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South Africa May 2023South Africa May 2023
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I will be traveling to South Africa with five other intrepid ladies, and then to Zimbabwe with three of the ladies. We will be experiencing African culture and food, seeing the incredible beauty of the continent and enjoying wonderful company! Read more
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  • TravelerSouth Africa May 2023
    Day 6

    May 11 - Penguins!

    May 11, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    Our next stop was Simon’s Town where we had a late lunch at a lovely seafood restaurant overlooking the bay. Watered (some with wine!) and fed, we walked a few minutes to The Boulders, home to African penguins. These charming birds amused us with their antics and serenaded us with their distinctive donkey-braying call. We saw a father penguin taking over the duty of sitting on the two eggs in the nest from the mother penguin. Good parenting! We could have watched these charming birds for hours, but time was ticking, and we needed to get back to the city.

    Liz took the highway back home, and dropped us safely at the hotel about 5:00 p.m. It had been a full, interesting, informative and thought-provoking day. What an incredible end to our time based in Cape Town!

    Tomorrow, we are off to Hermanus.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Africa May 2023
    1
    1
    Day 7

    May 12 - Off to Hermanus

    May 12, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    We woke to a very wet and very windy day. This part of South Africa is known for its wild winds. We were spared the wind over the past few days, and so it was not unexpected to finally see the wind in action. But we were rewarded for our patience with the rain and wind with a fabulous double rainbow which followed us for a good part of the morning.

    Our plan for the day had been to start with a repeat trip up Table Mountain so Deb and Sue could see the wonderful vistas, but the rain and the wind would have made the visit unpleasant, so we headed to Hermanus. The trip there begins with driving around False Bay. We passed through Strand and Gordon’s Bay and then picked up the Clarence Drive which hugs the water’s edge. The water was angry and dramatic and so forceful.

    A planned stop had been at the Harold Porter National Botanical Garden, but most of the displays are outdoors and the rain was still quite heavy, so we bypassed it. We also bypassed a stop at Stoney Point where there is a breeding colony of African penguins. This meant that we got into Hermanus (bottom right of the map picture) well before check in time, so Liz drove us to a great little café by picturesque Grotto Beach where we warmed up and had lunch. Great ratings on the pea soup and the potato and leek soup. I had a warm croissant with butter and jam. Perfect! Deb and Sue each had a deconstructed stroopwaffel dessert that was both picture-worthy and delicious!

    Hermanus is a lovely town – it’s long and narrow, tucked between the water and the mountains. It has lovely gardens and spectacular views of the ocean. Its picturesque setting and mild temperatures make it a popular retirement spot.

    People come from all over the world to see the Marine Big 5 here: dolphins, African penguins, the Cape fur seal, the great white shark, and several whale species.
    Hermanus is ideal for whale watching. The Southern Right whales come here to have their calves in southern winter and spring and can be seen clearly from the beaches. There is also a thriving shark cage diving industry.

    We still had time before checking in, so Liz dropped us off at a local market the has lots of crafts and souvenirs. I spied some items made out of Shweshwe fabric – the stall owner directed me to where I could buy fabric off the bolt. The store was just a few minutes’ walk away. I found exactly what I wanted at a price about 1/3 of what I would pay in Canada.

    Shweshwe is a printed dyed cotton fabric widely used for traditional Southern African clothing. Originally dyed indigo, the fabric is manufactured in a variety of colours and printing designs characterised by intricate geometric patterns. Due to its popularity, shweshwe has been described as the denim, or tartan, of South Africa. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shweshwe

    From the Da Gama website: Shweshwe has a history going back thousands of years, with the shweshwe we know and love today making its way to SA for the first time in the early 1840s. Today, we produce shweshwe by the traditional processes, using a weak acid solution to bleach out distinctive designs. This gives the fabric an authentic look and feel, as well as the distinctive smell that consumers know and love. These unique characteristics date back to the long sea voyages from the UK to South Africa, which formed the original transport route for this cloth. A strong starch is used to preserve the fabric, resulting in the hard handle and distinctive smell, which disappear after washing.
    We were finally able to check in – our hotel is right by the water with fabulous views. The only wrinkle is that the hotel will have no power today from 4:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and then again tomorrow from 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Corrupt government officials during the apartheid era siphoned off money meant for maintenance of the country’s nuclear reactor and so now there is not enough electrical power to meet the demand, necessitating daily load shedding periods (times and durations are posted in advance but often are changed on short notice). The hotel has a generator so the lights and WIFI will function, but the plugs and the TV won’t work.

