This week restored my faith in humanity and South Africa. After returning to Mountain High Hospital last Sunday afternoon from a weekend in our shopping town, Brendon noticed that his wallet was missing. Mentally we retraced our steps from lunch, to the back row of the taxi where we were squashed with four passengers for the ride up the mountain, to our flat, and finally out back for a haircut. The last sighting was at the restaurant. Monday, Brendon called the small restaurant and inquired about the wallet but none had been found. Dismay set in as the wallet contained his California driver’s license and credit cards, plus a small amount of rand. (We learned after the Thanksgiving mugging to never carry around much money). Ugh! No more driving in South Africa as it would be impossible to get a replacement without returning to California. Driving is dangerous in South Africa but a true pleasure and a necessity if one wants to visit the national parks or see the fabulous African terrain, flora and fauna. The Peace Corps allows volunteers to rent cars when they are on leave. (The Bonds are not ones to stay at home when Vic Falls, Botswana, Namibia, and the Cape beckon). Thus far I have been afraid to drive on the left and worried that I cannot undo 40 years of “Stay Right”. A further complication occurred on the weekend when we went to the ATM to withdraw some US funds and discovered that our ATM cards had expired in January.
By Monday afternoon, I had resolved to learn to drive on the left for our next leave at Easter to the Cape, Hermanus and Stellenbosch. Our Zulu teacher arrived for our language lesson and we told him about our troubles over the weekend. We theorized that the wallet may have fallen out of Brendon’s back pocket in the crowded taxi. I asked Gobese if there was a Lost and Found at the Taxi Rank. He answered that there was no formal Lost and Found but he would call his friend who worked with the Rank Manager. He placed the call and a few minutes later his friend called back saying that a wallet had been turned in on Sunday. Hope for the Bond’s! Tuesday afternoon, Gogese arrived at our flat and asked if we had found the wallet. We answered, No, but we were still hopeful. He then pulled the black leather wallet out of his pocket with a big smile on his face. His friend rode the taxi all of the way up the mountain to deliver the wallet to Gobese at school that day. What a Miracle! Brendon and I were so thrilled that the Zulus would make such an effort for this act of kindness and honesty. I was ecstatic and felt blessed by this uplifting incident. (Plus I believe the South African roads will be much safer with Brendon driving.)
Blessings continued this week as we traveled to Amangwe Village, a Peace Corps site near the coast, to teach beading as part of their community development program. Amangwe Village was a former Mondi lumber company residential town that was converted to a center for teaching job skills and Zulu economic empowerment. Thanks to Alycia for inviting us and giving us the opportunity to see an effective NGO program in a beautiful tropical setting. My goal was to teach all five Zulu beading stitches during the three 4 hour sessions. The first session was 20 hospital patients from the next door hospital who were eager to learn their own culture. The next day included two sessions with 40 child care and home health workers who came to the village to learn organic gardening skills. These two groups were highly motivated and almost mastered four of the five stitches. I tried to give them a break midway through the training session, but they called out “We’re busy” and have no time to sing or drink tea. It was so fun to teach patients who were healthy and could push themselves to learn and perfect the techniques. They chatted, laughed and gossiped in their small circles, enjoying the experience of creating something beautiful from a few pieces of glass. I felt blessed that I could give them something of their own culture as they have the colorful patterns and art forms in their minds, but have never been taught the stitches. This could be another career path for Susan Bond when she returns home- Zulu Beading Teacher Extraordinaire! Life holds many surprises-What’s Ahead?
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Water Blues
It’s South Africa and “SEVEN TIMES” seems to be a rule of life- Seven Rand to the Dollar; a job takes seven times the time and money originally estimated; meetings are seven times as long as those conducted in the US with seven times the speeches; there are seven meals in a day; and any decision takes seven times the discussion with seven times the number of people consulted. This week the rule of Seven sent me to the brink of total frustration, which was then countered with acceptance and the Serenity Prayer: God help me to change what I can change, help me to accept what I cannot change and give me the wisdom to know the difference.
Last week’s blog described the water shortages and the surprise visit by the Zululand Water Engineer who promised to send a tanker truck with treated water as a clean backup supply for the AIDS patients. He requested that the rain water in the 7 auxiliary tanks be cleaned out for the new supply and promised to provide the truck the same day. The truck did not arrive that day or the next, or the next, etc. However, Tuesday night, seven days later, I passed the tanker truck while jogging on the dirt road into the Hospital. I was incredulous that a filled tanker would attempt the trip at 6pm. I stopped the truck and told the driver that the Hospital had seven tanks that needed clean treated water, especially the one directly behind the wards. (When the taps in the Hospital are dry the nurses must haul basins of water from the auxiliary tanks on the Hospital grounds to the patients in the wards. AIDS patients are especially susceptible to water born infections such as cholera, giardia and cyclospora).
