Due to the layoff that happened while I was in Abu Dhabi, I haven't been doing a lot of international travel. I've done a few shorter trips within North America, but it's finally time for another extended trip overseas.
This time, my husband and I are going to South Africa in honour of his 40th birthday. Eek, my husband is going to be 40!
The plan starts with a 3 day layover in Amsterdam. It's here where the UberGeek is going to celebrate his actual birthday. Then we fly to Johannesburg for 3 days, before driving to Kruger National Park for 3 days in private game lodge followed by 3 days at a more budget facility operated by the national parks. Then we're heading towards Durban with stops in Swaziland (and another game park), and Saint Lucia. From Durban, we fly to Cape Town, where UG is looking forward to diving with Great White Sharks!
So, I'm in planning mode now. We leave in just 5 weeks, and I still have a few issues to work out. This has been the most unpleasant planning experience I've ever had.
The biggest problem is that South Africa doesn't have a lot of large hotels. And the ones that do exist are incredibly expensive. The smaller places are B&Bs or independent guest houses or boutique hotels. I am not opposed to staying in small local places, but I've never had so much trouble booking them!
Here are some examples of issues I've had:
*Told by an apartment renter to go to a Barclay's Bank anywhere in the UK and make a deposit to hold a reservation. I had to tell her 3 times that I am not in the UK, and there are no Barclay's bank in Canada.
*I booked one chain hotel due to their loyalty program. A WEEK later, the hotel separated from the chain. Central reservations can't cancel the booking because they are not in the chain, I have to cancel with the hotel directly. But they can't give me the hotel phone number. And I booked through the chain, with reservation info stored in my profile, no email with booking info.
*Several establishments have asked for credit card details by email (huge security risk) and faxes don't seem to go through.
*Between hotel owners and the Trip Advisor forum, I can't get an answer to the question "Can you swim at the beach?" I got "there are swimming beaches with lifeguards within a 10 minute drive." What does that mean? In Australia, if it's not a swimming beach, it's because there are likely deadly animals in the water, or rip tides so strong you'll get swept to Hawaii. But in Costa Rica, most beaches are fine for swimming, but don't have lifeguards.
*I asked if there's ever a possibility of seeing large wild animals while driving, like when driving in Canada, and you see moose on the road, or a bear off to the side. They got offended at the suggestion that the country isn't fully developed.
*We paid over $300 for a SA National Parks entry pass, and due to a change in the company that distributes the passes, instead of being mailed out in January as originally planned, they are now hoping to mail them in March. People in SA haven't gotten their replacement cards for their passes that expired in November. They've been told to use their emailed receipt as proof of payment. Hopefully that's also accepted in Swaziland!
Oy. 5 more weeks of this. I really want to just go lay on a hot beach.