    We are meeting for drinks at 5:00 p.m. and heading out for dinner afterwards. We will have time to explore Hermanus some more tomorrow. I’m heading back for more fabric!

    When we met at 5:00 p.m. upstairs in the newly-renovated lounge, we were greeted with champagne and sherry and a charcuterie selection, all courtesy of the tour company that Liz works for. What a wonderful surprise!

    Dinner was delightful at La Pentola with its panoramic views of Walker Bay.

    We move on to Oudtshoorn tomorrow.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Africa May 2023
    Day 8

    May 13 - Oudtshoorn and Ostriches

    May 13, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    I’m going to have go fast – the power is going out at 10:00 p.m. tonight until midnight, and then again from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Generator salespeople are kings in this country of too-little electricity supply.

    And I don't have enough band width to upload pictures and video. Will try at our next accommodation.

    It’s been another great day! I woke up to the news that my son and daughter-in-law had a beautiful baby boy yesterday. James will be loved by all and will be a wonderful playmate for his big brother, Luke.

    After a lovely breakfast, we did a short walk along the ocean front. The views were fabulous, and the sun was trying valiantly to break through the clouds.

    We loaded up the van and made a quick stop in the shopping area. I did a commando stop at the fabric store and got more Shweshwe fabrics. Then we found a wine store and replenished our supplies. At many restaurants here in South Africa, you can bring your own wine in for dinner. With the precious cargo safely strapped in, we started heading east and north inland. Another rainbow smiled at us today!
    Gradually, the landscape began to change. The high, steep mountains gave way to more gently rounded hills (much like the foothills of the Rockies). We passed big cattle farms and then sheep farms. The sheep are raised for their wool which is then exported to America and Europe. Italians are especially fond of South African wool.
    We made a quick stop for photos at Tradouwpas. The views of the deep gorge are spectacular.

    We picked up Rte. 62 that took us through more wine country. Rte. 62 is the longest wine route in the world at a whopping 850 kms. It is a popular route for cyclists and wine afficionados.

    We eventually came into the Karoo district. This area is much drier – almost desert-like. The vegetation is much lower, more scrub-like, and the soil is dry with a lot of small pebbles and rocks in it. We drove through a lot of rain. Liz said that she had never before had rain while driving through the Karoo. This year the area has had a fair bit of rain and the vegetation was very green, rather than the dusty brown colour that she is used to seeing.

    We made a quick pit stop for coffees and gas and to stretch our legs. Today is our longest drive.

    In the early afternoon, we stopped at a winery for a tasting session and to nibble on charcuterie to hold us over until dinner. I sipped on port while eating springbok (antelope) carpaccio (very, very thinly sliced meat).

    We had one last stop for the day – at an ostrich farm in Oudtshoorn – the Feather Capital of the World. Ostrich farming began in South Africa in 1860-1865 when the government imported ostriches from North Africa to be raised mainly for their feathers. Ostrich feathers were in high demand for cabaret shows like the Moulin Rouge. The First World War dampened demand, and the focus switched to raising the birds for their meat. This farm raises about 1000 birds per year which are then sold to a cooperative that harvests the meat and the feathers. The farm artificially incubates many of the eggs to improve the yield as the mortality rate in open environment is very high. Female ostriches are greyish brown because they sit on the eggs during the day. Male ostiches are black because they sit on the eggs at night. Ostriches are very aggressive and are highly attracted to bright, shiny things, so we were very careful with jewelry and cell phones. We bought ostrich food and took turns feeding the birds who will eat and eat and eat all day long. Great fun and very educational.

