Day 104: Last Safari Game Drive — Arrival in Durban

Almost two full weeks of safari came to a close today.

We woke for a final, abbreviated game drive with Al and Sydney. We mostly took it easy — there were a bunch of giraffe, some more zebras, lots of eagles, a terrapin…no heart-pounding moments.

Back at the lodge we sat for breakfast with the other family staying there who’d arrived yesterday. A Belgian family with two teenage kids who all spoke flawless English.

They mentioned that the kids were transitioning to an international school and that they’d been going to summer camp for international kids at a place called Camp Montana in the Swiss Alps. It starts at age 8. Noted.

Around 10:30 am we heard our plane approaching the airstrip and knew it was time to say goodbye. Sydney and Al drove us the short ride over to the plane and we said fond farewells.

Teddy, Sydney, Al and I are on a Whatsapp group and all following each other on Instagram, which makes the goodbye less sad!!

We made two stops — one at Londolozi and another at Mala Mala — before landing back at Nelspruit/Kruger Airport.

Londolozi and Mala Mala are both super fancy safari lodges. The Bensfields were lucky enough to go there back in 2003, and we all fell madly in love with our guide Richard. I was hoping for a glimpse of him at the airstrip guest dropoff but alas it was another guy.

At Mala Mala a fancy Spanish family with four boys boarded and they were in full head-to-toe, over-the-top safari-chic gear — like, matching shoes and hats and handbags, etc.. We learned later that a separate plane had flown their enormous luggage!! Ha!

We caught a connection to Durban on South Africa’s east coast, where we’ll be spending five nights. We’re excited because I don’t know much about this side of the country, and we’re curious to learn how it’s different.

We’ve rented a car and we’re staying at an iconic old hotel called the Oyster Box. It’s a bit of a time-capsule place — think 1982 preppy beach chic with a strong splash of colonial.

It’s packed because of the Easter holiday (realized about midday that it was Good Friday — we barely knew it was even a Friday at all).

The kids are in such desperate need of sleep that we ordered room service and put them out of their misery at 7 pm, just like the old NYC days. Praying for 12+ hours.