Toronto to Amsterdam the Dutch capital, then onto Cape Town in South Africa where we begin with five nights in Cape Town city. 

 
Our days include outings to Table Mountain, the iconic landmark plateau of over 1,000 metres accessible by cable car, looking out on the Atlantic Ocean and Table Bay. South African wine is famous worldwide and a visit to the Stellenbosch region to gaze on the beautiful layout of the winery estates and taste its produce, encouraged by a titivation of chocolate on the palate is a splendid combination for the day. A stop at Boulders Beach to watch the penguins strutting in and out of the water, watching over their chicks with condescending respect for our presence. Visiting gardens, museums, galleries and aquariums. Taking a tour down to the Cape of Good Hope, so called after the Portuguese had managed to sail around it to the Indian Ocean. The Waterfront area of Cape Town has an abundance of restaurants, bars, cafes and stores to visit. Take a cruise on the bay or visit Robben Island. The island lies 45 minutes sailing off the coast of Cape Town, this was a purpose built prison which opened in 1961 to incarcerate political prisoners who protested against apartheid. It was also used for convicted criminals. The maximum security prison for political prisoners closed in 1991, and for criminals in 1995. This is where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years of a 27 years sentence, probably the best recognizable name throughout the world, Robben Island is now a visitors centre.
 
Nelson Mandela was a member of the ANC, (the African National Congress) a group that was formed after the introduction of an apartheid regime that was established by law in 1948 when the National Party was elected to government. These were Afrikaans, a minority white Nationalist Party who passed a series of laws in 1950 giving them the right to rule as a minority government over Blacks, Indians and Coloured. The country was segregated into racial groups. Millions were forcefully removed from their homes, restricted and confined within tribal homelands according to ethnicity and also denied the right to vote. The whites had the privilege of living in the towns and cities.
 
This system of apartheid was supported in many parts of the world because the ANC membership included the South African Communist Party. The ANC were forced underground and many of its members were in exile while others including Mandela were imprisoned. World attention to the system was crying out for change and sanctions against trading or investment with South Africa started to have a detrimental effect on the country. In the 1980s the president P.W. Botha who had been in power from 1978 to 1989 was forced to resign. F.W. de Clerk was elected president. He had met Mandela on a number of occasions and was anxious to work with him. Aware of the difficulties in the country, he took the drastic step of unbanning the ANC and releasing Nelson Mandela from his life imprisonment sentence. It was a brave step. Mandela had a huge impact on the country, he got the different factions that had fought against apartheid to come together, encouraging foreign investment into the nation, promoting education, construction, finance, technology development, and scientific research. Today South Africa is a beacon of light and hope for many people and nations. Nelson Mandela was elected president in 1994-1999 with F.W. de Clerk as vice president. He did not seek re-election in 1999, dying at the age of 95 years in 2013, his life was well spent. “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others”. It’s a privilege to witness a country that has experienced such hurt and hatred. Studying revolutions against oppression and injustice worldwide education has proven to be a powerful weapon. 
 
Departing Cape Town, a 2 hour and 30 minutes flight will take us to Hoedspruit airport, once a military airport, now a small destination point for local businesses and tourists. A half hour drive to Kapama Private Game Reserve lodge is our home for three nights. Set on 30,000 acres of land consisting of woodland, small lakes, scrubland, rivers and water holes for elephants and hippos to immerse themselves in. Our days start with a morning call at 5.30 am, it’s certainly worth it. Driving on these safaris through the wilderness spotting giraffes picking the leaves off the tops of trees or watching elephants pushing trees over for their calves to get the leaves and twigs. Lions and leopards lying in the shade. Impala’s unaware that they are being watched and measured for supper or dinner. Hyenas and wild dogs, rhinos, birds of all species from owls, vultures to songbirds. That morning call to watch the early risers is compensated by a late afternoon drive to see what happens in the twilight of the evening and after dark.
 
You will see the Big Five. The Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Buffalo and Rhinoceros that are elegant in their stature and confidence, but look at the Ugly Five, The Warthog, Vulture, Wildebeest, Marabou Stork, Hyena. They have a beauty all of their own, moving in a motion that has you looking and wondering if they are going somewhere or leaving from a crime scene. It’s true the Creator overlooked them in colour or gracefulness but they do justify their existence in cleaning up the leftovers, from deaths either natural or kills for survival, which prevents any harm that might occur should they not be there.
 
