From an Empty Bowl to a South African Safari

 

Our good friend Wendy Hardy welcoming attendees to Project Empty Bowls Charity Auction

An African Safari was always on our bucket list of activities we wanted to experience but somewhere else always seemed to take precedent when it came time to book our trips.  Too far, too expensive, too much of an unknown.  However, that all changed the night we attended A Loving Spoonful's Project Empty Bowl.

A Loving Spoonful provides free, nutritious meals to men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS in Greater Vancouver.  Every year since 1994, volunteers hand deliver about 1,200 meals to over 250 people who are too ill to shop, plan or prepare their own food. 

One of its major fundraising events is Project Empty Bowl, an annual event in Vancouver since 1997.  The premise is simple, a small group of potters create and donate ceramic bowls for the event.  Invited guests donate a small amount of money, share a simple meal and keep the bowls as a permanent reminder of why they came together.

There are also silent and live auctions offering a wide variety of donated goods, services, activities and travel with the funds raised going to A Loving Spoonful.  One of the silent auction items was 6 nights at a South African Safari Lodge in Zulu Natal.  We put down an agressive bid and at the end of the evening became the proud owners of a Safari Holiday.  Now we just had to create a proper itinerary around the Safari.  After reading up on South Africa we decided to do the Safari first and  rent a car to drive through the "Garden Route" before spending two weeks exploring the sights around Cape Town.  The last decision was when to go. With South Africa's seasons the reverse of ours November/December was the perfect time to go.  So, we will start in South Africa and then travel to Denmark and join Rita's parents for Christmas and New Years before heading back home. It should be quite the adventure and am looking forward to sharing it with you.