    After a whiz through the store looking at exquisite ostrich purses and wallets, we headed back to our guest house. La Plume is a 1902 Victorian homestead on a working ostrich, alfalfa and wine farm. It’s a lovely, classy place set on a hill. It is full of old-world furniture and has the original wide-plank floors. Each room is different and boasts sweet little touches of décor. The bathroom in Colette’s room is a work of art in itself! We had dinner at the guest house with our own wines (for a nominal corkage fee). Several of us had ostrich as our main meal – it was so tender and delicious. Yes, we will have it again! What a delightful dinner – that’s one that we will remember!

    Tomorrow we are off the Knysna.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Africa May 2023
    Day 9

    May 14 - Cango Caves and Knysna

    May 14, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Happy Mothers’ Day to all the mothers and those women who provide love and comfort and nurturing!

    At breakfast, we were treated to both sun and rain. We hoped for the first and worked around the latter. We were entertained by a delightful little blond boy, James, from the Netherlands who gave out high fives and waves and huge smiles.

    We were on the road by 9:00 a.m. on our way to Cango Caves. The Cango Caves are located in Precambrian limestones at the foothills of the Swartbergrange near the town of Oudtshoorn, in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The principal cave is one of the country's finest, best known, and most popular tourist caves. Cave paintings and artifacts indicate that the caves were in use throughout prehistory over a long period during the Middle and Later Stone Ages.

    Our guide, John, led us through the caves on the Heritage Tour. He had a delightful sense of humour. We opted NOT to take the Adventure Tour that requires visitors to climb, crawl, shimmy, slide, and squeeze through tight spaces. Our first stop was the Concert Hall with its huge stalactite nicknamed Tobacco Leaves and its tall, slim stalagmite nicknamed Cleopatra’s Needle. This area was actually used as a Concert Hall for many years, but the practice was ended because of persistent vandalism. Heather from Vancouver, a professional singer, graciously serenaded us with “Summertime” – her voice and the acoustics were beautiful! John turned off all the lights and left on only the equivalent of the one candle that was used by the first explorers of the caves in the late 1700s. Pitch blackness.

    We saw the Rainbow Chamber and the Drum Room and then made our way back. It was still raining outside, but no matter – we were going to be in the van for a while.

    We had to make a U-turn at one point on our way due to flooding across the road. This area has had more rain in the past few days than ever before. We passed through the Hops Valley, noted for its hops growing for the beer industry. We passed through the Outeniqua Pass with more glorious views of soaring mountains and deep chasms. At George, we picked up the Garden Route, so named because this area is resplendent with flowering bushes through spring and fall. It runs all the way to Port Elizabeth. As we neared Knysna (Nees-nah), we spied the Indian Ocean. It has pushed into the land in several places, creating inland saltwater seas. These are much sought after locations for holiday homes, but some areas are government protected as there are threatened wildlife species in the areas.

    We had lunch at a great restaurant down by the beach. We had some time to explore the lovely little shops down by the waterfront. Then we headed to our guest house where we are in individual little bungalows on exquisitely manicured and landscaped grounds. The electricity was out from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

    We had pre-dinner drinks in Sue and Deb’s cottage next door to ours, and then had dinner in the restaurant here. The lights were still out when we arrived, so we had to read the menu by cell phone lights. Promptly at 6:00 p.m., the electricity came back on, and a great cheer of thanks went through the place. These rolling blackouts have been taking place for 18 years now. Incredible to believe.

    We had a delightful dinner. The food here in South Africa has been superb – perfect portions, light, tasty preparations, perfectly fresh fruits and vegetables, and lovely presentations. A foodie would be very happy here. I had the best gelato that I've ever had. Gorgeously smooth and tasty.

