Fly around the world for less than $600
 

- **UPDATE** IT'S BACK...US CITIES TO BOTH SOUTH AFRICA & ANOTHER CONTINENT FOR ONLY $385

Great deal. End your trip in Europe, then catch a one way back to the USA for around $200 with Scandinavian. If anyone has any questions or needs help, PM me. I took advantage of this deal and will be going to South Africa and Europe in May dirt cheap. Awesome!!!

I hope your itinerary includes catching up with me Richard! You will by then be able to buy our economy for about $3.55 given how weak the Rand has become so I can virtually guarantee an awesome visit!

Willem! I get in to JNB May 4 at 10 AM and am planning on jumping into my hire car and driving to Francistown, Botswana that day. You're welcome to ride shotgun for a visit to Victoria Falls and a bungee jump on the bridge :) I am solo this trip.

Can't let wife see link!

Are you still trying to get this crowd to move their butts, Richard?

Btw we will be near Solitaire, Namibia on the 4th & 5th. Dinner's on me if you want to do a drive by. :D

Willem: Are we still on for dinner on May 12?

Ian

Edit: Whoops. Solitaire on May 4 & in Windhoek on the night of May 5.

Richard, that should be a great roadtrip, and you wife has to get a reward for being cool with you flying solo!

Not sure if everything is booked and paid for yet, but be aware that due to the drought the Victoria falls have all but dried up, and as our dry season is now starting you are not likely to see more than a barren dry cliff - might not be worth your while, honestly!

Botswana is great though, and you are guaranteed to have a really good time!

May is an ideal time for game viewing. This is mainly as it is mid-winter and therefore not quite as unbearably hot as you will experience from November through February. The key benefit of this is that animals don't rest in the shade as much by day and move around a lot more for grazing fodder. Also because the foliage has typically died back significantly by this time there is less place for them to hide.

If I may suggest you consider stopping over at the Mapungubwe National Park on your way. Lies where the borders of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana come together. I know the Park Manager very well, and he will give you the "non-public" experience guaranteed!

Over and above the game viewing aspect it is also worth noting that Botswana is absolutely a meat eater's paradise. The meat is of fantastic quality and really dirt cheap, especially as due to local custom there is no demand for boneless cuts such as rump, sirloin and fillet!

Ian, I have absolutely not forgotten! Apart from Richard's impromptu visit, my May is a blank sheet right now and you are absolutely on for the 12th! Once you have planned your whereabouts on the day, please let me know so that I can start planning which restaurant we'll go to!

Oh, and Richard, a next time you want a great african roadtrip, bring the missus with and go visit the Tankwa National Park here in South Africa. It is a vast tract of desert farmland that my family sold to the government some years ago to develop as a National park. It hasn't been open as a park for very long, and is sort-off off the beaten track so very un-touristy.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfa1/t31.0-8/11154859_832166150200201_3036919474010381486_o.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfa1/t31.0-8/1511655_641986545884830_4978353337640386581_o.jpg

It is especially worth visiting during what they call the floral season, when the desert blooms - really spectacular to see.

https://www.southerndestinations.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Tankwa-Karoo-NP-photo-Roxanne-Reid.jpg

Motion, This looks like it would be right up your alley!

Netflix Will Pay You Thousands of Dollars to Travel and Instagram - Condé Nast Traveler

I'll be in Japan in May and again in August. Maybe I'll see you there. Though I'm not planning a stop in Kyoto this time.

The only part of that I could afford if the plane ticket. And since you don't take hitchhikers I'm out of luck.

Have fun on your trip man.

Haha that would be cool. I wonder though, who can take an entire month off work to do something like that

Meanwhile tickets from Des Moines to San Diego are $1300+ ...

Hilton Sandton. I got a suite with points. :D

Off to LHR tomorrow for 4 nights in Salisbury, England wining & dining (and selling) an important client. The year is young & I'm already worn out from travel.

