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Six day South Africa Safari

Six day South Africa Safari
via Emirates A380 First Class
October 2013

Opie Air
Singita to Royal Malewane
Cessna 208 Grand Caravan
10:15A-10:28A
October 6, 2013

Easy five minute transfer from Singita to the airstrip.

Waving goodbye to Shelley and Emmanuel.

And again.

A short 13 minute flight and our approach to a dirty strip???

Yep, dirt strip indeed. Talk about a rough ride.

We're loaded up but have to clear the runway of any stray wildlife for our plane to leave.

Lots of interesting wildlife on our short drive to Royal Malewane.


 

And another warm South African welcome.

Royal Malewane
Private Game Reserve adjacent to Kruger National Park
South Africa

Much different feel from the more contemporary Singita Boulders, this high end lodge feels like a step back in time to British colonial days. Where Singita was an oasis on the edge of a reserve, Royal Malewane is in the reserve with animals, including elephants, free to roam anywhere on the property. With a busy watering hole right in front of the dining and living area.

The Game Room.

Royal Malewane features a great spa.

All 8 suites are in the game reserve with ceiling to floor windows giving a great view of the wildlife. Our suite was #6.

After five drives in three days at Singita, we opted to do just just the afternoon drives at Royal Malewane.
Nevertheless, more wonderful experiences in the bush.

And then the part that I'm glad Mrs. SFO missed as she stayed home the first afternoon when two lions brought down a baby giraffe and brought it home for the cubs.

Day 2 at Royal Malewane.

Sunset in the bush.

And cocktails in the bush.

Heading out for our final drive of the vacation.

The same brother-sister lions from yesterday, this time on the side of the runway at the airstrip.

Rush hour and we're not going anywhere quickly tonight.

Another gorgeous South African sunset.

And the cutest chamelion.

Always an interesting view from the dining room...

One of the reasons we decided not to go on every drive was just to spend quiet, relaxing time in our suite... and let the animals come to us.

One of the funniest parts of the week at both resorts was the hilarious attempts by monkees to steal food... like a nonstop game with the wait-staff trying to run them off by various means including slingshots. All I had to do was open the sliding glass doors at our suite and a few would show up a few minutes later.

Some of the great food we enjoyed at Royal Malewane...

Like Singita, Royal Malewane was a wonderful experience with staff that seemed genuinely happy that we were there and went out of their way to make sure that we enjoyed ourselves.

 

Federal Air
Royal Malewane Airstrip to JNB
Cessna 208B Caravan I
12:40P-2:35P
October 10, 2013

Our Cessna was already on the ground having arrived with pax from another resort.
We loaded up and took off for another pickup before heading to JNB.

No idea where our final pick-up spot was but it was 20 minutes away and even had a paved runway!

Hmmm, someone else got the good plane today.

Off to Joburg. OMG, an hour and a half away at 140 knots.

OK, it may have been slow, but some spectacular scenery on the way

Great view of JNB and our approach and landing.

Just slightly larger other planes here.

Pulling up to our "gate"

More evidence that those "soft bags only" warnings are apparently not enforced.

Our driver was waiting for us and we loaded up the van and headed over to JNB. First stop was the SA counters in the B terminal where our friends checked in for their JNB-IAD SA flight, fuel stop in DKR.

Next we all trekked over to the A terminal for our EK check-in and security for all international flights including SA.

Since the SA lounge wouldn't permit non-SA guests and the EK lounge wouldn't permit non-EK guests, we left the lounge level and stopped for a drink in one of the airport bars before bidding adieu. They headed to their gate while Mrs. SFO and I headed back upstairs for the now 4.5 hour wait for our EK flight.

Same cookie cutter EK lounge design, combined Business and First... took these pics after the wave of pax left for the earlier 7:15PM DXB flight.

Basic, uninspiring Business Class lounge food.

Exploring the rest of the A concourse.

The SA Lounge.

The BA Lounge.

And the Mashonzha Lounge, the lounge for most other airlines including Priority Pass. Cash Visits Welcome.

Downstairs on the concourse level, the AF/Sky Team Lounge.

And an apparent cousin to the upstairs Mashonzha lounge.

 

Since the JNB departure monitors showed our flight "Boarding", we head down to gate A18, naturally the furthest from the EK lounge and all the way at the end of the concourse.

To the most chaotic and disorganized boarding process I've seen in ages. Naturally, boarding had not started and was another 20 minutes from starting. The GA welcomed F & J pax into the gate area, where we waiting for another 10 minutes.

Boarding was announced, but all that meant is that we wait on the walkway after the podium before the jet bridge, for 10 more minutes, F&J on the left, Y on the right.

