The Home Run

Leaving Cape Town, I  decided to wander up Route 62, aka the Garden Route, an incredibly scenic drive along the Eastern coast and then up towards the Transkei.  Sleepy villages, amazing coastal scenery and even, albeit a short detour away, intensive Ostrich farming. Along with its numerous lakes and mountain ranges, the landscape also features indigenous forests, amber-coloured rivers and fields of fynbos, the indigenous vegetation.  This natural wonderland is home many bird and wildlife species and offers a plethora of leisure options and adventure activities.

I stopped off in the ostrich capital of the world. Somewhat isolated, Oudtshoorn preserves a 19th century gold rush feel: even though in this case, the gold came from then ultra fashionable ostrich feathers. Comfortably endowed with solid Dutch influenced architecture and resolutely Afrikaans street names, the town is a fascinating glimpse into the past.

Knysna Harbour

Visits to the coastal resorts of Wilderness, Knysna and Plettenberg Bay were to follow. Each packed with character, somewhat evocative of British resort of perhaps 40 years ago although with a distinct South African flavour. 

From the Garden Route, I followed the main N2 highway, which runs all the way up to Ermelo in the Province of Mpumalanga. The road passes through the Transkei, a former 'Homeland', now part of the Eastern Cape province. A "must see "here is the Wild Coast, home to scattered communities of Xhosa and little else. The scenery is breathtaking and the welcome sincere and hearty. 

Coffee Bay is named for a ship carrying coffee beans which came ashore in the late 19th century, whilst navigating the treacherous waters of the Wild Coast. It would be hard to find a more perfect spot. Surfing, hiking, photo opportunities, and a couple of top class backpacker lodges to choose from. Apart the wonderful coastal hikes, my abiding memory is laying in bed, drifting off to sleep to the sound of the hypnotic Bomvu drums shivering across the river.

The Wild Coast near Coffee Bay

From the Transkei, my way lay towards Johannesburg and its airport, bringing me rather neatly back to where my odyssey had begun in September the previous year.

As it stands, the country is by no means the finished product. To put things in perspective, the Union of South Africa was achieved in 1910 and democracy introduced in 1994.  By any standards, this is still a young and developing nation.  There are still rampant inequalities to address and these are by no means confined to the black population. 

South Africa also faces a potential battle to preserve its status as the economic powerhouse of Africa.  Nigeria is waiting in the wings and is a credible challenger. perhaps provided that it can diversify its economy and embrace the non-oil sector. 

I was sad to leave this amazing country. Hospitality is the hallmark of South Africa, along with a deep seated and wholly understandable national pride, whatever brand of political opinion its people hold.

Despite covering thousands of Kilometres, I have only scratched the surface of this wonderful and diverse land. What I have seen has inspired me to such an extent that I am already planning a return.  Thank you South Africa and of course, the Kingdom of Swaziland.

The Mother City

With an eclectic mix of architecture, good planning, Table Mountain as a backdrop, superb beaches and a beautiful hinterland: Cape Town is well qualified to be South Africa's world city.  The streets are clean and safe, as is the efficient public transport network.  The city, unlike the other mega conurbations in S.A., is run by the opposition, Democratic Alliance. Politics are beyond the scope of this blog, but the way that Cape Town operates is in stark contrast to Joburg or Durban. The city is well supplied with museums, art galleries and concert venues.  It also has several thriving music scenes, jazz cafes and cinemas.

Cape Town City Hall with Table Mountain in the background

It was an absolute pleasure to stroll through the city centre, hike through the suburbs to the foot of Table Mountain and even venture out at night without need for a taxi. There is something for everyone in this fabulous place. 

Most visitors make a beeline for Table Mountain. It is possible to walk up to its 1085 meter summit, but the majority opt for the cable-way. During the ride, the floors of the cars turn through 360 degrees, giving excellent photo opportunities.  All very well on a clear day, but Cape weather can change in minutes. The mountain has an interesting but annoying habit of putting on its tablecloth, a cap of cloud which masks the wonderful views.  

