Babilon Family Adventures: October 2013

Thursday 31 October 2013

Halloween in South Africa 2013

Well, it is our third year celebrating Halloween in a country that does not and I have to say, I think it is catching on here. This is the first year we had no problems finding pumpkins, decorations, costumes and props. Our neighborhood did a trick or treating night that definitely grew since last year and we held our annual American Trunk or Treat, which was a success again. We also attended a few parties to celebrate. The only thing missing was the Autumn leaves.

Though the girls had several costume changes for each event we attended, our family costume was the Incredibles, which I made for us and it turned out great!

Heather & Justin's Halloween Bash

Aqua Balls

Mechanical Bull Riding

Pig Roast

Pumpkin Carving, just like home

We even had a chance to pass out candy to Trick or Treaters

Trunk or Treat 2013

Sunday 20 October 2013

Ukutula Lion Reservation & Lodge

We visited Ukutula Lion Reservation in October as a getaway for our 8th anniversary. It is located in Brits, within an hours drive of Johannesburg and Pretoria. This was one of my favorite places that we have visited since living in South Africa. We were able to have tons of animal interaction with lion cubs as young as 10 days old. We stayed in one of the chalets at the lodge, which were very nice. And, listening to the lions roar around you at night is pretty cool too! There is a lot to do here, including a game drive, walking with lions, animal interactions, a tour of the reserve, pool, lapa and bar. We really enjoyed our stay and will be returning soon.

www.ukutula.com

Sunday 13 October 2013

Reitvlei Dam, South Africa

We took a nice weekender trip to Reitvlei Dam. The dam is not far from us at all, however, once you get there and settle in, it feels like you are away from the world. It is a very nice peaceful place to spend the weekend with your family. There are self catering chalets to rent, which is what we did this time and were very reasonable and spacious, sleeps up to 6. There is also camp sites for tenting or you can visit for the day. There are a lot of things to do to keep busy, such as, fishing, hiking trails, biking trails, horseback riding, nature/game reserve, Reitvlei coffee shop, picnic areas, a large lapa with a boma, lion tours, sailing and just about any other outdoor activity you'd like to take part in. Did I mention that this place is beautiful? The views and grounds were stunning and very safe and clean. I actually forgot that I was in Africa for a bit, because it felt so much like Pennsylvania with some pine trees, water and that log cabin campfire feel around. Over all, we had a great time! We even were able to spot rhino and a baby one on our game drive, which is not always so easy in South Africa. We also noticed that they had already cut the horns down on them to deter poachers.

My only advice if you choose to book a chalet here, is to book far in advance. We booked in June for August, which we had to reschedule and couldn't get in until now, in October. The chalets book up fast, especially around the holidays. Enjoy!