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May 14, 2016 Trip Botswana ...

SealordSealord
in Botswana, South Africa & Zambia
A trial balloon as we are a long way out. But this trip now shows as sold out. I saw it turn 'yellow' before they even published the 2016 prices so we booked it. We did the "Classic" Safari in 2014. Anyway, there should be about twenty of us hanging about here somewhere.

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    travelingteachertravelingteacher
    Sealord- I am about to go on the classic safari and would love to hear about your experience. It's one of the few trips left on my bucket list.
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    SealordSealord
    travelingteacher wrote:
    Sealord- I am about to go on the classic safari and would love to hear about your experience. It's one of the few trips left on my bucket list.

    You perhaps saved the best for last. Simply the best trip we have ever done. We missed the balloon ride do to equipment problems and wind, but everything else was so spectacular, missing that ride was of small importance. The lodging, guides, tour diector Bill Mercadante, were all outstanding. The Four Seasons Serengeti was amazing. I have a picture of my wife in the infinity pool with a herd of elephants immediately behind her. We also really loved the Mt. Kenya Safari Club. The migration across the Mara River happened for us like it had been scripted. Other groups had been waiting for a long time to see it, and nothing was happening ... so we almost didn't go. We had a vote to either do a different game drive, or go to the river. We voted to go to the river, arrived just in time to see a major migration, and then we went to lunch in the bush. You will love this trip. Have you done other Africa trips?
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    travelingteachertravelingteacher
    This is my first trip to Africa which has been on "my trip radar" since I was a child! I have had to cancel 3x before. Twice due to a family medical issue and the third time, which should have been the charm, because of a pesky volcano in Iceland (that shut down air traffic). Wish I'd planned differently and gone during the migration. It is something I really want to experience. I took a balloon ride in Cappadocia (Turkey), which was very special, but I agree, not something to lament if I had to miss. I am sure all your friends enjoyed hearing about and seeing pictures of your trip and I can't wait to do the same. (I am hoping to go to India next year, as I whittle down the last of my "must see's" before another trip or two to Africa- I want to visit both Egypt and South Africa, and the allure of Madagascar is up there as well.) The world is such an incredible place and my wanderlust (so far I've visited over 30 countries) will leave me broke! Thanks for you reply. I'm even more excited to leave now :-)

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    SealordSealord
    travelingteacher wrote:
    This is my first trip to Africa which has been on "my trip radar" since I was a child! I have had to cancel 3x before. Twice due to a family medical issue and the third time, which should have been the charm, because of a pesky volcano in Iceland (that shut down air traffic). Wish I'd planned differently and gone during the migration. It is something I really want to experience. I took a balloon ride in Cappadocia (Turkey), which was very special, but I agree, not something to lament if I had to miss. I am sure all your friends enjoyed hearing about and seeing pictures of your trip and I can't wait to do the same. (I am hoping to go to India next year, as I whittle down the last of my "must see's" before another trip or two to Africa- I want to visit both Egypt and South Africa, and the allure of Madagascar is up there as well.) The world is such an incredible place and my wanderlust (so far I've visited over 30 countries) will leave me broke! Thanks for you reply. I'm even more excited to leave now :-)

    I understand completely. We are doing the North Sea and Baltic on the Wind Surf in July, then the Blue Danube with Tauck on the MS Savor in September. Then probably another 'something' in early 2016 before returning to Africa with Tauck. I'm limiting myself to one Tauck trip a year for 'fiscal' reasons, but would love to do more. (;-)
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    BritishBritish
    edited April 2015
    Hello Sealord and cute blonde wife! We have booked this tour for September 2016. Wow, it's expensive and for fiscal reasons we thought we better do it before my husband retires! We went on the Elegant Adventure a few years ago, so we have been to Capetown where this tour ends and actually arrived two days early. It is a lovely place and we were able to see some extra things while we we there, Kirstenbosch Gardens And the Christian Barnard Museum being my favorite. The tour stayed at the Cape Grace hotel, some of the best service, and I don't mean just in the restaurant, that we have ever had. Also, I think one of the best meals we have ever eaten in the restaurant there. My husband had the regular tasting menu and I had the Vegan tasting menu, with wine pairings and the food and service was fantastic. It is so lovely to eat a meal without the experiences in a restaurant in the US where you can't hear yourself think, the tables are close together and you hear everyone else's conversations and the waiters pester you constantly instead of hovering and anticipating your needs silently. If the One and Only hotel is similar you are in for a treat. The Cape Grce had two BMW limos that you could make use of for free, so see if your hotel does the same, that is how we went to the Gardens. Great gift shop there by the way. If you don't think you will be back in Capetown, I recommend you book a tour to Robben Island well in advance and see that, the tours sell out quickly. ( Elegant Adventure includes Robben Island) Stay longer, even if only one day.
    Now we have grandchildren, we have a week with both our children and their families in the local mountains and then a week in Italy, the new Puglia trip, that's our Tauck tour for this year, but we have friends going with us, they will be first time Tauckers. My husband is finally on the mend from the infection that began on our New Zealand trip in January. Best wishes to you both. British
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    jdurkinjdurkin
    Glad to hear Mr B is on the mend at last. Some of these viruses (should that really be viriuri, I wonder?) are right bu**ers to get over. And don't I have personal experience! But Mr B's has been going on longer than mine, so I shouldn't grumble.

