After Isabelle’s massive missive yesterday, it is just as well that today was relatively quiet. We had to get up even earlier and say goodbye to Phinda. We took a tiny Cessna from Phinda to Durban airport. I got to sit in the front which was rather exciting. Unfortunately, everything was very tight when we got to Durban and we were running through the airport with our bags trying to find the check in. It was like an episode of the Amazing Race. Made it with minutes to spare and then flew to Port Elizabeth.
We flew with Nationwide Air which was fine. The only distinguishing feature of the flight was the in-flight magazine “Altitude”. In a very very strong field, Altitude does win the award as the world’s most boring in-flight magazine. Gems such as “Which corporate vehicle should you use to buy your second property” and “Chilli sauces of the southern transvaal” rocketed Altitude to the top of the list. It makes BA’s High Life look like the Economist.
We didn’t see much of Port Elizabeth. The motorway from the airport runs straight through the center of the business district (which looks a tad run down) past endless gated communities of nice looking bungaloes and then we were on the N2 to Grahamstown. One thing that’s very much in South Africa’s favour is that it’s an African country with first world infrastructure. Two hours later we pulled off the main road into the reserve.
Kwandwe is very different from Phinda. It’s much more rolling hills and much lower vegetation. More like you would expect Africa to look like I guess. We saw ostrich, warthogs, meerkats, zebra and oryx just on the drive in to the lodge. We arrived at the lodge in time for afternoon tea but because were were so tired after the journey, we decided to just laze about the lodge for the afternoon. The weather was wonderful and it was good not to have to rush out.
Dinner was up to the usual C C Africa standards. Springbok carpaccio and guinea fowl. Mmmm.
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