Africa in the Making

On June 21, 2014 we will run in the Big Five Marathon in South Africa. We will fly from Sydney to Johannesburg on May 27 to begin what will surely be the trip of a lifetime.

There is an enormous amount of planning required to make something like this happen and I have indeed been planning, plotting and dreaming of this trip for more than eighteen months.

We chose Africa as our first international marathon destination for a number of reasons. In 2011 we trekked to Everest Base Camp in Nepal and our group of trekkers included a number of South Africans who we now view as lifelong friends. Steve's great friend Ronnie Muhl, the trek leader on that trip, also led Steve's 2010 Mt Everest climbing expedition. Like Steve, he too has successfully reached the summit of Mt Everest. We will be able to visit these friends in their hometowns of Johannesburg and Cape Town and this will be a very special part of our trip.

Another reason for choosing Africa is that we can also include the climbing of Mt Kilimanjaro in our itinerary. Like many serious mountain climbers, Steve plans to climb the seven summits - the highest peak on each continent. (Seems like there's a theme developing here.) Although I am not interested in mountain climbing per se, I have always been keen to attempt Kilimanjaro, so the timing and opportunity seemed right for us.

Friends and climbing aside, surely Africa is one of the most exciting destinations on earth, so decision made, Africa it is.

Putting together the itinerary wasn't quite so simple. With so much to see and do on this vast continent, it was hard to decide what we should include. In the end, we came to the realisation that it's just not possible to see it all on one trip so we have settled on the following:

                                                                     Johannesburg 

3 nights. As we will be utilising my Qantas staff travel benefits to facilitate our travel, this will be our entry point into South Africa flying SYD/JNB on QF63. We will spend our time recovering from jet lag and doing a bit of sightseeing. I have been to Johannesburg many times before as a Qantas Flight Attendant but this will be Steve's first time here. I have booked a private tour guide, the well respected Nel Redelinghuys, to take us to Soweto and the Apartheid Museum. I'm looking forward to reminiscing over great steak and wine at The Bull Run Restaurant and we also hope to catch up with our friend Per.

                                                          Drakensberg Mountains

   
2 nights. This is a weekend hike, camping in a beautiful mountain region that includes an area known as Champagne Castle. On day two, we will reach  an altitude of 3380m, so it will be a good training exercise before Kilimanjaro. I have booked this through the company Soul Adventures who have been a delight to deal with.

Johannesburg 1 night. Rest and recuperation.

                                                             Madikwe Safari Lodge 

3 nights. Game reserve located in a malaria-free zone in the North West Province, South Africa, bordering Botswana. Morning and afternoon game drives in open safari vehicles, staying in the luxurious accommodation of Lelapa Lodge.

                                                                    Mt Kilimanjaro 

10 nights. Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is the highest free-standing mountain in the world. We will trek with the South African company Adventures Global, owned by Steve's friend and business associate Ronnie Muhl.

                                                                        Cape Town 

4 nights. Looking forward to staying with our friends and exploring this beautiful city. Some plans include hiking Table Mountain, visiting Stellenbosch and Robben Island and catching up with friends Ronnie, Derick and Rob. I'm still considering organising a shark cage dive for Steve, as he has mentioned before that he would love to do this.

                                                                 Big Five Marathon 

5 nights. Finally. Our main reason for being here. The marathon runs through the private game reserve Entabeni in the Limpopo Province, located between Johannesburg and the Kruger National Park. We will be staying at Hanglip Mountain Lodge on the lower escarpment that has breathtaking views across the wetlands and vast open plains. We will be using Travelling Fit for our travel arrangements. 

                                                                     Victoria Falls 

2 nights. Victoria Falls is on the Zambezi River, bordering Zambia and Zimbabwe. We will stay at The Royal Livingstone Hotel on the Zambian side of The Victoria Falls and take a helicopter flight to view these spectacular falls from above.

That will bring our African adventure to an end and we will fly home on June 26 ready to plan the next marathon on the next continent. 

The Great Wall Marathon in China, perhaps?