Monday 2017/01/09

Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park – Umdloti

We get up at 4.30 am and already just before five we're among the first ones, who pass the gate. Yes, there are more mad people like us. It is rewarded with a fantastic sunrise and rhinos and birds and giraffes and ... and like safari professionals we return at 8 o'clock from "work" and happily having breakfast. As the operators of the Guesthouse in St. Lucia said: "Holidays are Mallorca, here is Safari", and: "You have not booked the weather, but animals".

We continue our driving through the park. Around noon usually there are not many animals to be seen. From about 25° C onwards almost all animals are drawn back to their hiding places, but our endurance is rewarded in the afternoon. Right next to the road at a waterhole we spot three lions. The female drinks from the waterhole and then walks leisurely a few meters in front of our car across the street. The two males follow and there is a short demonstration of the power of the younger lion. The older lion gives up quite immediately. Great show!

We are late and drive through KwaZulu Natal on the fastest way to the coast. A bit of a pity, because we have hardly got anything from the Zulu culture. No time is left to visit a Zulu village or a Zulu museum. But despite a four weeks journey, you can not do everything. The Drakensberg mountains are a great backdrop, the area more densely populated, the villages seem more prosperous than south of Swaziland. But the Zulus also walk along the streets, even on the motorway, and organize their rides in small buses and pickups.

The Fairlight Beachhouse is located directly at the beach of Umdloti, 30 km north of Durban and this night we sleep happily with the sound of the surf of the Indian Ocean.