We left Durban at 8:30 (nice change of pace) for our first truck/bus trip and went to the village of Howick which is the The Capture Site of Nelson Mandela, on August 5th, 1962 (thus beginning his 27 years in captivity).

The monument consists of a museum and a dramatic sculpture. The whole space – a singular campus – is beautifully designed. The museum is elegantly simple, gracefully and compellingly informative. 

The interpretive display is superlatively designed with side going from African history to Mandela’s capture, and the other side goes from that moment through Mandela’s imprisonment, release, leadership and legacy, with the end of apartheid rule in South Africa. 

The approach to the sculpture of Mandela, which surprises at the end, is a series of events in his long march to freedom. One literally walks through history and the lessons of Mandela’s life.

We had a wonderfully unhurried visit to this singular exhibit…

Then we drove to our home for two nights, the Amphitheater Backpackers Lodge, a now funky camping hotel with some interesting amenities, including a climbing room with a padded floor, a jacuzzi in the lobby, a pool table, and a lot of kooky decorations. Significantly, someone was in to cement as many building features – picnic tables & benches, and even bunkbeds – were made with it.

Upon arriving, Alan & I took a little hike down to a couple of rockified bends in a nearby creek…

Unfortunately, the weather was not on our side as fog blanketed the landscape and made viewing the mountains, specifically the Amphitheater, impossible. (Alternative shots below.) Nonetheless, the cool misty air made for good hiking in the Royal Natal National Park…

More of our hike. The end of this batch includes some bridges, baboons, and more flowers…

Our hike ended, but we kept walking! Eventually, we met up with a local guide who took us to some “Bush Paintings” which are now protected. These were radio carbon dated to only 800 years old, but others are 1000s of years old. (The next cave paintings I saw in Lesotho were 7000 years old!)

Here’s a great shot Alan took of our group (missing Shorty the driver and Dee the cook)…

Since we couldn’t see the mountains, I’ve borrowed some shots of the Amphitheater from the internet…

Next, we travel to Lesotho…

This first batch of videos are all from Khama Rhino Sanctuary…

Our first Intrepid tour ended and we flew to Maputo, Mozambique for four days (two different hotels), then we flew to Durban, South Africa for two days before our second tour began. This batch starts with a school group at the Fortress of Maputo, at the beach, in the airport, 3 from an airplane, 2 dancers at The BAT Centre in Durban, and 4 from our hike in The Royal Natal National Park…

ooo

After four days in Mozambique, most of it recovering from some gastrointestinal consternation, we gave up on going to an island to off the coast and flew to Durban, where our next tour is to start.

We also abandoned thoughts of driving (or being driven) there or otherwise experiencing the joys of surface transportation. Why? After the many hours on the road (and many on the next tour), the thought of more, and the responsibilities of a car rental (not just left side driving, but harrowing Uber/Bolt experiences), and the difficulties of international border crossings (mordida/bribery/etc.), and the potential for falling victim to brigands and banditos, compelled us to take the easier option.

Our tour will start in a the tony neighborhood of uMhlanga, so we went old school and picked a spot downtown, right across the street from Durban City Hall and within walking distance of several historical sites. The first batch shows our flight :(long layover in Joburg): and an initial walk across the street…

Then, on our urban Durban walkabout, we went by the Durban Manor Hotel, a stately old building from a bygone era, still clinging to relevance. I believe that we weren’t able to book a room because they just can’t handle more than a couple of guests. Nonetheless, they let us go in and walk around to check out the architecture and the cool old furniture. This batch ends with a shot about education (near the Dept. of…), and the statue of Dick King (not to be confused with King Dick)…!

Nearby is the Port Natal Maritime Museum, so we had to check it out…

Adjacent to the Maritime Museum is The BAT Centre, an Arts studio, gallery, and performance space that promotes and trains youth interested in visual & performing arts. It’s been around for a while and has produced several now prominent artists, musicians, dancers, and thespians. We met one artist, Everaldo, who told us the back story and showed us around. Check out the videos in an upcoming post of the dancers who let us record their practice session. And check out their website gallery for more…

After that, we took the long walk to an area called the Golden Mile, a stretch of beach fun along the shore line (reminded me of Venice & Santa Monica, or maybe parts of Miami?). Lots of kids having fun, a long row of vendors, and the whole seaside hotel scene.

