Pilanesberg National Park

Unable to see much of the 'real' Johannesburg, unfortunately - the bus took us via motorway three hours northwest to a volcanic crater which has been turned into a National Park. Pilanesberg National Park is set within the crater of an ancient volcano, formed 1.2 billion years ago by overflowing magma.  It has been fully fenced, and is 55,000 hectares, with spectacular scenery and incredible rock formations.   

Pilanesberg National Park & Game Reserve

Our room is very nice - ours looks out directly onto the game reserve and we see an abundance of beautiful bird life and a family of warthogs wandering across our 'back yard' and over to the Hippo Pool.  The TV has a Hippo Pool Cam but we've yet to spot any - they spend most of the day submerged.   A family of mongoose today and monkeys by the pool making a nuisance of themselves steeling food.  Squirrels by the breakfast bar and a giant African cricket looking like it could conquer Rome - basically a weta at a pride parade.

There are two safaris a day - 4:30pm and 5:30:am, to maximise the chance of seeing animals when it's slightly cooler.  We've been on three safaris so far, with the last one this afternoon.  Incredibly lucky with some close up sightings so far of elephants, giraffes, impala, wilderbeast, zebra, kudu, buffalo, white rhino, hippos, a chameleon and a rare sunset sighting of a male lion which was roaring to his pride who were ignoring him.

Johannasburg

 Spent one day at the Peermont Hotel, by the airport.  Most people on the trip arrived with us an elected to stay at the hotel as all very exhausted after a 27 hour trip.  Singapore Airlines were pretty good - huge planes with over 500 people on them.  Wandering around Changi Airport at 1:00am for several hours is like a form of torture... Gucci, Prada, Bulgari, Tifffany, Swarovski... all the high-end shopping with a solitary staff member looking bored, and no customers.  Thousands of people though - even at this hour it was very busy, both of us really struggled to stay upright until 2:30am and so slept most of the flight to J-Burg.

Collected at airport by tour staff and checked in the Emperor's Palace Complex, which comprised of four hotels, a street of restaurants and an enormous casino.  The  Peermont D'Oreal Grande Hotel, built in a 

traditional regal design to look much older and ornate than it really is- was actually built only 19 years ago.  Nevertheless - very impressive.  Dozens of

Admiring the hotel facade while waiting for the coach on route to Pilanesberg

Breakfast at Hotel Peermont

Strawberry Daiquiris over dinner 

Porters and staff to attend to everything.  We really needed to recuperate after that trip, and rather than try to navigate our way around Jo'burg, we elected to spend the day by the pool until we could check in, which ended up taking until after 3:00pm.  We loved talking to others who are also on the cruise.  Met Victoria from Perth who is travelling solo - she has us in stitches all the time she has a great sense of humour.  Discovered we have much in common and we're loving having someone else to hand out with and have a laugh with.