The Eagle Has Landed

It wasn't until the overland truck rounded the bend and the ocean breeze came rushing into the windows, that I (Matt) saw 'Table Mountain,' and knew we were close to our final destination of our 6-week organized tour - Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA.

Table Mountain

As always,we hadn't made reservations or plans for what we would do when we actually finished our 'Acacia Africa' trip (including plane tickets out of the country), but that was okay. We were happy to take it slow and get back into the groove of planning.

SOUTH AFRICA proved to be a great place to do just that.  The entire first week was designated for resting, planning and even doing a little sightseeing around Cape Town. Afterwards, we spent the final weeks in Africa driving along the southern coast from the Cape of Good Hope to Port Elizabeth, ending up in Johannesburg to pick up our VISAs for INDIA. (Turns out the Cape Town Indian Consulate doesn't accept VISA applications - see next post on how to obtain your INDIAN VISA in SOUTH AFRICA.)

It really was the perfect transition to being back on our own. The car rental made things flexible and the coastal drive was incredibly beautiful.  There were guest houses galore, so finding somewhere to stay each night was easy and there were fun things to see along the way like penguin colonies and ostrich farms.

Here are some snapshots of the dramatic coastal scenery and the things we saw along the way:

Hout Bay

Cape Point

Southern Right Whale

Cape Agulhas - Southernmost point in Africa

LOGISTICAL STUFF:
CAPE TOWN TO PORT ELIZABETH:
Rented a car from a local dealer, 'Comet,' through our hostel, 'Ashanti Lodge.' 240 Rand / day ($27.50 USD / day) with unlimited kms / day. They will drop-off and pick-up the car at your door step. Because we weren't making a return trip to Cape Town, we paid an additional drop-off fee of 650 Rand ($74 USD) to leave the car in Port Elizabeth.

In addition, we had to fill up the gas tank before they picked it up. Keep in mind, the gas attendant may not fill your car all the way (something about a button you have to push to release trapped air from the tank), so the rental company may charge more after you've dropped it off to make up the difference in missing gas.

The best thing about using a local rental company is they have more flexibility when it comes to special requests, like extending days or upgrades. Plus, they are more eager to negotiate price.

• Comet Car Rental - Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Port Elizabeth
• Cape Town Tel: 021-386-2411
• Email: info@cometcar.co.za
• www.cometcar.co.za

CLICK FOR MORE PICS: Cape Town | Coastal Road Trip

One Stop Shop

Each country we visited on our overland tour had unique scenery and sights, but NAMIBIA had, by far, the most to see in terms of seeing the African animals and landscapes. I would describe it as the "one-stop-shop." Within a short drive, you can see beaches, deserts, national parks, and even massive canyons. 

Here are some pictures that we thought best capture how beautifully diverse this country is:

Grasslands of Etosha National Park

Lioness at a watering hole in Etosha National Park

Rock formations of Spitzkoppe

Stretch of desert in northwest Namibia

Beaches of the Skeleton Coast

Sunrise on top of Dune 45 in Namib-Naukluft National Park

Fish River Canyon in Richtersveld National Park

LOGISTICAL STUFF:
Out of all the countries we visited on our 6-week overland tour, NAMIBIA was one that you could easily go without a driver and rent a car instead. It had great infrastructure and we felt that it would have been seamless to travel independently in lieu of a prepaid tour. The roads were good and they connected all the major sites including Etosha National Park in the north. You could even continue your road trip into SOUTH AFRICA, since they also have great infrastructure for tourists.

CLICK FOR MORE PICS: Etosha | Swapokmund | Skeleton Coast | Dune 45 | Fish River Canyon

The Open Road

Chris' Dad, Ryck "Polamalu," had to head back home to return to work, but her mom, Liz, stayed for an extra week with us to see Northern Israel- Nazareth, Tiberias, Sea of Galilea, Golan Heights, Akko, Haifa & Caesarea.  After battling with public transport during Sabbath and the holiday season, we quickly decided we would do the rest of the trip with our own wheels.  The open road gave us flexibility to roam freely and even drive out to Israel's borders with Lebanon and Jordan. Super cool.

Here are some of our favorite pics from the road:

Three Amigos

'

Border of Lebanon

Now where to?

Liz, experiencing the dorm life.

No, Liz. You can't escape us.

