Roll call
"AFRICAN"
A Fabulous Regent Itinery Crusing Afican Nations
Seven Seas Voyager
11/12/2022 to 12/06/2022
Lisbon to Cape Town

Ngaire and Ken----------
Jan and Jim B------------ # 651
Helen and Jeff------------ # 647
Mary Ellen and Jim-------
Joan and Dave----------- # 644
Helen and Jerry---------- # 750
Mary and Jim------------- #711
Pam and Jim------------- # 833

Joan and Dave

Helen and Jerry

Hey, Jim! Don't forget Tim (Ajax) and TBD!

Just FYI 58 people on this trip. Safari afterwards at Mala Mala. Going to be fun. I need a contest for the name - should be African oriented. Wil ask Karen to start that for us.

Please add Sheila and Ken

I am shopping for the teapot now!

Has anyone noticed?
In the new Regent catalogue we recently received on page 27
is the information about this cruise.
At the bottom in red it mentions pre and post tours included.
Then go to page 31 and it talks about them.
I know we would be interested in the pre tour of Lisbon.

That info is also on the website. If you look up the cruise and click on the pre cruise and post cruise options it’s there. Jerry and I are signed up for the Lisbon pre cruise but I’m not sure we will do it. This is already a pretty long trip for us so mostly we signed up so as not to get shut out should we decide to go. Guess we would need to make that decision about the time we start to shop for flights.
————————
Helen

I will check BUT I believe it is a Free Pre OR Free post program. It is one or the other. You can get one free and BUY the second program though if you like, so you can take two programs but only ONE is free.

Copied from the web
FREE LAND PROGRAMS IN ALL SUITE CATEGORIES
Guests in all suite categories can enjoy a FREE 3-Night Lisbon Landmarks and Beyond pre-cruise land program OR FREE 3-Night Winelands and Wildlife post-cruise land program on this voyage.

I don't have have a copy of the brochure with me but I will check when I get into the office.

UPDATE - I checked the brochure it shows the following

+Free 3 night land program
Pre Cruise: Lisbon Landmarks & Beyond
OR
Post Cruise: Winelands & Wildlife

Very easy to miss the OR in the information.

Well I know Jan and I want to do the pre- tour of Lisbon.

We're with you; Jim and Mary in Cabin 711 and doing the Regent pre-cruise tour. Haven't decided on post-cruise activity as we've been to Cape Town and will do the safari with Ngaire in 2021.

Just checking to see if we have anyone who needs to be added to the roll call.

Oh and I know that Helen & Jeff, Jim & Jan, & Tim & TBD want the Lisbon pre land program

Jim, just FYI Jerry and Helen are in 750. We are signed up for the Lisbon pre cruise.
———————-
Helen

Jim, please add 644 to Dave and Joan’s roll call entry. Thanks.

Been since April since anyone has joined our roll call.
Who is joining us?

Sold out cruise but we have a lot of people on the waitlist hopefully many will clear.

833 Pam and Jim turner

Thanks to Jim B for encouraging us to sign up.

We were waitlisted for about six weeks and cleared last Wednesday, tho we're in GTY now.

We're booked on the Silver Explorer for Cape to Cape, then Cape to Zanzibar (East Africa) next March. So this Voyager Shining Capitals of West Africa will be a nice book end on our visit to Africa in 2022.
Frustrated in March 2020, due to Covid, was stuck on the Silver Cloud for five days off the Capetown pier. The South African government finally cleared us, but to go directly to the airport--so never got to see Capetown but from the Cloud's deck and the jet's window.

Looking forward to cruising with Jim and Jan and few other roll call members that I have enjoyed reading their posts for the last decade plus.

Wes, are you still on 2023 Mariner World Cruise?

Alas Marc, we cancelled.

We (read Ida) decided instead of one long classic cruise we would do multiple expedition cruises along with classic voyages to places we have not been.

Love the itinerary, agree with your comments on the 2024 itinerary.

Hope Arlene and you have a terrific WC!

Just wanted to check and see if we have new cruisers to put on the roll call list.

Would appreciate comments from anyone, about using the regent pre Lisbon excursions, or or just use regent air, and do our own excursions in Lisbon.
Struggling at trying to price it both ways.

