Week Six

Week SIX

DAY 37 - Tuesday - 2.12.13
Overnite in Barberton at Guthrie's b&b as we were too tired to move on, so we took a rest day. Worked on email this am and swam. After a nap we drove to the township and since the rain was pouring down we gave a couple of people short rides to the taxi and home and then watched the school kids in the multiple colored school uniforms run home soaking wet from the rain and playing in the puddles. In the central town At INFO we discovered the first gold strikes were made here by Mr. Barber and only later did Joburg become the gold center. The town has a juvenile and medium-max prison. Of course we could not get in but interviewed the head of recreation about the different degrees of incarceration and the conditions therein. The medium security side farms for the rest of the prison system. One product they produce is "peanuts" (that grow on trees) and we finally figured out they call macadamia nut.  Actually, we got there because we were directed by a construction worker from the gold mine we picked up and he could speak English. Increasingly less people speak black English, but use tribal languages. Took the laborer from the b&b home to another township we did not know about, made of tree branches parged with mud. Dinner out and reading for the eve.

DAY 38 - Wednesday - 2.13.13
Off to Kruger Park skirting the west and north borders of Swaziland. We drove in mountainous areas which had sugar cane, fruit including banana, Papaya, and macadamia orchards and stopped at several villages or shopping spots with milling people. We entered the park at 10:15 AM for about $23 each (foreigner cost) and reserved a villa (roundovel) at the Skukuza Rest Camp ($85).  Immediately we were met by several giraffes, zebra, Kudu, and impala ( by the dozens). Within 3 hours we saw 4 of the BIG 5 in various groups--- 6 rhinos, 4 Cape Buffalos lying in a creek, 1 Lion (maybe more, eating a zebra), and 8 elephants. We saw a family of warthogs, did I mention impalas, several tortoise, dung beetle rolling it egg in buffalo dung, guineas with chicks, and a variety of colorful birds. Made it to camp by 5 and signed up for a catered drive at 4:30am tomorrow ..... We still need to see a leopard to make the cost perfect. Dinner and early bed.

DAY 39 - Thursday - 2.14.12.   Happy Valentines Day!
Up early..early..on the truck at 4:30 with 20 people. In two hours we saw 4 of the BIG 5 ... but not the same four. We spent over half an hour watching a male leopard walking the road, marking territory and walking big rocks - then he roared. No lion today, but 5 white rhinos (blacks yesterday), elephants, and a herd of Cape Buffalo. Also a spotted hyena,  baboons, giraffes, brown eagle, and a big flock of Guineas. Also we had the pleasure of a surprise- a small truck was parked on the road and a road grader was approaching quickly behind...all of a sudden the grader drives off into the bush, coming to rest when stopped by a tree. It was discovered the graders brakes were not serviceable, thus the interesting stop procedure. Time to leave Skukuza Rest Camp.

Started south to Lower Sabie and then north to Satara where the forest/bush gives way to open savannahs, and out of the park at Orpen Gate on mostly hard road. We experienced many elephants (including three frolicking in a lake..maybe getting "married" as one of our hostesses says) in all size group as big as 25 head pulling soil with the grass to beat dirt onto their skin for sunburn and flies (and many off in the distant savannah), impalas by the tens of dozens, two large Cape Buffalo herds (some soaking in the river), hippo noses & eyes in three ponds, baboons and monkeys, brown eagle, waterbuck with white ring on rear end and long straight horns threatening head to head for territory, warthogs, wildebeest herd, several zebra herd, and giraffe by the circus load. We stopped at a curio shop (tribal and primitive) to buy some pot(s, clay that is). We were lucky and feel thankful. We drove into another province, Limpopo and on to Heodspruit for the nite at Hoed & Berg b&b.

DAY 40 - Friday - 2.15.13
We departed Hoed & Berg late and drove North to Tzaneen. We carried a lady going home to Tzaneen for the weekend who ran a loan business for small loans for short term with no collateral. It sounded like a loan shark business as opposed to a  micro loan program. We passed by endless game reserves for safari viewing and hunting big game. We stopped at a 2000 year old and huge Baobab tree for a peep. The land quickly turned to fruit orchards (oranges, bananas, avocado, mango, grapefruit) and we took advantage of the roadside stands until it turned to mountain country in the tribal areas. On the way to the cycads reserve we passed thru mountains containing many huge factory forests of eucalyptus trees. We toured a couple of tribal areas like we experienced on the wild coast where people live on plots assigned by the chief rather than living in townships. We went on to a special area where the cycad trees (Modjadji palm) were discovered - a tree with male and female trees, pollination, female develops fruit to start new trees, and monkeys spread the nuts. The tree can be moved but they have had no success in starting the plant from the nut elsewhere. We talked with a member of the Balobodu tribe from that area. The tribe and family receive authority and linage based on a matriarchy. Also we received information about the "Rain Queen" - a hereditary position and this person has tremendous power - more powerful than the Zulu king. The present queen is a child as the last queen died of illness at 29 (historically the queen committed suicide by poison) and did not have old enough heirs. The queen actually has wives who are bred by males in the ruling class, but she is considered the offspring's father as the queen is not married and a virgin. Then back to Tzaneen for the nite at Sanloo guest house..

