WE got to Johannesburg by late afternoon.
After checking in, we boarded our bus for a drive through the city in rush hour traffic. Our guide was very apologetic for the inconvenience, but we found it quite humorous, since he did not realize that most of us from Cebu and Manila are so used to traffic that for us, their supposedly heavy traffic was quite moderate.
Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa, is one of the 50 largest urban areas in our modern world and serves as the Provincial Capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa. It is situated on a high plateau, so we were warned that we might find ourselves out of breath from time to time, all we had to do was rest and take it slow.
We had arrived at the end of their winter season and apparently, this was the sunniest time of the year. This, combined with cool weather, was just perfect for me. The guide announced that we all would be dropped off at Nelson Mandela Square before dinner so we could explore it.
What a surprise it was to get dropped off at a shopping center with a towering sculpture of South Africa’s favorite son right at the entrance! The vision in my head was that it would be a park like our famous Luneta. The open space adjoining the mall was one of the largest open public spaces in the country, but it was hard to appreciate at night, so we decided to try out peanut butter coffee at a local coffee shop. Boy did it taste good.
We then had dinner at the Moyo Restaurant, where an unusual mix of local fare was prepared for all to try. The Mopane worms made their appearance again, but I passed on it and tried the rest of the exotic menu. I chose a favorite, Kwa Zulu Natal Chicken Dust Wings in Peri Peri Sauce.
The next day, we set out early to head to the Lesedi Cultural Village located in the heart of the African bushveld, amidst rocky hills within the Cradle of Humankind. A known tourist spot, it celebrates cultural traditions of the various tribes of South Africa. The typical tour starts with demonstrations of dances inherent to each tribe and other cultural activities expressed through song and movement. It is fascinating to watch the performers because their natural grace shines through. Their singing and dancing are effortless, and the sound of the drums can be hypnotic at times. After the show, they take you up to their reproductions of traditional dwellings of various tribes—Zulu, Xhosa, Pedi, Nidebele and Basotho. If one opts to stay overnight, there is another area where huts like these have been furnished to suit guest needs for this unusual experience.
Lesedi was co-founded by a National Geographic explorer Kingsley Holgate, who saw to it that every attraction hosted within the village was as authentic and enriching as it could get, so our guide was a man on a mission. He was thoroughly entertaining and welcomed all our questions, especially when the topic was about the 11 cows for 1 bride rule. And I found out that the best insecticide on this side of the world was cow dung. Their cows fed on citronella leaves, which were in abundance here, so their dung was a natural insect repellent.
Our guide then started to hand out dried Mopane worms yet again, so I decided to get it over and done with. I took a bite, cringed and spit it out. My husband said it would probably have tasted better if I tried it in a restaurant, but if there is something that can be said about me—it is that I am not adventurous with food.
When one of us asked how we could distinguish one tribesman from another, the answer was quite simple. It’s all in the headgear—be it a hat or a feathered turban.
Another thing I found interesting was the circumcision hut. Its entrance was so low that one would have to literally crawl into it, which made sense, since the ceremony inside was an important yet very private one. To crawl into that hut as a boy and emerge a few days after as a man was truly a significant rite of passage. We ended our tour huddled together in the communal hut with men on one side and women on the other, singing and clapping along to sounds that made us feel light and easy.
It was then time to bid them goodbye and head onto our next adventure 300 kilometers away.
We arrived at the Mabula Game Lodge located in the Malaria Free Waterberg region of the Limpopo Province. The Mabula Game Reserve covers about 12,000 hectares and their list of species include 60 mammals, 300 birds, a hundred plants and numerous reptiles and insects. Wildlife includes the Big Five: lion, buffalo, leopard, African elephant and rhinoceros. Only while reading up on them did I realize that there also exists the Small Five: ant lion, leopard tortoise, buffalo weaver, elephant shrew and rhino beetle.
Safari drives are offered to guests in the lodge twice a day. The afternoon drive starts at 3 p.m. ‘til sundown and the early morning drive leaves at 6 a.m. ‘til about 9 a.m.
