January 17 – February 5, Part 1 CPT to JNB to AMS to SEA to PDX to NRT to SIN to BKK – 4 Continents, 2 weeks

It’s been almost a month since our last post and we have covered some ground by almost every mode of transportation except being pulled by something with four legs. Here’s a brief summary.

The Premier Classe train from Capetown to Joburg was great. If you are ever in SA and want a great way to see the country in style at a really affordable cost this is it. We arrived at the Capetown train station early Saturday morning on January 17 and were welcomed into the Premier Classe lounge where we were offered tea and snacks. Our bags were whisked away to reappear in our little compartment when we boarded later. We’ll include a couple photos but basically we were waited on hand and foot for the next 26 hours as we chugged across the South African landscape. All meals were included, one course after another – we could have rolled off the train when we arrived the next morning after witnessing an amazing sunrise as only Africa can do. It was a great way to wrap up our time in a enigmatic country we have come to know a little better and love even more than when we landed two and a half months earlier. Unfortunately though the experience on the train was great, the powers that be are not doing a great job of promoting it, so there were only 19 passengers on a 20 carriage train that can hold 124 guests!



We flew to Amsterdam from Joburg on an 11 hour flight which turned out to be kind of fun as the Purser was retiring after 38 years flying for KLM. She had all her family on board and all the flight attendants and crew were helping her celebrate her last flight. Her daughter is also a purser for KLM and was also on the flight. We only had a couple hours in AMS and then on Northwest for another ten hours back to Seattle where we were picked up at the airport with a warm welcome by Andrea’s parents (which was good given that it was a little colder than we have grown accustomed to) as well as shortly thereafter by Duncan’s parents where we stayed except for two nights down in Tacoma with friends. We were really thankful for this time with our parents and all they had done for us during our travels so far.



We are also so thankful for our renters who have made our house into a lovely home for themselves AND have looked after the chickens and kept all the plants alive. No small feat! This was really encouraging and reassuring to us and a continued sign of God looking after us. Each of us were able to connect with a few of our friends and catch up on a little of what has been happening in our old stomping grounds over the past few months. Much of our time was spent taking care of business – doctor appointments, getting our taxes done and organizing and repacking for our next leg of the trip. Time flew and it got a little hectic at the end but by Feb 1 we were ready to go again.






Duncan