Lugogo Sun Ezulwini

... so-Buddhist? Go figure. I try to play some songs from my laptop, but can’t manage to jiggle it right to get power to the box. That’s too bad, because some songs are like old friends, too. I despair that my laptop is on its last legs.

The best cure for doldrums is motion, next stop Maputo… oh yeah, pap is a local dish make from corn. Imagine grits after they’ve gotten real ******** second thought, better not.

... to try something traditional but all we could have were sandwiches. While we were sitting there digesting our lunch a whole load of monkeys started running around nearby. We learned what the phrase "Cheeky Monkey" meant as they took turns trying to steal food from the buffet table organised for a tour group who arrived after us. It was pretty funny to see them running around and checking out the best route to the food before being spotted. After lunch we got a tour around ...

... John Zaylor's injury and a few people having money stolen from the safe at the Cape Diamond Hotel. The weather was also colder than normal after leaving Cape Town (which we luckily enjoyed in excellent weather), and rainier than normal for St. Lucia. I wasn’t totally familiar with all of the places so occasionally I didn’t have the best advice or leadership for hikes, activities, and basics like laundry, restaurants, and internet.

As soon as we ...

... following:

Buffalo = 10 (in the dark right next to the road within a minute of leaving the camp) + 1 from a great distance

Nyala = 4+3+3+3

Zebra = 3

Wildebeeste = 3 (very far away)

Giraffe = 5 (very far away)

Warthogs = 1 + 3

White Rhino = 2 + 2*** (definitely the highlight of the morning and enough to make Cha say, "Now this is what I’ve been waiting for.")

Back at camp we ...

... sympas. Il s agit du premier pays ou on me dit welcome to swaziland.

Le swaziland est connu pour etre le pays ou le taux de sida est le plus elevee du monde avec plus de 30 prct, certains dise qu il depasse deja 50 prct. Des chiffres a faire fremir.

... mother was not adminstering the medications well at all when she was in the clinic. so much so that she was giving way too much of certain meds and not enough of others. so it was so bad that they had to stop treatment for the baby.....knowing that without treatment, this baby (who is around 7 months) would die. but the medications are so complicated and serious that you have to do it properly. well the baby is really sick now. so we tell her to go to the hospital and get the ...

... lot of ezcema behind the ears, saw a few kids with that. But the most interesting patient I saw today was a guy who started on anti TB treatment 1 month ago and came to get his blood test for his liver. His tests were in the thousands and he was still waiting in the hallway. We called him in and then saw him sitting in the corner with yellow eyes (juandice). They say you can tell juandice by looking under someone's tongue and for years i have seen ...

... have this hot sauce from Mozambique called Piri-Piri which is ridiculously hot. Apparently Mozambican food is very spicy as it is a mix between Portuguese, Indian, and African foods and uses a special chilli peppper grow in Mozambique. I asked for the hot sauce and it lived up to it's name. I then relaxed at home and then got up late this AM. I went to another game park today. It took over 2 hrs go via bus. I took 3 public buses to get there and it was ...

... watching them. It's funny how they just look at you then continue on with their lives as if you're not there. Managed to also see elephants, giraffe, zebra, rhinos, buffalo, wilderbeast, kudu, impala, springbok and a leopard!! How the guide managed to spot it I've no idea but it means we've seen all of the Big 5 so yay! The drive finished at 8 so went back to tent and packed up. On the road by 10. From Skukuza we drove south east down ...

... along the nature preserve. We saw TONS of zebras and warthogs. We tried to spot some hippos but we couldn't find them. The hike had amazing views and the trail was literally at our doorstep. That night we ate the traditional meal again. It was warthog. I tried it but it was a little too spicy for me. Plus, since I saw them in the wild during the hike I wasn't so keen on eating them. Dave didn't seem to mind though and ate mine as well. The next day, we went whitewater rafting with ...