The cable-way operators are scrupulously fair in alerting potential mountaineers to weather changes. Down at the base station, a beacon light revolves to warn of unfavourable conditions higher up. Sadly, I spent more time admiring this system than the view. Just as I was about to buy my ticket, the weather closed in.  Fortunately, the best part of the city bowl; Cape Town lies within an extinct volcano crater, along with the harbour, is visible from the base station.

Groot Constantia Monor House

I used the open top sightseeing buses to get around. 18 Euros buys a two day pass, enabling hop on/off city tours, a canal boat trip, plus an extended ride out into the countryside and back along the beaches of Camps Bay and Seapoint.  The on-board commentary is interesting, matching info with relevant scenery by GPS, although the background music can become tedious. The service also stop off near Groot Constantia, the Cape's oldest winery. Tours to the vineyards are available, via a complimentary shuttle bus system.  

For those with a love of the seaside, the Simonstown rail line runs around False Bay, past coastal resorts and sandy beaches. All very evocative for anyone who remembers the English seaside of 40 years ago.  At Simonstown itself, a short hike leads to Boulder Beach, home to a thriving colony of African Penguins.

The railway  runs right on the shoreline

Cape Town is a must see for anyone visiting South Africa. It is slightly more expensive than the rest of the country, but in my opinion, well worth the extra.  The city has an international airport and is well served by internal flights from the major destinations. Accommodation prices start from around €9 in a comfortable backpackers. 

More info here http://www.capetown.travel/

Letting the train take the strain

Back in the land of Braai and Biltong after a 2 month Indian interlude and very happy to be, I decided to take the train all the way from Joburg to Cape Town. It doesn't look too far on the map, but the reality is around 1500 Km or 27 hours in an ageing carriage.

The train starts at Joburg's Park Station, itself safe enough, although the streets outside can be quite intimidating. Carriages in Tourist Class are of the convertible "couchette" type, with pull down beds.  Just along the corridor is a restaurant car and the sleeper coaches have a shower next to the usual W.C. Food is pretty much standard South African fare, superb meat as always, ubiquitous french fries and for the daring," French" salad, which turned out to be a lettuce and tomato combo, drenched in sweet vinegar.  Booze is readily available, which is probably a good thing. 

I was quite lucky in my travelling companions. One was a quiet black guy, who looked as though he could be a jazz trumpet or sax player.  He just had that indefinable air, along with sharp clothes and a dashing trilby hat.  Another, and this a real bonus: a young, friendly and intrepid pro photographer, on his way to a friend's wedding in Cape Town. During the long journey, we were to strike up a friendly relationship and his freely passed on photographic tips and wicked sense of humour made the time pass pleasantly indeed.

As we rolled on through the afternoon and night, I made a point of getting down at even the smallest wayside station, mostly for the change of scene the break afforded, but also to have quick chats with fellow travellers whilst they satisfied their nicotine addiction. Cigarettes are ridiculously cheap in S.A.

Our 4 seater compartment had a vacant place all the way to Beaufort West, which we reached at 6 in the morning.  Once there, an old chap was incorporated into our happy band.  A few minutes later, the unmistakable smell of wee-wee became noticeable.  My new friend promptly christened the interloper "Jimmy Riddle" and we adjourned to the dining car, huddled long over coffee. 

The next 9 hours was enlivened by a succession of unwanted drinks and snacks, anything to avoid Jimmy, who was compartment bound and well into his sneaky stash of Cape brandy; along with an on train shower, my first. It was surreal, the Karroo rolling past my open window, as I rinsed off the suds.

After what seemed like a justification for the existence of purgatory, our train rolled into Cape Town station, just over 90 minutes late, compounded by a completely unnecessary and officious ticket check on exit from the platform.

Wet wet wet

Just because it is summer in the the north eastern part of South Africa doesn't mean unbroken sunshine.  The rainy season is upon us and those Zulu weather gods don't mess around.  Some of the most impressive, loud and wet storms I have ever seen are a regular feature.  Happily, this is not always the case and the periods of  damp are interspersed with wonderfully warm and sunny days.

Last week, I was able to visit the St Luica wetlands.  The area, based upon the coastal village of the same name is now a national park. Driving through, traffic is frequently interrupted by bands of wandering kudu or even the odd congress of chacma baboon.  Vervet monkeys provide light entertainment, they are some of the most accomplished thieves in the animal kingdom and there are over 300 species of birds calling the area home.