Jim,

We are using the Regent pre-cruise excursions and hotel included with the cruise. The excursions look good and will give someone who has never been in Lisbon a good overview of the city and surrounding area. The hotel they are using is top notch. If you decide to do excursions on your own, I recommend you use Diane Dias as your tour guide (rideforyouportugal.com). We used her along with another couple three years ago and were pleased with her services. We recommended her to two other couples and they were also very happy with their tours.

Please remove our name, we are no longer booked on this cruise.

OK. Sorry you won't be joining us.

Thank you. We’re sad we’re not joining everyone too.

Thursday 11/11/2021

At 10:02 pm tonight we get to try and pick our excursions. Hope it works.
Sometimes this Regent web site is difficult and slow to work.

At 12:05 am est everything showing sold out. Regent drops the ball again.

Pammy,

Everything opened for online booking at about 12:07 AM est. If every excursion shows sold out when excursions first open for booking, that usually means that the system is not yet ready to take online bookings. In that case, just wait a minute or two and try again. If you are still awake and see this message, go back in and you can make your excursion bookings. With the exception of Mindelo, every excursion is available for booking as of 10 minutes ago.

I was on at 10:02 pm and everything worked fine. Able to book everything we had on our list.
In fact I was surprised at how much faster the web site was from previous encounters.
Still slow, but just not as slow. LOL.

Yes! An easy effort to reserve excursions. Maybe there's hope for the Regent web site's functionality. We're also the following cruise; so in early December, I get to try it again.
Jim C

Us too! No problems and able to reserve anything we wanted.
———————
Helen

OK let's talk.

November 19th, 2022 Mindelo ( Sao Vicente)

1/2 day private tour. 15 people $1,199.00 ( $79.94)
1/2 day private tour 8 people $699.00 ( $87.38)

Personally I am not interested in a full day private tour but wondering if anyone might be interested in a 1/2 day tour?
Since there are no free tours at this port it is the only options.
Course maybe someone who has been there could tell us if it even worth while to think about something like this.
Let me know your thoughts.

Hi Jim, Never been and don’t know anyone who has but it doesn’t sound like there is anywhere to go that you need a car for? At least that’s my impression.

If you find out there is something of interest to drive to, we would be interested in joining you for a 1/2 day tour.
———————
Helen

Jim, The excursion PDF for the cruise shows three “free“ excursions and one paid excursion. Sometimes it takes a few days for excursions to show up on the website. I am going to wait a few days before considering a private excursion.

Thanks for that info Dave. There are a few excursions that sound interesting. Weird that they are not available to book? I am still trying to grasp the notion of the excursion called “sunset Yoga” that occurs at 10 o’clock in the morning . What!?
—————
Helen

That is weird, Helen. Maybe they plan on putting up a screen and showing a video of a sunset. 😜 Hopefully it is just a typo. I just looked and we are in Tenerife until 11 PM so a true sunset yoga excursion is possible.

Question:

Anyone know where to fine the requirements we will need for this cruise? Like visas, shots etc.

There will probably be two or three visas required BUT you just do them on arrival usually on the ship. Ghana, Gambia and South Africa I know require visas but nothing you need to do ahead of time.

Pretty much yellow fever is not required these days unless you have been in an endemic country. We will not have been to an endemic country. Things constantly change of course and we will be advised if yellow fever is required. My instinct is that it will not be required.

In the past nothing special to be concerned about on this cruise.

I see it is time for us that are using Regent Air to make flight arrangements.

I hope I have this right: If doing the pre cruise excursion then I need to arrive Lisbon on the 9th? I was going to skip this since we have been to Lisbon but discovered today that if I fly in on the 11/09 my flight is $800 pp cheaper than arriving on the 11/11 and booking hotel at my own expense. So I guess I will go ahead with the free excursion. Duh.
----------------------
Helen

Jan's brother Jeff & Helen and us plan on arriving Lisbon on the 9th to site see.
Have not made any hotel arrangements yet, or what we would like to see and do.

