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Background: After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments, but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The resulting Union of South Africa operated under a policy of apartheid - the separate development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to apartheid politically and ushered in black majority rule.

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By Juicelulu
October 5th 2008

Djuma memories

Africa » South Africa » Mpumalanga » Kruger National Park

Damn Monkey!!
taking the muffin from my plate

Day 6 As the final day in the bush comes to a close i am left alone here in the lodge. all the other guests have gone and my plane leaves that dusty airstrip in a few hours. Last night's drive was awesome, but the part i wanted to share with you came afterward. instead of driving us back to the lodge to have dinner, Charles our ranger took a detour deeper into the bush. Till now i have told you a lot about Africa during the day, but at night it is a different place. For starters when the sun [View Full Entry]

By Jan and Vix
October 4th 2008

Krugar National Park

Africa » South Africa » Mpumalanga » Kruger National Park

So we arrived at Mpumalanga / Krugar airport after a whopping 12 hours flying and 10 hours of total stopover hours!!! (7 of those stopover hours were spent at a Starbucks cafe). Huge contrast from Singapore / Kuala Lumpur. From concrete buildings as far as the eyes can see to dry grasslands that span all the way to the horizon. Vicky's uncle leant us his "bakkie" (aka ute) and sent us off to the Krugar Park (after a tour of the Greeff plot - it's been amazing for Vicky to get back to her roots!) Krugar Park is only about 45 [View Full Entry]

By Juicelulu
October 4th 2008

The Monkey and the Muffin

Africa » South Africa » Mpumalanga » Neilspruit

Dry Land
This should be a HUGE lake. like may others this has dried up due to lack of rain.

Bush Telegraph day 4 I think the word I have been trying to find to describe this feeling of awe and wonder is RESPECT. When you are faced with an Elephant so huge that if I was to stand I would only reach its knee, or you come within 4 feet of a leopard knowing full well that if you went only another centimetre closer, it would finish you off in a matter of seconds, you start to realise……who really does run this planet???? If you were to ask me that right now I would tell you it was in no [View Full Entry]

By Juicelulu
October 3rd 2008

Indiana Smith!

Africa » South Africa » Mpumalanga » Neilspruit

Welcome to Djuma airport
The landing strip!

Day 3 Welcome to my blog. This is the first time i have managed to get to a computer and feel that i have so much to tell already, but before i do, for any of you that wish to unsubscribe to this i wont take it personally! For those of you happy to stay, i look forward to sharing my journey with you. Its only day 3 and already its been an adventure! I left on Wednesday night from Heathrow and flew over night to Johannesburg. There i was picked up and taken to a smaller airfield in preperation to [View Full Entry]

By Tacoma Kat
October 1st 2008

A quick look at our trip to Africa

Africa » South Africa » Mpumalanga » Neilspruit

Khoro School
Khoro School, with traditional dancers

We finally have internet. We are staying in White River South Africa, at http://www.heuglins.co.za/accommodation.htm (cut and paste into your browser to see an excellent accomodation). We will be heading home tonight, have a 10 hour flight to Amsterdam, 3 hour layover, and 10 hours to Seattle. We had an exciting visit to Kruger National Park yesterday, that started with part of our group being in a car accident caused by the driver of their vehicle trying to avoid a dog crossing the street. Minor injuries, and our Rotarian friends found other friends to take us on the tour. We will [View Full Entry]

By amyuyma
September 23rd 2008

The One where Tim gets robbed

Africa » South Africa » Mpumalanga » Middelburg

It is around 10pm and we’ve stopped at Ultra City, a gas station complex near Middelburg en route from Nelspruit to Joburg, for coffee and cigarettes for the men, a Kit Kat for myself. After resting a bit in the Steers adjacent to the gas station, we meander back into the parking lot towards the Pajero which has suffered unbelievably two flat tires at the hands of two fat nails on our trip to Mozambique. As we near the vehicle, a scrawny black man in a blue custodian outfit is sweeping up nearby. His head raises and seeing Tony he asks [View Full Entry]

By amyuyma
September 13th 2008

The One where Amy gets mugged

Africa » South Africa » Mpumalanga » Neilspruit

The guy jumps out behind a wall as I walk through the parking lot on a stop made through Neilspruit on our way from Joburg to Mozambique. "Gimme your bag." My eyebrows come together on my forehead in that way to say "Areyoufuckingkiddingme?" "Gimme your bag," and he pulls out a gun. "Ohshithappyto." It was over before it even began. "MOTHERFUCKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" screams over and over in my head. Everything. My shiny white mac, my fat Nikon SLR with lens, my Canon digital compact, my only cash in EUR, copies of my passport, credit cards, ATM cards, everything. My phone, all my [View Full Entry]

By JenKitch
September 11th 2008

Last full day with the Huskies

Africa » South Africa » Mpumalanga » Kruger National Park

Range Vehicle
Note the rifles propped up along side it.

I Spit Poop, and Other Stories Thursday morning, I put on my swimsuit, grabbed sunblock and my book and headed to the pool at Sefapane. Halfway between my hut and the pool I noticed that it seemed very dark for 9am. Did I read the clock wrong? I looked up to see an overcast sky, and it honestly took a moment to process. There hadn't been a visible cloud since I arrived in South Africa 9 days ago, and the 100 degree heat we battled yesterday was now working overtime to hit 65 degrees. It was windy. It was cold. Swimming [View Full Entry]

By JenKitch
September 10th 2008

The Kruger!

Africa » South Africa » Mpumalanga » Kruger National Park

Elephant!
We saw so many! Over 20 elephants roaming around!

5am. Somone is knocking on the door to my hut. I opened the door to see two large security guards with a clipboard, and just as panic began to rise, one of the guards said, "Wake up call" in that delightful South African accent. Time to get ready for our first drive into the Kruger National Park. (As a side note, I've been here long enough now that I'm starting to talk to myself in a South African accent. Is that wierd? Probably.) I grabbed a pre-made breakfast at the lodge and boarded our new, hopefully improved, bus. Sefapane Lodge is [View Full Entry]

By joelsupertramp
September 6th 2008

List of places currnetly on the itinery

Africa » South Africa » Mpumalanga » Neilspruit

To get this up and running, and particularly because i have no travel stories to as yet relate, this is my intended itinary so far!! Leg 1: Fly to Johannesburg, on 6th Oct, arriving on 7th Oct...connection to Nelspuit. Leg 2: After 3 months in South Africa, Fly from Jo'burg to Buenas aires on Wed 7th Jan... then overland to Brazil! Leg 3: After 3 months in Brazil, make a short trip back to England on March 26th to April 2nd... then fly back to Sao Paulo, arriving on the 3rd of April. Leg 4: Overland to Peru, during April, a [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » Africa » South Africa » Mpumalanga