    The power will be out again tomorrow from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. which means no hair drying in the morning, so it’s evening showers for us.

    Liz has a full day of activities lined up for us here in Knysna for tomorrow.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Africa May 2023
    Day 10

    May 15 - Exploring Kynsna

    May 15, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    We had no power from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. today in our rooms. Sandy and I went for breakfast at 7:30 a.m. There was coffee available. By 7:50 a.m., the coffee inventory was all used up and the wait until power was restored began. No riots broke out.

    The huge bathroom in our little bungalow has a motion sensor activated night light by the toilet. Mind you, it only works when the power is on. Each room is equipped with a rechargeable portable LED light. I always travel with a little flashlight.

    The sun is shining brightly today, and there is no rain in the forecast – finally! Our first planned activity was supposed to be an interpretive trip through a protected forest. This area used to be covered in thick forests, home to herds of elephants and leopards. Unfortunately, overharvesting drove the animals away. There is a myth that one lonely, bull elephant still roams the forest.

    The heavy rains of the past three days had made the access road a rutted, muddy mess. The road was steep, with a sharp curve and the van doesn’t have 4-wheel drive, so discretion reigned, and we deferred the walk to tomorrow. The warm sun should make conditions better by then.

    Our next stop was to be at a beach, but the unpaved road to it was unpassable, so we deferred a beach visit to later. Liz took us to see The Heads where the Indian Ocean enters a bay. The views are fabulous. We took the requisite group shot with the ocean behind us.

    Our next stop was Leisure Isle, an island accessible via a manmade causeway. This is a highly sought-after area for holiday homes. The homes all have huge windows facing the water, manicured gardens, and welcoming verandahs. We stopped at Bollard Beach and walked in the sand and got a fabulous shot of us all standing in the Indian Ocean.

    Next stop was Thesen Island which is actually 10 islands linked by bridges. Lots more holiday homes here. A couple of us got to see a stingray that a fisherman had caught and was releasing. This area is noted for its seahorses – we saw some in a tank at the little museum. The males give birth to the babies. Good for them!

    We had lunch at a restaurant right on the water, noted for its fine seafood. I had a wonderful seafood salad that was very tasty. Sue gave the oysters a high rating.

    We did a quick stop at a liquor store and a used bookstore (to stock up Sue’s reading supply) and came back to the guest house. Power is out from 2:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The sun is shining brightly so we are sitting around the pool. The plan is to have a pizza dinner tonight, after our super lunch.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Africa May 2023
    1
    Day 11

    May 16 - Dolphins and Seals

    May 16, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    We had thought about doing the walk through the deep forest that we had to skip yesterday due to muddy conditions, but it would have meant getting up very early. We gave the notion about five seconds of thought and ditched the idea. Besides our not wanting to get early, there was no guarantee that the road would have become passable with just one day of dry conditions, and Liz had no contacts in the area to give her guidance. The other tours are two days ahead of us.

    So, we headed out for our first scheduled event of the day promptly at 9:00 a.m. – dolphin and seal watching at Plettenberg Bay. Jason, our guide and skipper, walked us through the safety procedures and helped us get in the boat. There were 13 of us plus Jason. The launch mechanism was a tractor that went fast and shoved the boat on a trailer towards the water. The tractor then stopped abruptly, and by means of the First Law of Motion, the boat got propelled into the waves. Cheaper than building a pier! It was a brilliant, sunny day and I thought the waves were quite low. Apparently, they were quite high. Jason drove to one side of the bay, and we struck gold! There was a pod of dolphins (about a dozen including two babies) swimming through the water. For 20 minutes, they entertained us with their antics and their graceful maneuvers. Each boat is limited to 20 minutes in order to share the pleasure of seeing the dolphins.