CLICK FOR MORE PICS: Tiberias | Nazareth | Haifa | Akko | Caesarea

Romania...You Were Good To Us

We spent the greatest number of days per country, so far, in Romania.  Our original plan never even took us into the country, but now that we've been...it's crazy to think we could have passed it by.  The car did give us some added flexibility and the Latin-based language made travel easier, but it's hard not to think this country isn't maybe one of the best hidden secrets of E. Europe.
  

It started when we spent a few nights in the smaller towns of the Maramures region.  Sparky (our tiny car) acted like a mighty warrior on the dirt roads that brought us into this part of the country.  I'm not sure if it was the horses and carriages or all the guys walking around with GIANT sickles, but I definitely knew I wasn't in the city anymore.  It was refreshing to see how self sufficient people were living there.  We saw people of all ages, probably ranging from 15-95, tilling the land and cutting hay grass to dry for the horses (sometimes doing this in nothing, but shorts and a bra).  It seemed like almost every house had some piece of land for agriculture and a small area for livestock.  Each of the guest houses ("Pensiones") had their own recipe for a traditional plumb schnapps, and took pride in the fact that their food came directly from their own backyard (and family milk cow).

We left with our bellies full of homemade meals and feeling pretty content, but little did we know there was a whole other world of fortified churches and castles yet to come in Transylvania.  It's pretty awesome morphing back into a kid and exploring these places.  Plus...like Christine mentioned in the previous post...having to find the local "key keeper" to open the door!?  I mean...how great is that?

The grand finale of the trip was our drive through the Carpathian Mountains on the Transfagarasan Road.  Being one of the only two people who drove manual transmission, and the only one who was ok driving on hills, I was designated the primary driver for the road trip.  I love driving...even at home in flat Florida...so I was happy to be chosen as the driver.  What I didn't know was that I was going to get to drive on one of the most amazing roads I'd ever seen before.  The Transfagarasan was pretty much all that and more. (Thanks to Dustin for encouraging us to go on this road.)

Oh and...on our way to the Transfagarasan Road, we saw a giant lake (Lake Vidraru) and got out of the car to realize that we were actually driving over a massive dam!  Sometimes it's the unexpected experiences that leave the biggest impressions.

It was good times in Romania and I think we all agreed that anyone who comes near E. Europe should take time to see at least a part of this unique country.

Fortified Churches of Transylvania

Naturally, when we heard TRANSYLVANIA, images of 'Count Dracula' and dark, smokey castles were reflexively conjured in our minds. But, now that we've been here, I would argue to reconsider this line of thinking for those who are contemplating a visit. In fact, forget castles all together. Fortified churches is where it's at - the creme de la creme of Transylvania. 

Now, when I say fortified churches, there are indeed frescos, naves, some oconostasis, maybe a cemetery, but that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to these ancient beauties. It's what lies below the water (or rather above the church) that is the most interesting. 

For one in particular, Valea Viilor (above), we had to ask a local to call the "key keeper" to open the door for us. After a few short minutes, the keeper arrived on his bicycle and placed the giant cartoon-like key in the creaky wooden door's rusty key slot. At first glance, it didn't look much different than other fortified churches that we'd seen. So, we proceeded into the church to pay our respects, when the key keeper appeared. I thought he was just watching us to make sure we weren't misbehaving, but then I noticed that he was trying to tell us to go down one of the pews toward a miniature, inconspicuous door. 

Dustin & Suji

We walked through the door to discover a very narrow, and might I mention crumbling, stone spiral staircase. As we saw the light at the end of the stairway, it opened up to a network of platforms and unsturdy ladders to create a multi-layered medieval game of Shoots and Ladders. This wasn't a church, this was a real deal fortress, and at that moment it was our playground.

As our adrenaline pumped, Matt, Dustin, Suji and I scurried up layer after layer of wobbly ladders and flexible floorboards to the very top of the fortification. (Well, almost. We didn't want to be too unreasonable, since the drop down deserved our appreciation.) Never in our childhood dreams, no matter how many mattresses and Care Bear bed sheets we borrowed from our neighbors, could we have created a fort as magnificently fun as this one.

Can you find Matt?

However, after our antics, and with our feet firmly planted on the cobblestone road outside the church, we later realized that we were retracing the steps of those retreating for their lives - it was not fun and games for them. It was where all the villagers would hide in the face of any rebel Tatars that tried to attack their city. They don't call it a 'Fortified Church' for nothing. Although, I would venture to call it a 'Fortified Labyrinth' instead. 