Ian

Sounds like it would have been fun - 20 years ago. We are scheduled far another trip to France in April. We love it. But we agreed, after this if we never spend another hour in an airport in our lives we could die happy. Air travel sucks ass any more. It's like being on a Mexican bus, except you have to keep your chickens under the seat in front of you.

Willem, as usual you are full of great (and in this case, timely) information! I'm bummed to hear that Vic Falls is dry yet again. This is the 2nd time I have been shut down on heading up there to see them! Ahhhh well..... I was hopeful that by May it would be raining again.

I do want to drive north from Joberg to take in some new sights, so I will definitely add Mapungubwe National Park to my list, along with a drive-thru of Kruger. Thanks for that recommendation. I'm hoping to dip into a few new countries to add them to my list. So, I will probably due a loop, then head back to JNB for a flight to Windhoek and check out Namibia, then down to practically my favorite spot on earth, Franschoek.

Ian: Timing might be right so we can meet up! Where are you staying in Solitaire? What are your plans in Namibia? I will likely just grab a car and explore for 2 days. Nothing too elaborate.

Willem, I'm hoping that I can meet you for dinner, if your schedule allows. I need to put more work into fleshing out my itinerary.

Another spectacular site to add to my list. Thanks, Willem :)

Mrs Motion loves flowers and cactus, so she will be all-in on that visit.

Cool promotion... interesting idea!

Sounds like business?

Yeah, that's the problem with not living in a major east or west coast hub city. We always have to position to LAX or JFK for our flights, which adds a lot to the overall costs, and usually necessitates hotel stays for early morning flights. It is what it is.

As I've said on here a thousand times, you need to game the system. For the pro travelers, it is all actually quite enjoyable. I NEED to be at airports and on planes every couple weeks or I start getting very antsy. But, if you're only traveling a few times a year or less, then yes, it can be challenging. At the very least I recommended spending a few extra bucks on premium economy seats and lounge access.

It sounds like we will be crisscrossing each other’s paths.

We start with Franschoek & Stellenbosch. Then fly up to Windhoek early on May 2 for the long drive – 5-6 hours of 70kph gravel roads to the Sossusvlei area for 3 nights. I went very manly & rented a Toyota Hilux for this part. Drive back to Windhoek (same slow roads) for one night on May 5 & then we fly to Kruger SZK.

Here we are self-driving & staying in the Sanpark camps – Skuzuka & Lower Sabie for 2 nights each in pre-booked cabins. This is the part that I am really looking forward to. Doing our own animal-watching drives with a couple of organized bush walks with the rangers. Cooking burgers on a braai etc. Then we have 2 more nights of spoiling at a private deluxe camp in Kruger: Hamilton’s Tented Camp for a pith helmet & khaki shorts Old Boy experience.

Then we puddle-jump to Johannesburg for a night in Sandton on the 12th to break bread with Willem, before heading to Cape Town the next day for our last nights in SA.

Ian

Edit: And my Salisbury trip tonight was cancelled this morning by my customer due to a family death.

Jeez, Ian. You make me look like a complete amateur :) I usually just jump in a rental car and then figure things out from there. Well, at least when solo. When I have the wife, things are a bit more planned out.

Your trip sounds great. Have you been to SA previously? You are going to seriously fall in love with Stellensbosch and Franschoek. I hope the surrounding mountains are lush green for your visit. It is an amazing area full of charm. Make sure you dine at the French Quarter in Franschoek at least one evening.

I'll get in touch as we get closer to see if its possible to meet up.

No I'm going on my own for my own reasons. I'm interviewing some people there. But I love Japan and saved up enough money to spend about a month there this year.

We will be just at the start of their fall. Off-season rates kick in May 1. And yes, I already had the French Quarter in my sights but it appears there should be lots of choice.

