Alsguth Travel Blog

On Saturday night we met up with our dear friends Falk & Svenni at the hotel in Jozi ... that is what the locals call Johannesburg. We have been traveling together for 32 years, this is our 11th trip - we have really seen the world together.  That night we celebrated with the South Africans winning the Rugby World Cup - that was a wild scene in the bar! Sunday we took a full-day tour of Jozi - we wanted to see what the largest city in SA had to offer. There is a lot of history here around Apartheid.  I cannot possibly do the subject justice in this short forum.  Basically from 1948 - 1994 there was a system of oppression meant to keep the native/black/colored/asian populations down. In June 1976 the "Soweto uprising" took place, led by students.  They were protesting the requirement that subjects in school be taught in "Afrikan" language - that none of them spoke.  They wanted to learn but could not under those circumstances.  15,000-20,000 students fro...

 Hello, I mentioned that I did not know what we were going to do today.  Well, it was amazing! A recap: We decided to do a morning safari in Zambezi National Park and we got so lucky to be the only two with our guide Tam.  He picked us up at 5:45 am - but that is fine because we are still pretty jet-lagged. We saw so many animals it was unbelievable honestly.  Here is a sample: warthog (Pumba) zebra - my "giddy" meter is going up quickly at this point Grey "goaway" bird - because of it's call. Somewhat obviously - a giraffe elephants were around as well. more giraffe more elephant this is an impala - we saw many of these, even saw them running / jumping away - so quick! a grey warthog little baboon family one of the big 5 (so named because they are dangerous to humans) - a water buffalo how about another impala marking his territory - reminds me of my grand-dog Rocco ! This is Tam, the truck and a little breakfast snack.  So lovely. This is a baobob tree.  ...

 Hello! We made the long journey to Africa and spent today hiking and exploring Victoria Falls from both the Zimbabwe and Zambia side.  First some information about the falls, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the three largest waterfalls in the world. Niagra - 167 ft tall, 3,946 ft wide with 85,000 cubic ft/sec avg volume of water. Iguacu Falls (border of Argentina & Brazil) 269 ft tall, 8,858 ft wide with 61,659 cubic ft/sec avg volume of water Victoria Falls 351 ft tall, 5,698 ft wide with 38,846 cubic ft/sec avg volume of water. Each of these waterfalls is configured differently, but if you are looking for the highest, widest sheet of continually falling water, then this is it!! The pictures below will make you question this assessment but please remember we are here at the very end of the dry season - the waterfall is at it's lowest volume. We have been fortunate enough to have seen all three and I can tell you that each is magnificent in its own way! The image ...

Way back in 2019 we started planning a trip for October 2020 to South Africa with our travelling buddies: Falk & Svenni.  We put money down on a safari and bought some flights.  Then ... well, you know what happened.... So, of course we have not been sitting around ever since - we certainly have managed to have some amazing trips! Finally, here we are, getting ready to pack our bags, start taking our Malaria pills and head to South Africa!  We are super excited!!! One of the things that Carsten and I do before we take a trip is think about our "Top Three (or Five)".  On the way home after the trip we talk about our adjusted Top Three/Five and see what made the experienced list. So, for me (Sheri) - Seeing a lion/giraffe/hippo on a safari, the Southern Sky at night (one place should be dark enough to see the Milky Way), Wine tasting, Tsitsikamma National Park, seeing the penguin colony at Boulder Beach. For Carsten - Seeing big cats in the wild, Robben Island, pen...