Leaving our log cabins in the forest in Addo at 6:15 am. ….for our last game drive….. in the sunshine.

Rabbits,Kudus… when fully grown their horns are about 1 metre, family with offspring …..Red Hartebeests, Zebras…. lots and lots and lots…. some babies. Heard a lion roar. White tailed Mongooses……Stand erect like Meerkats. Comment ….. warthogs are most religious because they get down on their knees before eating & when running they are “Radio Africa” cuz they run with tails straight up…. lol! Egypian Geese, Hadedah Ibis

Herd of water buffaloes but too far.

Red Hartebeests….. young ones their horns shape like a heart hence the name. As they get older they curl out and back.

Huge herd of elephants at a waterhole…. a couple playing… then another, in the water trying to drown each other…. quite the performance. They were having fun. Quite a number of the female with no tusks causes by interbreeding. Bringing some males in from Kruger to mate and fix the problem. There was a big male secreting from its male organ looking for a female to breed with. Then the zebras came, an African Spoonbill, plus, plus…

Haven’t seen any Black Rhinos, Leopards or Cheetahs. I’d really like to seen another lion but ….. that’s nature. You cannot magically make the animals appear.

Spekboom….Drought resistant (succulent) plant… elephant food (leaves) esp. in Addo can live up to 200 years

Leave park after pit stop, fuel etc at 10:15 ish. Growing oranges.

Wind turbines on way to Port Elizabeth.

On outskirts of Port Elizabeth….Huge, huge cemetery that goes on and on. Sign on side of road…“Hijack Hot Spot”… then tin shacks then RDP…. homes built for poor people… have solar panels on roofs.

Big factories, ships in ocean, sand dunes and seashore, break water to protect the shore from waves and Oceania sitting at the dock. They also assemble vehicles here. One of major ports for distribution to rest of country. Freeways….oleander in the centre medians. Like on I5 in California.

Stopped at Tsitsikamma NP to see Big tree…Yellow Outeniqua 36.6 metres high….approx 1000 yrs old.

This on the great migration of elephants from centuries ago.

Staying at beautiful Lagoona Inn in Knysna. Across from Lagoon. We went to a lovely restaurant for dinner in the “Waterfront”. A little more pricey than usual for here but not compared to home.

Leaving Benmore Lodge chalets for Addo at 6:50. Before 50 metres someone wants to stop to take pictures of giant snail so of course so did I. The weather is starting out to be sunny…. yeah!

When Kwa is preceeding a name as on a billboard along highway,it means that it is “belonging to” as in KwaZulu means belonging to the Zulu.

Change of vegetation.. now lots of cacti, aloes the size to trees, prickly pear and some kind of cactus maybe 20 feet tall and look mine that has a nasty attitude.

Different kind of “Traffic Calming”…. so said the signs….double sets of plastic seed bumps, maybe a foot apart…. on the highway. Never in my life have I seen more speed bumps than in this country. They are everywhere but this was the worst. It’s enough to make a person crazy never mind screw with your back.

Near Port Elizabeth Brian said as we turned off the highway that we will have about an 8km African massage then we will be back on paved road … lol! Oh my it was f..n rough.

190 elephants were killed in one year til only 11 were left. Now 600+

11 zebras, blue herons,Egyptian geese at watering plus other birds.

Warthogs….all males.

Lots more zebras. …. baby and mothers can recognize each other by definite stripe markings.

Kudus, Ibis

Oval spider webs can catch small birds.

At the bird hide, Katrin and I saw male mating Southern Red Bishops. They colour up more than usual when trying attract female.

This morning we awoke to no rain but it didn’t take long before it started again. Looking out from the balcony of the guys place after breaky, there was 2 wildebeests also known as brindle gnus.

In the late 1920’s a hippo named Hubert (named that after a year of people watching it on the move) walked from Mkuse to Kei Mouth and beyond, a distance of over 1600 kms. It was renamed Euberta when discovered it was female.

We were dropped off at the beach town of Kei Mouth at about 9:45…. to be pIcked up at 2. Coming down the hill ….what a view of the ocean(Indian) with white caps & white sandy beaches. As we got out of the truck we see a very rocky shore with pounding waves. It kind of reminded me of Tofino storm watching. It’s blowing but only misting….. later quite pouring. Our bright yellow ponchos got use today….. finally.

Dec. 17/17

Leave Lotheni in Drakensburg Mountains at 6:35am. Within 5 minutes Brian spotted a jackal. Would you believe along the side of the high mountain road growing wild, yellow calla lilies.

