Have a wonderful trip and can't wait to read the report!

Have a fabulous time on your trip Roccco and I'm sure you will enjoy your few days in Sydney. It's one of my favorite cities to visit and we've enjoyed 2 great trips to Australia and planning a 3rd for next year. Haven't seen the Great Barrier Reef yet but have traveled extensively throughout the rest of the country.

Your time in Botswana looks wonderful. I'm sure you will have some great shots to show afterward. Safe Travels.

Oops, should have looked once more a your post. Your laptop will do just fine for downloading. Are you able to carry onboard all the photo, computer stuff? Aus looks like a very attractive alternative to going through Eur. Who are you flying with?

Jim

Have a great trip.

SteelieJim,

I am going with Qantas Airways on back to back flights from LAX - Sydney and Sydney - Johannesburg. On my way over it is a short 2.5 hour layover and on the return it is 2 nights in Sydney followed by about a Noon departure getting me back into L.A. at 7AM the same day (cross intl. dateline).

Gardyloo,

Thanks for the seat advice. For whatever reason, I always pick the left side of the plane and usually pick the window seat. I know I have pre-selected my SYD - JNB seats (using Seat Guru as my guide to get the best economy seat possible) but I have not yet been allowed to select my LAX - SYD seat assignment.


Thanks to the others for the continued good wishes.


Thit Cho,

You made me curious about Rockpool so I checked out their website. They have a 5 course dinner set menu for $150 Australian Dollars. I really, really, want to be more epicurean in my dining, but the menu is a bit scary to me...have a look:

http://www.rockpool.com/rp_menu.aspx?menu=setprice

However, I do think I could make it work, and these would be my choices:

Course 1

Salad of Beetroot "Raw, Roast and Jelly" with Yoghurt Sorbet

-

Course 2

"Mac and Cheese" - Asparagus, House Made Macaroni and Cauliflower Cheese

OR

King Prawns with Goats Cheese Tortellini - Pine Nuts, Raisins and Burnt Butter

(This is my only difficult decision...I have eliminated the choices that did not appeal to me in the other courses, but this is a toughie!)

-

Course 3

Leek Royale with Sweet Onion Gratin and Truffle Sauce


-


Course 4

Slow Roasted Kangaroo Island Chicken with Peas, Spring Onion, Baby Radish and Pea Puree
-

Course 5

Strawberry and Vanilla Mille-Feuille

I had to look it up, as well! This, courtesy of www.answers.com, on the Mille-Feuille:

>>>mille-feuille
[meel-FWEE] French for "a thousand leaves," this classic dessert is made with two large oblong pieces of crisp puff pastry spread with whipped cream, custard, jam or fruit purée. The pastries are stacked and topped with another pastry layer, which is generally dusted with confectioners' sugar. A serrated knife is used to cut the dessert into individual servings. Savory mille-feuille can be filled with cheese and served as an appetizer.<<<

-

Coffee with Sweets


Well, that wasn't so painful and once I eliminated the dishes that did not appeal to me, it actually looks quite wonderful.

You've probably found the time for Lance's run, coming in at 2.59.37 just short of 3/hrs and 1/hr after the top runners.

Yes, I believe the hours are shorter from Hawaii, but apparently the price isn't, the reason for the transit over the States, the pond and thru Europe.

Have fun!

Have a wonderful trip, Rocco.

I'll wave as you fly over.

Hope you get the good version of Qantas (all airlines have their off days).

btw...it's Taronga. Pronounce it the other way and you'll be labelled by Sydneysiders very quickly ;)

John

Hope your running is well, Rocco....

As to walks at Kwando, my understanding is....it's possible only in Kwara. I dont think they do them at Lagoon or Lebala. Atleast, i havent seen anyone walk there....have fun!!!

Hari

Rocco - have a great trip!!

Take the Lance Armstrong training method. The guy amazingly ran a sub 3 hour NYC marathon and his training was about 30 - 35 mile weeks with his longest run being 16 miles!! A true genetic freak!! Then again he said he felt the worse he has ever felt post race -worse than any Tour De France effort.

GreenDrake,

I am surprised that Lance Armstrong did not do better...even his ex-wife, Kristin Armstrong qualified for Boston!

http://www.runnersworld.com/events/b..._bosbound.html

One day I would like to break 4 hours, but I don't think I will ever be able or willing to put in the training to qualify for Boston. I just want to have fun with it and the most important thing is finishing.

Have a great trip, Rocco, and know that I'm totally jealous!

Hi Rocco,

Glad to see you are back on board and off on your next adventure!

Our heat wave here in LA should be prepping you for Botswana.

Hoping this is YOUR time to see the dogs.

Wishing you great game viewing and safe travels. Will be anxious to hear all about it.

Carla

Welcome back and bon voyage.

Have a fantastic trip!

Karibu nyumbani na safari njema!

Enjoy your trip, Rocco! Perhaps you'll come back a convert to Botswana. It's still my favorite place in southern Africa.

18 hours and counting...going to go take a 90 minute nap and then it will be one very exhausting last day and then off to the airport for my 10:30PM flight to Sydney and onward to Joburg.

I've been up all night loving my dogs and getting some work done.

Cannot wait to take some photos and only hope they come close to what I was able to capture in Tanzania. Hopefully the landscapes will not be too brown in Linyanti, Sabi Sand and Madikwe. I am going to absolutely die when I finally see my first wild dogs and there are quite a few properties that I may see them.

Remaining tasks...

Get some small denomination bills

Finish packing

Start taking anti malaria meds

Buy insect repellent

Reconfirm international flights


Thanks everyone for the warm wishes.

Are you still here? ;-)

I saw Lance run up First Avenue on Sunday, but watched him cross the finish line on TV (while I was stuffing my face with a bagel).

Rocco, some of the items on Rockpool's menu look strange, but I often find that the unusual combinations belie the tastiness of the dish (sometimes the author of the menu is showing off by being overly flowery in the descriptions).

I'm sure you know this, but if flying Qantas, make sure to give them your American Airlines Aadvantage number -- that's a lot of miles. If you don't have an AA number, you should get one today (I think you can do so online).

Have a great trip.

Michael

PS -- I will be on vacation in the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Bahrain at the end of November (my attempt to rectify the dearth of Middle East trip reports on what is an Africa & Middle East forum).

Michael -

>>I saw Lance run up First Avenue on Sunday, but watched him cross the finish line on TV (while I was stuffing my face with a bagel).<<

Me too, me too! but I had my bagel with me. Stuffed with veggie cream cheese. Though too cold out there if not working up a sweat. Saw Lance's finish on TV in the warmth of my apartment.

We've gotta do brunch when you get back from your next trip, if not before.

Thit Cho (or anyone else),

What is the advantage of charging these miles to American Advantage. I was under the impression that I could charge them to any frequent flier program.

Because I get the majority of my miles from my AMEX Platinum Card, I tend to use Delta Skymiles as my frequent flier program. Delta, unfortunately, no longer partners with SAA but will now fly direct to SA and it is partners with Air France and KLM, as well as possibly others that also fly to Africa.