Jim going to suggest going to the PENA PALACE on the top of the hill in the town of SINTRA. This is a magical place been there twice and would go back again. Check this link. It is quite a distance from Lisbon probably about 45 minutes. At the top of the hill you change to a small bus that takes you up to the palace. You feel like you are in Disneyland!


https://www.sintra-portugal.com/Attractions/palacio-pena-palace-sintra.html

Regent air for the Voyager November 12, 2022 trip opened on Wednesday. Got a lot of air booked this week and good connections. We are doing a 4 day safari at Mala Mala with 39 people after the cruise and I was pleased that Regent got good flights and connections. I have done this cruise once before and really enjoyed it, a totally different experience. Hoping Captain Felice will be onboard. I sure have missed seeing so many of the wonderful Regent staff and crew. That would be the "icing on the cake" for us.

Jim, I second Ngaire’s suggestion re Sintra and also be sure and see a Fado show and have a pasteis de Belem.
———————
Helen

Also third on the suggestion for Sintra. But also have lunch in Lisbon at one of the places serving fresh fish—there are lots—down and to the left from where the ship docks. So fresh and good.

Second that as well. One of the best fish plates I have ever had was in Lisbon.
A restaurant just a block from our hotel. Small place nit fancy but the food was incredible and very reasonable.

Thank you Kate Bozarth at KLT For helping Jeff, Helen, Jan, and me with our Regent Air. flights. Not only are they very doable, but we meet up in FRA and arrive together in Lisbon November 9th which will be great for making transportation arrangements to the hotel.
We also get to fly back from JNB to CDG December 10th together before they go on to LAX and we go to SLC. Course we still have SLC to BIL but that is still neat.

Question:
Hope someone can help. Since we are diamond Hilton Honors members, we have decided to book our pre-cruise at one of the hotels in Lisbon.
Double Tree by Hilton Hotel Lisbon Fontana Park.
Has anyone stayed at this hotel?

Gosh. It was Feb. 24th since I checked this roll call, and nobody has signed up or commented since.
Since final payment is coming up in a few days I thought I would bring it back up and see if anyone new is going.

Well I can tell you that there are 68 people in the KLT Group on this trip so it will be a nice sized group.

Today was "paid in full day" for our cruise.

Post Cruise Safari
Would someone explain to me a little better than what I read.

LUGGAGE:
On all flights, guests are permitted to check-in-one piece of luggage at a maximum of 20kg (44lbs.) and and maximum dimension of 158cm ( 62inches.).

Passengers are permitted to travel with one piece of hand luggage not exceeding 7kg (15lbs.) and a dimension of 56cm (22inches) length, 36 cm ( 14inches) width and 22 cm ( 9 inches) height.
If the hand luggage does not conform to size specified, passenger may be denied entry into the departure area or sent back to check out counter.

Excess luggage (1 piece per person) will be shipped by courier from Cape Town to your hotel in Johannesburg.
This service is included in the cost of the program

Alternatively, you may wish to contact luggage forward to make your own luggage transfer arrangements ( at own cost) from ship to your home. 877-231-5131

OK. Let me see I am correct.

I have a 24 inch piece of luggage. When I measure it L x W x H it comes to 52 inches which is under the 62 inches, and I will keep it under 44 lbs. so should be fine for checked luggage. Correct?
I have a carry on soft bag that is 20inches length X 14 inches wide X 10 inches height. Another soft bag 18.1 length X 9.4 wide X 8.7 Height. Think they will work OK?

Both the bags you mention will work. You will be flying on SAA airlines. Which is just like an American Eagle flight in the USA. They do not measure the bags it an eyeball look only. But they may weigh them so that is where you need to comply on the weight.

See that beginning September 3rd, Those vaccinated will not be required to do a negative Covid test before embarkation.
Also see unvaccinated cruisers will now be allowed to go with a negative Covid test taken before boarding.

This was a big issue at Jason's town meeting on our last cruise. A Doctor who has been very involved with the Covid problem stood up to explained it was time to realize that we should be treating Covid like a common cold
for those people who are fully vaccinated, and stop this continuing required testing for them. The room erupted with people clapping.

Don't know if this had anything to do with NCLH decision, but something, but something happened.

