The Adventure Begins...

A few days ago I was going to begin this blog with a witty introduction...but a few days ago I hadn't packed yet either. After going to bed between 2 and 3am each morning this week, the packing sadly didn't happen as quickly as I would have liked. I should probably also tell you that I do many things well, but packing is NOT one of them! However, with that having been said, we leave for our great adventure in 16 hours... By we, I mean my husband Joe and my mother-in-law Marie. If you think that traveling with your mother-in-law and your husband to a far off land is not your ordinary vacation...well you're probably right, but I think we'll be ok!

The journey begins with a 17-18 hour flight from JFK to Johannesburg, South Africa...I mean who doesn't like being folded up like a pretzel for a million hours in a plane full of dehydration....A few days ago Marie asked me what first class was like and I told her. Heaven. However, I also told her that heaven costs about $5000-6000. She then replied..."Oh, I thought it would only be like $100 more and if that was the case I was going to suggest we go for it." Believe me, if first class were only $100 extra per person I would have already gone for it! Ah well...pretzel it is.

The Chiappa Family African Adventure as I like to call it is laid out like this:

August 4-7-Kruger National Park, South Africa (I want to see a bushbaby!)
August 8-Fly to Lusaka Zambia
August 9-13-Canoe Safari down the Zambezi ("I love hippos....which is fine as long as you don't love them too close.....I'm really excited to see elephants though!)
August 14-Fly to Cape Town South Africa, Try to go on a cultural tour with dinner and traditional dance in a township
August 15-Tour of Cape Town, self drive to Hermanus (whale-watching capital of the world..it is Southern Right Whale breeding season and you can see upwards of 50 whales right from the shore!)
August 16- (enter Jaws theme...) Cat-Great White Shark Cage Diving! Joe and Marie....relaxing and shopping...
August 17-Sea Kayaking in a Whale Sanctuary (how cool is that!) Then onward to the Winelands...
August 18-Sightseeing, Wine tasting, Food Coma....
August 19-Spa Day! Relaxation at last.....Joe goes biking and drinking...maybe at the same time
August 20-Travel to Cape Town..sightseeing and loose ends...
August 21-Cat to Windhoek Namibia, Joe and Marie home
August 22-Joe and Marie arrive at JFK at 7amish, Cat to Harnas Wildlife Foundation (check out the video...takes about 30 seconds to begin once it is loaded)
August 22-September 18-Harnas Wildlife Foundation (feeding baboons, sleeping with cheetahs and hanging out with all kinds of animals!)
August 19-Cat begins to head home...
August 20-Cat arrives at Dulles at 6amish...

I will try to blog when I can while we are all together, but once Joe gets home he will be writing about my adventures for me as communication will be spotty on my end.

Wish me luck!

Cat