From Bustle to Bundu - Explore 'The Place of Gold' (Gauteng) in beautiful South Africa

This is where we meet face-to-face for the first time. Expect smiles, hugs, laughs, and a warm welcome to sunny South Africa. We will meet you at the Arrivals terminal and escort you to our luxury minivan. Once all of our TripMates are safely ensconced in the van, we will then take a 40-kilometre drive to our home for the first 8 nights - Linden Guesthouse (or similar). On the way, you will get your first glimpse of Johannesburg and its various suburbs, while relaxing to some soothing music. Bring your own music along and we can play your favourites along the way!

Our first night together will be filled with fun and laughter around the fire of an authentic, traditional, South African BRAAI (commonly referred to as a barbeque). The next few days will be spent exploring Gold Reef City Theme Park and Tours, where you will have the opportunity to go down a goldmine shaft and experience the look and feel of the gold miners' lives in the 19th and 20th centuries. The next few days will be spent sightseeing in Johannesburg, Soweto (once the largest township in South Africa), as well as the site of the infamous 1976 student riots where teenager Hector Pieterson was the first casualty of the so-called Apartheid struggle. There is the Hector Pieterson Museum, as well as the home of Nelson Mandela. On another day, we will explore Pretoria (the official capital city of South Africa). Here noteworthy sites such as the Voortrekker Monument, the Union Buildings (the official seat of the South African Government), as well as Kruger House (the former home of the great statesman Paul Kruger) are worth exploring. Changing up the bustle of the trip, we will take you to the spectacular Bird Gardens at Montecasino. If we're lucky, we'll also be able to attend their remarkable reptile display. After wandering through the gardens, you will have the opportunity to explore the interesting shops in Montecasino, or even test your luck in the casino. There are live shows at the Montecasino Teatro, and (depending on availability), we may even be able to catch one of the local live shows there. Included in the beauty and bustle, there is a good measure of history and archeology at the world-famous, World Heritage Site - The Cradle of Humankind and the Sterkfontein Caves. Moboneng's street art is amazing, followed by a delicious wine tasting of boutique, South African wines. On our last day at the guesthouse, we are treated to a scrumptious lunch at Lotus Cafe, after which we will shop up a storm in the richest square mile in Africa - Sandton City.

Wagon Drift Lodge is in a privately owned game reserve. Some of the highlights here are hiking trails in the bush, watching the animals at the watering hole, hides to do some game-watching, etc. It is also close to Cullinan Town and Mine, which we will be visiting. Cullinan is known for the world's largest diamond - the Cullinan Diamond - which was split into nine smaller diamonds. A few of these diamonds can be seen in the British Royal Family's collection. Adventure Zone is close-by and, the brave among us can go zipling there. Afterward, we can have a bit of fun displaying our Archery skills. The day ends with a leisurely game drive at Wagon Drift, followed by a well-deserved, catered dinner. We can't possibly leave without first tasting the craft beers at Arlington Brewery and then setting off on a fantastic Big 5 game drive.

This is our last night together (on this trip) and we're going to make it extra special. After a long drive from Wagon Drift, we'll have some time to catch our breath, swim in the pool, and end the night with a proper BRAAI. Around the fire, we'll trade photos and videos from our trip, as well as memories and stories of our experiences. Although it's bittersweet, every moment together will be cherished and saved for future reference.

After a hearty breakfast, we - for the last time - pack up the minivan and head to the airport. Although you will be heading home, Hennie and I are sure that we will be keeping in touch and that this is not farewell, but merely 'till we meet again. Hennie will help you wrangle your luggage to your check-in point, and we will wave you goodbye as you go through security to the departure gate.