Greetings from South Africa!

Hello from Cape Town! We've just arrived here from Zambia and for the first time in ten days we've got internet access ... so guess what Ulen and I have been doing for the last half hour!!! I'm not going to ramble on too much though, the full (and extremely lengthy) reports(s) will follow once we're back home, but here's a quick update on what we've been doing.

We've had a fantastic time so far. Our holiday started just outside Kruger where we stayed at the wonderful Hippo Hollow Hotel (where there really are hippos!) in our own thatched chalet, and we spent a day and a half in Kruger Park where we saw loads of animals including lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, zebras, rhino and the very rare wild dog. Highlight was going in at night and hunting for animals with spotlights, and we had four lions walking alongside our car!!! Also went to the Blyde River Canyon and some ancient caves, and attempted to see the amazing views along the Panorama Route, but the weather was rotten :0(

Then back to Joburg for a night where we hid out in the hotel, and on to Zambia where we had a very, erm, eventful time! First evening was a relaxing cruise down the Zambezi where we saw an elephant that had swum to an island and an enormous crocodile. The next day we went canoeing down the river - completely nuts idea, obviously, but it was really really lovely - until a crocodile attacked our inflatable canoe, puncturing it, deflating it and and sending me half into the water. Ulen saved my life by grabbing me before I fell in completely, and we drifted into a tree which we clung on to till our guide could rescue us. Truly the most terrifiying moment of my life, I really thought my time was up. We were meant to be sleeping overnight on Sekuti Island in the middle of the Zambezi but decided to go back to the hotel (which looked like a giant sandcastle!) as we were both unhurt but really shocked and shaken. Thankkfully we can laugh about it now and it's an tale that we can tell our grandchildren, but it was really unpleasant at the time.

The following morning cheered us up as we went to see the truly AWESOME Victoria Falls ... if you ever get the chance to visit, do. They are unbelievably amazing. That was followed up with an elephant-back safari, a really interesting experience. Another visit to the Falls the next morning, and then today has been spent flying to Cape Town.

Our next few days will involve wine, townships, Table Mountain, a prison island, the meeting of two oceans, some penguins and good food - and probably more wine. Can't wait!!!