Swaziland
Trip Start
Jun 08, 2008
1
17
28
Trip End
Aug 15, 2008
Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary,
Swaziland
Monday, July 21, 2008
Woke up at 5:30 and had a shower that was so nice (powerful and hot) that it was difficult to leave it. Breakfast at 6:15 in order to enable a 7 am departure.
We stopped at a supermarket where I picked up some decent bread, bananas, apples and muesli in order to enhance my inadequate breakfasts. I also used the ATM for the first time on this trip - and it worked. Using ATMs in South Africa is risky because there is often someone standing around to "help" tourists navigate the local machines. After getting your PIN number, they then switch your card for a useless one and empty your account before you figure out what happened. The solution to this problem is not to let anyone "help" you when using an ATM in South Africa.
01-Swaziland countryside
We then crossed into Swaziland, which is the smallest country in the southern hemisphere and one of only three monarchies left in Africa. After stopping for lunch (sandwiches) on the side of the road and stopping at a souvenir market, we reached our lodge at the Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary at about 16:00. The rooms we are staying in are a clever mix between modern and traditional. The room itself is a traditional thatched, beehive hut. The attached bathrooms are completely modern. The result is a charming yet rather comfortable room.
I'd like to take a moment to mention about our driver/guide Quinton. He is a white South African, about 50 years old and is both extremely knowledgeable and very passionate about South Africa. He also has a good understanding of the race relations in South Africa and is a real people person who genuinely respects and gets along with everybody. He patiently answers all of our questions and tries to teach us about various facets of South African life. In fact, I think he would make a great South African ambassador. But I'm glad that he has chosen to work as a driver and tour guide because if he were an ambassador he probably wouldn't be hanging out with the likes of us. Or maybe he would. He's just that kind of guy.
02-Swaziland countryside 2
For the last couple of days the weather has been just spectacular: sunny, clear and cool - just like I like it. And my fellow tour members remain nice and friendly. Sometimes, when it's time to eat, they even insist that I serve myself first since they know that I'm the slowest eater. How's that for a change from my previous group, which persecuted me for the same thing. Ha!
21 July
Started the day with a tasty French toast breakfast followed by a two hour walk in some of the most beautiful scenery that I have ever walked through in my life. I only hope that the pictures I took can adequately reflect what I saw, because my words sure can't. It was gorgeous. And it didn't hurt that the weather was absolutely perfect: sunny and cool.
After the walk I was so tired that I had to rest for a couple of hours before having lunch. Immediately after lunch our group took a walking tour to a nearby Swazi village headed by an energetic 70-year old woman chief who is raising a couple of dozen AIDS orphans. The chief lady certainly thought she was paying our ladies a compliment when she commented on how fat - and therefore (in her eyes) how beautiful and healthy they all looked, but to our western ears it didn't sound like much of a compliment at all
03-Heap of Happy Hippos
.They locals then showed us something of Swazi culture, including a couple of dances in which we participated as well. (One dance for the women and a different one for the men.) The kids seemed to enjoy performing for us as much as we enjoyed watching them - and, having grown up with singing and dancing, most of them were very good at it, even the smallest children.
After the long march to that village and back to our camp again, I had another rest before dinner at 19:00 with our group followed shortly thereafter by what was supposed to be a traditional Swazi dance performance. In fact it turned out to be a rather half-hearted show that several of us left before it was anywhere near being finished. I had a feeling that the first rate performers must have been on tour abroad or something.
In sum, it was a very enjoyable day involving LOTS of walking, mixed in with a bit of local culture. We need days like this after so many days of hard driving on the truck. But, after two nights in this camp, I'm ready to move on again - which we will do bright and early tomorrow morning again as we leave Swaziland for South Africa again.
Comments
Slow eater
Yeah - I eat slow also - usually the last to finish.
I feel your pain !!