Route27

We are back from our amazing trip. Yes - it was fantastic. I would classify it as a top three trips we have ever taken.

Our travels took us to Cape Town, Durban, Sodwana Bay, Swaziland, Kruger, Franchhoek wine country and somewhere in between.

Of course we took way too many pictures. I have tried to condense it to this slide show - Enjoy!

If anyone is interested or has a lot of time on their hands, here are the source pictures that did not make the cut:

South Africa Cape Town
South Africa Table Mountain
South Africa Sodwana Bay
South Africa Kruger
South Africa Swaziland

My bags are packed, flights are checked, and we’re ready to go back to Africa. Can’t wait to ring in the new year in Cape Town.

Hope all goes well and check for photo updates on my Picassa site.

I found a quick pictorial slide presentation I put together last time I was there in 2003 with my good buddy Martin Spit. (Unfortunately this was put together with a lovely Microsoft product which only allows you to view this in ie)

Finally, since this post is going in the travel section, i wanted to give a good shout out to a great hotel in Bucaramanga, Colombia. - the HOTEL DANN CARLTON BUCARAMANGA. The folks there were super friendly, very attentive and gave everyone a five star service. Much better than most experiences i have had anywhere else. (There is also an awesome gym across the street… but maybe thats for another post).

Finally had a chance to get away and get a little backpacking in this summer. Check out our three day adventure around Grand Tetons. Of course the Ranger screwed us by trying to send us on an old trail that was supposed to be a shortcut around “the wall” but thats the stuff that campire stories are made off…

Here is how it started

Given busy work schedules, etc. we’ve decided on an extended weekend trip this year instead of the usual 6-night venture. Art has stepped up and come up with a pretty cool itinerary for a trip through the Teton range, after Brandon sold him on the location. Basic idea is to take off Thursday/Friday/Monday and do a 3-night trip with travel days and some time in Jackson Hole on either end. Hikes will be about 10 miles / day, with lots of time for fly fishing in the afternoon.

I think this accomodates almost everyone’s issues. Pete- you get to fly fish. Curby - you get to go before football starts. TJ - we’re out on Sunday and can do our 17-miler in beautiful Jackson Hole instead of pounding pavement on the W&OD. And all you work-aholics - you don’t have to take off a whole week.

Thanks Brad. Finally for the quote of the trip… will it be “chunky but Funky” or “Ranger Bullshit”?

Here are some pictures from the Trip

Over the years Mara and I have visited some amazing places. We have stayed at a lot of wonderful hotels and have been welcomed by friends and people who are amazing at their hospitality jobs. However there are a few which especially stand out in our memories. I want to recommend and share some of these with you.

The first place on our list is a hotel which was strongly recommended to us by Alyssa Banta, a US photographer who for years had a second home in Delhi. She recommended this haveli in Jaipur saying its an ancient sanctuary and respite from the craziness of traveling through India. She was so right. This ancient governors place was up to western standards with a great mix of colonial and traditional service. The food was great, the variety of rooms they had to offer were fantastic (we stayed at a mini two level apartment with a balcony) and the pool the best city pool I have ever been to. The structure resembles MC Escher drawings. Highly recommended.

When in Jaipur, be sure not to miss this gem.

Samode Haveli
Jaipur, India
A HERITAGE HOTEL
reservations@samode.com
91-141-2632407