Pirates!   We recently have learned a few things about pirates in the Atlantic Ocean – yes that’s right, the Atlantic.   Apparently, piracy is big business off the West coast of Africa, as cargo ships with refined petroleum pass through these waters.  Several African countries on the West coast are rich in oil, and […]

Cape Town, South Africa May 9, 2023 We flew into Cape Town from Durbin on May 5 at the conclusion of our Safari. Then we headed off the next day on a half-day tour of the city. Last time we were in Cape Town (back in 2018) we didn’t think much of the place. In […]

Zululand, South Africa May 8, 2023 When we arrived in South Africa, we immediately went by van to Phinda Forest Lodge for a photo safari (we were part of a group of 8 passengers from the ship).   Phinda is one of the many lodges owned by a company called “&Beyond” which promotes sustainable travel […]

Maputo, Mozambique May 7, 2023 We just finished—wait for it—a pirate drill. Apparently we are about to enter a high-risk area (HRA) for piracy. Not something you see every day.  Anyway, we arrived in Maputo, Mozambique on Monday, May 1st. Now officially known as the Republic of Mozambique, it has a population of 30 million […]