Calfan
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2009
I can't believe it was 6 years ago - from the day we left we have been talking about when and how we can return to Africa.
I've been doing that since 2001, lol. 2019 will be the year....
I can't believe it was 6 years ago - from the day we left we have been talking about when and how we can return to Africa.
Kevin, I enjoyed reading through your report. We did a similar trip (non-Disney) and it popped up today on my Facebook that I was in Capetown 5 years ago today. My daughter still looks for kudu on the menu whenever we find African restaurants.
This is bringing back great memories of our South Africa ABD! We did the Langa tour too - with Chippa! - and I am so glad we did it to see a different, but real, side of the country. I can't believe it was 6 years ago - from the day we left we have been talking about when and how we can return to Africa.
I've been doing that since 2001, lol. 2019 will be the year....
Penguins!!!! I love the penguins! Did you have any other interaction with them other than watching from a distance? I know that's the proper way to observe wild animals, but they ARE penguins...so cute! ;-)
Thanks for the baboon picture! My son will be delighted. Your trip report has included so many amazing things so far. I'm very interested to hear how it went from amazing to life changing.
My daughter, Amy, would probably want to do this trip just for the penguin experience.
Chris
South Afriacian wine is one of the reasons I love the restaurants at animal kingdom lodge and kidani. South Africa is on my list but I also want to be able to spend time in the wine areas.
ABD’s often get better and more impressive as the days go on. For South Africa, it’s about to get exponentially more impressive and go from a good trip, to an amazing trip, to a life changing trip. As I move into the next few days of the ABD, I think it’s worth it to spell out my feelings on the trip as a whole ahead of time. By the end of the SA ABD, I felt that this was THE best trip ABD has to offer. Furthermore, I frankly think it’s the best trip or experience Disney as a whole offers - including DCL, Aulani, and the Parks & Resorts around the world. I truly think this is Disney at it’s finest. And I’ll see what I can do over the next few entries to explain why I feel this way.
I agree with this. I'm really looking forward to hearing why @Cousin Orville feels that way!!Wow that's a huge statement! Can't wait to read more.
ABD’s often get better and more impressive as the days go on. For South Africa, it’s about to get exponentially more impressive and go from a good trip, to an amazing trip, to a life changing trip. As I move into the next few days of the ABD, I think it’s worth it to spell out my feelings on the trip as a whole ahead of time. By the end of the SA ABD, I felt that this was THE best trip ABD has to offer. Furthermore, I frankly think it’s the best trip or experience Disney as a whole offers - including DCL, Aulani, and the Parks & Resorts around the world. I truly think this is Disney at it’s finest. And I’ll see what I can do over the next few entries to explain why I feel this way.
Today, after breakfast, we met up with the team and drove down towards the Cape of Good Hope. It was a lovely drive down the coast. It looks quite a bit like the Pacific coast of California (with ostriches).
Let’s all transport back to our middle school geography days. So, the Cape of Good Hope is not quite the most southern tip of Africa. That’s actually a few hours east of Cape Town. But it is the most South Western point of Africa, fwiw. It’s basically famous as the point at which the first voyagers found their way around the south of Africa. Despite rough seas, they named it the Cape of Good Hope because it gave them hope that they could now travel around Africa.
So, we made it to the geographic marker. Kind of cool. It’s felt like a nice little achievement. Certainly not life changing. Earlier this summer I bought a 66 degrees North shirt in Iceland, kind of a North Face equivalent for Iceland. So, that’s what I’m sporting here in the picture.
After the Cape of Good Hope we drove just a little further to Cape Point. My understanding is the Cape of Good Hope is the larger geographic land mass that we were driving down, whereas Cape Point literally is the most South Western point - the southern tip of the Cape of Good Hope. Regardless it was pretty.
Afterwards, we had a nice lunch overlooking the ocean near Boulders Beach. After lunch we walked down to the beach to see the penguins. And they certainly were cute! That was probably the highlight of the day. It was really cool seeing them swim and waddle around.
We had a bit of a break when we got back the resort. Maybe a couple of hours. Dinner tonight was absolutely delicious. We drove out to Societi Bistro - Kind of a French African fusion. Food was very approachable. Very tasty. Wine was great and free flowing. The setting is almost like a refurbished or repurposed large home. It was very comfortable and one of my favorite meals of the trip.
It was a fairly simple day driving back and forth to the Cape. It was nice to start seeing some African wildlife. Ostriches, Baboons, Penguins… This ABD is cruising right along nicely. Everyone has been having a good time. What none of us on the trip realize yet is this ABD is about to take off in an incredible way.
ABD’s often get better and more impressive as the days go on. For South Africa, it’s about to get exponentially more impressive and go from a good trip, to an amazing trip, to a life changing trip. As I move into the next few days of the ABD, I think it’s worth it to spell out my feelings on the trip as a whole ahead of time. By the end of the SA ABD, I felt that this was THE best trip ABD has to offer. Furthermore, I frankly think it’s the best trip or experience Disney as a whole offers - including DCL, Aulani, and the Parks & Resorts around the world. I truly think this is Disney at it’s finest. And I’ll see what I can do over the next few entries to explain why I feel this way.
South Afriacian wine is one of the reasons I love the restaurants at animal kingdom lodge and kidani. South Africa is on my list but I also want to be able to spend time in the wine areas.
So excited to get a new installment of the trip report! And your overall assessment of how this trip ranks among ABDs and Disney trips in general has definitely given me food for thought in deciding between Tanzania and South Africa for 2019. Can't wait to read more!
Years ago, I went to a talk by Pauline Frommer (from the famous Frommer travel guides). She said the one trip everyone should have on their bucket list is Africa because it will be life changing. Well, you just confirmed it! I can't wait to read the rest of your trip report. 2019 can't come fast enough!
OMG! This is going to make 2019 a much harder choice. Especially after the scary stories of crowds and heat in China, I may end up putting this one back on top! (BTW, these hard choices are a good thing to have!). We saw Adventure Guide Landon in Peru and he had just come off the trip and said it was amazing. Can't wait to read more.
Your photo's are amazing. Cape of Good Hope reminds me of Cape Tribulation in Australia- not the northern most point (thats Cape York) but a famous Cape too - it was the area where Capt Cook (yes of Polynesian quick serve fame) had his ship grounded. Those African penguins look similar to the ones near Melbourne. Wonder if Southern Ocean penguins are related.
I love the AKL and their views,restaurants and wine. I stayed there for the first time in March and loved it. But recently stayed @ Beach Club and enjoyed that too for how close they are to Epcot and the Boardwalk's restaurants.
Tanzania would be awesome. It's on my wish list now. Another advantage of SA (which will take me a while to get to) is it's proximity to Zimbabwe and Botswana. While not apart of the ABD, I'm really glad I had a chance to visit.
Yes, it's just a matter of time before I get to both. My DH and I did Zambia and Zimbabwe in 2001. The trip was actually spearheaded by my BIL's interest in seeing the total solar eclipse that year. I agree that Africa was life-changing. If/when we do South Africa, we are likely to go back to Victoria Falls since I'd like my kids to see have that experience. And your social media posts of your Botswana pics caused me to add that to my list as another add-on for SA. If we end up doing South Africa in 2019, I'll definitely be asking you for advice about Botswana....