Next Stop....Istanbul

Well, I finally finished up driving the Garden Route from Mossel Bay to Port Elizabeth.  It took me about 10 days at my dawdling pace and along the way I saw some of the most beautiful rugged coastline and white sand beaches I think I've ever seen.  On the inland portion of the trip, I saw eerie caves with stalagmites and stalactites along with stunning mountain passes.  I also safari'd  for several days at Addo Elephant Park.

 I have really enjoyed South Africa and sadly, the pictures I've posted just don't do it justice.  I hope all of you get a chance to visit here someday.  South Africa is visually stunning, has good weather but it is the people that have made it special.  They have been incredibly kind, patient and friendly. Also,  South Africa has been fairly easy traveling because English is almost universally spoken here. 

I have since flown back to Johannesburg.  I've really struggled with where to go next.  My original plan was to spend almost a month split between Egypt, Jordan and Israel but with the turmoil in Egypt that plan got tossed.   I considered going to Jordan but I figured that if I got that close to Egypt, I'd probably visit it anyways.  Both Egypt and Madagascar are on the US Dept. of  State travel warning list.  My travel insurance policy is voided (I think)  if I go to places on the State Dept. Travel Advisory List.

Anyway,  I fly out Saturday for Istanbul, Turkey.  I can't wait!
Shari