Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (formerly Kalahari Gemsbok Park)

We found our lions!! Had the best lion sightings ever with 6 coming to drink at the waterhole at the hide right in front of our camp. They arrived to drink just as the sun rose, it was awesome. Then had a mother with 3 cubs walk right past our car and THEN saw a big male with porcupine quills in his neck lying in the road only 10m from us!! You cant beat that.

Super smart looking Gemsbok
off to a meeting!!

The lions walked right past our camp at night so glad the gate was closed!!

Our awesome camp site at Nossob

Off to the Kalahari Desert today!!

Got over 1000 kms to go in 37 deg heat before we set up camp in the Kalahari Gemsbok NP tonight. Looking forward to seeing the predators Kalahari is known for; the famous Black Maned lion, leopard, cheetah, brown & spotted hyena, black backed jackal, caracal & maybe even the rare wild dog.

Didn't want to mention the rugby world cup but Sime wants to!! Well done the Wallabies on their win, it still hurts to think about it, the Springboks were so close.....

Some pics below from Kruger. Ant, sime & I enjoying bubbles & pawpaws!!

Olifants Game Reserve & Kruger NP, South Africa

Howzit all

We have been having a ball in South Africa. Had a great trip to Olifants Game Reserve & Kruger NP. Saw the big 5 in 2 days! A highlight was seeing a leopard at night from about 10m away.

Did some great jogging in the park with the vehicle right behind us! Nothing makes u run faster than the thought of lots of wild animals that can eat u around any corner!

From the Perhentians to Africa!!

We loved Bubbles, there was a great atmosphere with stax of friendly people in the most beautiful natural setting. There are no roads to Bubbles, one can only get there by boat, its surrounded by jungle with monkeys, birds and monster lizardy thingies!! We saw turtles hatching and making there way back to the sea, the tiny little things only have 1 in a hundred chance of surviving.

The Bubbles crew: Libby (the Ozzie owner), Si & Di, Chris, Stav, Nicki & Johno (the dive instructors), Shona & Dola (catering peeps)

Sime, Nicki, Zukhon & Shona- on our Bubbles snorkelling booze cruise

The Czechs, Filip & Krystyna

How awesome is the water???

 Good bye Bubbles, Africa here we come!! After a short stay in KL we fly from Singapore to Jhb tonight. Mum, Dad & Ant pick us up tomorrow and its off to Olifants Game Reserve & Kruger National Park for 10 days, yipeee!!!

Scuba diving at Bubbles Dive Resort, Malaysia

We loved Bubbles Dive Resort on Perhentian Besar. Had only planned 2 nights there but ended up spending a week!! Hadn't planned on scuba diving but Sime ended up doing his Padi Open Water Cert & I did 3 Discover Scuba Dives!! The instructors were all South African and the resort is owned by an Ozzie!! Only prob is there wasnt any bubbles to drink at Bubbles !!!

Libby (resort owner), Nicki

(instructor) & Sime

Di & Svenya, the trainee instructor

Kiteboarding on Ko Phanghan

Unfortunately we dont have any photo evidence of Sime kite boarding in Ko Phanghan as our camera was stolen in Surat Thani (long story!!!!) But he had a great 2 days of lessons in awesome wind with a French dude & got up on the board like a real professional! He loved it & is psyched to kiteboard some more in South Africa now.

Managed to get Sime into some full moon party gear at Had Rin. See below!! The shopkeeper thinks he looks cool...

The full moon party gang all drink buckets of booze. You buy a small kids bucket filled with vodka, rum, red bull, sprite etc. Crazy stuff!

Loved riding bikes around Ko Phanghan. Cool way to get around the island.  

Yummy fresh fruit juice stall at the Thong Sala night market.

Cocktails on Ko Tao

We loved the cocktails at Coral View!! Win, the barman got to know us quite well!!

Spent almost a week at Sai Daeng Beach near Shark Island. Coral View & New Heaven Hut are great spots to hang out at. See our perfect little bungalow & beach below.

More of Ko Tao

Love boat taxis!! Definitely the easiest way to get around the island.

This is the Banana Rock Bar!! Its a crazy reggae bar on the rocks made out of driftwood. The barman only had 1 album Legend, Bob Marley which he played over & over! But his mango vodka cocktails were awesome..........

This dude had been to a Jungle Party & not made it back to his bungalow! He stayed there till almost midday in the heat!!

Loved this rock!!

Ko Tao, Thailand

Ko Tao was beautiful. Its a small island, only 21sq km with 1 main sealed rd. Only prob is that it is being developed at a scary rate. Every inch of land is being built on with not much thought for the environment, its very sad. We would have loved to see it 20 yrs ago. Scuba diving is massive & according to some dive instructors we have met since, they are pumping Padis out like a sausage factory!!! The ferry pier is chaos at ferry arrival & departure times.

We managed to stay at some cool spots and got away from the crowds. One spot was called Anankhira where we had our own villa with private plunge pool. See pics above.