Fly around the world for less than $600

[motion]

- **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!!!

[Willem Fick]

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!

[motion]

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.

[Neilk]

Can't let wife see link!

[imcarthur]

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.

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.

[Willem Fick]

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!

[Willem Fick]

Originally Posted by imcarthur

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

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!

[Willem Fick]

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

[PorscheGAL]

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

[pcardude]

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.

[pcardude]

Originally Posted by PorscheGAL

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

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

[JavaBrewer]

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

[imcarthur]

Originally Posted by Willem Fick

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!

Hilton Sandton. I got a suite with points.

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

[wdfifteen]

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.

[motion]

Originally Posted by Willem Fick

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!

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.

[motion]

Originally Posted by Willem Fick

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

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.

[motion]

Originally Posted by PorscheGAL

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

Cool promotion... interesting idea!

[motion]

Originally Posted by pcardude

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.

Sounds like business?

[motion]

Originally Posted by JavaBrewer

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

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.

[motion]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

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.

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.