Jim...I fully agree that the doctor's comments were very well received.. BUT the reaction was much less enthusiastic when Jason suggested dropping the vaccination requirement, which they have now done. I think we all agreed that there was great comfort in knowing that all passengers were vaccinated, and that if anyone caught "the bug" the symptoms would likely be very mild. I learned today that a young-ish guy I know, who refused the vaccine, is extremely ill with covid. It's still a threat for the vaccine deniers.

I wouldn’t bet on that! Triple vexed and when I got it I was down for eight weeks and though I was going to die

Just received our Preliminary Vacation Summary from KLT.
Guess that means it is getting closer for our cruise.
I'm still a little confused about the luggage when we leave Cape Town and fly to Lions Sand, but will figure it out.
Do we have anybody going that should be on the Roll call?

Got the email today that we need Yellow Fever vaccine for this trip. I contacted a travel medicine clinic and made an appointment. The confirmation of that has big red letters on it that if you are over 60 you need a letter from your primary doctor that you are healthy enough to get the Yellow Fever shot. That gives me some concern. Has anyone had a bad experience with that vaccine?
————————
Helen

I never had any big issues but everyone is different. just a slightly sore arm for a day or two.

HOWEVER a doctor would probably give you a medical waiver as you are over sixty. Basically it is up to the immigration officer if they will take a medical waiver and Regent has to cover themselves to warn this could happen. Personally I highly doubt that the immigration officer will stop those with a medical waiver from going ashore. Particularly from a American cruise ship. They seem to barely glance at documents on a ship. But your call!

Helen, Joan and I were 65 when we got our yellow fever vaccination‘s. Other than minor arm soreness at the injection site, there were no side effects. if you decide to get a waiver, it appears that your doctor must fill out the appropriate section of the yellow card as well as providing a waiver letter. Here’s the language from the CDC site:

“If you cannot get yellow fever vaccine for medical reasons and you are traveling to a country with a yellow fever vaccination entry requirement, your doctor will need to fill out the Medical Contraindications to Vaccination section of your yellow card. In addition, your doctor should give you a waiver letter. If you plan to use a waiver, you can contact the embassies of countries you plan to visit for more information.”

If you have had the yellow fever vaccine in the past and still have your card, it's good for life.
Jim

We were 65 when we got our yellow fever vaccines & we had no problems.
Sue

Thanks Mr. Bittle. That is what I thought. We have ours from the Amazon cruise on the Mariner we did with you and Pat.

Dear Jim Bittle: Our yellow fever vaccine was over 10 years ago. Do we need anything special noted in the vaccine record to show it is now good for life, or do the local authorities just recognize that?

I believe it's been decided by both CDC and WHO and is an internationally recognized standard. Just make sure your card shows the standard info like date, provider, batch no. etc. It probably has an expiration date 10 years from the date of the shot, but that date no longer applies.
Jim

Thanks, Jim!

Darn it anyway. Had our flights from Frankfurt to Lisbon the same with Jeff & Helen, and now ours got changed.
They arrive around 3:30 pm and we arrive around 7:45 pm. Had our tour guide all lined up to pick us up and now need to adjust.

We went and got our Yellow fever shots this morning and I am pleased to report that neither of us is dead or wishes we were!
————————-
Helen

Received our Documents today!!

Got our docs also! I think we are all set. Got yellow fever shots plus the latest Covid booster plus Enovid nasal spray. Just have to make sure we don’t get bit by any rabid dogs since we declined the rabies shot suggested by the travel med clinic we went to. Can’t wait!
———————-
Helen

OK. Jeff, Helen, Jan are bugging me to find out what the dress attire will be at Lion Sands for dinner.

I know it says we go out at 4 pm for the evening game hunt then come back, and have time to "refresh" before dinner.

Somebody please help.

Whatever is comfortable is the dress for all meals at Lion Sands. Really. You do not “dress” for dinner. I usually “ refresh” by washing my hands and ordering a cocktail😀
————————
Helen

On the safaris we host it is very rare for anyone to change for dinner. We wear our safari clothes, no changing to something "nicer". We all refresh just like Helen said, use the facilities and wash our hands and to the bar we go!