After a rest etc. at one of those hotels, we walked back (again through a dodgy section of urban Durban) to the city hall building and Natural Science Museum. This batch emphasizes the mammals…

This next batch emphasizes the birds & the bees, rather all our feathered friends and big bugs, or insects in general. However, it includes one dinosaur, one mummy, and more than a couple of dodos…

The evening we went to Florida Road for dinner. After walking the length ot the restaurant row section, we chose one. Even tho’ it was a Saturday night, it wasn’t as busy as one would expect.

The last row of pix in this batch show two things: a surprising shot in a Florida Road dispensary, and breakfast at the Royal Hotel. – a buffet collection, the room, and perhaps Liz & Phil were here…?

In the morning, after that great breakfast and before going to our next hotel (the first for our Intrepid tour), we took a walk to The Old Fort, a mid-19th-century British outpost built to combat the Boers. It was an overgrown relic featuring big trees and scattered memorials to more than a few English soldiers…

This batch includes random shots from the rest of that walk. The Kwa Muhle Museum (which was closed, but we walked in and saw a bit anyway), an old cemetery, some Sunday morning vendors, and a few more statues in the Farewell Square adjacent to the City Hall across the street from the Royal Hotel…

Then, we ubered to uMhlanga Rocks, a more tony neighborhood up the coast from downtown Durban, and checked into our hotel. Then, we ubered down to uMhlanga beach, checked it out and had some lunch. Most of these pix are taken in or near the whalebone pier (note the lighthouse!)…

Ubering back, we met our new tour group then went out to dinner with them at the nearby mall. We’re off this morning in a very similar configuration to our last tour with a leader or guide, a driver (of another big truck/bus), and a cook (yum). Cheers…!

Our four nights in Mozambique have been a time to recover. Our first tour was rigorous and we were tired, but the flu bug or gastrointestinal demon that attacked us both was worse. So, we slowed down, took it easy, but still did some casual exploring.

Our first guesthouse in the green part of the old town was not so great, but our second hotel up the coast, adjacent to a mall, had everything we needed. We didn’t make it out to Inhaca, but we could see Ilha Xefina Grande, and used our imaginations.

On our first day, we took a little walk and a Bolt ride to downtown…

The little harbor that might’ve been the departure point for Inhaca was adjacent to the old Fortress of Maputo, so we went there and had a guided tour. Interesting place and conversation with our guide. Confirmed the evils of Portuguese colonization, but showed Mozambiquan resilience and reconciliation in the face of injustice.

Particularly disturbing was the story of Ngungunyane, the “Lion of Gaza” (different Gaza) who was captured and taken to Portugal where he died in exile. Particularly interesting were the little wooden dioramas depicting significant events in the history of Maputo and Mozambique. (Can you fine the one showing the woman who gave birth in a tree?)

There were also a couple of art exhibits, with paintings all by one woman – Dora – who apparently is the daughter of the man who fired the first shot in the war of independence against the Portuguese back in the mid 1070s. The different exhibits depict different struggles for Mozambique…

Then, we went to the “Fish Museum” just adjacent to where the fish are brought in. Again, we had a designated guide who was great, but spoke little English. We weren’t supposed to take photos in the main gallery, but it was OK if we were in them – selfies only?! So look past the people at the exhibits. An interesting interlude, but then I got horrible stomach pains and we went back to the guesthouse…

That night at dinner, after I had recovered, Alan got sick (returning his eaten food to the same plate!). So the next day, we took it very easy – and moved to the “StayEasy” Hotel up the coast, part of a large shopping mall. While Alan rested, I took a storll, first through the mall…

…then out to the beach. While the pool was inviting, the water was too cold and no afternoon sun…

