Shandle told about whites and blacks. The middle aged and older say they forgive what they endured under apartheid but truthfully have resentment and lack of trust. ….. not surprising cuz they remember. The young people though are different because they mix at school and socialize, hang out with each other. It will take another generation to get past the past.

Also talked to Helena about volunteering in the townships. She said the children are not well cared for at home, they get all their behaviour training at kindergarten. School gives them 2 meals a day so they get some food in their bellies. She never felt safe at anytime. They could never go anywhere without being in numbers. Taxis between townships (mixed breed is worse than black townships for crime and violence), is called catching a cockroach. At first when she was talking about them, we couldn’t figure out what she was talking about. Cockroach to me/us…. means a disgusting bug not a taxi!

Last night we had a terrific thunder (directly overhead) & lightning storm with the rain on the thatched roof sounding about the same as roofs at home. Again who would imagine!!!!

Eric’s 19th birthday today and this morning he was in a panic cuz he couldn’t find his passport. What a way to start his year.

In Capital of Swaziland…Mbabane 250,000 pop. …modern buildings ….. seems to be quite industrialized….huge tract industrial park.

Manzini administrative city of Swaziland. Actually the country seems to be quite prosperous.

The king has 12 wives and 4 girlfriends.

Sign advertising condoms for inner peace!!!

Pineapple fields

Very busy in the streets of Manzini with everyone buying for Xmas. .. most are Christians so celebrate starting on 24th, 25th (big bbq of goat or cow)…. and Boxing Day (“the day when people get drunk”). Sounds like home, eh?

After leaving the city there was a checkpoint/road block. Brian says they wanted to know if anyone had rhino horns….. not on this bus!

Apparently there is hunting in the area just across the border back into ZA but not for elephants or rhinos. 3 rhino were killed in Plattensburg NR but that isn’t nearly as bad as it was 3 yrs. ago.

Soy beans farming.

Just past where we stopped for lunch there was a water reservoir used for irrigation. It is a river that has been dammed. At its fullest, it covers over 70,000 hectares.

Mkuzi NP

Fever tree with green skin …. where lots of water …..where mosquitos live hence Europeans thought it caused fever of malaria

At watering hole Turpins…. one with baby on back, giraffe and lion prints in concrete walk.

Last night there was a big thunder and lightning storm that scared the animals deep into the forest. Yea… I’m not surprised. Hardly any to be found. .., ngali antelopes…..(shy ones), a few giraffes, wildebeests, impalas, warthogs and guinea hen.