Halfway 'Round the World

Blog 5 - The Eastern Coast of South Africa

I'm sure you all think I've given up on blogging.  Not so, it's just that WiFi access has been very lean lately.  I could use my cell phone sometimes, and our computer rarely.  But we have a rainy morning and an hour before we have to leave for our Robben Island tour, so I've snatched the computer and will do my best.

After our sojourn in Johannesburg and Pretoria, we set off for Ladysmith - in Zulu country to tour the battlefield sites of Islandwana and Rorke's Drift. Really, when all is said and done, one has to admire the Zulus.  Under a very ambitious and smart king, Shaka, they developed a very disciplined and Spartan civilization that until the age of guns was almost invincible. The English truly underestimated them, and like Custer, suffered the consequences at Islandwana.  When you look across the battlefield and see all the cairns of rocks, where the British soldiers fell, you understand the scope of this tragedy.   In the end however, modern technology defeated them at Rorke's Drift.  Guns simply, well, "outgunned" them. 

We hired a wonderful guide, Anthony, who was a great story teller as well as historian and brought the tragedy to life.  In the process we also got a bit of the Voortrekker history, Shaka also tangled with the Voortrekkers and Anthony's wife after all was the granddaughter of one of the concentration camp survivors, so little bits of that history crept into his presentation.  We would highly recommend hiring a private guide - Anthony Coleman - if you come to this part of the world.  

When Anthony asked for our plans after Zulu country, we said we had given up on our plans to visit Lesotho - "the Mountain Kingdom" next and decided to take Lonely Planet's advice and head for the eastern coast and St. Lucia Estuary - a World Heritage Site instead.  Oh no!  We MUST visit Lesotho according to Anthony.  He called a friend who had a B and B in Heimville, just below the pass and asked him to put us up after we left St. Lucia and arrange a 4x4 tour up Sani Pass.  Anthony's friend had no rooms as there was a polo match that weekend so he contacted another B and B - KarMichael Farm who called us with all the arrangements made.  As we said, we do recommend Anthony!

But in the meantime we headed to St. Lucia Estuary.  What a beautiful site.  It's on the Indian Ocean and in off season has hippos roaming the streets at night, we saw one ourselves but couldn't get a picture to prove it.  We took a boat ride up the estuary and captured pictures of hippos, alligators and many different birds then headed out to the point - saw Rhinos and Zebras and wandered an almost deserted beach to dabble our feet in the Indian Ocean.

My hour has run out... I have to run, so I will publish now and leave Lesotho for the next blog.  One last comment before I leave.... if you choose to come to South Africa please take our advice.  Rent a car, get a copy of Portfolio - a listing of approved B and B's and go the individual route.  The rates are the same or less than hotels, you get to meet the locals on a personal level and they are SO willing to help make your visit wonderful and always have great advice on places to see that you might not get from a tour book.

Off to Robbens Island..... will blog again soon.

Patrice