Lion Sands?

They are doing a REGENT safari.

Got it. thanks.

IMPORTANT! Regent has just sent an email with strict yellow fever vaccination and Covid restrictions for our cruise. Please read it immediately. It is imperative to either have a yellow fever vaccination certificate or a waiver to board the ship in Lisbon iand to enter South Africa at the end of the cruise. Several ports require a QR code to show Covid vaccination.

Please note that the voyage health section of the website mistakenly labels our cruise as embarking in Athens on November 12.

What a mess. Sure would have been nice to find this out months earlier.
We have no way of getting a QR for our 1st & 2nd shots from the hospital when it was an assembly line.Told that Montana is not part of Vamm or what ever it was called.
We were able to get QR for our 2 booster shots we received at Wal-Mart. Well let me say we got it, made copies, and cannot read the QR.

I was able to get our QR codes via the California Department of Public Health. It was fast and easy. I ignored the somewhat confusing and complicated instructions on the CDC site.
——————
Helen

Helen, The QR code you get from California cannot be read correctly with a normal, QR reader. What you need is a application for iOS or Android at the app store called the “Smart Health Card Verifier.” Hopefully the Senegal and Togo authorities will not restrict us to the CDC data. See you in Lisbon on the ninth.

Dave, I downloaded the app and scanned both of our QR codes on our clinic site and app returned "verified;" however, I cannot then see that again on the app; where does it store the info?

thanks,

Marc

edited to add: Never mind, I just used camera on phone to scan it and it was automatically added to my digital wallet; no app required.

Well after wigging out about the memo from Regent, my wonderful wife spent hours Sunday trying to figure out what we could do to comply.

Finally she found a section on Wal- Mart site where we could pull up our 2 booster shots, and it has a QR. So printed them.
Then after a lot of searching she found our Holy Rosery Hospital site she found the information on our 1st and 2nd shots.
Was able to print those with a QR.
Then after hours of searching our cell phones she found an app for us to download all of our information on a "wallet". So that is now done.
Montana has no access to this VAMS thing that they talked about. So what we have is all we have. Guess we will see what happens.

Thanks Dave, I think? I don’t get it: I need the QR codes I get from California AND I need to read them for the authorities with the app?
———————
Helen

This is an impossible task as some states do not have any type of QR code. I think something will have to happen as this is just not doable. I found out that CVS is not a participant in this VAMS/CDC program so it is not possible for us to get the required QR code. I can get the CVS QR code for our boosters, but I think one of the things listed below will take place and this will all go away. As you have read on this thread there is a question on whether those QR codes will work. Just so few of the passengers will have the CDC QR code this will have to be changed.

Either the countries waive this criteria and take the US vaccinations cards. I would think they want the tourist dollars they will get from the ship.
Regent cancels these ports and replaces them with new ports or we have two more sea days.

Personally I would not stress out about the QR code at this time and wait and see what happens. As soon as we know anything we will immediately send out an email to everyone.

Thanks Ngaire. That is what I was thinking would happen.

Sunday :NOV 6th
Jan and I will leave about 11 am tomorrow for our 150 mile drive to Billings, Montana.
Our United flight on Tuesday takes us to Denver where we then catch our flight Denver to Munich, to Lisbon.
Scheduled for 12:30 pm embarkation the 12th on the Voyager. See you around the pool grill or pool bar.
Helen & Jeff Reid will be with us. .

Wishing you safe, on time flights. It WILL all be worth it. Have a fabulous time !

All packed! We leave early tomorrow morning. This is the longest trip we have ever taken and, given the post- cruise safari, packing was a bit tricky. Thank goodness for free laundry😀. Looking forward to seeing a bit more of Africa with a fun group. Looking forward to meeting you Jim.
——————————
Helen

I packed this weekend as well and we leave on Thursday. I have 300 pins to bring between the cruise and the safari. Heavy, and we take them on our carryon bags (away from the computers and ipads) Not sure that would cause problems with our electronics but not taking any chances. All set and ready to go!

