Day 4 - June 27th

Another busy day in Johannesburg!

We started out pretty early with yet another wonderful breakfast at 8. That felt pretty good after last night's shenanigans. More pancakes and fruit and scrambled eggs and sausages and so much more that I can't name it all.

The morning after that actually started out pretty slow, as we tried to figure out what we were doing. After the previous night we were pretty apprehensive about our upcoming 8-hour drive out to rural South Africa with just the four of us (me, Marilee, Jessy, and Machiko). We had to discuss possible options, such as hiring a driver. Eventually, we just bullied Budget Rental into allowing Jessy to drive the car for just R300 (300 rand) extra. That's like, $40 or so. Yay! So we should be set on that front.

This sounds like it was a quick fix, but it was really an all-day ordeal, which eventually meant that Rebecca stayed behind to play phone tag. In the end it all worked out.

Meanwhile, we went out to the South African Lion Park where, for R100 (less than $20) we got to drive through a big reserve type thing where we saw zebras and springbok and other animals. We also saw cheetahs and hyenas behind some fences. The real treat, though, was when we entered the lion park. There were four enclosures, with four different prides. The only thing separating us from them was the car, and even though it was against the rules... we totally rolled the windows down. We were literally feet from these lions. I'll upload pictures after I'm back—they're fantastic.

After the driving part we entered the lion cub area where we saw a giraffe and ostrich pretty up-close, but then also went into a little enclosure where I got to PET a lion cub. I mean, that was awesome. Again, I have some simply amazing pictures.

After this we stopped by the inn before a few of us headed to the mall to get some last minute supplies—blankets, pens, candles, etc. The Ingwavuma team leaves early tomorrow, so we had to get some of that shopping in. Since the group was me, Jessy, and Machiko (Alex went to get some supplies), we couldn't resist the call of getting some clothes for dirt-cheap prices. So I got some jeans and two shirts for under $30. Rock on.

Now we're back to the inn for the night. We went over the driving directions for tomorrow and some information for the camps and now the seafood that people ordered.

So now I have to get going and try to prepare for the longest car ride of my life (not actually the longest, just made longer by South African roads being terrible, I'm sure) and also prepare to leave the best place I've ever stayed.

Since we're going out to middle-of-nowhere Ingwavuma tomorrow, I probably won't have internet for one or two more weeks, so there won't be any updates for a bit. I hope you keep checking back, though, because when I do have updates they are sure to be pretty fantastic!