Emirates EK 766
JNB-DXB
777-300ER (77W)
10:20P-8:20A (sked)
10:40P-8:10A (actual)
October 10, 2013
Seats 1A and 2A

This was my first time in the 77W First cabin and from a space standpoint, prefer it to the A380. Just 8 pax max and, with a higher ceiling and less severe curvature of the fuselage, is more spacious than the upper deck of the A380. Yeah, it may be a little blingy, but for the most part, I find it quite attractive.

Mrs. SFO settling into 1A

And my 2A. Good news tonight as Dom was the pre-departure champagne. OK, maybe JFK was a one-off.

Let's check out tonight's movies.

Once in the air, my usual G&T...

And very tasty amuse bouche.

Tonight's Menu...
 

And Wine List...

Dinner time.

My bread basket with the best garlic bread in the sky... soaked in garlic butter.

Asian prawn soup. Meh, not so good.

Crisp fresh garden salad topped with "my preferred dressing". Was not offered any dressing other than the oil and vinegar provided on my setup.

Traditional lamb biryani, lamb marinated in distinctive Arabic spices and cooked in rice garnished with fried onion and cashew nuts, served with mint raita. This was really good, so much so that I had a double helping of mint raita.

For dessert, a delicious rich dark chocolate tart, with mint and orange salad finished with a caramel sauce.

After dinner, our FA made my bed as I went to the lav. Closed my door and slept for close to four hours.

Our approach to and landing at DXB.

Another great EK First flight followed by the now familiar EK First Class arrival non meet-and-greet. LOL. Walking with the masses forever, a train and elevator to a massive arrivals hall.

Once outside, we head to the Emirates Chauffeur Drive check-in area.

Where we received our "boarding pass", exit Door 4 and were promptly assigned a driver and the first curbside "First Class" Mercedes. Pretty efficient service.

About 25 minutes later, we arrived at our hotel.

Sheraton Dubai Mall of the Emirates Hotel.
Dubai

We arrived just after 9:15AM. Very pleasant front desk agent escorted us to the Club Lounge for breakfast while our room was being prepped. She returned 15 minutes later with our keys and Platinum upgrade to a large Executive Suite. Very comfy with full living room, two baths and kitchen.

And great views.

Mall of the Emirates
Dubai

"Conveniently" located just off the first floor of the Sheraton is what used to be the biggest mall in town. Mrs. SFO had already done her research and decided this would just be a walk thru on our way to the big one, The Dubai Mall.

OK, we're talking some serious shopping hours here.

The Dubai Mall
Dubai

A short and inexpensive (compared to everything else here) 20 minute taxi and we were at The Dubai Mall, an amazing 1,200 store shopping, dining and entertainment complex right adjacent to Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. The size of this thing is mind boggling.

Off to the Fashion Avenue.

One of numerous dining areas, this one in Fashion Avenue

We stopped for lunch at Fauchon. Authentic Parisien service... with an attitude, just like in Paris. LOL. On the other hand, the chicken was amazing.

But the burger sounded and looked better than it tasted. Of course, it was delivered 15 minutes after the chicken because someone screwed up and sent our first burger to another table.

After lunch, I got suckered into buying Mrs. SFO's LAST BIRTH-MONTH GIFT. Stupid me, I saw the price tag on a dress she liked and gave my blessing. Only problem was that is was the price tag from the necklace on the mannequin, that had fallen down onto the dress itself. Yikes, that'll teach me. Meh, probably not.

While Mrs. SFO parked herself at Wolford (without my credit card), I explored.

Seriously?? Wow.

And outside for a view of Burj Khalifa. Yikes, it's hot outside in the sun!

No way!!

By 3PM, the place was packed

And around 5:15PM, we head for the taxi queue for the ride back to the Sheraton.

Back at the Sheraton, getting ready for dinner at Atlantis.

On our way to The Atlantis for dinner.

And our 2nd Nobu in three weeks.

Next up: Only 29 hours from waking-up in Dubai to home in Denver. 

After an ungodly 5AM wake-up call, we were downstairs by 6AM where our Emirates limo was waiting for us. No traffic this morning and we arrived at DXB about 20 minutes later. Separate entrance for First and Business.

Unless I missed something, no special treatment for First Class as everyone is all lumped together in this cavernous facility. I had OLCI'd and printed our boarding passes at the hotel so we headed for security, or what passes for security here.

6:45AM and this place is busy.

With a B15 departure, we head for the old First Class Lounge.