I packed this weekend as well and we leave on Thursday. I have 300 pins to bring between the cruise and the safari. Heavy, and we take them on our carryon bags (away from the computers and ipads) Not sure that would cause problems with our electronics but not taking any chances. All set and ready to go!

We are packed and leave tomorrow for Lisbon. Just checked in to non-stop from Dulles to Lisbon. Most luggage we have ever taken; we're doing a B2B. See you all on Saturday.

Wow, looks like a fun trip! Wish we could go, but then again even if no work obligations, it would be hard to miss thanksgiving with the grand babies.

Ngaire at the 4 seasons t Friday night?

Tuesday 8th
Sitting in our Hilton Garden Inn hotel in Billings waiting for time to take the shuttle to the airport.
Snowed all night and flurries right now. Little concerned about any delays, but do have about 4 hours in Denver
before flight to Munich.

No Intercontinental - used points.

See they got the QR thing fixed after we all jumped through hoops.

So, as predicted by Ngaire we are skipping Togo and Senegal has elected to forgo that fussy QR code nonsense! Way to go Ngaire! We are in Sky Club at JFK expecting on time departure to Lisbon!
————
Helen

We spent a very pleasant 3 days in Lisbon and boarded Voyager yesterday afternoon. Today we are in Portimao Portugal.. it’s been great running into and catching up with so many friends. Apparently Regent managed to call their bluff in Togo as we have been informed that the port is back on. Sea day tomorrow and then Africa!
————————
Helen

So happy to read your posting and all is going great. Continue having a fabulous time !

Had great flights, easy transition on the connection. Arrival protocols super easy. Beautiful day in Lisbon. Hiccup up with our hotel booking at the Intercontinental as we arrived in Lisbon at 6.30 am we had booked the night before. They gave our room away. So they said we had to wait until a room cleared, but it should not be long they had someone cleaning a room right now. Then about 5 minutes later they said we have a nice room ready you can have now. Turned out to be a far superior room, with a large balcony with chairs over looking Lisbon. Also included the private club for us that was one of the best we have ever experienced. Eggs to order and a huge breakfast buffet as well. So the beginning of this cruise was terrific. As I am writing this Ken just told me that the Intercontinental also reinstated all the points we had spent on the two nights at the hotel.

We got a taxi the next morning and arrived just before noon. Again so different from the recent embarkations. Very few people there, no testing straight to a check in person. He checked the vaccinations filled in a few forms and very quickly we were on our way to board the ship. From getting out of the taxi to stepping on the ship about 15 minutes.

What is even better than this great start is how many people on this cruise we know so well. It has been fantastic. We have 65 people in the group and only 14 people we do not know. I am so glad this cruise is so 24 days long will give us a lot of time with everyone.

Coming into our first port we were in dense fog and were delayed. But only for about an hour. It was very cloudy but no wind and perfect temperature. Our first tour we had a great guide that made the day. The weather cleared when we went up the highest mountain in the area. I guess we were lucky and our tour had good timing on the mountain others could not see the view. Most interesting aspect of this town is the storks. Tons of stork nests on top of man made structures. BIG nest and the majority has storks in the nests. All this was topped off with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Absolutely the best orange juice I have ever tasted. Small oranges, freshly picked and delicious. Overall a great day.

An unusual sea yesterday water was like glass but with a big swell. Never seen anything quite like that before. Moved the ship a bit with the swells. Had fun in the afternoon playing cards with Dave, Joan, Jim and Pam.

Not had a chance yet to look at Ken's picture and have a tour this morning but will get those pictures up whenI can.

Porimao, Portugal

In remberance of a large fish processing plant where all the workers were women


The storks were all over the island.



Julie and Marvin’s anniversary


Tenerife, lots of pedestrian streets, and absolutely delightful to walk around the town

Beautiful church.


Walking street

Trivia going well. Two KLT teams, including mine, have got every question correct and won two days in a row. Hope we can keep up this winning streak up. We have 65 guests in this group and almost every one well. Lots of fun and not enough time!

Weather has been good no rough seas and food has been excellent. Life it good on the Voyager

Wow! 30 straight questions in a row correct. That is impressive! Hope you all have a fantastic adventure !

30 straight....That sure is impressive. Keep having a GREAT time.

