Six Days in the Bush

Six Days in the Bush
The city of Durban is the largest Indian population living outside of India and it was fascinating to learn about Apartheid on the Indian side of things, as well as to have some exposure to Indian culture.

We saw Durban through the bus and organized tours. There is no walking around in Durban – especially along the beautiful Indian Ocean (which came up to our hotel), because that is a prime place that criminals use to rob people. Apparently, the latest thing is to take EVERYTHING from a person – money, belongings, and clothes! We kept joking about having to return to the hotel in the nude, but the warning did make most of us a bit nervous. We weren’t as literally locked in like we were in Umtata, but we did not have the freedom that exists in Cape Town. Therefore, it was a bit of a relief to leave the tumult of the urban atmosphere in favor of “the bush” in KwaZulu-Natal.
We headed to the National Park – Hluhluwe-Imfolozi (the oldest in Africa) where we would be going on our game drives (safari). How do you describe the hilly brown landscape and then seeing elephants walking along a ridge in the distance?! When we pulled into the park office and a warthog (pumba) was feasting off to the side, I thought the bus was going to tip over as everyone rushed to one side to photograph it. That’s what you call tangible excitement! We were all assigned cottages at Hilltop Camp that had scenic views, kitchenettes, and nice bathrooms. Feeling beyond lucky, most everyone signed up for our first game drive that night. We took turns shining the light into the bush, and when you are shining everything looks like an animal! I found a hippo, which was awesome because they are very elusive in the park. Later, we came around the corner to find two white rhinos walking in the road ahead of us! We went on drives the next day – at 6 and then again at 10. Drives take a lot of patience, because it might be a bit before you see anything, but as Ephraim (our guide) told us, not knowing what you are going to find is what makes it “the bush” and not a zoo. My best moments happened in the afternoon of the second day I really wanted to see elephants, but they had moved into the wind (as they apparently always do), across the river, and away from roads. Our guide told us that if the wind changed, we might get lucky. Later in the day it did, and we saw an entire family of elephants emerge from trees and proceed into a giant mud-hole. It was amazing! I thought that would be the ultimate highlight until later when we happened upon giraffes and zebra hanging out right by the side of the road. Then, as we were following and watching zebra a giant bull elephant came out of the bush. We were watching him and he decided to watch us as well. He proceeded to follow us down the road. I thought I was going to pass out from excitement and adrenaline!

After 2 days of safari we moved to Babalango, in the heart of Zulu country.

The lodge was nestled between mountains and was rough going on the bus. We were positioned all around the camp, and the bulk of my friends were staying 3ks away in the bush camp, while I was stuck at the lodge with the early to bed group. I was disappointed until I saw that the rooms in the lodge had huge cushy beds, bath tubs, robes, amenities, and turn-down service while down at the bush camp they were freezing and battling spiders that were bigger than tarantellas!! It is here in the quiet valley that I got back in the running game. I don’t remember the last time I ran without headphones (which I was doing so that I could hear any approaching leopards), and it was amazing to listen to only my feet hitting the cracked dirt road, my own breathing struggling a little at altitude, and then to look around and see springbok and eland staring at me as I ran. During the day a professor specializing in the Zulu wars took us on amazing tour of the countryside, showing us the battle sites and museums. He painted such a vivid picture, we all felt like we were seeing the whole thing as it happened.
It is interesting to note that memorials to the British who died in these bloody battles have been in place since 1883 (4 years after) and the first memorials to the Zulus were established in 1999.
We left Babanango to head for the Drakensberg Mountain range. On the way, we stopped into a Zulu village where the family proudly showed us around.

It was a powerful experience of contrast – urban vs. rural, animals vs. people, young vs. old, and men vs. women. The society is patriarchical and the entire village is set up around the father’s hut. He can have several wives and then grant them land with which they have to grow food to feed their children. The mother’s hut is where all the cooking happens, and it was so smoky in there that I could only stay for a few moments.
The oldest son’s hut was very modern with a big boom box, posters, and a rack of clothes. Xolani, my new friend and trip guide was experiencing his own range of emotions as an urban, professional Zulu man who, like many South Africans I have met so far, is desirous of some kind of balance between tradition and modernity. He doesn’t agree with the lobola (dowry in the form of cattle) that his father is demanding for the marriage of his sister, but he also would only marry women of certain “tribes.” He sees women washing their clothes in the rivers and carrying potable water in giant plastic jugs on their heads, and wonders why they don’t have running water yet – a problem in the rural areas and even in the townships surrounding Cape Town!
The Drakensberg Mountains are beautiful and jagged and we stayed the two nights at Didima Camp. Supposedly Tolkien’s inspiration for the Lord of the Rings, there is a mystical quality about them. Our cottages looked like hobbit homes nestled in the range.

I ran again, thoroughly enjoying the freedom and scenery, but not enjoying the hills! We were able to cook again and enjoy the beautiful skies at night. The next day we took guided hikes up to see 2,000 year old cave art,

and I took an unguided hike with a few people to Mushroom Rock – which overlooks the range and the valley below. A challenging hike at 7,000 feet, but totally amazing!


We had a group brai (cook out) was an amazing end to our time in the bush.

We are on our way to Johannesburg (Jo-Berg) right now, and have already been given our lock-down orders. There will be absolutely NO leaving the hotel, for any reason, in any sized group. We come and go as a group and only on and then off the bus. Our six days in the bush spoiled us as far as our freedom of movement, so it is going to be an adjustment to be back in an urban atmosphere -- especially in one of the crime capitals of the world. However, we are doing some amazing things here, and I am excited to experience this city.
Ps. This last Saturday the 18th was Madiba’s (Mandela) birthday – he turned 91. He lives in the area, so I will keep my eyes peeled!