Pleasant staff but once again, the EK/AS partnership is a work in progress. Dragon pecked away on her keyboard and, despite our boarding passes, tells me she can't find our reservation. "Are you in Business Class?" "Are you using an upgrade?" Seriously, what kind of idiotic systems are they using? Eventually she says everything is OK and welcomes us in. Not as cavernous as the new FCL, but this one actually seems a little more manageable.

 

Gate B15 was just a short walk from the FCL, with Y pax boarding from the lower level...

... F & J pax from the upper level.

With direct elevator access to the second level of the jet bridge.

The EK First amenity kit, much better than most airlines.

Mrs. SFO goes for the dates and Arabic coffee.

Ready for an on-time departure, I love the A380 camera options.

OK, some very strange flight data numbers today. 70mph taxi and 274 miles distance traveled? Yikes.

Shortly after take-off, our crew jumped into action.

Today's menu...


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Wine list, in addition to Dom...


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At around 10:00AM, we both started with breakfast.

I opted for the "farmhouse fresh egg Omelet, served with roasted plum tomato, sautéed leaf spinach, baked beans, corn cakes and freshly grated cheese" although neither of the latter two items were evident on my plate, and a selection from the Breakfast mixed grill.

While Mrs. SFO chose the Breakfast Mixed Grill, "selection of succulent grilled chicken medallion, sizzling turkey sausage, tender lamb pepper kebab, sautéed woodland mushrooms, roasted cherry tomatoes and creamy lyonnaise potatoes marbled with herbs".

A few hours later, time for the first G&T of the day.

And a little later, let's go with Dom.

And around 4PM (T+7 or so) lunch...

... starting with the Seared tuna, "fresh tuna steak, marinated in a vibrant oriental soya ginger and wasabi sauce, served with crisp green papaya salad with piquant ginger and chili, accompanied by marinated asparagus tips and over roasted cherry tomatoes". Sounded a lot better than it tasted as they used way too little "vibrant oriental soya ginger and wasabi sauce" marinade. Green papaya salad was just as bland.

But the Ravioli pasta was sensational, fresh pasta cases generously filled with leek and woodland mushrooms, served with wild mushrooms and parmesan velouté, topped with freshly shaved parmesan cheese.

For my main, I went with the Pan-fried beef pepper steak even though eight hours after prep, any chance of anything less than well done was a long shot. As was the "crisp" golden roasted potatoes. On the other hand, it was still pretty tasty slathered in an unlisted red wine/onion/Asia sauce, and accompanied by the 2010 Sequana Sundawg Russian River Pinot Noir.

The Almond financier, a light moist French tea cake, served with poached rhubarb and almond wafer was a pleasant way to end the meal.

A little later, I went for a stroll to check out the Lounge at the rear of the J cabin. Some pics for the earlier flight.

And from today.

Back in 2E

I had booked a showed at T-2 and pretty much around that time, our FA came by to tell me that the shower was available. Some pics from our earlier flight.

And today.

Since we are only given 5 minutes, an in shower LED timer is a great idea. Not much pressure but it's enough to do the job. Although our FA did say that if I needed more that 5 minutes of water today, it would not be a problem.

All in all, the on board shower is a great idea. Back at my suite, I can tell that we've entered US airspace as, for some reason, Wifi automatically shuts down.

The air show is a great way to follow and watch our approach. Also fun to watch the erratic Distance Travelled stat which decreased the closer we got to JFK.

Arriving at Terminal 4 Gate A6 a few minutes early. Although the ground aspects of EK First could be improved, in the air, Emirates First is a great experience. Our 13+ hours were most pleasant and went by very quickly. And Mrs. SFO says she is looking forward to an even longer flight, our 16 hour LAX-DXB A380 flight in February. She might even try a shower on that one, especially now knowing about the miserable showers in the DXB FCL.

Customs and immigration was a breeze today. No wait for Global Entry kiosks and the friendly CBP agent at baggage check waived us through despite our exceeding the personal limits.

 

Although our connecting DL flight was scheduled to depart from T2, we decided just to stay at T4 and enter the secure area thru the T4 security. Yay, Pre-Check had finally come to JFK and DL. And since our DL ticket was on a separate domestic PNR, we were cleared for Pre-Check and got thru security in no time.

Once in the lower level, we headed for The Palm for our pre-Delta meal.
Jumbo shrimp cocktail and a giant Palm Burger.

Then to the new and attractive T4 SkyClub.

Lot of seating.

The bar and food area.

Basic DL free food

And cool interactive food options from the new in club menu.

With some great tarmac views.

But the best part of this new club is the outdoor terrace. A great place to be on a beautiful day.