the lifestyles of its peoples. Our tour of 6 hours certainly opened our eyes and explained many things to us, we previously we unaware of. We visited a street in Soweto where both Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu had lived - both of these amazing visionaries were also awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

We lashed out at dinner and thoroughly enjoyed our meals of South African Kudu, crocodile, ostrich and fish. After dinner we headed out onto the back patio, where we commenced our briefing for our next day's early morning start on Drifters 18 Day Tour of South Africa. We met our fellow passengers: from Canada - Bruno and Michel from Montreal and Marie-Lynn from Ottawa; from New Zealand - Amy from Christchurch and our crew from Dingo Beach - ourselves, Brenda and Darrell.

After a delicious brekky of bacon and scrambled eggs we boarded our purpose built truck, met our character of a guide, Krusty and headed out to explore parts of South Africa. The truck is extremely comfortable with bucket seats, loads of leg room and floor to ceiling windows for great viewing. Highlights on today's trip included Dullstroom, Robbers' Pass and the historic town of Pilgrim's Rest. We also visited Bourke's Luck Potholes and the Blyde River Canyon, where we saw some spectacular scenery.

We wound our way down the escarpment to the Lowveld camp of Bushveld where we pulled up stumps for two nights. We were all guided to our bush cabins by our native tracker, Vusi - who coincidentally was born on 6th September 1976, the same day as our daughter Kelli. Our tent style cabins come complete with an ensuite so we have no need to venture outside during the night - Vusi told us not leave our tents during the night as lions and leopards roam freely. The evening sky lit up, the thunder clapped and the rain came down - we were to experience a Bushveld thunderstorm.

After a great night's sleep our day commenced with traditional buttermilk rusks and coffee. We then headed out for a game walk with Krusty and Vusi - where we also learned a lot about native plants and bush medicine. Vusi also identified various animal droppings and footprints including elephant, lion, antelope, white rhinocerous and giraffe. In the late afternoon we will be going out in open vehicles to look for animals - I think there is a refreshing element of safety being in a vehicle as opposed to being on foot. Today we learnt a valuable lesson – every piece of shit tells a story! We even had a competition to see who could spit a piece of Impala dung (dried) the furtherest! We called this our SOS competition - spit or swallow! Vusi spit the furtherest and then Pat came second - that must be the bushy in him!

While at Bushveld Camp we set off on our first open-vehicle game drive in the afternoon, had sundowner drinks alongside a waterhole and then continued on our evening game drive. We had an amazing night drive and saw many animals in their natural wild state - I especially love the giraffes. At one stage we came across a herd of elephants – all was okay until we drove close to some baby elephants – that’s when the Mums and Dads started getting a bit edgy and were indicating for us to get going! One young buck walked up behind our “open” vehicle and began flapping his ears at us! Krusty and Vusi decided it was time for us to head on out – we felt they made a great decision! Our guides have never seen so many elephants in one place, so it was a great night for all!

As we were driving out of our Bushveld Camp we looked out the right hand side of our truck and we were all lucky enough to see a Lioness. The day was spent travelling through the rural Bushbuck ridge area to the sleepy settlement of Hazyview and then on to the Drifters Hazyview Inn, which is built from logs and is perched up high on stilts in the subtropical forest on the banks of the Sabie River. When we arrived, we were greeted by the resident Ostrich and Warthogs which roam freely around the property! After dinner and a few drinks we all sat around the table and spent a fabulous night playing cards. I can't remember when we laughed so much - Bruno taught us all to play "Whatever" and "Salad".

A short distance away from Hazyview is the world famous Kruger National Park, which will be our home for this night. We spent the entire day viewing animals from the high vantage point of our purpose built truck. What an amazing experience to be able to drive through this wonderful park and see the wild animals of Africa roaming around. We saw many animals including, zebras, giraffes, rhinocerous, hippopotamus, wildebeest, buffalo, elephants, monkeys, baboons, steenbok, klipspringer, impala, mongoose and many birds of the African bush. As we were driving out of the park we were lucky enough to see a Lion and Lioness sitting in the grasses close by to the road.

It certainly is a small world - unbelievably while we were in Kruger Park we ran into Vic and Leanne Barnett, and Col & Elizabeth MacBean, friends from our Middlemount days.
After our big day out viewing the animals, Pat volunteered to cook, so we all enjoyed our Spagetti Bolognaise for dinner - I know Krusty enjoyed the night off from cooking!