    From there, we travelled to the other side of the bay to see seals – hundreds and hundreds of them. Some were sunning themselves in the warmth of the sun; some were trying valiantly to scramble back up the rocks; some were swimming with their rear fins sticking up out of the water; some young ones were frolicking near the rocks away from predator danger – this was shark and whale territory. Seals make both a bleating sound like sheep and a braying sound like donkeys. These colony of seals is the fastest-growing colony in the world. The seals were almost wiped out by indiscriminate harvesting, but with proper controls, their numbers are climbing yearly.

    The return to the beach was pretty much the reverse of the launch. Jason chose a huge wave and gunned the engine. With a bit of a thud (we were all braced very well), we landed back on the sand. The waves were getting higher, and all excursions for the afternoon were cancelled. Our timing was perfect.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Africa May 2023
    Day 11

    May 16 - Bungee Jumping and Baboons

    May 16, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Our next stop was at the world’s highest bungee/bungy jump at Bloukrans River Bridge near Plettenberg Bay. The height is a whopping 216 meters/711 feet. We watched a few brave souls drop and scream, bungee up and down and then get winched back up, and then collectively, we said, “No way!” (Cost with video and photos is ~$200 CAD but that wasn’t the main reason for saying, “No way!”)
    Because we had been thwarted doing our nature walk yesterday, Liz (the master of adjusting activities around weather conditions), took us to Garden Route National Park - Tsitsikamma Section (pronounced Sit-Si-Comma). On the drive into the park, there is clear evidence of planned reforestation with young pines carefully planted in rows. Forestry is tightly controlled to ensure no more destructive clearcutting. In the park, we got to see the Indian Ocean again, in all its splendour. To get some much-needed exercise, we walked the boardwalk (good physical condition, but wet and a bit slippery) that follows along the coastline. We climbed quite a bit vertically and were rewarded for our efforts with the most spectacular views that we’ve seen so far on this trip. The ocean views are mesmerizing, so we had to tear ourselves away. We considered crossing the mouth of the river on the suspension bridge but opted to just look instead. We were losing the light and the temperature was dropping quickly.

    On our way out of the park, we were rewarded with seeing a troop of baboons. The little ones were adorable – jumping up at low-hanging leaves, clambering on their fathers and riding bareback on their mothers. We dutifully kept the van windows closed (well, mostly) – the males can actually open car/van doors when they are in the frenzy of smelling food. Liz can attest to that skill – she’s had her van invaded twice.

    From there, we headed to the little village of Stormsrivier where we stayed at a guest house that was originally built in the 1880s as a game hunting camp. It is now a delightful guest house, with unique decór and excellent service. After pre-dinner wine, we had dinner in the dining room there with its roaring fireplace (it’s a bit cool and damp today), with the stuffed heads of different types of antelope and a big zebra gazing down on us and a full-sized stuff leopard guarding the doorway. The food was good, and the conversation was great. Many of us tried Malva Pudding, a popular South African dessert. It consists of a moist gingerbread type cake made with apricot jam, served in a pool of warm custard. Good stuff. I nestled into bed with the heated mattress pad warding off the evening chill. I slept well after a full day .    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Africa May 2023
    Day 12

    May 17 - Port Elizabeth to Durban

    May 17, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    We woke to lovely sunshine which did a good job of burning off the very heavy dew. But better than that, we had electricity! This area has not had any mandatory blackouts for the past few months, and none are scheduled until June. What a delight to be able to shower and dry my hair in the morning!

    The breakfast room at the Tsitsikamma Village Inn is lovely with displays of old clocks and wire bird cages. The breakfast buffet was extensive, and everything was labelled. They even had scones with clotted cream and jam. So tasty!

    We had a bit of time to poke around the little village before departing at 10:00 a.m. The village boasts a 60’s style diner with motorcycles and old cars on display.

    We had a bit of slack in our schedule, so we made a stop to see the biggest tree in South Africa – Groot Boom. It is accessed by a boardwalk that wends its way through thick forest, lush with trees and vines and small streams. The Big Tree measures 36 meters in height and 8.5 meters in circumference. It is SA Yellowwood and is estimated to be over 1000 years old.

