We are thrilled to have booked our flights to South Africa for March 1, 2025, 107 days from today. We’ll arrive on March 3, pick up the rental car in Nelspruit, and begin the 75-minute drive on the crazy N4 highway to Marloth Park. We will most likely arrive by 3:00 pm. Fortunately, we’ll arrive in Nelspruit at 12:50 pm, with ample time to drive on the dangerous highway before dark.
A wave of pure joy washed over me when we booked our fights. It’s really happening! We left Marloth Park in April 2023, almost two years ago. It’s hard to believe so much time has passed, but in many ways, it’s dragged on and on, especially spending so much time in hotels.
Once we arrive in Nevada, it will be easier in many ways since we’ll be able to spend time outdoors, walking in the Village to restaurants and shops. Sure, we could stand outdoors or sit on the one available bench, but now it has become cold and windy, and it’s not appealing.
I continue to walk and exercise daily. My cardiovascular health is slowly improving, but my legs still struggle to walk any distance. This may be my fate, but I will continue to force myself to walk daily, hoping to improve. It’s how it is, and I won’t let it keep us from continuing our travels.
For the flights listed below, we checked prices for several days, and the cost listed below is the best we could find, considering that we won’t have that one long 17-hour flight over the ocean, which is always difficult. We prefer that we land in London about halfway through, although the flight from Cape Town is longer than the usual one hour from Johannesburg to Nelspruit.
However, the overall travel time of 28½ hours is tolerable compared to some even more expensive flights, which took almost 40 hours from start to finish, let alone the driving time from Nelspruit to Marloth Park.
Here’s our flight, which we booked at Expedia on our website here
Las Vegas, Nevada, to Nelspruit, South Africa
10:20 pm
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Departs Sat, Mar 1
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Las Vegas, NV, United States (LAS-Harry Reid Intl.)
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Terminal 3
4:15 pm
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Arrives Sun, Mar 2
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London, England, UK (LHR-Heathrow)
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Terminal 3
5:55 pm
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Departs Sun, Mar 2
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London, England, UK (LHR-Heathrow)
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Terminal 3
7:30 am
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Arrives Mon, Mar 3
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Cape Town, South Africa (CPT-Cape Town Intl.)
10:25 am
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Departs Mon, Mar 3
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Cape Town, South Africa (CPT-Cape Town Intl.)
12:50 pm
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Arrives Mon, Mar 3
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Nelspruit, South Africa (MQP-Kruger Mpumalanga Intl.)
Total duration: 1 day, 4h, 30m (28½ h)
Total cost for two passengers: $2555.20
The days can’t come soon enough, but we’re committed to making the best of our remaining month in Cleveland (we leave one month from today!), and of course, we’ll enjoy the 2½ months we’ll spend in Lake Las Vegas. We’re both cheerful and hopeful for the future. Nothing is more beneficial for joyful longevity than planning exciting events for the future.
Be well.
Photo from ten years ago today, November 14, 2014:
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| Calla lilies are always so beautiful, with their yellow and red coloration. For more photos, please click here. |