South Africa-Our Country, Our H me
South Africa, often referred to as the "Rainbow Nation," is a diverse and captivating destination for travelers seeking a blend of natural beauty, cultural richness and thrilling adventures.
Scenic Landscapes: From the iconic Table Mountain in Cape Town and the vast Drakensberg Mountains to Kruger National Park's wildlife-rich savannas and the picturesque Garden Route - South Africa’s nature is diverse and incredible.
Wildlife Safari: South Africa is a top destination for wildlife enthusiasts. Safaris in places like Kruger National Park and Addo Elephant National Park provide opportunities to spot the "Big Five" (Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Buffalo, and Rhinoceros), as well as many other species.
Vibrant Cities: Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban are major cities offering a mix of modern amenities, historical sites, and cultural experiences. Don't miss Cape Town's vibrant waterfront, Johannesburg's Apartheid Museum, and Durban's golden beaches.
Cultural Diversity: South Africa's cultural mosaic is a highlight. Explore the history and traditions of Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, and other ethnic groups. Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, is a must-visit for its historical significance.
Adventure Activities: If you seek adventure, South Africa delivers. Try shark cage diving in Gansbaai, go hiking in the Drakensberg Mountains, or experience the thrill of bungee jumping from the Bloukrans Bridge.
Culinary Delights: South African cuisine is a blend of flavors from various cultures. Taste dishes like bobotie, boerewors, and try the world-famous South African wines in the Cape Winelands.
Friendly Locals: South Africans are known for their warm hospitality and friendliness. Engaging with locals can enhance your travel experience.
South Africa is a top choice for travelers seeking adventure, culture, and natural beauty all in one unforgettable journey.
Plettenberg Bay - November 2022
Plett is known for its sweeping golden beaches, the Beacon Island and Robbeberg peninsulas, lagoons and estuaries, indigenous forest, clean rivers, birdlife, vineyards and wine farms. More recently, Plett has been in the news regarding two fatal shark attacks in quick succession. The town has responded with suggestions for drones and shark spotters, closed beaches, action groups and an excellent NSRI service. But let's remember - we are visitors to the sharks' environment. Sharks do not naturally hunt humans, and they are critical to maintaining a healthy marine ecosystem. Swim at beaches with lifeguards - I’m always excited to get into the waves!
We ventured out to neighbouring The Crags - the wine, nut and polo area of greater Plett. It is beautiful - green fields, horses, white fences and cape buildings. What struck me most was the number of animal welfare places along the road. Most you can visit, and a number have tours and cafes. They cover just about every animal you can think of - we passed Monkeyland, Birds of Eden, and Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary, which run as a trio on one ticket. Then, the Tenikwa Wildlife Rehab and Awareness Centre offers a wild cat experience with African Wild Cats, Servals, Caracals, Cheetahs, Lions, and a Leopard, all brought in for rehabilitation. They survive on donations and money from their accommodation. Close by is Lawnwood Snake Park, which saves injured snakes and releases them back into the wild. The Karoo Donkey Sanctuary is off the N2, as is the Elephant Sanctuary. I wonder why these places have all sprung up so close together - could it be that it’s a particularly peaceful area full of kind people? Or is there a more spiritual reason for this?
Plett is not only the sleepy seaside town you may think it is - there is a lot of serious scientific research being done here that is quite enlightening, if not frightening. Besides shark behaviour research, there is marine mammal conservation tracking the frequency of Bryde's whales being struck by vessels, killer whales, and Southern Right Whales (named for being the 'right' whale to catch for the best meat). Keurbooms Estuary animal life studies the viability of marine protected areas, caring for stranded penguins, turtles and dolphins. The impact of recreational fishing tackle on reef health and threatened humpbacked dolphins is studied in Plett, as well as land-based conservation on the Robberg Coastal Corridor Protected Environment.
Next time you are lying on the beach, think of these valuable studies by dedicated scientists who understand our impact on the marine and coastal areas and support their fundraising efforts.
The Great Karoo - November 2022
Leaving the Hemel en Aarde valley left us feeling like we were ready to get home. However, due to work commitments, we could only get away after 1 p.m. Hitting the N1 felt very different to the rustic roads we had travelled. We were soon rewarded by the wonderful Hex River valley. It is greener and narrower than I remember. It's 25km long, guarded by mountains on both sides. The Matroosberg range is the second highest in the Cape and is named for the rock that looks like a sailor in a boat. The Hex River is translated from Dutch/Afrikaans for 'witch' following the fable dating from 1768. The story is of a beautiful young woman who asked her suitors to pick the rare red orchid flower from the highest crevices of the Matroosberg. The man she loved subsequently fell to his death on his search, and she was distraught. Her parents eventually locked her in a tower, from where she fell to her own death and still haunts the valley with moans of despair, looking for her lover.
