Part I: Storm Chasers on the Garden Route - Guest Blog Sonja Thomas

Where in the world can you cuddle with lion cubs, witness a family of baboons skedaddle across the street and play with 3 week old puppies at a B&B? South Africa, baby.

It was ages ago when I booked my flight to visit Shira that it always felt like a long way off and now it's so hard to believe it's only a memory. The weeks leading up to take off, we bounced emails back n forth trying to decide where to go and what to do. Who knew that no matter what planning was made on our end, Mother Nature had a whole other adventure in mind.

Shira, Kate and I flew to Cape Town (immediately after my 17+ hour flight to Jo'berg) ready to hike Table Mountain which promised an amazing view of the city and ocean below. Unfortunately the sky heavy with fog, known as a "table cloth", made visibility impossible. So, we nixed the hike, snapped a few picss and headed out to Stellenbosch wine country. The best was the Wine and Chocolate Experience at the Waterford. Shiraz with Masala Chai Dark, Cabernet Sauvignon with Rock Salt Dark and Rose Geranium Milk Chocolate paired with Heatherleigh Natural Sweet...amazing.

We continued on to Hermanus and spent the night at the cutest (and my first ever) B&B. Horrible hurricane force winds throughout the night convinced me that our teeny tiny car rental, the Great White Spark, had blown away. The only damage done, however, was that our whale tour was cancelled. After much pouting and discussion on whether to move on or stay an extra night, we wandered out onto a rocky cliff and spotted a whale!

Two tail waves and water spouts later, we were smiling and satisfied, so we continued driving on the Garden Route. And so begins the chase...from here on out for the next 3 days we were followed by a never-ending storm. One minute baby blue skies, the next, dark menacing clouds followed by a steady downpour. Commence whining about a horrible trip, right? Wrong! This was the most awesomest trip ever!!!

Along the 6 hour drive to Wilderness, we witnessed some of the most beautiful scenery in the world...mountains covered in thick brush, multi-colored rocky mountains, lush green landscapes...pictures don't do it justice. Although we wind up and around and drive through these mountain ranges, one would swear it was a movie image backdrop. With a copy of Lonely Planet as our guide, we visit two Berry Farms in Swellendam, sampling tasty fresh berry ice cream and sun-dried tomato mustard. At a quick petrol stop in Ladismith, since there's no tours at the local cheese factory, we conduct our own taste test and purchase 3 delicious blocks of cheese; Edam the winner, followed closely by Ladismither.

In Wilderness, I enjoy my first taste of Amarula, a Cream Liqueur, reminiscent of Bailey's, made with the fruit from the marula tree. Cute side note: Elephants love the taste of marula fruit and will go to great lengths to get it, subsequently becoming drunk. You tube has tons of videos of the tipsy effect. We also stumble upon the "Map of Africa", a viewpoint of mountains to the right, where one is shaped like the continent, hence the name (which we didn't learn until days later) outlined by the Kaaimans River and to the left the deep blue waters of the Indian Ocean.

Next stop, Knysna, my favorite town along the Garden Route. While here we visit the famous King Edward VII Outeniqua Yellowwood Tree in Knysna Forest, believed to be over 650 yrs old. The forest was once home to herds of 600 elephants of which now only 3 remain. My absolute favorite scenic moment was on top of the Spitskop. Somehow Shira navigated the Great White Spark up the steep, one lane gravel trail, with nothing but a "straight to your death drop" on either side to a breath-taking panoramic view of the forest and Knysna area.

The beauty didn't end here. Whether on the beach, atop one of the Heads, or walking a wooden plank above the crashing waves, the views of the Knysna Lagoon and Indian Ocean are indescribable. We even saw a seal while driving around Leisure Island.

Our last stop was Port Elizabeth where we visited the Seaview Game Park, my visit pick during the planning process. During the drive we spot wildebeests, duikers, antelope, zebras, and a family of giraffes. On foot, we see lions, including white ones, meerkats, a caracal, a crocodile, and 2 baby tigers. But the best was paying an additional 50 rand to play with five 4 month old lion cubs. And to my astonishment, they weren't soft to the touch, but rather quite coarse, but nonetheless super adorable. I OD'd on cuteness!

Thus, concludes our chasing storm adventure along the Garden Route and the first half of my trip in SA. Next stop, Acornhock and Kruger.