Another long two part day...

First a correction. The food at the lodge where we are staying is not as good as the Amsterdam: nothing can be that good, consistently, but it is. The food here is excellent, no doubt, however the basic ingredients cannot be as choice as the ship and I only use beef as an example. The food  coming out of the small kitchen here is an absolute wonder, however.

Another comment I would like to make is about the writing of the blog. It is a thing that I like to do, but it is a commitment and it does take some doing to do it when on a trip like we are for five days, the time to write is sparse and there is so much going on that it is hard to take in sometime and I have to do it in a hurry, so I may omit some interesting picture or event that happened. The blog does cut into my free time [make that rest time], but that is fine just as long as you realize that there may be errors in it and also I do not have access to much in the way of resources to verify my facts. Also, expect spelling misteaks is spite of or because of spell-check!!! 

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Monday, March 31. Another glorious day.

We were up at 5.00 am this morning for a 6.00 AM departure for a walk in the bush, or forest, or lakeside or a combination of all.

The game viewing was scarce but it was refreshing to be on the animals turf without the distraction of a noisy Land Rover. The smells and sounds were a refreshing change and we saw tracks and scat from a variety of animals ranging from porcupine to hippo. The odd sighting made it a bit more exciting but as far as photography was concerned this morning was more of mother nature's dainty and miniature side of things rather than large mammals. The shore birds near the end of the walk were interesting as were the wart hogs and Guinea Fowl family on the road on the way back.

Most of us had a hearty breakfast around 10, and then Fellette and I had a shower, checking for ticks which Fellette found one on her clothing, then we two zonked out for an hour. It is indeed a rare day indeed that Fellette will have a nap at 10.30 in the morning. I came out on the porch around 12 to do the blog where that lovely forest breeze is wafting over my tick-free topless body, nice!

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After lunch we went to the main park, some 3/4 hour drive away, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park. We were looking of course for the lion which is rather elusive in this park.We were not successful but we did see, close up in some cases about 12 white rhino, they seem to run in groups here. The scenery here, to me, is breathtaking: the rolling hills endlessly, valleys and turning into scrubland. Missing is the open savanna of the Kenya and Tanzania game parks with the endless small gazelles and zebras and wildebeest that are the Big Macs for the lion's smorgasbord hence the   scarcity of lions.

Near the end of the day we did have a bit of excitement when the word got around amongst the drivers that there were lions sighted, but we never did find them. After we entered our camp we were stopped first by two nyala antelope then a few yards later by three giraffe ambling along the drive in the dark.

The end of a good day, and the end of our time at Zululand. Tomorrow morning we are driven back down the coast and catch a flight to Cape Town where we join the ship. Later the next day we sail off to Namibia.

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This was done rather in haste so I expect many errors. I ask your forgiveness in advance.

Pics.

- 5.30 AM coffee/tea.

- In the beginning.

- At the beginning of the seven K walk.

- Next two, in the bush.

- Josephine showing us a tree that a bush pig uses as a rubbing post.

- Pretty tame day when I end up taking pictures of a beetle eh!

- Next four, flowers, the first three miniatures, less than an inch across, the last one a giant cactus-like flower head.

- Next two on the trail.

- Hippo footprints in the now-dried mud.

- Locust.

- Shorefront.

- Ants nesting in shrink-wrapped leaves.

- We four near the end of the trail, note the no-swim-croc sign.

- Wart hogs.

- The last two hundred yards of a 7 K walk before breakfast. [You would think we  were in the damn Army!]

- Guinea fowl.

- Last two, buffalo and rhino this afternoon.

Lots of ears today...

Sunday, March 30. Unbelievably pleasant.

A few words about the country and camp first…

The country, South Africa, is quite diverse in terrain as well as people. The climate, from our limited knowledge, is quite pleasant and temperate, [we are below the Tropic of Capricorn now], it appears to be blessed with good weather and growing conditions but cursed with the economy and Aids. Unemployment ranges somewhere around 35%, and about the same percentage of people are infected with Aids. This info came from our guide on the way up from Durban.

The high unemployment rate accounts for a very high crime rate and promiscuity accounts for the high incident of Aids, I can only assume. I think that we in the west look at monogamy and sex in a somewhat different way than many in South Africa do. We have not been affected by the crime situation and obviously Aids is not a factor with us. The whole thing adds up to a very difficult economy to handle. Make-work projects seem to be the standard here, for example, all the massive fields of sugar cane are cut by hand and the thousands of acres of mini pineapple fields are picked by hand. We saw some tree limbing on the highway to the camp. There were scores of workers cutting limbs and branches by hand in a manner that seemed like efficiency was an unknown word.

