I was asked today for a status report so here it is as requested.

One room left now for ROAR 2.

One person wanted to bring a friend and moved from Leopard Hills/Madikwe to the new option of Kings Camp/Mateya and that opened up one room for Leopard Hills/Madikwe

New option of Kings Camp/Mateya is full. (well the last room is verbally committed waiting for the deposit now)

Birkenhead House
I had four on the waitlist for Birkenhead House and I really do not want anyone who wants to go to Birkenhead House to miss this place so I opened up a new option there as well for the nights of the 16th and the 17th. We will now have Birkenhead House for three groups: 14 & 15, 16 & 17 and 18 & 19.

I encourage everyone just doing Cape Town and missing Birkenhead House to reconsider.

This is truly a special place. On Tusk a New Yorker who has been all over the world and is not easy to please told me of all the places she has stayed that this was the most memorable. She did not want to leave. I cannot explain what makes it so special - maybe Dreps can help me here.

It is the attention to detail and service, table settings and ambiance of the meals, (I watched one afternoon - two hours to set the tables with four people working) the candles everywhere at night - it is very romantic. Then the location on the ocean, the whales you see right in front of you, the cliff walks that go in each direction from the hotel. Everyone just loved it. It is all inclusive of course and has a nice list of complimentary wines and spirits. They have complimentary laundry and internet.

The only negative was the service at meals was a little slow at times but that was almost natural with the ambiance of the hotel. A classy place but casual and relaxed.

The great white shark trip we took from Birkenhead HOuse was a big highlight of the trip for me. Spectacular.

To be fair on TUSK we had picture postcard weather while at Birkenhead House and that always makes things great. ROAR 2 will be the exact time of year so hopefully we will have a repeat of the weather.

That is where we stand, my color co-ordinated spreadsheet is alive and well!!!