Our safari adventure kicked off in Johannesburg, but we didn’t get to explore the city much. We arrived late afternoon, checked into the hotel, refreshed ourselves, took a quick swim, and once again freshened up before heading out. It was already nighttime, and we ate far more food than we could handle.
We didn’t see much of Johannesburg as we drove straight to Sandton from the airport and set off the next day to catch a flight to Kruger National Park, where we’d be on safari all week.
The flight was short, about an hour, and soon we left behind the gridded suburbs of Johannesburg, exchanging them for the vast fields of Kruger National Park.
Upon arrival, we realized our luggage hadn’t made it yet, but that didn’t dampen our spirits. Thankfully, I had important items in my carry-on, so after learning our bags would come on the next flight, we left for our resort with a ranger who’d been with us for the journey.
The best part about our delay was having the jeep all to ourselves as everyone else left with other rangers.
I imagined our ride to the hotel would be uneventful, with plans of having lunch and sampling lots of South African wine before the evening safari. However, it was nothing like a typical airport transfer! Animals were everywhere, and in my excitement to capture the moment, I fumbled to grab my camera. I’m pretty sure I wasn’t speaking any coherent English, just yelping in excitement! The zebras greeted us first, followed by some impalas. Even a warthog, which reminded me of Pumba from The Lion King, hurriedly acknowledged us before rushing off. Wildebeests dashed past us with no apparent destination. The scenery was breathtaking, a vibrant mix of blues, browns, and greens, and by then, our excitement had hit peak levels.
Then, we spotted our first wild giraffe—this was the true beginning of the safari for me. You know that moment when a trip truly starts, like seeing the Eiffel Tower in Paris? That was it.
By the time we reached the resort, thoughts of a poolside nap evaporated. The adrenaline and excitement left no room for relaxation.
When we finally made it to the hotel, I had almost entirely forgotten about our luggage. There were so many animals to see—elephants, rhinos, lions, cheetahs, zebras, and giraffes—and plenty of South African wine to drink. Worrying about luggage was the last thing on my mind.