It must be laundry day at the Zulu villages we passed…. ladies walking along with baskets of clothes piled on their heads…. down to the river scrubbing on the rocks. It seems to me that instead of house numbers, each family unit paints all of their houses one colour so if you wast to invite someone to you’re home, you tell them the colour not the house number.

Big cattle and dairy businesses. We had the most severe “African massage” coming out of the mountains. Everyone clapped when we got back on paved road…. better but still with big holes inter-disbursed with speed bumps again.

Shortly after a bushy,bushy stop & coffee on the go, we leave KwaZulu province and enter East Cape province. Almost immediately there is another checkpoint with oodles and oodles of police. Make work project??? But they are checking for papers for carrying many passengers as well as checking for poachers….. especially during summer/Christmas holidays. Also so many radar traps everywhere you go.

Leif was saying that in Sweden they have a solar hot water …. don’t have to have sun cuz radiation goes through clouds. …cost about 350 Euros plus exchanger.

Went through Mt. Frere….. so extremely busy…. Sunday…… Everyone dressed in their Sunday going to meeting/church best! But….. the town was disgustingly filthy with garbage dumped everywhere.

Stopped at Mthatha for groceries and of course the pit stop. University here that Nelson Mandela. Rough neighbourhood…. guard warned us about taking money from cash machine!

Stopped for lunch at 2:05… finally at a memorial marker for Mandela.

This morning we awoke to brilliant sunshine in this incredible mountainous landscape. Most of us set out on a hike into the mountains including me. Unfortunately after about 3 kms I needed to take a break. I told the others to go on,that I would make my own way back. What a relief it was to come back to the cool interior of our cabin.

Everyone seemed to be exhausted when they got back… pooped out from their hike that many had naps. Brian made an awesome dinner a beef stew of some sort but on top of white corn (the yellow husk had been removed…. then boiled). It’s Martina’s 52nd birthday so she had provided cake/pie. To bed early…. up at 5:15….breaky at 5:45.

It’s so nice to having the breeze blow on you as you lay in bed…from the open window…. no malaria mosquitos. Up early tomorrow.

Leave this lovely Zululand Resort in Mhkuzi owned by Sunway at about 7:15. I’d certainly consider coming and stay here again if I ever was to come back. I loved sleeping in a permanent tent with the breeze blowing through.

It’s cloudy today so cooler for a long 500+/- kms 7 plus hour journey to Drakensburg Mountains. Hopefully no crappy weather though cuz otherwise we’ll have to take a longer route on more bumpy road.

Big pulp and paper mill near Richards Bay. Everywhere pineapple fields.

At the toll stops at this time of school…..summer holidays, lots of young people selling produce…. lychees, to make some money to buy Christmas presents.

Durban has the largest Indian population in the world outside of India. They comprise 24.5% of the population of 8 million. Durban has huge container shipping harbour.

Past Pietermaritzburg to Howick for groceries, liquor and water. Back on road finally at almost 2pm.

“Ianda”…guide at Mandela capture site. In 1962… spent 27 yrs in prison. “The Long Road to Freedom” where we stopped for lunch.

What an incredible “sculpture” made in his image. It so moved me. Amazing too, how the artist made it.

4:10 back on road.

OMG is this area gorgeous…. in a way like Unalaska in the Aleutians or maybe some places in NFLD. Bumpy roads…. terrible…, hurt my back….. tomorrow just hiking that may just kill me.

We had a braai (bbq) with impala squers and sausages, corn on cob and cooked veggies. Yum! Our guides are amazing. It may not be gourmet but for the most we are well fed.

Anna suggested “borrowmy doggie.com” if you want to have a dog and still be able to travel.

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.

Happy birthday to my first born grandson Jaxon with all my love best wishes always.

Breaky at 6:30… leave beautiful permanent tented resort about 7:25 to go on game drive at Hluhluwe where we’ll see lots of rhinos….

Imfpolozi

Just inside the park we see 4 Warthogs together, then soon

“wide mouth” miss-named as white rhino ……wide mouth for grazing. …. sole rhino got closer & closer then had a mud bath in front of us totally unconcerned. Mud acts as a free sun screen but mostly when mud dries and drops off it takes the ticks with it.

6-8 zebras grazing with impalas.

Big herd of water buffalo

18 rhinos …. all white so far

Nyala antelopes that I cant seem to be able to get a picture of.

Sole buffalo, a giraffe.