We travelled south from Kruger Park through Swaziland through spectacular scenery and saw many traditional homesteads built in the round shape - many are built from mud and straw. We entered an area once ruled by the famed Shaka Zulu - this area is a centre for many Game Reserves. Our first stop was the local supermarket where we stocked up for our next few days. While I was walking around the supermarket I noticed some older women smiling broadly - I stopped to say "hello" and the next minute I was dancing in the aisles with one of the Zulu women - what a hoot! After shopping, we headed onto our "rustic" campsite in a sand forest where we stayed for the next two nights.

Our cabins were small A frames which just fitted two single beds and we shared the camp amenities with the rest of our group. In the morning we set off on a game walk through some amazing vegetation and scrub. At one stage we were walking beside a little stream when Krusty jumped back and told us all to get back - he came upon a large cream and brown coloured South African Python which was in the strike position in the water beside our walking track. What a big snake! It moved slowly in the water away from us and headed toward the opposite side of the stream - they estimate it was about 3 to 4 metres in length.

In the afternoon, we headed off in our "open" game vehicle for Hluhluwe (pronounced Sha-slew-ee) National Park which ended up being a spectacular trip - we also came across a group of 7 giraffes, one of which walked right up alongside our vehicle and walked down the road in front of us. The giraffe is a very elegant animal - they look spectacular in the bush picking their leaves from the treetops. We also saw a herd of buffalos, several rhinos and even a rhino with a baby - possibly only a couple of days old.

When we stay in the camping areas we all take turns and share in the washing up and cleaning up after meals. Our group of eight (plus Krusty) gets along very well - we are blessed to have such a well balanced group of people travelling together - our ages are from 26 to 61 and our average age group is 51.

We left our Zululand campsite in the morning and visited a nearby rural Zulu school. Just beside the school, we visited the local witchdoctor and her apprentice who had a meeting with us - various questions were asked of her and she seemed to take the answers out of a pile of shells, bones and coin - Krusty told us not to believe anything she said! The Principal then took us in to meet some students and explained that this school exists and operates due to the generosity of support by Drifters and tourists. There are 900 students and 30 teachers in the school and they certainly offer many subjects. We were then taken in to meet a large group of grade 12 students who began to sing for us. Well it took our breath away - they sang so beautifully and then they started to sway and began dancing as well. To say this display was spectacular would be an understatment - it was truly amazing. The boys and the girls gave it their all and we were treated to a fantastic display of singing and dancing by these young African students.

As we headed toward the magnificent coastline of eastern Africa we could see the waves of the Indian Ocean crashing onto the shoreline of deserted beaches. About 20 klms north of Durban we wound our way down the hills to the Drifters Dolphin Coast Inn, which is amazingly located right on the beach. All the rooms come complete with white sheets on the beds and spectacular ocean views, so it was wonderful to hear the waves crashing and look out to sea after our amazing inland Safari.

Our evening meal was a traditional fish braai, which is a delicious local smoked fish called Snook. This evening was the first opportunity we had had in a while to check emails, although the internet was painfully slow, after which we had an early night.

We spent three hours in Durban the following morning before once again heading west, this time towards the Drakensberg Ranges. When we reached the foothills we all transferred into a 4WD vehicle for a 6 klm trip up to the Drifters Drakensberg Inn where we will spend the next two nights in cosy log cabins.

Our log cabins are great - each cabin has two bedrooms complete with a log fireplace and a shared bathroom. Brenda, Darrell, Pat and I were allocated Cabin #1 so we headed off to unpack. The weather had become very cold and the rain clouds were low - before long it was raining, so we bundled ourselves up and headed up to the main building for dinner. We had a beautiful dinner cooked by the inn keepers and enjoyed a few drinks before braving the outside cold and heading off to our cabins for a good night's sleep.

The following morning we awoke in our log cabin to the sun shining on the mountainside surrounding our mountain retreat. Straight after breakfast we set off on a mountain walk to see some rock paintings done by the African San people, the earlier inhabitants of this region of Africa. We stopped along the way to rest and enjoyed the crisp mountain air and the magnificent scenery. Later, back at the campsite, I took the opportunity to write up my blog. Ponies were available for anyone wishing to go riding, so in the afternoon Pat, Darrell, Amy and Marie-Lynn set off for an afternoon ride.

