Author Topic: Trip Report: Etihad Glitch Fare (UAE, Vic Falls, Chobe, Joburg, and Cape Town)  (Read 27646 times)

Offline AharonInIsrael

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Great TR! Thanks! It's made me add southern Africa to the list :)

Offline AJK

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The question would really be between CPT and GIG. Out of which GIG may just tip it over.

Have you been to AKL?
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

Offline Yaalili

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Have you been to AKL?

No, but from the pictures itself it does not stand out, looks like it can be Miami, very flat looking.

Offline AJK

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No, but from the pictures itself it does not stand out, looks like it can be Miami, very flat looking.

It's clear you've never been then. To put Miami in the same paragraph as New Zealand, except as to compare one as being the best, and the other the worst, is near blasphemy :)
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

Offline Markus

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Thanks so much for the beautiful and detailed TR

You are very welcome. So glad you enjoyed.

Offline Markus

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Thanks so much for typing this up, it's really well written and informative. South Africa is on my list of places, so I hope to make use of your notes some day.

I hope so too. It’s a great place, and truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I highly recommend going. Feel free to PM me any questions that are not answered in the TR.

Offline Markus

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Great TR! Thanks! It's made me add southern Africa to the list :)

You’re welcome. Glad you enjoyed. I hope it’s towards the top of “that list.”

Offline Markus

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Vic Falls











« Last Edit: March 21, 2015, 09:04:58 PM by Markus »

Offline ual902

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Vic Falls











Nice Trip Report I did also very similar trip in 2005  JFK ZRH JNB CPT ZRH JFK Swiss using I think it was 70K  AA Miles Coach When Swiss was OneWorld and  before  I heard about DD.

Offline Markus

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More Safari Pics

Warthogs



Baboon Holding Baby





Elephants





(And Some Elephant Poop)


Offline Markus

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Hotel’s Domesticated Cheetah




Offline Yaalili

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Offline Markus

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Vic Falls Airport (Zimbabwe)






Offline Markus

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Wow.

Exactly. It was terrifying, but so cool.

The person running the show there told me the Cheetah was adopted as a newborn, when its parents where killed in the wild. Because it was adopted at such a young age, it does not have any of the survival skills of its peers. In fact, on the day we saw it, the Cheetah had just come from a nature walk in which it tried to attack a baby baboon. Apparently attacking baboons is really stupid (they have crazy fangs) and no wild cheetah would ever do so. Taking their babies is even worse, because the whole family retaliates. The guides literally had to pull the cheetah out from under the baboons.

Also, interesting fact: cats have really, really rough tongues. That sort of explains how they use it to clean themselves. The Cheetah licked me, and it felt like rubbing sandpaper on my arm. The spot that it licked me on still hurt the next day.

Offline Something Fishy

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Wow. Incredible report! Amazing pictures as well.
Check out my site for epic kosher adventures: Kosher Horizons

Offline Markus

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Wow. Incredible report! Amazing pictures as well.

Thank you very much. I put a lot of work into it and I’m glad you appreciate it. Coming from you that is a big compliment. I am a complete amateur when it comes to photography.

Offline Emkay

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Thank you very much. I put a lot of work into it and I’m glad you appreciate it. Coming from you that is a big compliment. I am a complete amateur when it comes to photography.
Beautiful pictures and nicely detailed TR.
What did you take pics with and how much was the elephant camp per night? (Assuming a pretty penny)

Offline Markus

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Beautiful pictures and nicely detailed TR.
What did you take pics with and how much was the elephant camp per night? (Assuming a pretty penny)

Thank you!

If you click on the hyperlinked pictures you can see all of the camera/photo details. I used a Samsung NX200 that I bought through the deal Dan posted at the end of last year. The camera cost me about $250. I am a complete amateur; it’s the first “professional” camera I have ever used. All of the photos were point-and-shoot shots.

The Elephant Camp costs about $1100/night for a couple. I would never pay that much, and did not pay that much. The hotel was willing to work with me though because I was not eating any of their meals. However, they asked me to keep the price confidential. My suggestion is to just email them directly and ask for a better rate. Because of the Ebola scare, they had many cancelations and are really looking to fill up their rooms. They told me so outright. 

Also, for whatever rate they give you, keep in mind that they generously include the following:
(1) Airport Pickup and Drop Off
(2) Driver and Guide to Vic Falls
(3) Zambezi River Cruise
(4) Meet the Elephants
(5) Cheetah Encounter
(6) Somewhat Kosher Breakfast and Drinks
« Last Edit: March 21, 2015, 11:39:56 PM by Markus »

Offline Yaalili

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The Elephant Camp costs about $1100/night for a couple. I would never pay that much, and did not pay that much. The hotel was willing to work with me though because I was not eating any of their meals. However, they asked me to keep the price confidential. My suggestion is to just email them directly and ask for a better rate. Because of the Ebola scare, they had many cancelations and are really looking to fill up their rooms. They told me so outright. 

Quite a bit more than the $59 a night we paid in VF.

Offline Joe4007

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Awesome report. Thanks for taking the time!