Today is the last day on this road trip and I am ready to head back to DeWildt. It dawned bright, a pleasant surprise after last night’s dampness. Connie didn’t sleep well, certain the bleisbok herd would walk into our tent. We took showers in a trickle of hot water and drove to a nice hiking spot. Three hours, part of it on the wrong trail, took us to an overlook at one of the waterfalls. It was nice to be out and we enjoyed watching the baboon troops. Primates are still our favorites. In addition to the ‘boons we saw zebra, red hartebeest, warthogs, gray reebok and the ubiquitous bleisbok. We lunched back at camp and lazed away the afternoon before taking a sunset drive.
Southern Africa’s wildlife is getting a bit tedious and likewise the scenery, beautiful as it is. On this trip it had been the people and the culture that most interested me. From the kids begging sweets to our mountain guide; from the coming of age ceremony to the Basotho villages; from the museums to the craftsmen in the market – it’s the people who make a country and provide the experiences to remember. Lesotho and Swaziland stand in counterpoint to urban South Africa – a wonderful contrast. 