After my jog, I returned to the Hospital and could not find the Tanker Truck. When queried, the security guard motioned in the direction of the high school. I sighed and ran over to the high school in time to see the water overflowing from the top of their single auxiliary tank unto the bare red dirt. I yelled “Mana” (Stop)!!! The driver stated that the guard had told him that the Hospital did not need any water and he should proceed to the high school. The truck was emptying the water on the ground because the driver did not want to make the long trip back to town with an almost full tank. I could barely conceal my anger and told the driver to go to the Hospital and fill the 7 tanks so that the AIDS patients could have access to clean water when the pump wasn’t working or demand exceeded supply. The driver turned his huge truck around and headed towards the Hospital. The guard opened up the gate and the truck headed to the tank closest to the road. By this time it was getting dark and navigating the narrow openings between hospital buildings is tricky even in the daytime.
I ran to the large tank behind the hospital wards and sighed again. It was turned on its side and had a large hole. File (Broken!) The tank had not been prepared for the clean supply as per the plan laid out by the water engineer and staff. Disaster hit again as the tanker truck drove the narrow driveway by the wards and pulled out the low hanging telephone wire protruding from the ward. The tanker topped off two more outlying tanks on the grounds hurried out of the Hospital. The results of this fiasco- no clean water for the patients and no telephone service, probably for seven days until the repairman can make the long trip up the mountain. I was angry for the wasted trip by the water company and the curious set of circumstances that resulted in isipithipithi (total chaos), instead of a short term solution to the water shortage.
The next morning in American fashion, I lashed out at the guard that sent the truck away, the maintenance staff who did not prepare the tanks, and at my coworkers who were nonplussed by the events. This aggravation was not in the best Peace Corps spirit and did not help the staff to solve the problem on their own. By Wednesday afternoon, I felt sadness but my frustration and anger had subsided. The words of the serenity prayer hit home, which I needed to repeat Seven Times!
As for the part of Africa that we can change, albeit small, the computer classes for the Hospital staff have begun. Twenty five employees signed up for the classes which are taught after work, using the 3 office computers with three students taught one on one for eight lessons. The classes have been mixed with some success; two of the four students dropped out due to other commitments after work. However, we will continue to plug in students until we go home on June 28, our close of service date. Hopefully, all of the interested staff will get a chance to become literate with the computer. They will have to practice the typing program on their own. We hesitated to start the computer training, waiting for a training room with training computers, but decided to go with what was available as time is growing short for two short time volunteers.
Last week’s blog described the water shortages and the surprise visit by the Zululand Water Engineer who promised to send a tanker truck with treated water as a clean backup supply for the AIDS patients. He requested that the rain water in the 7 auxiliary tanks be cleaned out for the new supply and promised to provide the truck the same day. The truck did not arrive that day or the next, or the next, etc. However, Tuesday night, seven days later, I passed the tanker truck while jogging on the dirt road into the Hospital. I was incredulous that a filled tanker would attempt the trip at 6pm. I stopped the truck and told the driver that the Hospital had seven tanks that needed clean treated water, especially the one directly behind the wards. (When the taps in the Hospital are dry the nurses must haul basins of water from the auxiliary tanks on the Hospital grounds to the patients in the wards. AIDS patients are especially susceptible to water born infections such as cholera, giardia and cyclospora).
After my jog, I returned to the Hospital and could not find the Tanker Truck. When queried, the security guard motioned in the direction of the high school. I sighed and ran over to the high school in time to see the water overflowing from the top of their single auxiliary tank unto the bare red dirt. I yelled “Mana” (Stop)!!! The driver stated that the guard had told him that the Hospital did not need any water and he should proceed to the high school. The truck was emptying the water on the ground because the driver did not want to make the long trip back to town with an almost full tank. I could barely conceal my anger and told the driver to go to the Hospital and fill the 7 tanks so that the AIDS patients could have access to clean water when the pump wasn’t working or demand exceeded supply. The driver turned his huge truck around and headed towards the Hospital. The guard opened up the gate and the truck headed to the tank closest to the road. By this time it was getting dark and navigating the narrow openings between hospital buildings is tricky even in the daytime.
