South Africa

About those rhino horns. They are made of keratin, just like a fingernail. DEMAND: Mostly from China and Vietnam, where for centuries people think they cure everything from cancer to snake bites to hangovers. Medical [...]

African elephants have no natural predators due to their size, but their calves are vulnerable to lion attacks.  Along with the hippos, they are powerful and dangerous vegetarians.

You never know what to expect on a game drive, which we did at 5:30AM and 4:30PM every day for about three hours.

Kruger National Park is HUGE, almost four times as large as Grand Canyon National Park.  It's a brutal buffet scene, where a placid environment can turn violent before your eyes.  Nature's cleanup committee prevents viruses from [...]

Oudtshoorn, South Africa is home to the biggest population of ostriches in the world, hence its nickname, ‘The Ostrich Capital of the World’.

Not all activity was a mile-a-minute.  We had some leisurely hikes, sightseeing drives and even a little wine tasting.  

South Africa does not disappoint in the adrenaline junkie category. Wine  

Apartheid was a system of racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa from 1948 to 1991.  The disturbing goal was to institutionalize a separation between white European settlers and ethnically diverse natives and slave populations.  [...]

Cape Town is regularly in the top ten list of cities in the world  http://www.travelandleisure.com/worlds-best/cities#cape-town-south-africa-table-mountain and after spending about 10 days there, we can see why!  Spectacular location, melting pot culture, great food, dramatic history, mild [...]