Out on the beach people were having fun, enjoying the view, playing in the surf or on the sand, etc…

I did some beachcombing with my phone camera…

I found a hidden, private restaurant. Then on the way home, found a natural wood furniture vendor, amoung other sights. Took Alan back to the same restaurant for dinner, since we were both feeling better…

The next day we had a particularly good Bolt driver on our way back into town, so we contracted him to take us to several sites: the cathedral, Independence Plaza, the old fashioned train station, a few statues, several prominent buildings, and then up the coast past our hotel. The last shot in this batch is of the United States Embassy…

After a large seafood lunch, we walked all the way back to our hotel, encouring a few sights olong the way – including a fish market and a couple of huge makeshift restaurant extravaganzas (not unlike an agglomeration of food trucks).

Finally back at the hotel, again we took it easy, but popped into the mall for some Mexican food! (The center pic at the end of the batch above are Mozambiquean chili rellenos!) Early tomorrow morning we are flying to Durban South Africa a couple days before our next Intrepid tour. So, I’ll post now, and start again tomorrow. Obrigado!!!

This will be the last post from our “Experience Southern Africa” Intrepid tour. We’ve ended where we began: Joburg. Alan & I are now going to Mozambique on our own before our second Intrepid tour, “The Garden Route” begins in Durban in a few days.

This batch features our second brewery tour, but was distinctive in that the very earnest and knowledgeable presenter explained the economics of how farmers are trained to grow hops and barley at the same time co-existing with elephants.

This was the first of two, back-to-back long driving days. The neon sign was from a mall restaurant where we stopped for lunch. And below is the whole group at a bushy bushy stop…

We set up at the Khama Rhino Sanctuary campground, then were picked up by two safari trucks to drive through the park. Given the dryness, the animals do not venture far from a water sources, and I suspect their movements are quite predictable.

Immediately we found a large mother and child (white rhinos v. black which we did not see) at a spot near a bush restaurant. Their dung is not as tidy as the elephants, but more centrally located…! We drove out to a pan to see more at a distance, but that and the angle of the sun made them tough to see.

Next, we went to a particular “hide” next to a pool of water and watched. First, another mother and child walked in to get a drink (the baby was still on milk but didn’t fuss about getting num-nums). Then came three elands, the largest of the anteloge (as big a large horse or cow). It was a magnical moment…

On the way back our truck got a flat, so we all piled into the other truck (I hanging off the back), and made it back to our campsite. The next morning we were on the road again, crossing the not-so-mighy Limpopo River from Botswana back into South Africa…

Once again, thanks to our Whats App group, I have a bunch of photos from my fellow travelers to share…

That last long road trip was a doozy. I started feeling sick toward the end, and made into the hotel room in time for two horrific barf sessions accompanied by my own Limpoopoo River. It came on fast and set up camp, and now, three days into our stay in Mozambique, Alan got it too. (Probably from a couple fellow travelers who’d been afflicted previously.

Not only did I miss our last dinner together that night, but I missed the bike ride in Soweto the next day – something I’d been most interested in (having protested against apartheid in college, seen Nelson Mandela at the LA Coliseum, and followed African politics since my days in Togo. So, I’m borrowing a few more pix from Alan to show part of what I missed…

As I finally publish this post, we’re at our second spot in Maputo Mozambique, both recovering from illness, and grateful to have slowed down a bit. Still trying to work out an island experience, but it seems to be off season hereabouts. Stay tuned for those particulars…

Once again, I’m too busy (lazy?) to provide commentary for each clip. Perhaps you, dear reader, can link some of these clips to the narratives in my other posts? In any case, they’re all super short. Enjoy…

Stay tuned for more…

After a nice stay at the Sedia Riverside Hotel and a fair amount of preparation, we headed out to our campsite in the Okavango Delta, getting there by boat – more specifically a Mokoro!

Sadly, the delta has had a three year drought, the area is very dry and the water is low. While this makes for an unpleasantly arid landscape, it benefits animal viewing. Not only does the lack of lush vegetation make viewing easier (no place to hide), the animals stay closer to what’s left of the water. 

