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Dear Forumites,

I will start my journey in 53 days, taking flight from Perth international, and stepping off at Oliver Tambo International.

This year, 2009, has been the greatest year of my life! As a growing young adult, I am filled with excitement and anxious for my future. In the last 3 weeks, I have had a promotion, so close to finishing my diploma I can smell victory, achieved many great goals and, best of all, I am going to visit my Motherland Africa!

Here is a poem for you:

African Diaspora

In the diaspora he sat down;
And there he wept;
Remembering Africa;
Mouth open, unable to a song.
Eyes full of the ocean;
Mouth imploded with praises;
Thought stacked full of memories,
Memories of Motherland Africa.
In bits he uttered;
Africa, my cherised home;
In the diaspora unable to a song;
I want to come to thee.

Chief Charles O. Okereke

I am so excited and I would like you to help me count down the days!!

I forgot to post where I am going! Silly old me...

MAY
26 - 28 Berg & Dal
29 Lower Sabie (Sunset Drive??? )
30 - 31 Crocodile Bridge
JUNE
1 - 2 Skukuza
3 Malelane
4 - 6 Pretoriuskop

Then, staying at Hazyview Cabanas, just outside of Kruger, until the 12th of June.

I have bought a brand new camera for my trip, a Sony Alpha 350, I think it is.... I can't remember, but I'm still looking around for some more accersories for the little guy.

Where all should I go on a sunset drive??? Maybe do one at each camp???

Good Morning!

Only 52 days to go! 3 more assignments to hand in, then that's a chapter of my life over and another will begin when I start my new job. I also have a brand new little car waiting for me, yet none of this is even remotely as exciting as going to my motherland!

Meandering Mouse - Got great news today! Our stimulus package has been approved and I will get my tax payout soon. I've saved that money to purchase all my camera goodies! I'm getting a 800mm lens, a larger flash for the evenings and low light days, and this thing you're talking about....??? I don't know what it is Will HAVE to look out for one, talk to my photgraphic expert friend.... Sounds awesome!!

Safrica - You will be WAY north and me, this year, i've decided to go WAY south! I'm always in the centre of the park, satara, olifants, mopani, that area. Change is as good as a holiday they say... I can't remeber one year of my 21 year lifespan that I haven't been in kruger for less than 3 weeks. We lived so far from the Kruger, but I would never go anywhere else on a holiday in SA. I've never been to Cape Town, or Bloemfontein, or Kimberley or any of those places in my life. Kruger was my holiday....

Petra - I've been planning this trip since December last year. My father told me, that if I WANT, he will buy me a ticket to SA when I complete my diploma. Hope he never expected me to turn him down!! hehehehehe. Would ne let such a marvelous opportunity pass me by.

Elsa - I'm glad you loved the poem! I have it framed, enlarged and hanging on my wall, with a nice african sunset in the background.

The best thing about this trip is that we finally managed to arrange for a memorial bench to be placed in honour of my late grandmother in Stara Rest Camp, overlooking the webcam. In a way it'll be like visiting her when we are over here everytime we log onto the webcams. It's fantastic what Sanparks have done for us, more specific, GERSON SEKWENA from Skukuza. Thank you so much! I will be able to thank him in person when we set it all up.

36 days to go!

Things are coming on very well as far as arrangements are concerned! I am playing DHL for everyone from this side to there, but not back, as I will have shopped till I drop.

I was in a little accident yesterday, so a few pennies need to be spent from my holiday money, makes me so sad , but at least the damage will be fixed soon.

Has any of you been in the immediate area lately??? I was wondering if the bush was dry already....

Thank you all dearly for the kind wishes!!!

Yesterday I hit day 14, but I so wished I was in Kruger rather than on the highway where I got caught TWICE for speeding!! The first time, sure, I was over the speed limit, but the second time, 20km under the limit! They still fined me!!!

Back to the good news! It's only 13 days from today! I can almost smell the thunderstorms and rain ants, the ellie urine when I'm driving at 30km/h and feel the breeze over my skin! I can't wait anymore and everyday is a joy for me (apart from yesterday).

This might be my last visit to South Africa, and sadly Kruger... I want it to be the best holiday in Kruger! The one that sticks in my memory for the rest of my life and when I tell my kids one day (when i have some) of heaven, I want to still smell the Kruger.....

Weesy, Thank you dearly for your message! It's so nice... I hope to meet someone and at least become a LIT memeber/ I have seen many leopards in trees, but I wasn't a forum member...

