A brief visit to Swaziland

A BRIEF VISIT TO SWAZILAND

Swaziland, the African Kingdom that is completely surrounded by South Africa

 happens to be the most direct route from Kruger National Park to St. Lucia Wet Lands Park.  This was one  reason for us to route our selves through Swaziland.  The other one, of course is curiosity.  WOW, what a contrast it was to South Africa. 

 The first evidence of this was at the border control offices.  South Africa has modern and efficient passport control and immigration in buildings and facilities that any country would  be proud of.  Swaziland border control area, while effective  and quick was about as different from the South African side as it could be.  

This is a street scene in the first small town along the way.  There were hundreds of these make shift stalls selling everything one would ever need.  Behind this stall, selling what looks like fabric is a very modern shopping center. Quite a contrast.

Walking is the main mode of getting from point a to point b, so people walking on the road were a constant sighting.  Some carried their burdens on their shoulders or  heads while others pushed product or each other  in wheel borrows.

Here  at the corner of a school yard mothers waited under the solitaire tree.    They sat  with coolers and baskets of food waiting for their children to be dismissed from class.  We were lucky enough to pass by as the lunch bell rang out and children rushed to greet their mothers and take a peek at what treats were for lunch. 

These houses are called Rondavals.  They are the main housing  in the area of Swaziland we passed through.  The circular walls could be made of clay,  rammed earth, cinder block or even wood.  They were sometimes  seem sitting near a modern mortar house, but almost always in a family grouping.

Our destination for the evening was a private game farm called Niesela Safaris.  This is the reception area and the restaurant over looking the crocodile pond.

The campground was around behind the crocodile pond.  Before we could even get settled in this young gent and his 2 friends came over to take a look at us..

Before dinner we had a couple other visitors.  These two pictures were taken from our campsite.  Yes, I used the telephoto lens to get a good picture of the faces but they were still very close to us.  I slept with my back window curtain open,  I told everyone I wanted to wake up with them staring in at me.  Pat says that while I was in the shower building the next morning they did come up real close to my back window.

In addition to the  Lodge and Campground Niesela Safaris also have these very popular thatch rondavals for rent. 

I think this is a perfect African sunrise  picture.  A few hours later we were at the South African border.  I must tell you a little story on myself about this border crossing.  We had been warned earlier in the year that there was a possibility of political protests at the border crossing by Swazi Nationals.  We had followed these stories diligently and had even made alternative plans.  After discussing the  possible issues with several South Africans we decided that the chances of these demonstrations happening and closing the border were slim to none so we  continued with our plans to visit Swaziland.  Well......upon arriving at the southern border crossing we were confronted with a road closed sign.  Beyond the road closure was a 8 foot fence, there we could see lots of people in blue and white uniforms milling around.  OH...... what now?  We followed make shift directions to the border crossing, bumped along several dirt roads which led us around several  blocks to the other side of the fenced off road.  The nightmare I anticipated waiting for us turned out to be nothing more than two bus loads of middle school children on a field trip waiting in line to also cross through customs into South Africa.