Sorry to take so long to post. Feel like I have never been busier than this on a cruise. Did a couple of tours and some pictures of the things we saw.

Cape Verde - Make up port for Dakar. On this same cruise last time Dakar was our the port we did not like. So we visited the capital of Cape Verde. Bus ride with some stops at various places and saw quite a few interesting things and saw the emphasis of Chinese investment as well.

Cape Verde



Locals



Mary, Cliff and Ngaire



Always things to buy

BANJUL, GAMBIA

Our tour here was one stop after another. Overall not the greatest tour and two hours longer than it was supposed to be. Some left to go to a market, tons of traffic. The bus could not park and the guide and bus driver could not communicate. Other than that it was okay. Pictures coming.

Live crocodiles we were able to touch them.


Monkey at the crocodile farm
https://i.postimg.cc/NBKCY1px/C673-B230-451-D-4535-92-FE-34-CA79-B17690.jpg

Next photos at the museum




Where we had a refreshment stop

Thanksgiving on the Splendor. Better than our display on the Voyager.



Our group for Thanksgiving.

In Ghana today.

Visited an amazing museum that was three stories and had some really unique art. So wish we could have taken pictures it was really remarkable. Could only take the two lions at the entry.



Posting as I am in the bus thanks to Kim giving me instructions. Next installment will follow.

We drove by several funerals they are always on Saturday. Everyone wears black or red. If it is an elderly person it is white and black. We passed a wedding and everyone was in white.

We arrived at a hotel where they had bottled drinks and passed fried banana chips. Two children about 6 years old, 4 women and 1 man put on a dance performance.

They were preparing for a 2 pm wedding reception. The room was stunning. Pictures will follow.

I love seeing all these WONDERFUL photos you're posting. Sounds like such a great time !

Today we are in Lome, Togo

Fantastic welcome group of dancers. How those guys walk and move with the super high stilts is beyond me. We remembered the tours from the last time we were here. So we decided to sleep in and take the shuttle into town and then come right back. That is what we did. Really lovely beach wide and very long with really white sand. The bus stopped near a market but one we did not want to venture into so we just came right back,

they are soooooo daring. Like you, no idea how they do it. So happy all is well.

This trip has really been adventure for us. I have long wanted to see more of Africa then our multiple South African trips had permitted and here we are. The weather has been really hot and humid but that was expected this time of year.

Togo was a revelation! We went to visit a school full of little kids which was delightful but never in my life did I know what I was in for at the fetish market! I resisted all offers to sell me dead cats, monkey skulls complete with toothy grins or crocodiles even with the promise that they would surely cure me of any awful disease I didn’t know I had 🥴

We have a really great group on this trip and I am having a blast.
————————-
Helen

Yep! That fetish market put the DIS back in disgusting!

So today we took a waterfall and bird watching tour. Not as we expected. We drove up a mountain that was really quite good. Extremely lush and some exotic flowers. Bumpy road but that was okay. As we got higher it got cooler which was great.

Then we started a walk to see the birds and the waterfall. Muddy, rocky with puddles of mud and water. Then it started to rain hard. We got drenched and went back. The birds were so small you could hardly see them.

After we got back a small group wanted to try it again. We are sitting inside and the rain now sounds like waterfall we never saw. These people are going to be dripping.



We then took a drive to a waterfall. Picture below with Jim and Pam.

Sorry to hear about the hard rain....love seeing Jim & Pam picture. Please give them our best...it's been awhile since we cruised with them (or anyone for that matter).

Loving the reports; have fun at your crossing the equator ceremony.

We have had 3 sea days in a row. Must admit I enjoyed them. Playing Phase 10 with Joan and David and Pam in the afternoon followed by trivia. Dave, Joan, Jan, Dave, Kate and Dick were one team. Ngaire, Helen, Pam & Jim and Janice & Joe were the other. Both teams did well but we were always looking to see what they got and they were always looking to see what we got. Personally both KLT teams to me so I was happy when either of us placed. Lots of lunches and dinners along the way. With things that came up I was very busy but that is okay, I am used to that.