    We continued our journey east, with our ultimate destination being Port Elizabeth. The heavily wooded landscape gave way to soft, rolling lands that seemed to support prosperous farms. The land then got flatter and the vegetation got browner. This area is very windy which dries out the bushes and grasses and trees. We saw a big wind turbine farm – privately-owned. I can’t imagine what premium the owners are charging for the electricity that they are generating during these times of low supply and high demand.

    We caught another glimpse of the Indian Ocean at Jeffreys Bay – this is prime surfing territory, as long as the surfers don’t mind sharing the waters with great white sharks. Shark spotting is a full-time activity here.

    We got to Port Elizabeth around 1:00 p.m. and walked down the long pier to get a good look at the shipping harbour and the lovely beach. We had a late lunch by the ocean. It’s two-meal Wednesday because we have a 6:25 p.m. flight to Durban tonight. After lunch, we walked the other way along the lovely ocean-side promenade and soaked up the sun. We could see the clouds starting to roll in and the temperature starting to drop, so we decided to head to the airport early so that Liz could begin her journey back home in daylight. There is a huge stretch of road construction that will slow her down. She will drive to Knysna tonight and then on to Cape Town tomorrow to return the van before enjoying some much-deserved downtime. We were sad to say good bye to Liz - she added so much to our travels with her wide-ranging knowledge, her excellent driving skills, her organizational abilities and her unfailing good humour. She is a tribute to her profession.

    We successfully arrived in Durban around 7:30 p.m. and got to our charming hotel about 8:30 p.m. Behki (Bay-key) who will be our guide for the next leg of the journey picked us up at the airport. Tomorrow, we have no planned activities. It’s a day to relax and catch our breath.    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Africa May 2023
    11
    Day 13

    May 18 - The Oyster Box Hotel

    May 18, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ 🌧 20 °C

    The theme for today's blog entry is this hotel, called The Oyster Box. Opulent is the word to describe it. Customer service is of the utmost priority – there are staff everywhere checking that each guest is totally satisfied with the visiting experience. It is part of the Red Carnation Hotel chain, so the accent colour is red – red awnings, red flowers and red and white striped umbrellas. All the female staff (even the housekeepers) wear a string of pearls. Took me a while to make the oyster/pearl connection. Then the penny dropped. When we asked about load shedding and electrical blackouts, they assured us that their generator would kick in quickly. Must be a massive piece of machinery to support this place.

    Sandy and I went for breakfast about 8:00 a.m. It was warm enough to sit on the covered terrace, located just metres from the ocean’s edge. What a view! The wait staff wear crisp white aprons with black trim and a front pocket that holds a water pistol! Monkeys are a real problem here – they can sniff out the slightest bit of food, so there are signs and warnings everywhere warning about feeding the monkeys and about the dangers of leaving doors and windows open. Water pistols are the gentle way of dissuading them, at least temporarily.

    The breakfast selection was enormous, with, to my delight, every item clearly labelled. Their scones and clotted cream and strawberry jam got high marks from us. There was an area where you could order hot items to your specifications, and then outside on the terrace, there was an area to order pancakes and crepes. One of the toppings available is Smarties. I feel a crepe with Smarties calling my name for tomorrow!

    We lingered over breakfast with Colette and Sylvia. Deb and Sue joined later. Sandy and I found the gateway down to the beach, and to our delight, there was a lovely brick walkway that followed the water’s edge. We walked off a small part of our breakfast. I then got my blog backlog caught up while Sandy walked in the ocean and then found the pool.

    I spent some time by the pool – lovely location with a very attentive pool attendant. While out there, we were treated to a visit by the monkeys as they scampered along the brick fence and in the lush green bushes.

    I searched out the Clock Library – a dark wood panelled room overlooking the ocean with leather wing back chairs and a wall full of old clocks. How many high-powered business deals have been negotiated in this room?

    When I got back, I watched the ladies cavorting with the monkeys down on the pool deck. Our window overlooks the pool area. While watching the antics below, a monkey came and smacked on the window right in front of me. Cheeky devil!

