One step ahead of disaster

We are safe. But between the Cairo bombing on Sunday, and the jet crash in Amsterdam this morning (not to mention the Mumbai bombing and the Thailand airport closing way back in December), we're feeling lucky to be staying just one step ahead of disaster.

Capetown!

We landed late last night after 20 hours of travel from Cairo (through Amsterdam; thanks, Delta) and a teary goodbye to Melissa and mom.

We slept hard after not sleeping for a full day--but we did make good use of our earplugs, having somehow booked ourselves in the "party" hostel. This morning Capetown has offered us a warm welcome, literally and figuratively. It's about 100 degrees, but the streets and air are clean, the cafe culture is in full swing, and the touts that followed us around all of our recent Middle East stops trying to get us to buy something from them are conspicuously absent. We bought travel books this morning and are in the process of developing a plan. Likely: Capetown for a couple of days with hiking Table Mountain, visiting Robben Island and maybe hitting the beach; then to Bostwana to rent a 4WD vehicle and drive up through Chobe reserve to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe; then onto Namibia and the skeleton coast. We're not sure whether we'll travel by land or air. Depends on costs.

Can't belive we're in Africa! Only 5 more weeks left on our trip, but I don't want to think about that.

Middle East-updates soon to come

We have lot of updating to do--hundreds of India photos and hightlights from the last month or so, and info on our amazing time in the Middle East. It was a real unexpected highlight of the trip--Jordan (Amman, Dead Sea, Petra and Aqaba), the ferry across the Red Sea to Sinai, Egypt (Nuweiba, St. Katherines/Mt. Sinai, Cairo and Luxor, including the overnight train with Sam's intrepid traveling sisters Ann and Becky and Luxor with my intrepid traveling mother and sister), and Israel (Tel Aviv and Jerusalem). More to come. Including photos, we hope.

Full text of Thank You note from our favorite hotel in India

Hello Dear Friend`s, Sam & Antha How Are You & How`s Thingh`s There How`s Traveling Going On , We Are Good Here & Hope Your Both Are Well There & I Would Like To say Thanks Lot Lot Lot For Recommend Some Of Your Friend To Our Haveli & They Were Going To Stay Here Tonoght & I Promised You Guys We Will Give Them A Best Service & They Will Say You Back Thanks For That , And Please When Ever You Both Have Time Then Post Review On TripAdvisor If You Post One Each It`s So Kind Of You & Then Definately We Came In First Five & Dear Realy That Our Dream To Came Onec In First Five So Please Spend 15 Minutes For Us & Give The Nice Title`s Of Your`s Review`s & Dear Five Of Five It Will Help Us In Ranking To Move Up In That List & Don`t Write The Price, Bye Bye Have A Nice Time There Wish You All The Best & Do Take Very Good Care Of Your Self & Hope See You Soon Agin, Warm Regard`s Hotel Pleasant Haveli