At the northernmost tip of the park is Cape Vidal beach, so named after the commander of a Royal Navy survey vessel who charted the area in the mid 19th century. Pristine white sand stretching for miles and not a beach seller in sight.  I couldn't help but ponder that if only Swaziland had such a beach, it would rank high in Africa's top tourist destinations.

Tan suitably topped up, there was just enough time to head back into the real world for the river cruise.  St Luica village is an upmarket, though unashamed holiday resort.  Restaurants, bars, photo shops rub shoulders with supermarkets selling  tacky tee shirts, beach sandals and picnic foods.  The atmosphere is redolent with sun oil and camping gaz, evoking memories of  holiday Britain many summers ago

The St Lucia estuary is home to countless Nile crocodiles and several families of hippo. Every few hours, squadrons of flat bottomed boats set forth to get as close as possible to these denizens of the shallows.  The animals appear blissfully unconcerned by the waterborne invasion of their living space.  Crocs slither into the water almost on cue, hippos yawn, bellow and splutter and the myriad bird population provide colourful aerial displays between scenes.

On return to the docks, local youth enact their own interpretation of a Zulu giya or challenge dance. The effect is somewhat diminished by the mixing of traditional garb with Puma trainers, but one can't fault these lads for their enterprise and enthusiasm.

During the dark hours, hippos roam the streets. They are nocturnal feeders and leave the water at nights to roam up to 8 Km in search of fodder. There are warning signs everywhere, along with instructions on what to do if confronted by these 3 ton behemoths.  A popular diversion at closing time is hippo hunting. Bands of intrepid explorers comb the residential streets in search of the monsters, who often make their presence known by covering parked cars in mountains of plop. Maximum spread is accomplished by rotating the tail whilst dumping.

If done in company of an experienced guide, the activity is reasonably safe. No one with even a degree of sanity would approach one of these creatures, but it is a surreal experience to watch them cavort, (from a safe distance), through the manicured streets of the village.

Fields of Gold

The road between Swaziland and Johannesburg is by no means the most scenic in Africa. Once Swaziland is left behind, the trek across to the city of gold passes through seemingly never ending high veld. There are two potential stops, one at the country town of Carolina, consisting of a main road, crossed with the odd street housing mostly Afrikaner families and a substantial township, where most of the black citizens still live.

The other and to my mind, infinitely more alluring way-point is at the highway service area of Appaloosa. The Spur restaurant, a tacky Wild West themed steak and burger-house chain, found all over South Africa; has a viewing deck. To my delight, I found that it overlooks a large fenced area around a water hole, home to several species of larger wildlife, including ostrich, white rhinos, Cape buffalo and zebra. Granted, these are not animals in the wild, but to see two of the so called big five, buffalo and rhino, the others being elephant, lion and leopard; is extremely gratifying and breaks up an otherwise tedious journey.

Although I had visited downtown Joburg, this particular trip was made to help a friend buy a car and involved long schlepps through the outer reaches. As black Africans have streamed into the formerly white dominated inner suburbs, so the white population has moved northwards. The city is huge geographically and will soon form a mega conurbation with Pretoria, some 50Km to the north, when the ever expanding suburbs finally meet. Driving there involves constant vigilance, locked doors at all times and no stopping unless absolutely necessary. This includes red traffic signals when there is no opposing traffic, as these areas are prime hunting grounds for car jackers.

Given Joburg's high crime rate, it is easy to become paranoid. Nevertheless, potential tourists are often put off from visiting South Africa as the city is for many, the gateway to the country. Swaziland by contrast, is a relative haven of safety and tranquility. There is crime, but it is possible to wander relaxedly through the cities of Mbabane or Manzini by day and in company, even during the hours of darkness. 

Swaziland did not experience apartheid and has never had a civil war. Rioting, looting and civil unrest are virtually unknown. The kingdom achieved Independence from Britain in 1968 and is in effect an absolute monarchy, currently ruled over by the British educated, King Mswati the third. Although there is some political unrest, the system, underpinned by nationalism and tradition works reasonably well. However, relations with the neighbouring African National Congress government of South Africa are strained at times. As tiny Swaziland is almost completely dependent upon its huge neighbour, it seems almost inevitable that external pressure will be brought to bear to introduce at least a semblance of multi-party democracy.

