Rhino Rendevous

 Thursday, March 2, 2023

No cell service is driving me crazy!   It comes and goes, kind of like the power, which may have something to do with it.  But, even without a phone, we managed to have another power-packed day of unforgettable experiences.

On the way to our next campground, we went by Howick Falls,   The falls are 310 ft high, and with recent rains, they really put on a maagnificent show.

It was a beautiful sight, and so close to the town center of Howick.   Wonder if they can harness some of the water power to help with the electricity shortage?? 

We walked a couple of blocks and had breakfast, and Jim was able to stop by an optometrist’s office to get the nosepad on his glasses repaired.  He is a happy camper again.  Can’t believe I didn’t snap a photo of him in front of the spec shop!  

We had a wild ride on highway N3 with hundreds of trucks, and safely arrived at a beautiful campground, Queensburgh Caravan Resort in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.   It is a campground nestled in a residential area, with a stream running through it, making a lovely setting.  We found the pool, avocado trees and a laundry—woo hoo!

That afternoon we traveled to a Zulu village, where we were entertained by Zulu dancers.  The Zulus are another tribe of Africa—a rival to the Basotho tribe we learned about a few days ago.

 The dancers put on a show depicting a marriage proposal and wedding party.  

Men are expected to provide at least 11 cows to the bride's family!  (Cattle are a measure of wealth for a Zulu or his family.)   The dancers were full of energy and got our group fired up!  They even tried to teach us a few words (Hello, I am fine--which I can’t remember).  The place had a fabulous gift shop, and of course we found a few treasures to bring home.

From there we went to Tala Collection Game Reserve where we were treated to a South African style dinner of Pap (milled white maize) with chakalaka (a vegetable relish), grilled vegetables, chicken, lamb and sausage, followed by a delicious dessert of Malva pudding (a traditional South African  favorite). 

The weather was great, and we ate outside.  The real highlight though was a herd of Rhinos grazing in the distance behind us.  They got closer and closer, as we all gasped with delight, not believing we were really this close to live Rhinos.

  We  thought they might be coming to join us for dinner, but foud they are herbivores--they eat grasses, leaves, buds and fruits, and wouldn't be interested in the chicken and lamb..  We learned these are white rhinos, which have a wider mouth and eat grasses, as compared to the black rhino which has a narrower mouth and eats shrubs and bushes.  

We were instructed to stay on the patio, and not venture onto the grass, as they are still wild animals, just living in a reserve.  It was kind of funny that we were all trying to take selfies to show how close they were.

As the night wrapped up, we had to have an escort back to the bus, as there were Rhinos on the path.  What an incredible night --a rendevous with Rhinos!

Just a footnote on lack of cell service…I’ve managed to get 3 spam calls, even though I can’t get any calls from people I know!!  After having such good luck for the first two weeks, it’s disappointing to be without my hotspot...thus the delay in getting blogs posted.