Travel Days #7 (7/4/12 – 7/6/12) – Swaziland to South Africa
We have arrived in South Africa! We had a planned detour through Johannesburg on our way to Cape Town in order to apply for our India visas, and we had some additional travel buddies with our “Exposure” team members joining us this month, but things went quite well. We traveled in style by WR standards, though most of us still didn’t get any sleep during the trip. Except for MANY pit stops along the way (not that I’m complaining because Lord knows I appreciate them) it was a pretty smooth trip. We were even blessed with AMAZING accommodations for the one night that we spent outside Johannesburg! As usual, I have included an outline below to give you a glimpse into the experience.
Wednesday, 7/4/12
10:00am – Packs outside (check-out time for the backpacker’s lodge where we stayed for debrief)
**Go to store & lunch with my team @ KFC
12:00pm – All teams meet back at the lodge (minus the team that left early am for Durbin)
12:50pm – Buses arrive & bags are loaded onto trailers ((2) 23 passenger buses with trailers – – Riding in Style!)
1:25pm – Load onto the buses (***A seat for everyone!!!!)
1:42pm – Pull away from the lodge
1:47pm – Stop @ bank to pull out $$ to pay the driver
2:09pm – Back on the road . . .
2:48pm – Arrive @ Swaziland exit border & go inside
2:57pm – Obtain exit stamp in passport and walk across into S. Africa
2:59pm – Arrive @ S. Africa entrance border & go inside
3:02pm – Obtain entrance stamp in passport and wait for others
3:27pm – Pile back onto the buses
3:34pm – Drive across the border & continue on . . .
5:45pm – Pit stop @ gas station
6:13pm – Back on the road . . .
8:40pm – Arrive @ “Mansion” on the outskirts of Johannesburg, S. Africa to stay for the night
**Christian lady opened up her HUGE home and property for all 41 of us to stay for FREE for the night! This place was unbelievable (pics to be loaded on FB soon) . . . complete with a pool with waterslides, a theater room, an inground trampoline, & a pilates studio. Definitely LUXURY accommodations for the night!!!!
11:00pm – Sleep for the night!
Thursday, 7/5/12
7:05am – Wake up to a view of palm trees out the window and the sound of pilates class downstairs – forgot where I was for a moment 
8:00am – Packs piled outside by the trailers
8:25am – Load the buses
8:43am – Pull away from the property
8:57am – Stop @ ATM to pull out $$ for visas
9:08am – Back on the road . . .
10:11am – Gas station stop to fill up and meet the driver’s friend who will lead us to the consulate
10:25am – Back on the road . . .
10:36am – Arrive @ Indian consulate
**Applications & passports are taken in to obtain visas
11:30am – All except logistics & squad leaders are released to wait outside the consulate
1:03pm – Logistics & Squad Leaders emerge; applications have been accepted (15 day wait for approval begins)
**Decide to go up the street to the hospital coffee shop @ the suggestion of our driver to get food before leaving.
1:54pm – Pile back onto the bus (just 23 headed to Cape Town)
2:07pm – Back on the road . . .
4:39pm – Pit stop
4:55pm – Back on the road . . .
6:33pm – Pit stop
6:51pm – Back on the road . . .
9:00pm – Dinner stop @ Steers
9:41pm – Back on the road . . .
Friday, 7/6/12
12:48am – Pit stop
1:07am – Back on the road . . .
3:25am – Pit stop
3:38am – Back on the road . . .
5:25am – Pit stop
5:39am – Back on the road . . .
7:32am – Pull over on the highway by a cemetery & call our contact for final directions
7:38am – Man shows up and we follow him to our destination
7:46am – Arrive @ ZEEP camp in Zeekoevlei (Western Cape Town), South Africa — one of our homes this month!
***I look forward to keeping you updated through blogs as my schedule and internet availability permit. Thanks for the continued prayers and encouragements!