Thus, we may have seen more of the thirsty darlings than usual. Nonetheless, the dryness parches ones enthusiasm. The tangled twisting tree limbs are tantalizing, but I miss the lush greenery, the leaves, the promise of life (photosynthesis). Foolishly, I thought all springs were green, alas no, and especially not now here in Botswana. 

Instead of our bus/truck, we were picked up at the hotel by four-wheel drive safari trucks and off we went for two nights camping. After an hour or so on the road, we turned into the bush and the “African massage” (bouncing around) got more rigorous. We sloshed about on circuitous & sandy roads for over another hour or so. 

We passed many poverty stricken patches of ground, surrounded by stick fences containing one or two small cement block buildings or mud huts with thatched roofs. But the goats frolicked and the  people smiled and waved. 

Eventually, we made it to the “station” – a spot on the bank of a delta finger with an agglomeration of “mokoros” evidently each owned by the operator?

The mokoro is a kinda of canoe, propelled by a pole, not unlike the Venice gondoliers or punting on the Thames. With two of us tourists per boat, and several boats of gear & supplies, we constituted a veritable armada creeping into the delta. 

After less than an hour, much of it gently weaving up a thin tendril of the delta, we arrived at our camp site on the bank of a larger lagoon featuring a “bloat” of hippos wallowing in the shallow water. 

Again, our tent city was erected, complete with a kitchen area, dining room around a fire, and a designated outdoor toilet area for some rather exposed “bushy bushy” business. After another nice lunch, naps were taken under trees, and closer to evening we took a guided nature walk around the neighborhood.

After a particularly good dinner, there was more than a little campfire circle entertainment, then bedtime with warnings about elephants, lions, leopards, and things that might spoil a night time bushy bushy…

The next morning we were up for an early, and much longer, walk in the Okavango. We saw various African ungulates, birds, and uniquely painted (wild) dogs. We encountered several substantial elephant turds, various  animal tracks, and a hippo skeleton with a story to tell (last gasp of a dying planet?). After more than a couple hours and more than 10 K, we made it back to our camp.

More of our Okavango trekking…

In addition to lunch, the rest of the day was very relaxing with naps, hippo viewing, and a surreptitious walkabout by me. In the evening, we went for another mokoro ride to find animals and enjoy another dramatic sunset in Africa.

That night it was our crew’s turn to provide the entertainment. But I’m not talking about our leader, driver, and chef. I’m referring to the 11 people who poled the mokoros, set up our camp, guided us on walks, and kept us from harm. After dinner, they sang and danced traditional African songs by the fire light – into the night…

The following day we retraced our steps back to the hotel in Maun for much needed showers and a swim in the pool…

After two nights at Victoria Falls, we headed out to Chobe National Park. On the way, we stopped at the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust to learn about conservation work and animal rescues.

In addition to a rescued deer, vulture, mongoose, and other critters, we learned about the science of animal conservation…

From there, we left Zimbabwe, crossing back into Botswana, and camped along the Chobe River (Zambezi?!).

That evening we took another sunset river cruise (this time with more emphasis on the animals than the libations)…

The next day we drove to Maun, a larger town and the gateway to the Okavango Delta. There was a brief stop to visit a particularly large baobab tree. We stayed at the Sedia Hotel, a nice place with a pool, restaurant, and traveler amenities…

Getting an “African Massage” refers to driving over considerably bumpy roads out in the bush. That’s what we did the next day, in big four-wheel-drive trucks, out to the Okavango Delta…

Next up, the Okavango Delta…

Ideally, I should make a movie. Instead, think of this as dailies highlights.

Further, I should have clever and informative captions. Instead, enjoy the brevity.

In summary, these are from Joburg, Kruger, Nata, and Victoria Falls…

Of course, we answer all questions here at randomvail.com! Enjoy…

As mentioned, this first tour has two parts. Thus endeth part 1, stay tuned for part 2…