Today we arrived in Nambia. Love this port but have been multiple times. I had booked a new excursion another bird watching excursion. We have done the other excursions multiple times and they are good but we decided to just take day off today, and go in on the shuttle. We have never been to the town. The shuttle took us to a a HUGE mall could have been in the States. There were Namibian kids were entertaining in the mall. They were great. I have been looking for year for a hairdryer with a brush with 220 power that will work in Europe and South Africa. Today I found one! So I was happy. Things were cheap here due to the currency rate.

Then I found out there were thousands of flamingos at the lagoon we were going to see originally. DUMB us should have known better all our Namibian tours have been good.

The childrens Namibian choir entertained the top tier group before sailing. Love this choir and I play their tape in my car everytime I drive. Really enjoyed seeing them again, although the presentatioin was very different from the first time we saw them.

One more sea day and we arrive in Cape Town. Getting excited for our safari. The temperatures for our four days are looking good, the high in the mid eighties. That is great it can be much hotter.

One of my favorite waiters. MELDIN



Namibian Children’s Choir.

What a wonderful time you're having....keep it up. Brings back great memories for Tom and me.

So we had a great time in Cape Town. I got some more of the beads I liked and bought some for clients that wanted them. Most of us went to Baia for dinner it was great. With exchange rate everything was a bargain.

December 7
We have now arrived at Mala Mala. First evening game drive was excellent. Lots of elephants, baby impalas are adorable, zebra, wildebeest, hyena, rhino, giraffe. This morning we followed a leopard called the Island female who we have many times before. She came right next to the vehicle. She is about 8 years old now. We saw a mating pair of lions but they were just asleep, no action. A new coalition of lions came in and ousted the Gowrie males. This is a new coalition of four males. Cannot remember the coalition name. Two have injuries and the other two are in their prime and big. Although this Lion was sleeping he was impressive, very black mane.

Not as hot as I had anticipated. Highs in the mid eighties. It has been over 100 and those high temperatures are predicted again for next week. We came at just the right time. Usually have rain at this time of the year but they have not had much rain yet. Sky is clear and partly cloudy. I also anticipated more bugs but that has not been the case.

Food was great last night. Roast Lamb and Kingklip. Plus a stunning chocolate cake. At breakfast a incredible array of fruit. Including passion fruit, leeches, berries, papaya, pineapple and other standard fruits. I was in heaven. Today we are going down to Rattrays for lunch and will go out on the afternoon game drive with Harvey, Richard, Kieron and Mary.

Wild dogs have been around. Two packs, one with eight dogs and one with 21 dogs. Got my fingers crossed.

HIghlights December 8,

Day was filled again with a variety of great sightings. Lots of stunnng big horns on Kudus, Waterbuck and Nyalas. A hippo with a big yawn, and lot of birds we have not seen before as we have never been on safari in the summer before. We did see the Saddle Billed Stork they are stunning birds .A group of 4 female lions provided great viewing opportunties. At 2.30 pm while we were driving to Rattrays we saw four female lions crossing the landing strip. On the game drive we followed up on the lions and found them. Once was eating a leg of an impala they others moved and around and one female went for a drink that seemed to last forever. We ended the game drive with a joint sundowner which was great. Pictures will follow.

Today was Miriam’s birthday. So the staff did the singing and dancing to celebrate and got Miriam up to dance around the table. It was fun that were really great as usual.

Highlights December 9
Game viewing has been great not too much looking for animals as actually seeing the animals. Started off today with two hyenas within in a minute of leaving the lodge. Then a whole pack of about 6-8 hyenas came running toward the two other hyenas who seemed to be intimidated by the new arrivals. There was a impala carcass in the tree nearby.

This was followed by a leopard who was rasping announcing her presence. Giraffes, tons of baby impala. Then we moved to a group of zebras with small foals, a Klipspringer, a large herd of buffalo deep in the bush, and two young male lions, one with already a pretty good mane. They were watching the buffalo.

Ken has a new camera and he is working on pictures and he will get some posted at some point in the future. In the meantime I took some with my iphone, not great but pictures nevertheless.

Mala Mala


European Roller



Saddle-bill Stork










Brown-hooded kingfisher


Baby Wildebeest