DAY 41 - Saturday - 2.16.13
On to the the north and the Zimbabwean and Botswana borders ... Nothing today turned out to be as expected. Our trip up N1 and near the border included seeing many, many Baobab trees - as beautiful as they are huge. Carried a lady to town for the week's shopping.. went thru the mountains in the rain and then onto semi arid bush land... We crossed the Tropic of Capricorn. Went to Musina and on to Breitbridge to see the crossing and maybe cross. Musina was bustling with business and vehicles loading for the north, but we could not get near the crossing and learned it is a pain to do so. So at noon we thought we would drive 80 kilometers west to Mapunguswe National Park. At 66 kilos the road detoured... At another 10 on the gravel detour we learned the bridge/road was washed out...so back 76 kilos and around another way about 130 k. Got to the site at 3:30 instead of 1:30, paid thru the nose to get in and found the interpretative center closed at 4..  We got there at 3:45 and it was locked up...we raised hell..they consented to let us go thru. We thought the Chinese had a village there 1000 yrs ago. .. Turns out Chinese and Indian materials were found in the excavation starting in 1933 by Univ of Pretoria and on into the '90s, indicating the tribe there had traded with the Chinese and Indians about 10 centuries ago. Also we saw a small rhino made of gold and other related articles on display. Apparently this site was uncovered when gold or diamond exploration occurred as a De Beers diamond mine is a short distance away- the Venetia Mine. We drove in the park to the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers so one can see ZA, Zimbabwe., and Botswana from one spot.  Unexpectedly the park also had animals so we saw the usual plus a herd of 12 elephants from bull to newborn. We thought we would go to the town and crossing to Botswana at Pontdrift by 6:00 ... Pontdrift is not a town, so no milling of the populace or place to stay... And it was not a crossing as there was no bridge.. They had a wire tram for carrying people across in the best of times and one could drive across only when the river is dry.. Carried a women back from a week's work to a farm... Thot we would drive south and find B&b.... drove for 21/2 hours and did not find a place to stay... we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn going south ...and got to Polokwane and went to a motel...!!! 9:00pm     An unintended 475 miles today. EX holiday inn ... Primarily a majority hotel now called the Garden Court.  http://www.gogeometry.com/mining/venetia_diamond_mine_limpopo_south_africa_map_news.html

DAY 42 - Sunday - 2.17.13
Slept very late. ..

Eating style observations and demonstration by our hostess. First observed when sitting adjacent to two farm couples out for valentines day celebration who all pitched forward as they ate in unison. First, if right handed, place fork in left hand with backside up, index figure extended. Right hand holds the knife, blade down. Stab food upside down, cut with knife, and lean forward over plate and take fork to mouth. If you want small food items on fork, turn fork over, push food on upright fork and lean over with fork to mouth..  Do not put the knife down...2 hands for 2 utensils.. We had our breakfast hostess demonstrate and explain. She was embarrassed until we had her demonstrate how Americans eat, then she had a hoot !

We have seen three unique forests - quiver trees, baobabs trees, and the cycad trees.
Out of Polokwane, thru a large tribal area,  past the University of Limpopo, over the mountains with factory forests, into George's Valley of fruit, thru Tzaneen again, and to Heodspruit.  Back to Hoed & Berg. Nap and swim before dinner. Another nice dinner at Sleepers, a renovated railway station where we ate Valentines Day dinner.

DAY 43 - Monday - 2.18.13
Traveled thru the Drakenburg Mountains and the Transvaal to Graskup, Sabie, Mashishing, and back to base camp in Joburg at the Cowan's, Diane and Gary, the South African branch of our family. Dramatic and beautiful ! Took a worker partway to his job. Then into the mountains going nearly a mile high before Sabie and over 7000 feet into Mashishing. The mtns were covered with factory forests, but here they are pine rather than eucalyptus. This area attracts a lot of tourists going to/from Kruger as well as people weekending from Joburg. From Mashishing we picked up a grandmother with her grandchild on her back and we were amazed the maneuvers in and out of the car... just like we described previously- to the expressway. Then on to Joburg at rush hour. Great dinner followed by first coaching by Gary on rugby rules. Next comes cricket.
                     
END OF WEEK SIX