Blogs from Saint Lucia, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, Africa - page 5

Yet again the Internet cafe blocks their USB ports so I am still unable to post pics. But we departed Mozambique on Monday and headed to Swaziland, Africa's only absolute monarchy. It was a great country with very friendly people. We visited a Swazi village and took a hike in a game park. In the nights we stayed in these "beehive huts" which were domes covered in reeds (but electricity and our own bathrooms inside so very swanky). Yesterday, we departed Swaziland and crossed the border back to South Africa, where I will be for the rest of the trip. We will travel mostly along the coast. Right now we are in the small coastal town of St. Lucia, where most of us are just relaxing and we have a boat cruise to search for hippo ... read more

*little story* PICKED ON BY NATURE........ The last day before we left the yengele house to head to Durban and onto St Lucia we went for a day walk in a nature reserve. It statred promisingly enough, a nice forest walk and not too hot. Butterflies and birds and seeing a couple of large monitor lizards clattering away through the forest away from us. Then the trail headed into dripping jungle type forest. I noticed straight away there were these small sort of triangular-ish red spiders in their webs strung across the trail ahead. I knew from the time I came to South Africa before to avoid these spiders, they're not dangerous but can give you an unpleasant rash if you have contact with them. From there on in this trail turned into a spider safari, ... read more

29 Oct - a few sore heads after Janet's birthday but we head off bright and early to Zululand. The scenery is just getting better and better. We arrive at St Lucia Estuary and set up camp at the backpackers. First time camping for a few days and the heavens open while I'm on kitchen duty...although most of the tent was secure the window on my side was rolled up. Aaaaarrrghhh, v soggy sleeping bag and mattress, no nice. Campsite v muddy and the young backpackers are partying in the bar until 4.30am and then we're up at 5am for game drive, I'm not amused, as if I would be up partying until that time...on a school night... 30 Oct - drive to Umofolozi Game Park. Just sign up for a half day's game drive as ... read more

EN FRANCAIS PLUS BAS MORE PHOTOS HERE Hannah's croc pics here and more morning hike and kayak sunset trip pics Once again, as I am set to take the bus, it rains. Lucky me. Saint Lucia is a small beach town, or street rather, surrounded by monkeys, hippos, crocodiles, waterbucks, impalas, warthogs, leopards, buffalos, elephants and the like, all roaming around freely around the area. During the two morning walks through the unfenced park, we get to see most of these, except the shyest, leopards, and weirdly enough, the biggest, elephants and buffalos, who are apparently pretty good at hiding! My friend Caro had warned me against the kayak trip on the e... read more

Happy New Year from St Lucia in KwaZulu Natal, a village at the heart of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park. Or rather, as they renamed it last month, the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. We arrived here yesterday lunchtime. St Lucians seem to share with the Americans an aversion to the idea of going anywhere using those outdated contraptions at the bottom of your body called legs. The lady at our guesthouse looked stunned when she opened the electric gates to her property and we trotted in carrying our backpacks, rather than rolling in on four wheels. The stunned look turned to a look of horror from her and her husband when, after a walk round town, I arrived back later on in the day sans Gemma, who had decided to walk on to the beach. "But ... read more