Through Swaziland to Kosi Bay

Our camp, David and I are on the right.

A female Paradise Fly Catcher on her nest right beside my tent.

The beautiful hoopoe.

The male Paradise Fly Catcher takes his turn.

This is how they made hot water for the showers.

This guy has built a different style from the others.

These are snares that the rangers have removed from the park that were placed by poachers.

Our new swimming pool.

Wednesday, November 29^th.

It was an interesting night as every time I woke up I could hear the lion roaring, began to think it was a recording. Then even before the sun came up the birds were in full voice. I got up with the sun and wandered around the camp watching and photographing birds. I saw the scarlet sunbird, Bennett's woodpecker and a pair of paradise fly catchers in a very small nest just outside the back of my tent. The male and female kept changing nest duty. The male has a really long tail, about five times its body length.

When everyone else woke up, we packed up camp, had breakfast and headed off. Today was another long travel day. The first road we were on was really bad and full of potholes which slowed us down. I sat with Joan, Ken's wife, and we talked a lot about teaching (she is a retired BC teacher) and travel. We drove through Swaziland, past the farms and villages. There was not too much to see for a while until we crossed the border again back into South Africa. From there we drove up a very high mountain and had an amazing view at a lookout of the valley below and the man made reservoir that they use for irrigating the farms. The water level is down a couple of metres though as the country is having a prolonged drought.

We stopped in the town of Kosi Bay at a Spar grocery store for lunch supplies and so Jay could buy food for the next two nights. It was incredibly busy. From there we drove over a dirt road to the Utshwayela Lodge and Camp where we will stay for the next two nights. It takes its name from the fish kraal, which are barriers created with sticks to trap fish that come into the bay with the tide. The camp is situated at the entrance to the Isimangaliso Wetland Park and the Kosi Bay Mouth and Estuary, a world heritage site. The area has been protected so that the Tonga people can live here in the manner and with the traditions they have had for hundreds of years. Kosi Bay is a system of lakes, channels and an estuary, ranging from fresh to saline water.

First we set up the tents and then people headed to the pool area. I didn't go in as the water was cold and quite cloudy. We lounged around the pool for the rest of the afternoon. Dinner was a curry vegetable soup and some pasta. After that we a couple of drinks and headed off to the tents.