Ok, off in 6 weeks for the final segments of our RTW ex-JNB. Currently holding LHR-MRU/SEZ-NBO-JNB. So far looks good, but have a few last minute questions:

1) Before I write the itin into stone, does anyone know of any interesting routes ex-NBO to pick up a couple extra segments? Can't seem to find a decent route map, and it seems a waste to not use the last two segments for something! We have a 3 day leeway built in for an interesting side trip if wanted.

2) Does anyone know a GOOD safari agent who can help me to secure a SA itin? Have put in pricing requests to 2 agencies, for flights and safari for 4 people, and am getting very little response from them. Looking at maybe JNB-2 nts Victoria Falls-3 nts Vuyatela Lodge-return flt to CPT. Its getting ridiculous how long it takes some of these agencies to answer even the simplest questions.

3) If these agencies don't come through, does anyone know how to book SA from the US
for the safari flights? (Sry this is OT for this forum, thought someone might know). Their site says they take only SA issued credit cards and I hate to pay the ticketing fee at my agency when I did all the work myself!

Thanks!

Robin

If nothing else works you can perhaps book the nights you want at Kruger (they have a web site). SA Express (only tied to SA for marketing, I think) flies JNB-Skukuza 3x daily with RJ type equipment, and Avis has a rental station there.

These are the following routes from NBO:

* NBO-KRT-ASM
* NBO-JIB-ASM
* NBO-SEZ
* NBO-MBA
* NBO-LLW
* NBO-LUN
* NBO-HRE
* NBO-JNB

Other possible intra-africa flights:
* HBE-ADD (counts as two continent though)
* JNB-WDH
* JNB-CPT
* JNB-PLZ
* JNB-DUR
* JNB-HRE
* JNB-LUN
* JNB-VFA
* CPT-DUR
* HRE-LUN


[This message has been edited by hauteboy (edited 05-14-2003).]

How are you getting from MRU to SEZ?
Was it expensive?
Would love to try to do both.

On travelocity I see one way tickets for $224 on Air Seychelles (2x/week) and Air Mauritius(4x/week). Price came to $243 on Air Mauritus website, picking a date at random.
31 May 03 � 25 Oct 03 ----56- 1300 - 1535

On expedia I see a price of $210 round trip, ticketed as British Airways? But it won't actually display any flights. I guess a bogus fare listing.

I currently have Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) on my itinerary, is it safe with all the craziness and suffering there? Would I be supporting the bad government somehow by going?

[This message has been edited by benoit (edited 05-14-2003).]

Unfortunately, we are paying the $230 x 3 for MRU-SEZ on Air Mauritius, with a fly date I am not happy with, but thats how it goes. Wish I could find a better way (BA), but I'm afraid there is none.

I have no idea about safety in Victoria Falls right now; we have considered this as an option. Are you getting there on your RTW? Please give details as this is a distinct possibility, but the extra (expensive!) air was too much for four of us to take a 2 day jaunt there (we have a free hotel too!)

Hauteboy, TY,TY,TY! That is exactly what I am looking for! I only have one true question (aside from sorting out the airports lol): Does BA codeshare on Kenya on the NBO-SEZ flight? This is another big possibility, as my daughters and I will already be in SEZ when Mr Fish flies into Nairobi, and perhaps he could just meet us there for a few days. I haven't had it show up, but perhaps I just keep checking the wrong days. This could be the best solution to our problems!

BTW, I got my itin pricing back from one agent yesterday and their prices were completely off the wall. To cut costs, we are planning to drive JNB-Sun City-Kruger-JNB to catch a flight to CPT. Anyone with experience driving JNB-Kruger, pleasfeel free to chime in on your experience; Mr Fish is unsure if its worth saving $1000+ to do this.

Thanks for all your help!

Robin

JNB-Kruger is a good road, generally fast except for a bit through the hills 50 miles (?) before Nielspruit. We do worry a bit about personal safety in South Africa - the odd bit of bad luck could put you in touch with someone who wants your property badly, with limited options on your part. Wouldn't dream of setting foot in Zim these days, but don't take that as advice - haven't been there for at least 10 years.

My wife and I actually spent a few days in Vic Falls on our honeymoon safari last year; we didn't feel unsafe at all. Tourism was certainly way down; there were maybe 10 people in the brand new casino they built since my first trip in 1998. Prices were adjusted in Zim$ to match the 'street' exchange rate vs the official (Zim300 to $1 at the time). The NBO-SEZ route is actually a BA 747 flight; it is the second segment of their LHR-NBO-SEZ route. They used to fly LHR-NBO-MRU as well, making it possible to fly MRU-NBO-SEZ on BA (with a 1-2 day stopover in NBO).

I am flying JNB-VFA-JNB. I checked the prices for JNB-CPT-JNB, I saw that this fare was very cheap to buy seperately, especially compared to VFA. So I use VFA on the one world itinerary, and buy CPT as a seperate ticket. Also there is a train to CPT, perhaps I will try that one way and fly the other, if the price is reasonable. (Does anyone know about this train and price?)

Thanks for the suggestion for MRU-SEZ, worth considering for $240.

By the way the UK just suspended flights to Kenya, this could affect OWE flyers, anyone flying LHR-NBO like me. I posted details on the warning here http://www.flyertalk.com/forumcgi/fo...ers&number=109



[This message has been edited by benoit (edited 05-15-2003).]

Holy Frijoles Batman! Thanks for the heads up as Mr Fish is due to fly LHR-NBO on this trip! Hmmmm... This might really mess things up. Since NBO-SEZ is actually a continuation of LHR-NBO, I wonder how this will affect the trip altogether??

Unfortunately, I made a BIG mistake when originally booking my RTW, as I started in JNB, never thinking about beginning in CPT. Woulda made things a LOT easier for getting around Africa; oh well, lesson learned! When I touch down in JNB I am done.

Thinking a little about Harare, but have no idea about the political climate there, so will continue to research! Thanks for everything!

BTW: Did a little research into the Blue Train from Pretoria to CPT myself. Too pricey for the four of us, but looks like fun! Try this site: www.bluedtravel.com/bluetrain

Robin

[This message has been edited by Fishbait (edited 05-15-2003).]

Wow, out of my price range. Good to know.

I don't do trains often so this is very much hearsay but I think I heard recently that the once-famous Blue Train has become a shadow of its former self. Even Kruger has scaled down (and raised prices significantly, since the target audience is shifting from local white families toward international tourists.)