After 3 nights at Kapama Lodge we move to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. From the hotel grounds you can hear the soothing sound of the water falls. I think back to my school days and the phrase “Doctor Livingstone I presume” comes to mind. David Livingstone was a Scottish explorer, he married Mary Moffat, whose family was a very devout Christian missionaries. He joined the London missionary society and worked in Africa, he was a strong supporter of the abolition of slavery. Britain had done so in 1833. As an explorer his obsession was to discover the source of the River Nile, believing that if he had the recognition of achieving something among his peers they would listen when he spoke. He was a very well known explorer. Having travelled across Africa from East to West. Arriving in Zimbabwe in 1855 he was the first European to witness the magnificent Falls. He named the incredible sight after his British sovereign monarch at the time, Queen Victoria. The Falls are among the seven natural wonders of the world. The Zambezi River divides the two countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe. It travels through six nations for over 2,700 Km. Over the next few years there were some reported sightings of Livingstone, in 1866 it’s known that he set off for the River Nile, then nothing, there were those who believed he had died.
 
In 1871 the New York Herald employed the explorer Henry Stanley to lead an expedition to Africa to find David Livingstone. He had a party of 100 porters with him. For six months the party was ravaged by diseases of one kind or another. Having reached Tanzania and 700 miles of a journey they heard stories of a white man in a local village. Stanley strolled into the village dressed as best he could. Livingstone was not in the best of health yet Stanley extended his hand and asked the now famous question, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” I presume Livingstone answered in the affirmative. He refused to travel back with the rescuers, and died in 1873.
 
A boat cruise on the Zambezi River as the evening sun begins to set, having watched herds of buffalo, and elephants down by the river with prides of lions eagerly watching for a moment where a small mistake might mean a wholesome meal. Crocodiles are in the water close by also anxiously awaiting their quota. Baby elephants in the care of mature adults are a wonderful sight to behold in the circle of life. Birds sitting on the backs of these animals are welcomed as they pick at the ticks who think they’re prospecting for gold. The sun has set and dinner is served as the water laps the boat to the tranquil beat of a distant bongo drum.
 
The Victoria Rain Forest is the only place in the world where it rains every single day of the year. From September to December visitors can actually swim to the edge of the Falls at the Devil’s Pool, not to be attempted without an escorted guide. When viewing the Falls you have an accompanying guide who will take you through the walk pointing out the various gorges, rock formations, evidence of volcanic eruptions, answering questions in connection with the rain forest and other details. The walk is done at a leisurely pace and takes about one hour and 30 minutes.
 
Away from the Falls there is an elephant sanctuary where orphaned or injured elephants are treated and nursed back to health. The operators of this sanctuary will then take the animals to a nearby half-house (figuratively speaking) to observe if they can return to the wild. The experience of this visit brings you up close and personal with the animals. Even though these elephants are familiar with people they are still wild creatures and have got to be treated with respect and care.
 
Leaving the town of Victoria Falls we cross from Zimbabwe to Botswana and the Chobe Game Lodge. The Chobe River creates the border between Botswana and Namibia, being a landlocked country, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe borders it as well. 
 
Chobe Lodge offers game activities up to three times a day, on the river and on jeeps. The herds of elephants in Botswana number 80,000 which are very plentiful in the Chobe National Park. Buffalo herds are an amazing sight when you’re on the river as thousands graze on the plains. Wildebeests, zebras and impalas are more than plentiful. Botswana is remarkable for the amount of prides of lions to be seen, this is understandable judging by the size of herds of big game to choose from. 
 
A troop of Baboons are a delightful encounter on a drive, morning or evening. Mothers carrying their babies, the Alpha Male protects the female and the young from predators including other males who are willing to compete to remove this leader.

Jackals, Wild Dogs, Hyenas, Leopards and lions are all ready to eat any of the carnivores roaming the plains but while they attack and kill each other they will not consume that meat, it’s too tough. 
 
Departing Botswana to Johannesburg and flying back through Amsterdam to Toronto. Your adrenaline is still high. An invasion of the mind after such an experience is more than understandable.