Droopy, the camping thing is not going to happen it seems... My brother is as stubborn as I am and he wants to take me Timbavati again. He won't change his mind, not even for a sum of money!!!

Snow Zee, I will be going with my Grandfather... It might be his last trip too as he's very old and everyday is a struggle... He aged 10 years in one day when hsi wife (my nanna) passed away... I will try and make it the best trip for him too!

Thank you all and keep them coming!!!!!! Im almost packed!!!! Have I forgotten something??? I hate this feeling....

Weesy, it saddens me deeply that I won't see the african sunset again or sit in the rain as the drops fall from me. I have extremely fond memories of Africa, growing up and my greatest love is the Bushveld and everything that lives in it....

It's time for me to move on and start a life here in Australia.... I dream of Africa every night and wake up seeing no Africa. It's saddens me and I miss my Motherland, so this will be my goodbye trip as I will start Uni soon and I have a full time Export job right now... I'm getting to the age where I want to find a husband and maybe have some kids soon, and I have to let Africa be my past in order to concentrate on my future.

I will make this one the greatest goodbye I've ever given! I know my Granny is where her heart wants to be and she's safe, I also know that right next to her is a place for my grandad when he goes to visit her and that makes me happy... I can now let go.....

Weesy, I will hold you to that Lotto thing! Thank you so much for your kind words....

Stephan & Juanita, I hope that we run into one another when we are there! My first trip to Kruger as a forumite ....!!

Ok, it's 12 days, YES, I said 12 days until the big day!!! Just got back from a lovely trip to perth and knew I'd be back, next time to catch a flight to my piece of heaven....

Today it is dark outside, the clouds are thick and the air is cold... I know rain is coming because I can see it. Unlike back in my Motherland, I couldn't see it, yet I could smell it and hear the drums of the thunder, a sign of new life.

In 12 days, I hope to relive this feeling and experience nature as I've never seen it before... I hope to let go of my worries and wake with a smile before my coffee for once....

I will report all my big findings to you and share with you my small ones... I got the new camera just about figured out and hope it does not let me down.....

One question though... Whats the first thing you pack when you go to Kruger??? The one thing you could never go to Kruger without...????

Thank you friends! To answer your questions etc.....

1. This will be my first time in the South of Kruger since 1995. We are forever up North, love Olifants and we are always staying in Satara as it's our great love.... Yet, this year I wanted to do it a little different and explore the South.

2. Night drives are not my favourite. For a 21 year old I go to bed at 9.30pm almost everynight (apart from weekends) and for this reason I love sunset drives. I am planning on going on at least 1 sunset drive at every camp we stay at.....

Ok, so it's day 11. The official countdown has begun!!!! I sit at work in my office this morning and I dream... In two weeks I will still be waking at 5.00am in the morning but for a complete different reason, my coffee and Ouma Beskuit will be a "on the go" snack.

My mother is so jealous and doesn't really want me to go, for she knows that when I return, both our lives will change forever....

The first thing I will pack of course has to be my camera! Apart from that I have my Bino's (they are super cool) my yellow ribbon and a wish list....

11 days and counting!!

Joekin has offered to post my text messages for me when I'm over there, yet, I haven't spoken to her in a while. Are you out there joekin???

I would love to do a live trip report but taking the laptop and setting up the net that side would be a waste of valuable time. So I will try to give you all short updates and upon my return, port my Memories of Motherland Africa for you to relive the journey with me and aid me in my farewell....

Good Morning Everyone!!!

Today it is only 6 days! I haven't been so excited about something in a long time and the waiting game is killing me...!! I can't wait for Friday to come.

This time next week I will be on solid South African ground, taking in the smells and seeing the sights once more.... I heard this song on the radio the other day and it has inspired me so much... The words are so true and it has become my song... I will tell you the first couple of lines just in case you haven't heard it...

My best friend gave me the best advise
He said each day's a gift and not a given right,
Leave no stone unturned,
Leave your fears behind,
And take the path less travelled now,
Each step you take is the longest drive,
If today was your last day,
Tomorrow was too late,
Can you say goodbye to yesterday??
If today was your last day.....

It's so inspiring to me and I hope that it affects someone out there in the same way....

So 6 days and counting still!!!!!!

87 HOURS AND 10 MINUTES left till I board my South African Airways flight to Jo'burg!

It's scary when you start counting down the hours... I am struck down with a flu/cold thing I can't seem to shake off, but with every minute that goes by my excitement grows! Just thinking of the peace and quiet, the sounds of the bush and the smells I have almost forgotten... That's what will heal me.

I have had these terrible dreams that I won't be allowed to board my plane because of my fever... Imagine the horror...????

