Just a heads-up for anyone booked on SAA #264 from Johannesburg to Munich. SAA has changed the departure time of the flight from 9:25 pm to 9:30 AM. Not a trivial schedule change. That new departure time is far too early to manage the same day as flying back from the game parks.

We will now have to stay overnight in J'burg and catch the flight to Munich the next day. Then we'll stay overnight in Munich before flying back to the U.S., since the flight doesn't arrive in Munich until 8:00 pm, too late for any connection back to the U.S.

I've spent many hours on the phone with the United FF office in India getting a new routing in BIZ. What fun!!

Oh well, we'll get to see a bit of J'burg now. Any suggestions for a good afternoon outing?

Cheers, Fred

We took at tour of SOWETO. The Westcliff hotel arranged it for us. It was well done and very interesting.

Wow Fred that is no trivial change. Hope other airlines do not follow suit that will really mess up safari schedules!

A constant battle with the airlines!!!

Thanks, Andi. Have you by any chance visited the De Wildt Cheetah Project, Elephant Sanctuary, or the Lesedi Cultural Village, all of which are in or near Magaliesberg? We're thinking of staying overnight at Cheetah Lodge at De Wildt, rather than somewhere near the J'burg airport. That way, they will just pick us up at the airport when we fly down from Madikwe Hills and take us directly to De Wildt. From there, we can visit either or both of the Elephant Sanctuary and Lesedi. It will mean a very early departure from De Wildt to the airport the next morning but seems like it might work. Any thoughts, Andi or anyone else who has been there?? Cheers, Fred

Ngaire, hopefully Fred is talking about getting OUT of Africa rather than in, that would mess up safari scheds!

I loved DeWildt Research Center. A unique place with an interesting history. PLUS wild dogs-- no wonder I loved it. This is where most of the dogs are raised then released into the wild at Madikwe. I think it is well worth a visit. It is a distance from Johannesburg but a nice drive.