Swaziland

Apparently parts must be sourced from Durban, it’ll take a few days for them to arrive. So, with not much else to do, we head to a local bar to meet some more Swazilanders.
They really are a hospitable nation, even after having a lunchtime beer in what would under most circumstances be considered a fairly dangerous bar we emerge unscathed. The bar we entered was fairly full – even at this hour of dangerous looking scar-faced drunks, each of whom insist on telling us that their king “Who we love”, tells them to make visitors to Swaziland welcome – “we must not harm a hair on your head”!
I’m not sure what penalties the king has put in place for those harming foreigners, but I’d like to think that it’s more to do with our new hosts being dodgy characters with some morals still intact.

Not wanting to push our luck in this bar, which looks remarkably like a prison from the outside - patrons can be seen on the two floors peering out from behind bars (maybe they feel more at home here), we head to the tourist information to find out where the best pool tables are.

We make our presence known in the pool hall by holding our own with the locals… We’re even winning money from them. Ndu, our new friend tells us it’s his wedding on Friday, and that we should come to his party on Saturday – now that’s an invite we can’t refuse.

It takes two days for the parts to arrive and Keira and Jenny send message that they’re safely in Johannesburg.

After Brett and I have gorged on Pizza and satellite TV for 2 days, we head out to some waterfalls near to the Swasi capital. At the entrance to the falls there’s a gate – which charges tourists to visit the “traditional Swasi village” after being informed that the days events are almost at a close – apparently the dancing is almost over we’re allowed in for free and head straight to the village to see the last of the performance.

The dancing is good, but the whole environment is a little contrived. The audience to my surprise isn’t just white American tourists; there are actually some local school groups here too. The end of the dancing, which came only 5 minutes after we arrived was cringe full, yes, they did the unthinkable – a rendition of ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’, that terrible Disney song from the Lion King.
We make a swift exit, whilst the performers grab their bashful audience and form a long line, dancing around the stage. I think, although I’m no expert, that the hokey-kokey dance probably wasn’t part of a traditional Swaziland’s villagers life.

The waterfalls were OK – but neither of us felt like jumping in the freezing water from the cliff today – the clouds are totally covering the sky and it’s a little nippy.

The short trip out of the city proves that all is well with M. We’ll be able to leave soon – but not before we head to Ndu’s wedding party.
The party – quite a low key affair was a lot of fun – great food on the Brai, lots of drinks and only a couple of fights which Brett and I tried to mediate over (not the smartest move).

Brett has a flight from Cape Town within a few weeks – so, as our chilled out time in Swaziland is coming to an end we part ways – it’s off to Loskop Dam for me, to meet my parents, who arrived two days before and are will arrive at the Dam today to meet Tony and Helen my Uncle and Aunt who are on vacation from their home in Durban.