Back from the Future

Swaziland really doesn't need a Formula 1 Grand Prix. Just take a Kombi minbus along the main road to Mbabane and be part of the high speed action yourself. Luckily, the roads are in very good repair and quite wide. Catch the right Kombi and not only do you get a swift ride to destination, but also a blast of African pop music, with the volume and bass cranked right up. Fares start at about 40c, enough to ride at least 10Km.

With a 70s themed party to attend that evening, I had to use the service in order to do a little shopping at the local mall. Very swish, featuring many of the South African chainstore big players, like Clicks, a kind of funky Superdrug, Pick and Pay, something akin to Tesco and of course, good old Woolworths. There is also a four screen cinema, some pubs and restaurants. Not a bad haul for what is in effect, a wide place in the road. Sadly, I couldn't find any 70s clothing, although the suits on offer in Woolworths window came close. 

The party was held at Sundowners, a backpacker lodge near the village of Malkerns. Having by now had a little experience of these facilities, I expected standards to be high. For example, there are powerful showers, super clean bathrooms, well equipped communal kitchens, often a pool and of course a bar. Sundowners has all the above and more. It is more akin to being a guest in someone's home. 

I had agreed to be DJ for the party. Why do people immediately associate me with the 70s? People from all around the area and of all races turned up in their costumes. Much is made of the decade which fashion forgot, but I was able to do a 2 hour set, using only music from that era. Thanks to Chic et al.

What impressed me the most was the easy and comfortable way in which guests of all hues mixed. Granted, many of the younger ones had been at school together, but there is a level of tolerance and acceptance in Swaziland that I have never seen anywhere else.

I can't remember the 70s having been so much fun, but on the downside, I am about to set off on a 15Km hike in order not to let the calories I engulfed become a permanent fixture.

Rock around the Croc at Mlilwane Nature Reserve, Swaziland

Sondzela Backpacker Lodge. Possibly the best budget accommodation I have ever stayed in. From my arrival the staff went out of their way to help. Special mention to Gertrude the warden the rangers and the supporting cast of wildlife. All situated within a working wildlife reserve and absolutely no barriers between you and them.  Mlilwane is my idea of heaven.

Lots of red soil and gorgeous rolling country a bit like a mountainous, sub-tropical Devon but without the iffy ice creams, pretend pasties and hordes of grockles. I doubt though, whether Paignton Zoo could have drummed up a free range posse of Burchell's Zebra to follow me on my hike or the friendly warthog who appeared to take quite a shine to me. I only hope it wasn't her we ate at the braai last evening. Warthog is a speciality here after all.

With temperatures hovering around the 30c mark by day and low humidity, this is the ideal October destination.  Easy walking, (with plenty of water),  paths and trails are well marked. Reputedly, there are a few sociopathic ostrich to beware of, but they must have been on short time when I walked through because I din't see any sign of them.  The larger animals, mostly antelope and zebra are constant companions. Curious, tame and very photogenic.

Hippos are another thing. Down at their lake, there are warning signs everywhere. By day. they are reasonably placid if left alone, but at night it's party time and they come out of the wet stuff to forage up to 8Km in search of food.  Hippos have killed more humans than all the lions of Africa put together, so it is wise to treat them with respect and stay in camp after dusk.

As for the crocs, well get too close and you could be invited to a game of terminal snap. Not the best way to end a trip to Swaziland. They are killers and just between us, I think they know they are protected.  I saw a couple of monsters.  Legend has it that the first European "boss" in Swaziland disappeared without trace. Years later, a man eating croc was trapped and killed.  In its stomach was found said boss's signet ring.

This is a lovely, serene and friendly country, but it has terrible poverty and a staggeringly high rate of HIV infection.  Education as always appears to be the key.  I am tempted to put Mozambique on hold and see if I can contribute in some way. A few weeks in this beautiful place would be no hardship at all.

I don't really have a plan. At some point, I shall be dropping down to Port Elizabeth to see an old mate, but apart from that...