Other forums

As much as the Caribbean sites work really well here, this one isn't so popular. Does anyone have any other sites that are busier? Specifically for info on East Africa. Off to Mozambique!

I've noticed the same thing. Although I have not used them, you might try Lonely Planet. Or, type in Africa forums into a search engine. Good luck.
<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />

When we went to Africa in 2005, we searched high and low for a good Africa forum. Didn't find one..

Rats!
Thanks though.
Johannesburg tonight,
Moz in the morning.
I will post photos when I get back.

Please do post pictures! Would love to see them!

Lots of great things to see and people to meet in both Mozambique and South Africa. It was my first ocean safari and although conditions weren't perfect, we did see lots of rays and whale sharks. Also the preserve near Kruger was perfect.

Mozambique is really trying to get tourist friendly and it shows. Not a lot has been done but the people seem great. Weather was great, although a bit chilly during nighttime game drives.


Did you know that lions sleep or laze most of the day?

Hey, would appreciate a longer report and more pictures! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Smile.gif" alt="" /> Do you have more pictures on the web somewhere??

Well,

Here is a quickie.
Flew from Italy, where I am working this spring, to Johannesburg. We used a travel agent because neither one of us had the time to do all the research. My friend and I have both been working a ton. She flew in from the States and met me there.

Stayed overnight at the Southern Sun hotel, right at Tombo airport. A nice glass of SA wine at reception was a cool touch. Great place and very nice staff. I came down for breakfast at eight, and 30 or so staff were gathered in the lobby singing a Zulu chanting song. What a great way to say welcome to Africa.

We flew to Inhambane Mozambique the next morning and stayed at the Bali Hai lodge, up on the point. Great place with really nice staff and pretty good food, for Mozambique.

We dove with Barra Reef Divers and our DM was the best. The numbers and variety of fish there are astounding. So is the devastation of the local fishermen on the reefs. They fill empty 1 litre water bottles with sand to weight down their nets, which they then drag across the reef. The ones that stay on the nets break things off and the ones that become entangled, well, they stay on the reef. We dragged back about 20 or 30 of them in one dive alone.

The ocean safaris are about the coolest thing ever. Forget a gnashing, pissed off Great White, swim with a Whale Shark. They are massive, docile and beautiful. I will post more pics of them later.

We had a quad bike to get around the area, which is the only way to go. That and a few rides in the back of a bakki, which we call a pickup truck.

The Barra Lodge is the largest operator in the area and we did a couple of trips with them as well. I was surprised that they thought out-of-shape, very large people should do an ocean safari that involved climbing in and out of a rubber boat with no ladders. Two of their guests had to literally be dragged back on the boat by several of us. Otherwise, their programs were pretty good although a bit commercial.

We dove, rode and played in Barra Reef area for 6 days. Perfect.

Our next stop was the Kapama Game Reserve, not far from Kruger. Although it was only about 200 km away, we had to go back to JoBurg, overnight, then fly to the local airport the next day.

Great place, with early morning and late afternoon game drives. We saw everything, elephants, giraffe, zebra, cape buffalo, lions, etc. and- a leopard.

There is also a cheetah breeding and research facility nearby, hich was very informative and extremely well run.
One of their rescue animals was a young zebra that had assimilated into the local sheep herd.

Poaching and land encroachment are still the two biggest problems the animals face.

A couple of days in Cape Town to see friends after that completed the trip.

Thanks for that report! I would have loved to have seen the cheetah breeding facility, as I think cheetah are the most spectacular animals!

The cheetah facility was amazing. They are on every front. The facility itself was impressive enough but what they are doing is just great. And they are cross-breeding with other facilities as well to keep the lines clean.

Still waiting to get the Leopard pics from the one we tracked and found.

Here's a couple of others.
The quiet hippo pond


The Nemos, which always remind me how far from home I am:


And there's nothing like a horse ride on a beach along the Indian Ocean

Hipps, now there are some truly scary beasts!!! We stayed at one 'water' camp in Botswana, and the guys who drove the boats were extremely careful about staying clear of those beasts!

Someday I will tear myself away from the Caribbean, and when I do, I will go to Africa. Every time I visit this African forum, I see something intriguing. Thanks for posting. I would never even think to visit an African site, but since it's here on TTOL, it's a great way to explore.