- lsktravelz@gmail.com
Visit the coastal town of Ballito. I want to wind down my 30-year career as an educator in South Africa. I saw an advertisement for Build the Future in my FB feed. Although my expertise is not in elementary education, I wanted to be of service to this nonprofit organization.
I pride myself on planning domestic trips, but I asked Lesley Egbert of Live Longitude Travel to assist me with this international trip from July 21 to July 28. Even though someone from Afrika Adventures was readily available to help with travel arrangements, I wanted to arrive three days early to adjust to the time difference before I met with the team. I landed in Durban on July 18.
If you have read a post or two, I rarely fly out of O’Hare International Airport. I am a loyal Midway traveler. Of course, I experienced a delay at ORD and EWR. Although the delays were weather-related, I was unprepared for the events at Newark that included a total shutdown of transportation inside the terminals. I left Terminal A to catch a shuttle to Terminal C. Because I left the terminal, I had to go back through security. I only had seconds to connect to my flight to Johannesburg. Every airline has issues. My round-trip flight to Joburg was $2069. On the way home, I flew from Durban to Joburg to Germany and then to O’Hare.
After I landed in Johannesburg, I spent one night at City Lodge before catching a flight to Durban. My reservation at City Lodge Hotel in Johannesburg was part of the Afrika Adventures package. Although I could not sleep, I needed a break from sitting on a plane for almost 16 hours. I enjoyed the dinner buffet and complimentary hot breakfast. If you need a clean hotel between flights, I recommend City Lodge. My flight to Durban was under 60 minutes.
I thoroughly researched all hotel options before selecting a forest view suite at Coco De Mer. Because I was traveling solo, I wanted a hotel with a restaurant. Other amenities included an outdoor pool and complimentary hot or cold breakfast every morning. The attention to detail included a freshener in the bathroom and a large plant near the desk. I took early morning walks on the promenade along the Indian Ocean and sat on the balcony in the afternoon. I also enjoyed a massage and facial at the Simbiosis Spa. Susie arranged the shuttle service for me. I covered any additional expenses incurred for my stay at Coco De Mer.
It was time for me to meet the team from Build the Future. Susan also arranged a pickup from Coco De Mer, and the team welcomed me with open arms. I had two roommates at Les Moulettes, Karen and Julie. Although the 3-bedroom accommodations were slightly outdated, the unit was clean. There was a full kitchen and patio. Housekeeping stopped by every day to make the beds, sweep and mop. Les Moulettes was the perfect location to witness my first moon rise.
Whew! I have only worked as a high school educator. Preschoolers are high-energy, and I quickly adjusted to meet their needs. I helped during the teacher-led professional development, painted (vegetable garden, swing set, water container), and interacted with the preschoolers during class and recess. I felt so much love from these preschoolers. Yes, I kept using hand sanitizer, and on the third day, I taught a group of preschoolers how to cover their mouths when they cough. I also introduced them to hand sanitizer. They quickly learned if they coughed and covered their mouth, I would give them hand sanitizer. On the last day of professional development, I delivered my lesson. We played Chicago Bingo utilizing skills and techniques participants learned throughout the week from other educators.
In addition to paying for my flight, I also paid $1900. Our team leader scheduled a stop at the grocery store to pick up items for breakfast. All meals were part of the package. We spent our first day at Nando’s for lunch, made reservations for Afro-Porto cuisine at Mozambiz, and enjoyed pizza at Colcacchio. We ate peanut butter/jelly sandwiches for lunch at the preschool. The team enjoyed catered meals for dinner for three nights. On our last day, we visited Thula Thula Game Reserve. The tour included a buffet lunch. The flights to and from Durban were part of the package. Finally, everyone received an insurance card.
Although my expenses were under $4900, you can visit Ballito for about $3500 if you book a room at Coco De Mer for six nights. Subtract $1900 from my total and add $318 for an extended stay. I purchased travel insurance and upgraded my seats. In addition, my flight was for 14 days. I share my expenses to help you make an informed decision. Visit my website for more travel ideas.
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