Ok, so my camera's are on charge, my handluggage is awaiting it's contents and I've started packing. Slowly, but I have indeed started packing. I have made a menu for the nights we will be in the park and thought of a few ideas we could do for when we stay in Hazyview. My Wild Card is still valid, how awesome is that???

Ok, next I will post my wish list.... Do you know what will be first on the list???

PS: Thank you all for the great messages and now the REAL countdown begins...

54 HOURS AND 0 MINUTES!!!

Ok, I have GOOD news and BAD news.... which one to tell first???

The GOOD news:
The flu meds have helped so much and I have broken the fever, I am well again and ready for the trip!!

The BAD news:
The phone rang last night, my heart sank... It was (as suspected) news from my grandad. My fellow KNP traveller... He has fallen ill. Not physically ill as bed rest, but he suddently went blind in his one eye!!
He says he was watching tv when all of a sudden he felt a "pop" in his eye and he could no longer see anything with the eye. The next day he went to Pretoria to see his Specialist. The Dr told him that he has torn the gell in his eye, which isn't so major. He then noticed a lot of blood in the eye which shouldn't be there and gave my grandad medecine. He has to go back on Monday morning, a day before we are meant to travel, so the Dr can tell him what his next step will be. It's one of two:
1. He's all good, the meds are working and he is fit enough to go to the KNP.
2. He will need an operation to find the source of the bleeding and stop it, before he goes completely blind and he is not allowed to go the KNP at all!!

This has shocked me and I'm in two minds... He wants my brother and I to go if he can't, but is it right for the two of us to go enjoy ourselves when he's in a hospital having surgery all by himself???? I don't know what to do and it's very upsetting as you all can imagine...

Some advice would be greatly appreciated....

Thank you all so much!! I feel a lot better now... I have worked so hard for this holiday and I would hate for it all to be cancelled.

A quick update, Spoke to Grandad and he says his eye is already feeling better than yesterday and he can actually see out of it today!! It's a very good sign...

Also spoke to my brother, he is ready to go if it comes to that and he has offered to drive grandad to the Dr Monday and discuss the situation afterwards with Grandad at lunch, to determine the plans once the Dr gives his diagnosis.

Micetta, joekin, Petra Jacobs, weesy, Meandering Mouse, Safrica, your words have been very helpful.... Thank you and I strongly believe, after my tears and stress last night and the phone call tonight that all will be well and we will go on our beloved KNP holiday as planned.... Holding thumbs!!!

29 HOURS AND 20 MINUTES!!!

Spoke to Grandad, he's not getting worse and that's great news!!!!

I've got the day of tomorrow purely for packing, last minutes shopping and more packing!!! I can't wait!!! I'm so excited, very ill from stress as I hate flying, but so excited!!!!

We're going out for cocktails tonight, a few friends and I to say Bon Voyage!!!

Talk soon and then it'll be less hours!!!

Ok, the time had come... Just a bit over 10 HOURS until take-off and I'm so nervous... I have a fear of flying greater than my fear of Elephants!!

I will do my best to give you all an update from the Airport, a but before departure and then, next time you hear from me, I will be in Africa starting my long awaited journey!!

Thanx for joining the me on this adventure, but it's only just beginning!!

GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE!!

No, No, No, I'm not back yet, still have a few weeks of bliss ahead of me. We have just arrived at Lower Sabie and guess what, they have an internet cafe!! Just had to come and say hi to you guys...

First of all, thanx Joekin for the great job u are doing!!!

Thanx to all the forumites out there for all the great comments!!! you are all awesome!!! Keep up the great work...

I will quickly tell you of the highlight of the day so far...

2km from Croc Bridge(where we had breakfast) we saw 5 cheetahs, 2 adults and 3 cubs. They where lying down and weren't in the mood to move... (photo's are there but not very clear as they were far away). We stayed for a while, keeping an eye on them when out of nowhere a troop of baboons appeared. They spotted the cheetah and decided to start a fight with them!!! There was so much dust as the 2 teams battled it out and in the end, the cheetahs made a getaway......

It was great!!!!!

Going on another Sunset Drive tonight, hopefully with Martie, but we'll have to wait and see......

I have my YR but I haven't seen a mite as yet. We have managed to swap our night in Malelane for a night in Satara!! what a luck!! Now I can go and find my late Grandmother's bench.....

Hope to speak soon and Joekin will keep on updating you... I have some amazing pictures which I will only be able to share once I'm home again...

Till then, keep safe and I will pop in when ever I can....