South Africa - Land of the Opposites by Klaus Metzger, Jutta Hartmann-Metzger (graded readers .TXT) 📖

Kruger National Park

 

Major James Stevenson was born in 1867 in Scotland. In Johannesburg he met Sir Godfrey Langden. As an ardent conservationist, he was given responsibility for the Sabvie Game Reserve. Sir Sir Langdon named Stevenson-Hamilton the first park ranger in July 1902. The headquarters were built in Sabiebridge, today's Skukuza. In May 1926 the National Park Law was passed, by which the Sabie and the Shingwedzi Wildreservate were joined to the Kruger National Park.

 

When we returned to the INGWENYAMA Resort at around 5 pm, we were informed that in the evening a barbecue party with folklore events should take place at BOMA. This room has a larger fire place in the middle and is open at the top.

 

 

 

Folklore dancer from Belfast

 

As the room slowly filled, there was nothing to see from the barbecue. Later in the evening there was a mediocre food buffet. This was not so important. More impressive were folkloric performances by the colored youths, who belonged to the TIPFUXENI Youth Project, and who had been invited to attend the event, which was held at Belfast, 150 kilometers away. The project organizes folklore events for young people who would otherwise have degenerated into their milieu. Obviously, I was so enthusiastic about the wild dances that I was invited to the end of the program.

 

After my return, I contacted the general manager, Martin Tychsen, and gave him the pictures with the folklore dancers. He passed this on to the young people who were very happy.

 

 

 

Samburu dancer

 

6 years ago, I also experienced colored dancers in Kenya, who, according to my impression, did a wartime dance that was much more civilized. They were red-dressed Samburu dancers equipped with their weapons. The folkloric event took place one evening at the Leisure Lodge Resort (Diani Beach, Kenya). The troops must have traveled a long distance, because their reserve is in the center of Kenya.

 

 

Dance with the Masai

 

Relatives of the Samburu dancers are certainly the Masai, who are similarly dressed and perform corresponding dances. After the two-day safari in the Tsavo East National Park, we visited a Masai village on the way back to Mombasa. After the payment of an entrance fee we were received very friendly. For the compulsive Masai dance, I was probably so enthusiastic that I was invited to dance (which I looked very accommodating - as 6 years later in South Africa).

 

 

Lonely in the open jeep

 

The second day in the Kruger National Park was something special, because this time we were out with open jeeps. We had to get up very early (around 4 o'clock in the morning) and were only provided with a lunch package, which we later eat in the Skukuza camp. In the early morning it was very cool and the wind blew through the open jeep. Thank goodness I had in my backpack a few thick socks, which I like to wear during long-haul flights. With these I could help my wife, Jutta Hartmann-Metzger.

 

 

 The second tour started again in White River (A) and we drove to the Malelane Gate (B) to the south of the Kruger National Park. There we mounted the provided jeeps and drove through a natural landscape with different wild animals. With the Jeep, we were able to travel very much closer on unpaved roads.

 

 

 The waterbuck

 

 After an exciting safari with lots of animal experiences and excellent motifs for the camera, we took a break at the Skukuza camp after 2.5 hours, where we mentioned the lunch package mentioned above. We already knew the Skuzkuza camp from the previous day. Then we drove with our jeep and discovered lions that made a very peaceful impression.

 

 

The Camp Pretorius Kop

 

We spent the lunch break at Pretorius Kop, where there was a small supermarket where we could buy fruit and drinks. Eating with fruit is a very important factor during our long journeys. Even in Beijing 2011 we found a small shop, in which we could supply ourselves.

 

Obviously we had the exciting part of our safari behind us, because we drove with the jeep to the Numbi gate, which was very close and we already knew, because on the first day we were over this gate in the Kruger National Park Respectively. Here we got back to our bus, which took us to our Ingwenyama Resort.

 

Now we had to pack our suitcases, because the following morning we had to go through the magical Swaziland to Hluhluwe in Kwa Zulu Natal. We were already very excited and a surprising highlight occurred on the last stage - just before Hluhluwei n KwaZulu-Natal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Through Swaziland to KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa

 

Again we had to get up relatively early. Since two tourist groups were on two buses on the same tour, the right loading of the suitcases was always an exciting moment. This time it was Jutta's job that our suitcases came on the right bus (they were easy to spot, because we had a colorful ribbon).

