It was such a great feeling to kick off the boots, peal off the layers and enjoy the humidity of Orlando. Back in freezing Newark, we arrived at the gate half an hour before the take off time to find our flight already boarded. It left on time and arrived 10 minutes early.

In Orlando, we headed for Disney’s Magic Express, and left it to them to pick up our luggage and deliver it to our room. All we had to do was step on the red carpet and be whisked off to the Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Authentic thatched roof over the entrance, reminiscent of so many hotels I stayed in on the African continent welcomed us. Having lived in South Africa, it feels a lot like being in Sun City, a ‘playground’ two and a half hours drive from Johannesburg. At times it is truly difficult to believe that we have not left the U.S. A. Animals are browsing around the property grounds, and today we saw giraffes, zebras, flamingos, wildebeest…

The boys were so ecstatic to be flying on 747 after two years of being grounded. They are very appreciative of staying in this phenomenal resort.

Drawn by the sounds of the drums, we joined the drum circle. There is something so primeval in that rhythm. I had a blast. It turns out that the drummer was from Pietermaritzburg in South Africa. How many times have I driven past Pietermaritzburg on my way from Johannesburg to Durban and the resort of Umshalanga further North? We had a little chat about the forthcoming Soccer World Cup in S. Africa. It is sending the entire country into the frenzy.

My cheering ‘Bafana! Bafana!’, a S. African soccer team was well received by the ex pat S. Africans.

We dined at Boma restaurant and were shown to our table by an Africans hostess from Cape Town, one of the most beautiful cities in the world in my opinion. The other hostess who soon joined us in our conversation was a Zulu from the tropical Durban.

‘Nkosi sikelele Africa’, I said. Zulu guy who had joined us raised a power fist to my greeting. ‘God bless Africa’, I raised my fist in reply.

Eating Bobotie, desserts made with Amarula and some other African specialties was like going down the memory lane.

My watch reminded me that we are down here on business. Well, sort of business. So we went to meet with the producer and associate producer of the travel show we will be filming while here. The briefing went well. It is always interesting to meet in person someone you have spoken to over the phone and have an image in your head of what they would look like. The producer is at least 10 years younger than what I imagined. It is encouraging to see a woman getting a gig like this.

Thanks to my boys, I ended up going for a late night swim. The hotel pool is open 24 hours. The pool temperature is a little warmer than the air outside. Absolute bliss! I power swam quite a few laps and felt so invigorated afterwards. I wrapped myself in a towel and with my wet hair spilling over my shoulders made way to my room where a warm shower was awaiting me.