AFRICA - DAY FOUR - Dinokeng Game Reserve

Previous Blogs: Day 1 Pretoria | Day 4 Dinokeng | Day 5 New Years | Day 6+7 Umdloti | Day 8 - DumaZulu | Day 9 Hluhluwe | Day 10+11 PE to Knysna | Day 12 Ostrich Farm | Day 13 Hermanus | Day 14 Hout Bay | Day 15 Cape Point | Day 16 Table Mountain | Day 17+18 Namib Desert | Day 19 Sossusvlei | Day 20+21 To Swakopmund | Day 22 Cape Cross | Day 23 Luderitz | Day 24 Walvis Bay | Day 26 To Windhoek | Day 27 Katatura | Day 28+29 Zambezi | Day 30 The Falls | Day 31 Chobe | Day 32+33 Going Home

Click photos for a larger image...

We have had an opportunity to do some shopping and gauge prices and the cost of living. The currency is South African Rand and the exchange rate is US$1 = R12. So estimating prices is easy, move the decimal point once and drop 20% off the balance.

Beer is cheap, bought by the can it is about $1 and cheaper by the 6 or 24 pack. 750ml bottle of whiskey starts at $6 and a bottle of wine starts at $3. Bear in mind this is South Africa, so there is NO BAD WINE!

"Biltong" our favorite South African meat snack similar to (but WAY better than) American beef jerky (Wendy makes perfect biltong) is available EVERYWHERE for less than $4/pound - see pic on right >>>>

Last night we were hit by a hail storm - something I have not seen since we lived in Texas 18 years ago!

This was followed by a beautiful sunset during dinner overlooking the valley.

Dinner at this hotel is fabulous. There's no menu, you just sit down and see what they are bringing you to eat.

Our first night was Chicken Cordon Bleu and last night a seafood platter.

Pretoria Down Town or as it is called in SA: CBD (Central Business District). The morning dawned and it was a perfect day for doing some sightseeing. And sightseeing in Africa is... ANIMALS!!!

Finally we get to go touristing! With my sister, Lesley, as an added passenger we took a short drive North to the largest game reserve close to an Urban City in Africa - Dinokeng Game Reserve. $30 entrance fee to do a self drive safari through the reserve. It's a new park that was only opened in 2011 but does contain the Big Five.

So our first adventure into the African wild a mere 30 minute drive from the Nation's Capital.

And here is what we saw:

What's up, Zebra?

Pretty Girl

Who are you?

Wildebeest!

Nyala Female

Very elegant

This guy needs no introduction...

Giraffe!

The baby!! AWWWWWW!!

I think we'll let him go first!!

Not a sign you see in the USA every day...

And yes, we DID cross this bridge!

We crossed it with MUCH complaining from the Yanks on the back seat.

But my sister and I inspected it first and determined it to be safe. We've done this before!