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Merry Cemetery

Before heading south to Sighișoara, Transylvania, we made a quick pit stop in Săpânţa - home to one of the most brightly-colored and, dare I say, happiest cemeteries we've ever visited - The Merry Cemetery. Even the bells are cheery.

See if you can spy a gnome in the midst.

BLURB FROM WIKIPEDIA:

It is famous for its colorful tombstones with naive paintings describing, in an original and poetic manner, the persons that are buried there, as well as scenes from their lives (and sometimes deaths).

The unusual feature of this cemetery is that it diverges from the prevalent belief, culturally shared within European societies – a belief that views death as something indelibly solemn. Connections with the local Dacian culture have been made. Their philosophical tenets presumably vouched for the immortality of the soul and the belief that death was a moment filled with joy and anticipation for a better life. 

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Noroc! Sus! Boon!

Due to WiFi-free zones and unforeseen, but very welcome, encounters, we've been incommunicado over the past week. So, here's where we've wandered since our last post.

We've since crossed the "official" cigarette and vodka-smuggling border from Ukraine and entered into the Cyrillic-free world of Romania. Ahh, Latin letters. It's good to see you my friend. :)

Before crossing the invisible line, we met some fellow travelers, Dustin & Suji, at a backpacker hostel in Chernivtsi, which could only be described as a 13th floor-type hotel from at least one episode of the 'Twilight Zone.' Between the midnight tourettes from our fellow grey-haired bunk mates and awkward debates between a Neo-Nazi extremist and retired war veteran, we managed to discuss possibly renting a car together to explore the MARAMUREŞ region of Romania - northernmost territory. Now, we're on our fourth night together, and things have been going "bun!" (pronounced boon = good!)

ROAD TRIP: 

DAY 1: On the road to BORŞA

Starring "SPARKY" in his debut performance.

DAY 2: 'Pensione' (Guesthouse/Homestay) in IEUD

Here's a little "taste" of the local hospitality we've experienced thus far - 55% proof plum schnapps. Noroc! ... Sus! Sus! (Cheers! ... Finish! Finish!)

DAY 3: 'Pensione' in BOTIZA

11 year old Florin took us on a hike through his back yard and Matt was "udderly" impressed with the scenery. 

• Pensiunea Agroturistica
• Contact: I.F. Tomsa Ioan
• Address: Botiza nr. 307, Jud. Maramures
• Cell: 0727 719 137 
• Home: 0262 / 334268

DAY 4: 'Pensione' in VADU IZEI

A nearby river was diverted to make "Nature's Washing Machine" for large carpets and rugs.

DAY 5: OFF TO SIGHIŞOARA, TRANSYLVANIA

LOGISTICAL STUFF: 

UKRAINE - ROMANIA BORDER CROSSING:

From Chernvitsi, UKRAINE, you can catch a daily 7:10am bus to Suceava, ROMANIA for around 70 UAH / person. You cannot get this ticket the day before at the bus station ticket window. You have to show up the day of and ask the ticket window for the bus to Suceava, who will then take you to the bus driver, where you pay the driver directly. We arrived around 6:30am and were able to grab 4 seats. It takes about 4 hours, including the border crossing.

SUCEAVA - CLUJ NAPOCA:

There are trains and buses from Suceava to Cluj that are virtually the same in regards to timetables, price and travel time. Although the bus was 10 lei cheaper, we chose an overnight non-sleeper train for a smoother ride - seats sat at an erect 90 degrees, where you're face-to-face with your fellow passengers. 

Something worth mentioning, we checked a travel agency for train prices and they were around 0.62 LEI less than buying straight from the train station window – 73 vs 73.62 LEI. Also, the train station is away from the main town, but there is a nice little pizza café nearby, where you can sit, play cards (some slots perhaps), eat pizza, and have beer whilst you wait for your train. May we suggest ‘Monopoly Deal?’

CLUJ NAPOCA - MARAMUREŞ REGION:

Rented a car from a local dealer, 'Raul Turism,' through our hostel, 'Retro Hostel.' 559 LEI for 1-7 days ($22 USD / day) or 806 LEI for 14+ days ($16 USD / day). 

• Raul Turism - Rent A Car
• Tel: +40 740 945 094
• www.raulturism.ro

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