South Africa 2019

Sunday, 4th.August 2019

On the Sunday, Jane had suggested a trip to pHe Zulu, a Game Reserve and African Cultural Centre about 35 mins. from Durban.

Now I always have severe reservations about 'Cultural Experiences'; very often they are nothing more than a shameless opportunity to fleece money from hapless tourists which goes into the pocket of whoever is running the place, the indigenous peoples not getting a fair reward for putting themselves on show. Call me a cynic but I went there with this idea in mind - but changed my tune when I left.

'Tourist Performance' of the dancers at the 'Cultural Centre'. An informative insight into the customs and traditions of the Zulu Nation or a cheap attempt at taking tourist dollars? You decide...

It is immediately apparent that by simply driving down the motorway and seeing the townships on either side of the carriageway that the indigenous peoples are at a severe economic and social disadvantage. 'Chronic lack of opportunity' comes to mind; if you are a Zulu you will most certainly start life without everything the white folks take for granted and expect to make a successful life. I hoped that a substantial proportion of the entrance money we paid went into their pockets and made a significant contribution to the Zulu economy. I hoped so. I hoped that it didn't just make the owner of the property rich and kept the Zulu 'performers' poor.

You can never be sure about these things of course but one indicator is to look into the eyes of those taking part and to smile and see the reaction you get back. I have to say they were friendly and joyous in their performances and in their interactions with us - to the degree that I think it would be impossible to fake it if they felt compelled, coerced, or felt exploited. I came away with a positive feeling that one day whilst things may not be equal as one would like - they may at least be better than they have been. But I digress.

We had our first Game Drive of the holiday. We were in 'The Land of a Thousand Hills' and it was certainly hilly! In fact so perilous was the terrain I wonder that our guide Xavier didn't turn the truck over on more than one occasion!

We were able to see our first animals though.

Impala I think - or they could be Springbok - no, they're definitely not Springbok. I'm going with Impala until somebody corrects me!

Round the next bend and it's Zebra...

Zebra. See them on the wildlife programmes on the telly all the time. I didn't realise they'd become my favourite animals after having seen them in the flesh. Gorgeous up close.

Lunchtime:

Dan and Candice had long-since told us of the delights of Bunny Chow and for lunch, Alfie said he wanted to try it.
Take a square loaf and cut it in half. Hollow it out leaving a bit at the bottom. Mix the bread you are left with, with a curry of your choice. Pour said confection into the loaf and voila! - Bunny Chow! Alfie thinks it's great!

Ben Murray and Merle Cordier.

Evening walk along the beach

Back from the Safari Park, we took a walk along the beach to the Lighthouse.

uMhlanga Lighthouse

Wherever we've gone in the world and wherever there has been water - there have been people fishing. America, Australia, Europe - everywhere. The lure of water-courses and what dwells within them is universal and here in South Africa it is no different.

They were catching Sardine-like things on what looked to be fairly light tackle considering the tide rips we had experienced mucking about in the water the other evening. We came across one guy however who was using a technique Dan had described to me previously - Drone Fishing...

A bucket is placed on the sand and the baited hook and rig is put in it. The drone is launched vertically and is attached to the baited rig by a clever device which suspends it below in-flight. The drone is then flown several hundred metres across the ocean where a release device is activated; the baited rig drops into the sea and the rod fished in the normal way. My immediate thought was "I could do this in my carp-fishing" but then thought "it's cheating!"... Is it cheating?