Did You Know?

Okay, here's a trivia question to stump your friends and family:  where is the biggest man-made hole in the entire world?  Right here in Kimberley, SA.  It's the result of decades of diamond mining and the loss of countless lives in the process and a fortune that is almost incalculable.  The surface of the hole is 6.2 hectares, and the distance around the perimeter 1.6 km.  It's big - very big - and is pretty much the centerpiece of this otherwise unremarkable city of 175K in the Northern Province.  It is 'must see' for all visitors and we're no exception.

The Visitor's Center is gleaming and modern, and the entrance fees for 'pensioners' is a mere 80 ZAR (about $5.50) on Mondays (all of us but Debbie qualify!).  The visit starts with a short video in a slick theater and we learn about many of the characters that flocked to this part of Africa following a child's discovery of one very shiny rock on the banks of the Orange River about 50km from here.  Turns out that diamonds occurred in abundance all along the river but were concentrated in the area around Kimberley.  The Big Hole was once the site of a modest mud house that was quickly torn down once someone spotted a shiny rock in its walls!

Entrance set amidst a number of Victorian era buildings that replicate the booming town of Kimberley in the late 1800's.

This is truly impressive when viewed from above.  The water is actually ground water that continually seeps up and was the reason mining operations ceased in their entirety in 1914.  Not to worry, there is a 20+ story building in downtown Kimberley in which are stored enough diamonds to supply one and all for generations; the supply is carefully metered so as not to glut the market and depress their value (as happened early on when they were being dug up at a fever pitch and prices plummeted).

We were all told to say 'Big Hole' with great enthusiasm when our guide took this photo (that tall building just off my upraised hand is the diamond storage facility!).

A viewing platform over the hole.

A schematic of The Big Hole and some data on the Kimberley Mine.

Last stop on our tour was the 'vault' where the most spectacular diamonds taken from the mine are stored.  Actually, they're replicas since a number of attempts have been made to steal the real ones!  the biggest diamond ever - 612 carats - was mined here and is still 'in storage.'

On to the Victorian-era town that grew up around the mine.  A centerpiece is the tram line which, unfortunately, was not running today.

A second centerpiece has to be the Irish tavern, a popular and constant fixture.

Not surprisingly, the tavern is right across the 'street' from the church which, surprisingly, is a German Lutheran church.  Like so many of the structures then, it's made out of corrugated panels with a few, super simple stained glass windows.

One of my personal favorites was the library and billiards hall.  There were a remarkable number of books (including some American frontier authors like Bret Harte!) as well as some titles that sounded like bodice-rippers.

After a morning of serious sight-seeing, lunch was in order.  Here in the Victorian village is a full-on eatery boasting the 'best pig bellies' in all of SA (and a cooking school just across the courtyard).  Whoaaa can't resist those - actually all of us save Paul could and opt for a more mundane fare of fish and chips.  The desserts were just too, too yummy to resist, including this chocolate cheese cake.  Perfect ending to a lovely day.

First Days, First Impressions . . .

First Impressions . . .

Jo'burg airport is gleaming and modern.  Deplaning is very efficient (we're both very impressed with Delta) and in no time we're in the immigration line.  Ten minutes later and with a 90-day visa stamp in our passports (at no cost) we're on our way out when we are stopped by the sweetest welcome imaginable.

A SA children's chorus has flown over with us - around 20-25 youngsters between the ages of 8 and maybe 15.  They've just cleared immigration and stop and assemble in two rows. With a nod from their director, they begin singing - a cappella - in that wonderfully, seemingly effortless style of voices in perfect harmony. Two songs later and to the enthusiastic cheers from a most appreciative audience, they grab their backpacks and are off for home. What a perfect introduction to this country!! 

Paul is waving enthusiastically at us in the arrivals terminal and after hugs and kisses all around, goes outside to hail our uber cab and driver from the line of taxis.  When I get into the car and greet the driver with a cheery 'hello' he responds with a huge smile and a ' 'Hi granny!'  I choose to take it as a term of affection and respect for his elders :)

It takes about 20" to drive to Ferndale, a neighborhood on the outskirts of Jo'burg and the home of our hostess, Sybille.  She's already hosted Debbie and Paul for several days and has graciously agreed to also have us spend the next two nights with her before the four of us take off on our tour.  They met in Thailand a few years back, have become friends, and she's delighted to finally have them come for a visit.

Our biological clocks and diurnal rhythms are completely topsy turvy.  We left Atlanta on Monday at 8pm and it's now almost 6pm Tuesday in Jo/burg - 9 hour time difference and a 15.5 hour flight from Atlanta.. It's an early night for both of us.

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Early the next day, Paul heads out to retrieve our rental car which will be our touring vehicle for the next 75 days or so as we explore South Africa.  It's generous and has a big boot for all our luggage and stuff. 

Our first excursion is to a nearby shopping center and an ATM.  We're delighted to find one that's 'no fee' and then a lovely little cafe where we all have lunch.  Good start!   

