Tuesday, January 15, 2013

December Holidays - Part 1

aahhh...thats better! Fresh country air. We left on Friday afternoon and drove for about 3 hours before stopping over at a self catering cottage on someones farm.


 
Silverstream campsite. Drakensberge. 


 
Joshua just adores Maryke. He'll often talk about her and give her a cuddle. (or a smack, 2 year olds can be very unpredictable) :-)



 
Bernhard!!
 
with his partner in crime Bowen
 
kyk Mamma! 'n gogga!




 
Next stop - Mbotyi camp. The campsite was quite unpractical, slopey and on different levels - a mission getting campers in and out! Our group only just managed to squeeze in! Our tent didn't even really fit on our campsite. But it was still great fun. Joshua is about to take his friends for a spin :-)


 
a dead snake. Maybe it was a Boomslang, but not 100% sure. They are extremely poisonous!
 
You get the hint by now. Joshua was crazy about helmets & quads!
 
Master chef Reinier. He's a brilliant onion chopper. Really.
 
We ate ourselves silly on crayfish and oysters! In the mornings, there would always be some locals hanging around the front gate with fresh seafood. And the best bit? R10each. (about $1.00!!!)
 
Joshua's silly face.


 
these three were asking the little birdie where his Mummy was. 








 
Yummo!! Fresh off the braai.

 
Tea fields. Probably Rooibos?


 
This was funny. When they see you coming, they quickly shovel sand into a few potholes, and then beg for money! Sorry guys, but there are hundreds of potholes!

 
Corn / mealies anyone?

 
would you like a sheep with that?

 
?? Only in Africa!
 
Sure. Jump in. There's always room for more.
 
Next stop - Ntafufu Lodge








 
We made it!! This lodge is completely "off the grid". Solar power and gas. You park at the top, and then lots of locals help bring all of your gear down.






Pa relaxing and making a delicious potjie!

the kids playing a game on the stairs

 
Bowen very proud of his shell necklace!
 
three brothers cooking some fish on the braai
 
walking from the lodge to the beach













Joshua is a real nature man I think. He always notices the little things and just loves being outdoors. He'll often bring me bugs that he's found, or flowers that he's picked. He was fascinated by this flower growing on its lonesome. Cute!

 


 
Ard & Louis

 
uh oh!
 
Pa enjoying a swim
 
scarey Bernhard!

 
these two madams went for a mud bath. (Annelie and Cornelia)
 
stouter! she's even put on eyeshadow!
 
Louis


 
the group that went to Ntafufu (the other half of our group went to another lodge nearby, 4 x 4 access only - a really rough track apparently! Our track was rough enough thank you!) The camp manager was great, really helpful!
 
on our way out again.

 
very modern!
 
bath time


Next stop. Dwesa. Transkei.
We went on a guided tour in the reserve - the campsite joins onto it. Here the guide is telling us that in this reserve there are no rhino's left due to poaching. (He is actually lying, or just misinformed - the minister of the province gave the Japanese a license to shoot all the rhinos. Money. Corruption. This is Africa. Sad, but true.)



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