Author Topic: Trip Report: Etihad Glitch Fare (UAE, Vic Falls, Chobe, Joburg, and Cape Town) (Read 31083 times)

Markus · « **Reply #60 on:** March 22, 2015, 12:25:51 AM »

Quote from: Yaalili on March 22, 2015, 12:08:35 AM

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

LOL, yes. But this was one of the highlights of our trip, and worth every penny in my opinion. I am sucker for Five Star. I sold about 85,000 SPG points to cover the entire hotel cost of my trip, including three nights in Cape Town. That’s not really more than I would otherwise spend on a trip.

Markus · « **Reply #61 on:** March 22, 2015, 12:26:09 AM »

Quote from: Joe4007 on March 22, 2015, 12:22:16 AM

Awesome report. Thanks for taking the time!

My pleasure. Glad you enjoyed.

Yaalili · « **Reply #62 on:** March 22, 2015, 12:28:48 AM »

Quote from: Markus on March 22, 2015, 12:25:51 AM

LOL, yes. But this was one of the highlights of our trip, and worth every penny in my opinion. I am sucker for Five Star. I sold about 85,000 SPG points to cover the entire hotel cost of my trip, including three nights in Cape Town. That’s not really more than I would otherwise spend on a trip.

The funny part is, that you flew in the back of the bus to get all the way there.

avrumy22 · « **Reply #63 on:** March 22, 2015, 01:17:47 AM »

Awesome TR!!

Can you tell me where you rented from in ABU Dhabi? How much? Was it easy to get around? I have a day stop there.

Markus · « **Reply #64 on:** March 22, 2015, 01:21:54 AM »

Quote from: avrumy22 on March 22, 2015, 01:17:47 AM

Awesome TR!!

Can you tell me where you rented from in ABU Dhabi? How much? Was it easy to get around? I have a day stop there.

Thank you. Glad you enjoyed.

I rented a car from Budget, via Priceline. I believe I paid around $30 for the car, inclusive of insurance and a GPS. The car rental was located right across the street from the airport. There were a few of the larger car rental companies all located right near each other.

Driving was very easy. Nothing to write home about there.

Marco Polo · « **Reply #65 on:** March 22, 2015, 08:20:08 AM »

Great TR and pictures!

Hope to do something like this once i can leave my kid at home.

Markus · « **Reply #66 on:** March 22, 2015, 08:57:45 AM »

Quote from: Marco Polo on March 22, 2015, 08:20:08 AM

Great TR and pictures!

Hope to do something like this once i can leave my kid at home.

Thanks. Glad you enjoyed!

sam28 · « **Reply #67 on:** March 22, 2015, 03:59:08 PM »

no words for this report thanks for taking you time .

Markus · « **Reply #68 on:** March 22, 2015, 04:00:05 PM »

Quote from: sam28 on March 22, 2015, 03:59:08 PM

no words for this report thanks for taking you time .

Wow, very kind of you to say. Thank you. Glad you enjoyed.

gsquared · « **Reply #69 on:** March 23, 2015, 11:57:12 AM »

Quote from: Markus on March 20, 2015, 02:56:41 PM

Thanks so much. Very glad you enjoyed.

With regard to Zimbabwe being Yellow Fever free: I saw that in the news as well. You are absolutely correct. However, I learned that you have to leave a large margin for error in Africa. I asked a few people in Africa whether Zambia was Yellow Fever free, and they said it was not. In my opinion, I would not want to take any chances and have to get stuck with any needle/vaccination in Africa in order to return to return to South Africa.

Thanks for the points on seeing the Falls from the Zambia side. I guess I stand corrected. Either way though, there are just so many more viewpoints from the Zimbabwe side. It would seem to me that if you could only choose one side it would make more sense to go to the Zimbabwe side. What do you think?

What did you land up taking for malaria?

Markus · « **Reply #70 on:** March 23, 2015, 12:17:28 PM »

Quote from: gsquared on March 23, 2015, 11:57:12 AM

What did you land up taking for malaria?

We didn’t take anything. Because we did not go to Kruger, it was not considered necessary.

Yaalili · « **Reply #71 on:** March 23, 2015, 10:14:28 PM »

Quote from: gsquared on March 23, 2015, 11:57:12 AM

What did you land up taking for malaria?

Quote from: Markus on March 23, 2015, 12:17:28 PM

We didn’t take anything. Because we did not go to Kruger, it was not considered necessary.

Victoria Falls is in fact in a malaria area. You will get lots of opinions - asking different people about it, the locals, hotels, south africans etc.. - whether to take the pills or not - to be on the safe side, we took Malaria pills.

gsquared · « **Reply #72 on:** March 24, 2015, 11:10:51 AM »

You might get differing opinions on malaria in Kruger in the winter but noone would risk going without anti malaria medication in March in Chobe and Vic Falls.

Markus · « **Reply #73 on:** March 24, 2015, 11:43:35 AM »

Quote from: gsquared on March 24, 2015, 11:10:51 AM

You might get differing opinions on malaria in Kruger in the winter but noone would risk going without anti malaria medication in March in Chobe and Vic Falls.

Well then I'm glad we lived to tell the tale. I won't advise anyone here what to do; I'm just telling them what we did and didn't do.

Yaalili · « **Reply #74 on:** March 24, 2015, 11:50:54 AM »

Quote from: gsquared on March 24, 2015, 11:10:51 AM

You might get differing opinions on malaria in Kruger in the winter but noone would risk going without anti malaria medication in March in Chobe and Vic Falls.

Chobe for sure needs in the summer. Vic Falls the consensus from most was that even in summer you don't 100% need, but we did anyway.