Couple of quick observations before closing out this post.  This is an incredibly lovely part of Jo-burg.  All the homes are very upscale and very well kept.  The streets are lined with jacaranda trees which, it being spring, are in full flower. 

Almost no one walks in this neighborhood.  All cars are locked while driving and all packages, handbags, etc are stored in the boot, out of sight.  As we get closer to commercial areas, cars at stoplights are surrounded by vendors selling everything from today's newspaper to 'original' art.  The first time this happened, I found myself startled and had to force myself to stare straight ahead . (I'd read that if you're carjacked in SA, do not look at the faces of the men.  If you do, then you could potentially identify them and that would put you at even greater risk.)   You may be thinking, wow this sounds kinda paranoid . . .  I think of it as simply being an alert traveler. 

This hyper security mindset is borne out by everything we see in this neighborhood.  Every house, every estate compound, every structure has some sort of security - ranging from a simple remote entry gate with cautionary signs to the more common full-on reverse angled electrified wire on top of 8-10 foot stone walls with a sign reading 'armed response'.  Okay - I get it.  This is serious security!!

Yes, that is ADT alarm systems and you can just see the 'response' in 'armed response.'

We meet a brand new bird nesting in a tree on Syb's front lawn - a weaver.  What a delightful wee bird this is!  I learn that they make two nests - a nest to live in and a nest to breed in.  Interestingly, their nests (not sure which type) are all clustered on one side of the tree, all their 'doors' facing one direction.   Not such great photos but I think you'll get the idea  . . .

And these trees bear a remarkable resemblance to our mesquite trees in the SW - just a whole lot bigger!

Tomorow, Thursday, bright and early we're off to Kimberley (a 5+ hour drive) and a nice long, recuperative stay in a self-cater guest house about 10km out of town. 

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We're Off to Africa!

Dear Friends and Family-
Yes, we're finally doing it:  going to Africa, well South Africa and Zambia to be more precise.  One of our friends said it was just too vague to lump all 50+ African nations together and say 'we're going to Africa'.  Her observation makes great sense when you look at a map of Africa:

Of course that also takes some of the mystery and, dare I say, danger out of the 'excellent adventure' as South Africa is often dubbed the United States of Africa (a compliment, I presume) and Zambia is currently the only really safe and reasonably priced way to see Victoria Falls.  I confess, I briefly lobbied for a 21-day boat trip up the Congo River but was otherwise persuaded by my very sensible husband.  The fact that I could not find any reviews of this trip after 2012 also played a part.

Truth be told, we were both a bit daunted by the prospect of an Excellent African Adventure on our own.  For a while we toyed with the idea of a full-on, top (or at least middle) of-the-line safari experience - not for our typical three or four month trip - but a mere three weeks (even that would be a budget buster).  Our well-traveled neighbors were a generous source of information and encouragement, and we were close to signing on the 'just do it' bottom line . . . when the gods smiled, the stars aligned, and our dear friends, Debbie and Paul, decided it was time for them to see Africa - and see it with us!!  Oh joy of joys!

Just a quick refresher.  We met Debbie and Paul in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India in early 2014, and it was one of those 'we're going to be friends and friends for a long time' encounters.  That doesn't happen very often with us, and the four of us still marvel at it.  We met again in Savusavu, Fiji the following Christmas/New Year and after three weeks sharing accommodations were even better friends.  And the bonds were absolutely cemented when they came to the States this past Spring (near the end of their 3-year travel odyssey) and spent almost two months with us.  In a couple of days sitting around our patio table in Tucson, we planned and booked the entire African trip.

Then to celebrate we went on a 10-day driving tour of our beloved New Mexico . . .

The ever-adventurous Debbie and Paul Irvine!

And their fellow adventurers in training!

Such a lovely, sweet friendship!

Back to our Excellent African Adventure. . .  Our middle-of-the-range, 3-week guided safari idea morphed into a near three-month, self-guided driving tour taking in some of the length and breadth of South Africa.  Cue the map, complete with 'stickies' of our stops:

And this isn't all of South Africa; the rest of the country is on the flip side!  South Africa is three times the size of Texas with far more varied topography, spectacular scenery, and archaeological riches.  Throw in whales and giant sharks in the southern oceans and the Kalahari Desert and Bushmen to the north and this is one amazing country!  We start in Johannesburg and make our way to Kimberley, Graaff Rennett, Sunland (Addo), The Crags, Knynsna, Oudsthorn, Swellendam, Franschoek, Cape Town, Tulbach, Cistrusdal, Pater Noster, and Hermanus where we will welcome in 2017.  Then the four of us part company.  Debbie and Paul take a deluxe train back to Jo'burg, and Tim and I head off for an adventure on our own.  The first four days are at a horseback safari resort (our one BIG splurge) in Limpopo Province just south of Botswana (the other side of the map) and then back to Jo'burg for a flight to Zambia and five nights in Livingstone and Victoria Falls before coming home on January 13th.

How blest we are to be able to have another Excellent Adventure and to have such wonderful friends and traveling companions!  I hope you all enjoy blog traveling with us once again.

With love,
Carol & Tim

PS - the pink shirt is already packed!