Further along the road is Touws River - the gateway to the Karoo. It is known for its fresh air and starlit nights and is especially noted for its health benefits for asthma and stress relief. The veld grows wild with the Cancer Bush, Buchu and Wild Rosemary. We entered Lainsburg, conscious of the 40-year-old famous flood when the town got more than 4 times its average annual rainfall in one day. It was pertinent that we had a massive storm chasing us - it brought home how only 21 buildings remained after the flood, and 104 people lost their lives. 72 bodies were never recovered.
Prince Albert - November 2022
Call it serendipity or coincidence, but when I told my sister Heather that we would be stopping in Prince Albert, she said that Harry and Wendy Welham (her husband Lindsay's brother) would be arriving at more or less the same time! Their daughter Kelly Anne had moved to the village 10 days ago to pursue her art and cooking. We arranged dinner at The Rude Chef and spent a lovely evening with them, as well as her brother Matthew and his girlfriend Raph. It was unexpected, very convivial and fun!
I can't believe we had not been to Prince Albert before. It's so close to N1 and a delightful stopover. It was founded in 1672, but the local museum displays many late Stone Age tools. There is a lot of San rock art in the surrounding area.
The town today showcases beautifully preserved Victorian, Karoo, Cape Dutch and unique gabled buildings. It is home to artists and crafters, delis with fresh produce and good food, as well as the friendliest people in the Karoo. Everyone I spoke to was English.
It lies at the foot of the Swartberg Mountain, so it has stunning views. It is ringed by vineyards and fruit and olive farms. All in all, it's a pretty chilled little village with cooking classes, a fabulous dairy, making yoghurts and cheeses, and a sweet Saturday market.
Passes, Roads and Ghost trains - November 2022
Driving south in the Eastern Cape, we crossed 11 mountain passes before we got to Prince Alfred Pass, the longest pass in SA at 88km long. It took 7 years to build by Thomas Bain, and Prince Alfred himself opened it with an elephant hunt arranged to commemorate the opening. I had to wonder if the hunt was really necessary.
The passes we travelled include Carlton Heights at Noupoort, Lootsburg, Nandesberg, Pardekloof, Perrieshoogte, and Goliathskraal passes before Graaf Reinet. Windheuvel, Perdepoort, Buys, Ghwarrie, and Uniondale passes are before Avontuur and the start of the Prince Alfred Pass. Spare a thought for the land surveyors, civil engineers, and labourers of the 1900s who carved these paths for us. The koppies and rocky ridges must have made it difficult: remote and either inhospitably cold or frighteningly hot!
Our November 2022 trip covered 3600km, and we saw all types of roads. Our national road system is superb, and we can be proud of it. There is excellent signage, lots of maintenance where needed, good petrol stops and pretty picnic sites. The dirt roads we drove were also good and also being maintained. If only the urban areas were as well managed. One very noticeable thing was the number of trucks on the road. It's relentless in both directions, but the trucks were neat, courteous and fast enough.
Who could imagine driving this distance over such a vast country without seeing one train? Trains were once the lifeblood of the rural areas, with towns springing up just because of a station in the area. Much-needed freight was carried on our railways, now sadly mismanaged and corrupt. Vandalism is a huge problem, too. PRASA, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, has discontinued so many passenger routes that one barely considers train travel these days. But there is some light at the end of the tunnel! The Jhb-Dbn train route opened for Comrades marathon transport this year (2022), and a route to Messina is also scheduled. Hopefully, the Blue Train and Rovos routes will run soon with less disruption.
Kruger Park - Easter 2023
DAY 1
Leaving Jhb on time is a first for us. We said 9.00am and at 9.01 we pulled out the drive. Good start. Lots of traffic, lots of cops, one major roadblock (30 min delay) but mostly good progress with little swearing 😝 we traveled on the N4 towards Mbombela (Nelspruit) where we turned northwards to Numbi Gate. I am always curious about where roads start and end and why they are where they are... I learnt that the N4 in SA runs from Skilpadshek on the Botswana border, past Rustenburg, Pretoria, eMalahleni and Mbombela, to Komatipoort on the Mozambique border.It forms the South African section of the Trans-Kalahari Corridor, which runs from Walvis Bay to Maputo, meaning that it links the east and west coasts of Southern Africa. That's a road trip at 2282 km long, tarred all the way crossing 4 countries... any takers? Spent the night at Pretoriuskp camp.
DAY 2 - Pretouriskop to Satara
A fruitful drive through varying 5 different Kruger ecozones - from the sour veld in the southeast through the mixed woodlands, marula and thorn thickets to the open savanna grasslands around Satara. Evidence of heavy rains is everywhere - every channel or dip in the ground is still filled with water. The game is dispersed in smaller herds generally. Our low animal count was 11, with elephants, hippos and baboons at the top of the list. Our sighted bird count was not much better but topped off with a magical close encounter with a majestic martial eagle. The smell and sounds of the bush are a treat and soothe the soul. We could not be happier!
DAY 3 to 5 - Letaba Camp
There were much bigger herds of impala, zebra, and gnus today. Many more birds were spotted.
