Phinda Postscript

 One of the last evenings at Phinda, our group was treated to a 'Boma' dinner (outside under the stars). It was gorgeous with all the lamps lit around us, and again, the food was amazing. Our food was locally sourced, and very fresh. Portions weren't ginormous like they are in the states. Our butlers are Happy and Ngcebo. (Butlers are the folks who take care of dining at the lodge.) Both went out of their way to deliver the best experience. One evening, I complemented Happy on such a delicious dinner and wonderful service, and she clasped her hands to her heart and thanked me sincerely. Her response embodied the spirit of the lodge and the people of South Africa.  

Zulu extravaganza 

As we were waiting for dessert, we heard a commotion near the dining room, drumming and clapping louder and louder until our butlers, and many of the lodge staff appeared while serenading us with their beautiful Zulu songs and dancing under the stars.

They brought out a birthday cake for me and invited me to dance - it was great fun, (it's on video), and I managed to stay in the beat! I also did a Zulu yell 😅😅😅 I think they got a kick out of it, because their suprise turned to big smiles. The whole experience made me cry - it was so beautiful. 

When it was our time to leave, our guides and trackers drove us to the airstrip for a heartfelt goodbye,  and we boarded those two little Chapman Freeborn planes to fly us from Phinda to Hoedspruit. (More to come 😉.)

&Beyond Phinda Forest Lodge Pros and cons

Gorgeous setting, wonderfull and healthy menu, plenty of activities for all ages, game drives were great, staff absolutely lovely.

Cons..

The lodge design was zen-like, lots of clean lines but most of the stairs without hand rails, making it difficult for John and I to navigate. We are grateful for our friends who were always there to help us. 

Pathways to the rooms were very sandy, and hard to navigate with wobbly mobility.

I would go back for the game drives - amazing terrain with the tree canopies, and the wonderful people. 

&beyond phinda Forest Lodge





Comments

  1. Judy WinnJune 22, 2024 at 6:20 AM

    can't wait to see the video!! So glad you are having a wonderful experience!

    ReplyDelete
  2. SpikeJune 22, 2024 at 3:02 PM

    I’m glad you guys were able to enjoy such an amazing experience. Can’t wait to hear more about it

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Get these people out of my house!

Image
I   normally live with my husband John and our beagle Charlie, but occasionally we have quite a bit of company. Like now. The lights are on in the living room (it's broad daylight), the dog is snoozing near me (his usual occupation) and I am in my room trying to escape the chaos I can't see. I can't tell how many are here. When I ask John, he just mumbles a response.  John has Parkinsons, and it has affected him cognitively. So this is the third time in 2 months these hallucinations have occurred. How do I deal with it? My gut twists up, I get anxious, and worried that he will do something stupid. The first time he had an episode, he opened the front door in the middle of the night to make 'them' leave, and set off the alarm. When the police responded, I had to explain what was going on. The officer said "I'm sorry for what you are going through." That was so kind of him. These hallucinations last 3-4 days and is awful to live through for both of us. H
Read more

Fly Gurl

Image
On behalf of some amazing and very dear friends, I've had the honor of planning a trip for over a year now, a big one...the biggest of my career and also my life! To South Africa..18 people for over two weeks. What a dream itinerary! Did I mention John and I get to go too? 🌍✈️🇿🇦 All this excitement hasn't been without loads of worry. Worry is something I could do as an Olympic sport. I am guilty of creating 'what if' scenarios, and sometimes forget who is really in charge and holds all things in HIS Hand. I worry about traveling with John - will he fall? Hallucinate? Will his restless 'Jimmy' legs kick in? Jesus take the wheel! So today, I go to see my doctor to ask for anti-malaria medication. While she was looking up the requirements on the CDC website, she strongly urged me to get vaxed for Hep B and C, or was it A and E? Also wanted me to get Yellow Fever, Typhoid, and Measles today as well. Uh - let me think about it for a minute..No, nope, nada, not ha
Read more

Gratitude

Image
  Turning 70 today hasn't been that bad y'all! I skidded into this day without a helmet and knee pads. It always happens before a trip. I know I am forgetting something. This last week has been filled with lots calls to the Dr., visits to the cleaners for missing items, wrangling a confused husband, and I could go on, but in all the chaos that has been my life, a little light began to glimmer and grow. It got so bright the frustration and worry began to fade away. I felt the love from my friends and family who prayed (and are still praying!) for me, for birthday lunches with the ones that are close to my heart. So much to be thankful for on this eve of a once-in-a-lifetime trip. I am packed, and so excited for the adventure ahead. Fueled with peace and gratitude!
Read more