This does not diminish the beauty of the country and the people we have met. The road system on main and secondary routes matches our western standard and some of the stores and shops are well stocked and could be in any western city. On the other hand, some of the street markets reflect the poorer side of the country and those living at a much lower standard of living than in some of the more affluent South Africans live, work and shop.

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The Camp, Falaza Game Park and Spa, is a bit of an oasis surrounded by private estates of thousands of acres of fenced bush lands and sand forest, usually with a lodge and stocked with animals. However not lions in these types of places as cats have a way of getting out! The service is wonderful and the food is as good as on the ship, really. However I do miss my six fluffy pillows that we have been spoiled with. Apparently the camp is owned by an Italian South African family, one of whom lives on the estate, not sure on this. It consists of 15 tents, built on platforms about three feet off the ground, with a double canopy tent on it. The flooring is solid hardwood. The end walls are solid and the door is a wooden two door entry. All is screened very solidly but there does not seem to be many insects here. There is an en-suite toilet, sink and shower, with an outside shower and bath surrounded by a high concrete wall. It is very, very nice.

The place employees about 25 full time staff who will do anything to please you. For instance, when we returned from our 'morning' adventure around 1.30 this afternoon, they had a table set up for us in the field behind the lounge building, by the pool. We were the only guests in the camp at the time. Tonight there are six, including us, with 14 arriving tomorrow. For some reason there is a very nice breeze that blows through the camp making it a very pleasant place to be even in the heat of the day. The setting is high canopy trees and shrubs with grass below, well maintained and the gravel paths are swept of leaves and debris seemingly constantly.

Last night we all ate in the Boma, a walled garden area with a blazing bonfire where there were tables set with linen and all for about 15 guests. Many people come for a two night getaway, we, at four nights are probably considered long-stayers. The days here have been very busy, like one port day after the other. I am thinking of sneaking over and stealing Jim's Pep Pills, that he must take, or else take some myself. This afternoon the three of them went to a cheetah sanctuary while I had a nap, showered and did the blog.

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Our morning…

Four of us, with our lady guide, Jossy, and guide-to-be Alex, were off in a van to Lake St. Lucia, some 75 minutes south over good roads. We visited a local market in the town which is a bit posh and upmarket, no shanty town stuff here. We browsed the market and bought a few trinkets from the young ladies there and we all had a pineapple popsicle. Very simple, they take one of those tiny pineapples skin it, cut some of the stock down to make a handle and you eat it, just like that! $1.00.

Next we were off to the lake and away on a two hour ride up the lake stopping for hippos and crocodiles. Now trying to get the classic shot of a hippo with his mouth open is like going on a whale watch and try to get a shot of a breaching whale. Getting shots of crocodiles in the wild is a mugs game, they are motionless and look like logs and when near the water they disappear in a heart beat.

There are reportedly 1200 hippos and approximately 1000 crocodiles. We saw the ears of hundreds of the hippos it seems and we saw .004% of the crocodiles [4]. However, the ride was relaxing, the wine was good and the company was excellent. Speaking of wine, a small bottle [375ml] of South African wine was $2.64, beer costs $1.36 and our flight from Durban to Cape Town, [1 1/2 hour], is $67.00. High dollar against the South African Rand it seems.

When we got off the boat we visited the Ilala Weavers craft shop near the lodge where we were tempted again with a few minor purchases. Lovely work, the Zulu women do absolutely fantastic weaving. Some now using fine wire and some patterns resembling native BC Indian woven baskets.

At least that's the way I see it…

We had lunch on the lawn, as stated earlier, and the happy trio went tripping off to the cheetah sanctuary, where no doubt they will tell me is was the best thing they have seen since we left Fort Lauderdale three months ago! It is called Game Drive One Up-manship.

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Well the happy gang came back, and yes it was a  very good trip to the animal care and rehab centre. Most are injured, so when they are healed they are released if possible. If not, they are matched up as breeding pairs and the offspring are hopefully released to the wild.

Pics.

- Gail, seemingly overwhelmed at the selection.

- Pineapple Popsicle, Fellette is holding mine.

- Fruit market.

- Boat cruise sign.

-We four.

- On the lookout.

- Lots of ears.

- One tooth! [Fellette's shot].

- Surrounded.

- Find the crocs!

- Goliath Crane. A first for all of us.

- Zulu basket work.

- The shot we never got. Jim shot a postcard.

- Sailing down the river…

- Lunch on the lawn.

- At the cat sanctuary.

- The last one: let's call it a leopard so Jim can get some sleep!!!