 

 

 

Walk to Swaziland

 

 

The entrance to Swaziland was a little cumbersome! We had to leave our coaches (on the left in the second picture from above) and walk the border to Swaziland on foot. Before, our passports were stamped with two stamps. We left South Africa at Jeppe's Reef and entered Swaziland at Matsamo (B) - the same was noted on the two punches.

 

 

Interesting for the soapstone figures

 

The landscape changed and became quite hilly. At Piggs Peak (C) we reached an altitude of 1000 m above sea level. Nearby, our bus stopped at a colorful booth "Impilo Yakusasa" (D), which was especially popular among our female travelers, because here were sold Speckstein figurines. One could also observe a figure-carver at his work.

 

 

 

 

Coffee shop on the premises of the candle factory Swazi Candles

 

We spent the lunch break at the candle factory (Swazi Candles) near Malkerns (E). On the way we went to the royal residence of the monarch Mswati III. In Lobamba and also saw the large lawn where the annual (late August) Umhlanga dance (reed-dance) takes place. Numerous young women from the Kingdom of Swaziland are preparing for a week in front of the king in a tale of traditional costumes. The dance should always take place on Monday.

 

 

 King Mswati III. Of Swaziland

 

According to the authorities, thousands of women were expected. They are typically between 8 and 22 years old. This year (2015) happened on Friday night before the festival a bad misfortune. At least 38 young women were fatal at the event, 20 others were reported to have been injured. This is reported by the news agencies AP and dpa, citing a human rights group. About the reed-dance and the bad luck has told us during the trip our tour guide by means of newspaper excerpts (we were in October).

 

Local media, which are subject to censorship in Swaziland, initially reported only seven dead. The women were sitting on the loading surface of a truck that was heading for another. The police had stopped a car on the main road between Mbabane and Manzini, and the truck driving around with about 50 women on board could no longer brake, dashed into the car and was rammed by a second truck. The reed-dance took place despite the misfortune on Monday. More than 40,000 young women will have danced.

 

The polygamous monarch Mswati III. has probably selected one of the dancers at the reed dance (unfortunately I could not do this exactly). So far the 47-year-old chose at least 13 women, other sources speak of 15 women to the wife. Mswati III. His small empire has been as absolute and unrestricted as any other monarch in Africa for 28 years. Its assets are estimated at several hundred million dollars. While he celebrates his life in Saus und Braus, scarcely 70 per cent of Swasis live under the poverty line. The small kingdom has one of the highest AIDS rates and the lowest life expectancy in the world.

 

The candle factory visited by us was founded in 1982. The main task is the candle making of traditional paraffin and 100% organic soya for tea lights. Very nice are also the colorful wax-clad LED lights. In this factory, which we were only able to visit partly, we were very well looked after by tourists. There is a reasonably priced, thoroughly organized restaurant - unfortunately a little drafty. And a very large area in the open air with numerous stalls, which are literally overloaded with tourist articles.

 

 

Sales stand at the candle factory Swasi Candles

 

The kingdom of Swaziland with its ruler Mswati III, who had fallen from time. We crossed the border post Lavumisa (F) to the south, following the same procedure when we enter the Matsamo Border Point: passports (again stamped with 2 stamps) and the "Niemandsland" between Swaziland and South Africa. The coach was already waiting for us to travel to Hluhluwe (G). On the way to the border crossing, we still had some old circular huts, which left many of them their poor life.

 

 

Rotunda in Swaziland

 

On the long way from Johannesburg (we were already 4 days on the way) we experienced a break in our coach for the first time. Shortly before the day goal, he gave the spirit and simply did not want anymore. Then came the second coach. This had already preceded our Protea Hotel (G) in Hluhluwe and had unloaded the other group. We loaded our luggage and were with an hour late in the hotel. Our bus, which had been repaired by the reclaimed Pann service (the fuel supply was defective), also arrived with a two-hour delay. In the hotel we had several times a power failure experience. On our travels I always have a small flashlight. Now she paid again.

 

 

 

5. Underwater horses, crocodiles and rhinoceroses in South Africa

I have already mentioned our