Our sighting of the day was a Leopard - beautiful, but we didn’t take pictures. Also ticked off Wahlberg and Fish Eagles. Since studying Ecotherapy, I have learned it is not all about size - I started chasing butterflies, and it was amazing how many I could spot in front of our Bungalow in the camp. Yellow, white and orange, all so pretty. I learnt there is subterfuge in that world, too, with a Diadem butterfly (tasty) mimicking the African Monarch (not tasty) to avoid being chomped!
On our evening stroll in Letaba camp, we chatted to a family group - three generations in three huts. It transpired that they are the Homewoods, who built and ran the restaurant in Kenton and pub Jerries below. What a lovely family - we eventually joined them for dinner and much wine and now have new besties! Such unexpected fun!
It was an interesting night walk. All scorpions will fluoresce under an ultraviolet (UV) light, also known as a "blacklight". The glow is caused by an unidentified substance in a thin layer of their skin.
We managed an early start despite our rather hectic night with our NBFs (New Best Friends). It was a very peaceful drive along the river, but the thick bush made it hard to see. We saw about 20 - 30 elephants crossing over the flowing Mdwanedzi River. We looked down from a high river bank- quite spectacular. We stopped at the Nantambeni hide and spent some time being still and mindful. In the evening, we made another loop and found we had left our sundowner glasses at home! We had a swig straight from the bottle and headed home to camp. Our bird and animal count is slowly increasing, but we will not set any records this trip.
We transferred to a safari tent, happily ensconced with the fan going flat out. Our downgrade gave enough credit for 2 x sunset game drives, which was fruitful.
The best sighting, besides the male lion, was two chameleons! Both massive and very bright green, changing to grey with our spotlights shining on them. The Flap Neck Chameleon is the only species in Kruger. Egg development takes 3 - 4 months. The female becomes bloated with 25 - 50 small eggs, and she lays her eggs in summer. The eggs may take 377 days to hatch in the wild. They prey on insects, particularly grasshoppers and beetles. Chameleons fall into the highly threatened group of animals, with the hadedahs declining the urban population to near zero.
After chasing the monkeys out of the car, we were homeward bound. The last stop,12km from Phalaborwa gate, is the Masorini Iron Age hilltop site. The Ba-Phalaborwa people lived at Masorini in the 1800s. They developed an advanced mining industry. They smelted iron ore in dome-shaped clay furnaces and traded iron products. There’s a museum, plus a tour with the lovely James, to look at the huts and iron furnaces at the top of the hill. Anthony was mostly interested in the granary with beer-brewing cauldrons and the Sangoma hut!
This is one of 300 sites in KNP, with only 2 others open to the public. They range from the early Stone Age period and rock art to more recent historical buildings.
The second, Albasini ruins, are the archaeological remains of a trading post built in 1845 at Magashula’s Kraal. A Portuguese trader called Joao Albasini set up the post. It was on a good trading route from the inland Lowveld of South Africa to the seaports in Mozambique. The ruins are at Phabeni Gate.
Thulamela is the third site - about 500 years old. It’s in the very north near Pafuri. It was built by Zimbabweans moving south. The chief of the settlement lived in a palace surrounded by a wall on the top of a hill. A museum will be built soon to display artefacts.
We arrived home safely after horrid toll gate queues. My return home was straight into high-tech theatre for a cataract operation, which went well - all is good. One cannot stop considering the contrast between the raw, natural and even brutal bush and the loud, busy and sometimes brutal city. We are lucky enough to be able to experience both and have a paradise in Kruger Park to lose the city stresses and feed the soul.
Interesting Kruger Ruminations
All linen in standard bungalows is plain in light sandy colours. The beds have proper mattresses with a duvet and top sheet. The bungalows are air-conditioned. All the ones we stayed in had a basin, shower, and loo, but there were cheaper options with ablution blocks. There was also a cupboard for clothes. The kitchens are very cute, some without plates and cutlery etc. All units have a fridge, and some have a microwave oven in addition to a toaster, kettle, and 2-plate stove. Every unit has a table and chairs with its own braai.
The shops were amazing. You can buy absolutely anything, including meat, vegetables, alcohol, curios, clothes, kitchenware, ice, etc. You could come with nothing and buy it all there. That is a huge improvement. There are some camps with very fancy new bungalows with upholstered chairs and double beds with white linen, but with our late booking, we got what we could. Each accommodation has been spotless, with towels, hand towels, soap, bath mats, all kitchen equipment, dishwasher etc. It's a massive machine of an operation and is fully booked for Easter 2023. It's a feather in the SANParks cap.
Kruger’s roads are amazing - 850km of tarred roads without a single pothole (seriously) and 1444km of dirt roads, all well-graded and easy to drive on in a Sedan car. The Road signposts are excellent and accurate, and maps are readily available. It's all very easy.
One can book now for the next 11 months via the SanParks website. It’s very easy too
