Eswatini

Another place I didn't even know existed!

Ok, that's only mostly accurate. Eswatini is a sovereign kingdom that is bordered by Mozambique on one corner and South Africa on 3 sides. It's a little smaller than Kuwait and a little bigger than The Bahamas or Monaco.

I'd heard of Swaziland before, and that was once the name recognized for this tiny but beautiful country. It, like most colonial stories, is complicated. It was a British colony from 1903 to 1968 and is now Africa's last absolute monarchy.

We drove in around late-lunchtime and couldn't find a decent option that wasn't just meat. Based on our informal survey of three eateries, a common approach is to have a butcher and a pit bbq alongside one another. Patrons buy a chunk of flesh and either tip someone to cook it or have access to the brai (bbq) to cook it themselves.

We ended up having a delicious lunch at the Piggs Peak Hotel, instead. Fancy hotel where they offered a 50 rand carwash while we ate (less than $3). The food was fantastic.

We carried on through rugged highlands with soaring views of blue hazy mountains, sparkling reservoirs, and surprisingly good roads. The homes seem well built (concrete, metal roofs, usually painted, well kept) and the people with whom we interact have been friendly, helpful, and comfortable speaking English. The official language is swahili, but signs and billboards appear mostly English.

We found a place online called RedBerry and chose it for the views and good reviews. Our hosts are very pleasant and the views are special. The weather so far is perfect sub-tropical highlands: cool enough that pants and a light sweater feel good but warm enough that almost anything will work.

I'm enjoying the sounds of birdsong while I try not to be annoyed by the cacophony of dogs barking throughout the valley. The grass is dewy, the vista is misty, and I'm catching up with some writing and photo edits while I sip instant coffee that's good enough.Read more