Ian

And yes, I plan ahead. I like certain creature comforts & my spouse likes even more. And with all of those prerequisites in place, I start planning 12 - 18 months out. ;)

Keep an eyeball on my itinerary & let's see if we can cross paths. It would be cool.

Ian

Ian I have to intervene right here, as friends don't let friends cook burgers on a braai - you could get hurt for being seen doing that 'round these parts! I'll have to give you a crash course in the traditional South African "braai" before you arrive! :D

While you are at it why not fly to Europe cheap?

An icelandic airline is offering low cost trips from eurpore to north american to Iceland.
(but once you are in iceland, why not hop to the other contientent?)

Wow Air promises flights to Europe for less than $100 | Montreal Gazette

May is slap bang in the middle of the rainy season in Franschoek (Cape town and surrounds is a winter rainfall region), so you are virtually guaranteed lush greenery. I'll be praying to the gods of weather to spare you a wet and dreary Franschoek by the same token!

Ha! I am very good at embarrassing myself. :D

Ian

Richard, there may well be good news regarding the Victoria Falls yet.

The Northern parts of South Africa have had very good rain over the past few days. I just dropped the guys at Mapungubwe a note to ask about the Victoria Falls catchment area. If substantial rain fell there you may find that the falls are not quite a dry as the pictures you most recently saw. Still keep in mind though that the Falls are typically at their lowest ebb during our winter, so will not be quite as spectacular as you could expect in Dec-Feb, but may at least not be only a trickle.

That's good news, Willem. Thanks. But, I'm not going until I can see the falls in their full glory. I have time :)

I think I'm gonna miss you in Namibia. I'm flying in on May 6, leaving May 7. I have 27 hours on the ground. Rented a car, but not sure where I'll go. Probably Walvis Bay.

Actually, I think our itineraries are reversed... I start in Johannesburg, then on to Namibia then Cape Town area. Leaving South Africa May 10 for the baltic states.

You are right. We are reversed. And fyi, all of the travel boards stress to drive really slowly in Namibia. Most rental companies will not insure for roll-overs or any speed above 70 kph.

Ian

Are you sure you want to go to Walvis Bay? We are staying at the X just south of Solitaire which is 4 - 5 hrs sw of Windhoek. We will day trip to Sossussvlei (S) which is about 1 1/2 hours from our lodge: Moon Mountain. I know people that have gone & it is visually stunning. Look it up on Google images.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1460076160.jpg

Ian

I'd rather stick a fork in my eye than fly coach, leave alone international. I haven't had a lot of travel in my jobs, but it still burned me. It is torture to me to sit in a seat with 300 of my closest friends right on top of me, being served nasty food and not being able to go anywhere but the stinky bathroom for 12 hours.

The great thing about living in the Bay Area is that I can get a good taste of other countries right here.

I may change my mind if I can afford business class for private travel ...

G

Ha ha, that's important. You go hungry in RSA if you can't cook on a braai.

My BBQ, excuse me, braai, skills improved hugely after four months on the road in Zim and RSA. I'm the best braai man amoung my friends :D

If curious it was a surfing trip to J-Bay but I thought I'f visit my old aunt Jessie and look around while I was there. I liked Paarl and Stelenbosh particuarly.

Have fun Richard!!!!!

Here's more detail of Sossussvlei & Deadvlei. The only way to get to Deadvlei for sunrise is to stay at Kulala Desert Lodge in the park. We decided to sleep in & stay elsewhere.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1460109100.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1460109202.jpg

An amusing map of Cape Town.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1460109357.jpg

Ian

More accurate than you can imagine! :D

Yeah, its really the only destination I can find in that area. I'm not really too much into the desert, so more interested in the coastline. I will probably do this route, which is less than 12 hours. Should be plenty doable in my 27 hours on the ground.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1460152874.jpg

I had no idea there was a large Jewish population in Cape Town! I have one night there and can't wait to get to Fork to enjoy their menu and a couple glasses of SA red wine on the patio.