Once again, Bruno brought out the playing cards and taught us how to play two more card games "952" and "The Clock". Bruno has an amazing memory and I can't believe how he can play and recall the rules for all the different card games he can play - he's a marvellous teacher and we have great times playing cards with him.

We once again boarded our 4WD vehicle for the 6 klm trip back down the mountain where we loaded our gear back into our tour vehicle which Krusty affectionately calls "Sophie" and set off on a 350 klm trip. We crossed the Oliviershoek Pass and stopped to see the clear turquoise waters of Sterkfontein Dam. During our day's travel we stop along the way and pick up drinks and snacks, South Africa is very well set up for the traveller. The amenities are always very clean and well maintained - yesterday one of the rest areas even had about 20 vases of white roses in the washrooms. Our trip took us through the Golden Gate National Park which is well known for its towering sandstone cliffs and unique wildlife.

Clarens is a small village well known for its art work. We explored the streets and shops and enjoyed a lovely lunch in an outdoor restaurant. Pat and Darrell sussed out a Brewery and spent some time enjoying the samples of beer. Last night at dinner we found out that Brad Pitt was in town but none of us were lucky enough to see him. In the afternoon we travelled on past the township of Ladybrand to Oldenburg property where we had a farm stay for the evening. Our group managed to fill the whole homestead and we enjoyed a lovely lamb stew for dinner in front of the fireplace.

We set off from Oldenburg and headed into the dry Karoo interior. Our journey took us through dry flat lands, much like what I had expected to see in Africa. I must admit I have been blown away by the spectacular scenery we have seen so far - it truly has been amazing. Before arriving at our destination we visited a little township Nieu Bethesda which was established in the late 1800's and checked out the one man band brewery. The samples of the three different types of beer went down very well with the locally made cheeses, breads, olives and kudu salami - a nice little snack before dinner.

After driving along rough dirt roads we finally arrived at Drifters Karoo Inn out in the middle of nowhere! Peter and Christine welcomed us with the most amazing dinner of Springbok in Red Wine, vegetable medley and maize followed by a baked milk pudding and custard - yummo! Peter has worked for Drifters for eight years and Christine came from Switzerland just eight months ago to join him - they originally met a couple of years ago when Peter was a guide on a tour in Kenya and Christine was a passenger.

After a hearty breakfast we set off on a walk to explore the plants and animals of the Karoo. We saw ostriches, tortoise, zebras, springboks, elands, oryx, wilderbeest, boltebok and other smaller animals. Relaxation is the name of the game in the afternoon following the walk so it was great to kick back for a few hours. In the evening Brenda volunteered to cook dinner, so we all enjoyed a beautiful chicken pie, mashed potato, mashed pumpkin and peas. After a few drinks in the bar, we joined in for some card games of "Whatever". By 10:30pm our eyes were getting pretty tired so we set off for our cabin for our last night in the Karoo.

The following morning after an early start we headed out for the coast once again to follow the famous Garden Route of South Africa. The historical town of Graaf-Reinet was our first port of call where we explored the town's famous buildings. Unfortunately there was a power outage, so we were a little restricted in what we were able to see. Our journey took us through the mighty Outeniqua Mountains and through the Outeniqua Pass, the barrier between the dry interior and the lush coastal area. We travelled to the town of Knysna (pronounced Nei-sna) and headed off into the forest to our accommodation at the Drifters Knysna Inn, where we will spend the next three nights in a cosy log cabin hidden deep in the heart of the forest.

Our first day in Knysna began with a visit to the world's highest Bungy Jump - a height of 216 metres. Amy from NZ has previously done 2 bungy jumps and was anxious to notch up a third jump. She was cool, calm and collected as she was strapped up in her safety harness and headed off to the highest bridge in Africa which spans the Groot River. We as spectators had butterflies in our stomachs as she jumped off this perfectly good bridge! She came back very exhilarated and would have even gone for a second jump! We then headed up the coast where we walked along the seashore and crossed over three suspension bridges - visited a Wildlife Rehabilitation centre which specialises in the treatment of wild cats eg leopard, cheetahs etc and then on our way home visited the Elephant Sanctuary. Once back home at our log cabins, Bruno and Michel organised a sumptuous dinner - entree of Mediterannean salad with feta and French stick with goat's cheese, followed by a main of pork fillets with Mediterranean style vegetables. All in all, yet another great day in Africa.