    The sun has gone in now (~4:00 p.m.) and the wind has kicked up. We are in for a storm. The pool attendant is putting shrouds on all the umbrellas to protect them and taking all of the chair cushions inside.

    This hotel has fabulous mosaics everywhere.

    We are dining in the hotel restaurant tonight with pre-dinner drinks in Deb and Sue's room. Dinner was a curry buffet followed by three choices for dessert. Behki joined us and told us about some tribal customs and some of the major migration patterns in Africa. Fascinating! We had booked our table for the ocean side terrace, but it was quite wet and cool, even with the plastic side panels down, but with strategic positioning of tables and a few warm, red blankets, we were able to enjoy our main course comfortably. We retired to the lounge for dessert because we were starting to get wet.

    We are being treated to loud thunder and wild lightning and pelting rain right now (8:00 p.m.).

    We are on the road at 7:00 a.m. tomorrow, so no crepes for me! It's a box breakfast for everyone in the van. Off to see hippos!    Read more

  • TravelerSouth Africa May 2023
    1
    1
    Day 14

    May 19 - Hippos

    May 19, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    We needed to be on the road by 7:00 a.m., so the last night, we chose the items for our “to go” breakfast box. Coffee and tea were delivered to each room shortly after 6:00 a.m., and as we left, we were handed beautiful red boxes and a second coffee/tea serving. The Oyster Box knows how to do service.

    We travelled through countryside with enormous sugar cane, banana, and orange plantations. Agriculture is a huge sector of the South African economy. We passed a massive sugar cane processing plant that makes both raw sugar and syrups for drinks. There are many eucalyptus tree plantations here too. After massive clearcutting in the late 1800s, proper reforestation practices were implemented, and tight controls placed on harvesting. It was clear to see the different stages of growth – young trees, mid-growth trees, mature trees.

    One distinctive thing we saw on most properties was a round house with a peaked roof, known as a rondavel. These round houses are used for spiritual ceremonies where the people attempt to commune with their ancestors who have passed on. When not in use, these houses serve as extra sleeping place or they are used for storage.

    We saw a rather unusual sight – we saw hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of trucks loaded with coal inching their way along, fortunately going the opposite direction, towards a weighing station. From there, they would be going to the coal-fired electricity plant. The rail system here in South Africa is very poor – rails laid got stolen for their scrap value by desperately poor people, so what rudimentary system there was became unusable. Hence, the very inefficient and expensive coal transport system that we saw. There are some serious infrastructure issues in South Africa.

    We stopped for a rest break at a service centre. The whole area was being patrolled by burly guys carrying machine guns. Chronic unemployment breeds desperation which in turn breeds crime, and with a lot of cash around, this would be a prime target. We scuttled out of there as fast as possible. The vibe was slightly unsettling.

    Our destination was the little town of St. Lucia. A World Heritage Site, iSimangaliso Wetland Park (the former Greater St. Lucia Wetlands Park) incorporates an astonishing variety of habitats from the Ubombo Mountains to grasslands, forests, wetlands, mangroves and ancient dunes, magnificent beaches and coral reefs. The drive into the park area was interesting as we had to constantly slow down for cows, donkeys and goats wandering on the road, and impala and nyala (both are types of antelope) in the fields. We unfortunately dinged a monkey just as we got to the park. Behki checked later but didn’t see an injured monkey, so we are going to assume that it escaped the encounter. The van needed a couple of zip ties to refasten something in the front end.

    We had a 10:00 a.m. booking on a boat to cruise up the estuary. Our aim was to see hippos, maybe a crocodile and to enjoy the prolific birdlife.

    We did spy one crocodile nestled on the shore and lots of birds and some lizards, but the best part of the boat trip was getting close to the hippos. Magnificent, gentle beasts with a very distinctive call.

    Back in St. Lucia, we saw wart hogs nonchalantly grazing on a major street.    Read more

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