Bung beetles…. 2… happy couple… seed in middle to hatch…. over 1500 varieties

Trumpet hornbill….very cool beak.

Sickle Bush with pendulum pink and yellow flower.

White round balls hanging in trees are nest of white frogs that when hatched drop into the water.

Whole family of nyala at lunch place in the park…..also family of vervet monkey that stole watermelon and kept trying to steel the rest of the time we were there. Baboons shortly after leaving.

70-100 water buffalo in one herd.

Zebenzilee…. name of the Zulu guide …. very nice lady….. wanted to be a teacher but something happened (didn’t catch what) so now she is a tour guide.

We visited a family of Nomporno village… all buildings care painted pink.

Special greeting whenever meet…. enquire as to health of whole family ……ancestors too.

Center of kitchen has fireplace … says smoke is no problem unless raining. This family have 17 in it ….neighbour has 28.

Lunch and dinner is cooked…. (everyone eats together or just outside)Maize or polenta and vegetables,

All girls share cooking and washing etc. Old people (women) don’t have to cook anymore after girls 15-16 age.

Married women must wear long skirts, no short shirt, covered hair.

Man can have multiple wives but he must give 11 cows dowery for each wife. It’s not necessary to pay all at once though. Girl give quilts to family of groom including ancestors.

2-3 or 4 per bedroom but old or ancestors get one bedroom

From the age of 10, girls learn to carry 25 litres of water on their heads. Women get more food to eat than men because they do all the work.

Everyone wears school uniform….go to school from 5-18 age.

Girls like to take wash to river. It’s a place collect firewood and meet the boys.

Ancestors hut’s…. bones above door, goat gallbladder, spear…. where communicate with spiritual ancestors to discuss problems. “Imbaypo” plant that is burnt … used to awaken forefathers. Wedding, 21 bday, death of fathers, etc special occasions, they slaughter goat and cow. When leaving ancestors hut the men leave first to protect the women (not as someone suggested… food for the lions….lol).

Very special for a girl that has reached 21 a virgin….it takes a whole village to raise a child not just the parents.

Homemade beer used in ceremonies. 10,000 people in this village learn English and Zulu language. 10.2 million people in province…40% are Zulus

Back at our tents got something to drink… had chat with Noni and Caesar ( manager). So nice!!!Noni and another ladies do cooking, making up the tents and if you put out your laundry, they will wash…. for whatever you want to give them.

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.

We leave Lower Sabie at 6:30am ….. driving out of the park for our last game drive for next 2-3 hours.

Martial eagle ripping apart breaky, black-shouldered kite, a sole white rhino,

Large pack of hyenas watching for the chance to take the lion’s kill… a male and female lioness but I could not spot them…. too far away. Hyenas are opportunists. Three more spotted heading ….following the scent of kill

2.5 metres wing span on lappet-faced vulture….. very large.

Vervet monkeys, family of warthogs,

Brian says this is not a job, it’s a passion….wants to share his knowledge with everyone that is interested. As a child every chance he could he would go with uncles ( he had 5 uncles that were all game guides…. one being a boss and organizing) on flight game drives or trucks as a child… if there was a vacant spot . Learned lots before going to college.

Leaving the park about 9:30 at Crocodile Bridge …. got coffees… I’m the last one to get one so it’s the hottest… I’m in the back of the truck where it’s the bumpiest…. speed up one out my coffee spills over me and everything. Hot, hot, hot.

They were growing sugar cane as we left the park.

Crossed into Swaziland somewhere between 11& noon. No pictures whatsoever of border guards or police.

Oh my…what a difference to ZA. It’s very mountainous…. reminds one of Austria/Switzerland or the Kootenays of BC. Terraces! So many plantations of pine and eucalyptus …. logging and e one mills…big rigs….B trains. Would you have imagined???

1271 metres above sea level. It so beautiful…. the air is fresh…..We/I hiked in the mountains for close to 3 hrs. 6-7 kms…14,000 steps according to one of the gals. I was the one Chandle drove the “red elephant” to pick up. J didn’t go at all cuz she is still coughing. I was so exhausted after that.. … and burnt…. and wind burnt.

On the way back up the hill Brian explained all the schooling that he took before being allowed to be a guide.

The place we stayed the night Hawane Lodge, was all built in the traditional way with thatched roofs on “chalets”….. gardens were lovely with huge aloe plants and tiny irises, etc.. The restaurant and reception was a large round building with a open fireplace built in the centre.