    Cheers,

    Jan
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    travelingteachertravelingteacher
    Sealord- You'll have a wonderful time in the Baltic. Several years ago I went from Copenhagen to Stockholm to Helsinki and finally to Helsinki before heading into St. Petersburg. The cities we visited in Russia were just as memorable- hopefully you'll head that way some day as well. The remainder of my tour went into Belarus and Poland before flying back to the states from Germany...... I'm scanning the 2016 Tauck trips now, and will remember your comment about how quickly they sell out!
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    BritishBritish
    Jan, thanks for your thoughts on Mr. B, an overzealous antibiotic script from our GP wiped out his entire GI tract of good bacteria, when it was supposed to get rid of his chest infection, and his body is still trying to colonize a correct balance, now on his fourth no might be fifth try of meds from the Drs to get his system healed, but he is Ok and functioning, good job too, he is pretty busy at present.
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    jdurkinjdurkin
    British wrote:
    Jan, thanks for your thoughts on Mr. B, an overzealous antibiotic script from our GP wiped out his entire GI tract of good bacteria, when it was supposed to get rid of his chest infection, and his body is still trying to colonize a correct balance, now on his fourth no might be fifth try of meds from the Drs to get his system healed, but he is Ok and functioning, good job too, he is pretty busy at present.
    Gee, just shows how careful you have to be. I do not envy Mr B's journey back to gut health.
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    Janet McGowanJanet McGowan
    Hello I have just seen your post. I have never done this before, used the forum page, so hope I do it right.
    My family and I are booked on the May 14 Botswana Zambia South Africa tour! We also booked it before the pricing came out. My husband and I also did the Classic Safari in Feb of 2014! We are very excited about this Safari!
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    SealordSealord
    Janet McGowan wrote:
    Hello I have just seen your post. I have never done this before, used the forum page, so hope I do it right.
    My family and I are booked on the May 14 Botswana Zambia South Africa tour! We also booked it before the pricing came out. My husband and I also did the Classic Safari in Feb of 2014! We are very excited about this Safari!

    You are not the Grey Eagles Janet McGowan are you?
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    J McJ Mc
    Hello Sealord,

    I'm sorry I didn't see this sooner. I am not the Janet McGowan from Grey Eagles. sorry.
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    SealordSealord
    J Mc wrote:
    Hello Sealord,

    I'm sorry I didn't see this sooner. I am not the Janet McGowan from Grey Eagles. sorry.

    No problem ... Her first name is actually Vicki. (;-) A senior moment.
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    HuntNfunHuntNfun
    ]You perhaps saved the best for last. Simply the best trip we have ever done. We missed the balloon ride do to equipment problems and wind, but everything else was so spectacular, missing that ride was of small importance. The lodging, guides, tour diector Bill [Employee Name], were all outstanding. The Four Seasons Serengeti was amazing. I have a picture of my wife in the infinity pool with a herd of elephants immediately behind her. We also really loved the Mt. Kenya Safari Club. The migration across the Mara River happened for us like it had been scripted. Other groups had been waiting for a long time to see it, and nothing was happening ... so we almost didn't go. We had a vote to either do a different game drive, or go to the river. We voted to go to the river, arrived just in time to see a major migration, and then we went to lunch in the bush. You will love this trip. Have you done other Africa trips?[/quote]

    Sealord, when did you go on the classic safari tour? My husband and I are considering this trip for 2017 and definitely want to see the migration. We have booked the Botswana, Zambia, and South Africa tour for 2016.
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    SealordSealord
    We went in early July. The weather was perfect except for the wind that interfered with the baloon. The migration across the Mara is a no guarantee deal. Our tour director actually tried to talk us out of it, cuz people had been waiting for days without seeing it. We voted to go, it started when we got there, and then we went to lunch in the bush ... no problem.
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