Expert guide
The safari jeeps can accommodate ten passengers comfortably. There are ponchos ready inside in case it gets too cold or it starts to rain. We had a very efficient safari game ranger, and it was such a pleasure watching him maximize our drives. He could tell by the animal dung whether they were far or near, he would stop to check on how fresh the footprints on the trail were and he used his camera zoom lens to scout a particular area, and would even drive off road sometimes, heightening the excitement of it all. He warned us that if he could smell that the odor of the elephants in sight was musky, we should not proceed in that direction because it meant that the elephants were in an aggressive mode. I asked him about how they kept track of the animals that did not have trackers, he said they did it by air, twice a month, so they could monitor the head count and administer vaccines when needed.
So how does it feel like to be on safari? Well, it always starts out with much anticipation and a little fear. You are after all, like an intruder in their backyard, that is why there are certain rules. One, is always to not make so much noise, especially around the Big Five. You are also advised to minimize use of the camera flash and to remain seated at all times.
The safari jeep is a beautiful thing—it is elegant and fully functional at the same time. It has two gas tanks, that when full, can last for a month with an average of two drives a day. We learned this fact while we were panicking because the fuel gauge had its yellow light ticking. Our ranger jokingly declared that yes, we were out of gas, so he had to stop in the middle of nowhere, in the dark. An “Oh My God!” moment. Then he smiled and got into the driver’s seat once again and turned on these huge spotlights while cheerfully informing us that the second fuel tank was still full.
Greeting
Every time two safari jeeps meet, guides engage in useful chatter, giving tips to each other as to what can be found where they came from and we, the passengers exchange greetings and waves and all go their merry way.
The dinner after the drive was truly one for the books. I mean, how often does one get the chance to experience a legendary bush dinner? The flickering lights of the makeshift candle lamps on the table, the warmth coming from the huge bonfire, the assorted array of traditional South African cuisine and the rhythmic beat of traditional African music in the background was truly a feast for the senses. Truth be told, I could just have been munching on peanuts and drinking Coke and I would have been just as happy. I kept looking up at the100-year old wild fig tree nearby, as if prodding its spirits to tell me stories. Just one fantastic evening!
As a result of the two safari drives we did, we were able to see the oryx, eland, hartebeest, wildebeest, nyala, giraffe, zebra, rhino, hippo, crocodile, warthog, jackal, baboon, ostrich, springbok, impala, buffalo, elephant, cheetah, some species of birds, and of course, the lions. We managed to check 4 of the Big 5 off our list, with the leopard being a no show. But to see these animals in their natural habitat is a challenge in itself. For example, when you see an elephant in a zoo or in a tourist park in Thailand, you can actually go up to pat them, even get lifted by their trunk just for fun. Elephants in the wild are a totally different story. You have to keep your distance and approach them slowly from the back as you go nearer. The ranger is always alert for changes in their movement—if they turn around suddenly with their huge ears raised as a sign of tension, it is time to get out of there. Because as massive as they are, they can move very fast while on attack mode, and I was so surprised to learn that because I always thought of them as these adorable timid creatures.
The lions, on the other hand, when they are full and just lazing around, are harmless. We actually parked near them for several minutes. But I could not help but feel a little fearful of the male lion on the opposite side, busy chewing away on an antelope—its horns framing the lion’s face. Such is the circle of life here, this trip was an education of sorts, and it made it all the more worthwhile.
Pride
By lunchtime the next day, we were in one of the country’s three capital cities—Pretoria. It serves as the seat of the executive branch of government and is famous for its 50000 purple Jacaranda trees which line its streets. Unfortunately for us, spring was still on its way, so we were not able to witness this spectacle which is probably their version of the famous Sakura festival in Japan. A massive bronze statue of Nelson Mandela stands proud at the Union Buildings which serve as the government headquarters. This is the biggest statue of President Mandela and it was unveiled here a day after he was buried at age 95. For a change, we had a Chinese lauriat for lunch but still, in keeping with local culture, the menu included crocodile and ostrich meat.
Then it was time to head to the airport once again for our two-hour flight to the popular coastal city of Capetown. We had reached the halfway mark in this great adventure of ours. Grace M. Avanzado
(Second of three parts)