I ran to the large tank behind the hospital wards and sighed again. It was turned on its side and had a large hole. File (Broken!) The tank had not been prepared for the clean supply as per the plan laid out by the water engineer and staff. Disaster hit again as the tanker truck drove the narrow driveway by the wards and pulled out the low hanging telephone wire protruding from the ward. The tanker topped off two more outlying tanks on the grounds hurried out of the Hospital. The results of this fiasco- no clean water for the patients and no telephone service, probably for seven days until the repairman can make the long trip up the mountain. I was angry for the wasted trip by the water company and the curious set of circumstances that resulted in isipithipithi (total chaos), instead of a short term solution to the water shortage.
The next morning in American fashion, I lashed out at the guard that sent the truck away, the maintenance staff who did not prepare the tanks, and at my coworkers who were nonplussed by the events. This aggravation was not in the best Peace Corps spirit and did not help the staff to solve the problem on their own. By Wednesday afternoon, I felt sadness but my frustration and anger had subsided. The words of the serenity prayer hit home, which I needed to repeat Seven Times!
As for the part of Africa that we can change, albeit small, the computer classes for the Hospital staff have begun. Twenty five employees signed up for the classes which are taught after work, using the 3 office computers with three students taught one on one for eight lessons. The classes have been mixed with some success; two of the four students dropped out due to other commitments after work. However, we will continue to plug in students until we go home on June 28, our close of service date. Hopefully, all of the interested staff will get a chance to become literate with the computer. They will have to practice the typing program on their own. We hesitated to start the computer training, waiting for a training room with training computers, but decided to go with what was available as time is growing short for two short time volunteers.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Mountain High Woes and Wows
Good News-Power at the Hospital returned this week with Load Shedding a fact of life for South Africa but with unpredictable patterns. The water shortage did not abate however, and grew worse on Tuesday with nothing coming out of the spigots in the early morning and some evenings. (Great excuse to put off washing dishes). We set out for Vryhied early Saturday morning with a pile of dishes sitting in the sink which will be waiting when we return this afternoon.
With American zeal, I called engineering firms and municipal water officials to determine the root cause of the water shortages. Since the power was working, the lack of treated water must be due to another problem besides load shedding; maybe a broken pipe, pump, inadequate tank capacity or increased demand from the doubling of the boys boarding facility. Ironically the small lake and river that are the source of our supply are abundantly full, due to above average rainfall this year. To our surprise, an engineer from Zululand Water arrived at the Hospital and stated that the pump was too small to provide water for the 500 persons using the system and a plan would have to be developed to replace the pump. In the meantime the utility company would provide a tanker truck of treated water. However, the tanker truck has not arrived and the nurses must take care of very sick AIDS patients with intermittent water supplies.
The nurses are the heroes at the Hospital. The professional nurses (called Sisters) are the US version of registered nurses. They are very experienced and have had several careers in nursing, which is a good thing because they have the character to deal with day to day crises, shortages of supplies, lack of a generator or clean water. This week the Hospital had another sort of crisis with the nurses, director and doctor at odds with each other creating a tense atmosphere. Peace Corps volunteers could not ameliorate the situation, only observe and feel pain from the disconnect. Dedicated professionals, taking care of suffering indigent AIDS patients, could not work as a team. Their squabbling caused us more personal grief than the water shortages or those long trips to town for food. Finger pointing and fault finding seemed to be the norm rather than problem solving.
In spite of the difficulties of the week, several positive developments occurred. First, an order for 20 fleece hats and scarves arrived from an NGO in JoBurg so at last some funding for continuation of the occupational therapy program for the patients has started up. (Of course it will take sales of around 2000 items to fully fund the volunteer coordinator and the quality fabric, beads and shoe materials that the Peace Corps grant paid for this year.) Winter is coming and the fleece hats look very inviting on a cold day- pension distribution points in March look like a good marketing tactic. This week was spent getting the JoBurg order ready and knotting the fleece scarves with yarn fringe.
Brendon and I finally connected with the Principal at the public high school that shares Mountain High. We have been tutoring and mentoring several Zulu students but want to formally offer assistance to the school. Peace Corps encourages a secondary project at each site. The charming man welcomed us with open arms and we wondered why we hadn’t met with him sooner. The high school has 500 students, most of them boarders. They come from all over Zululand and as far as JoBurg and Durban to attend this institution, named after the first Zulu Christian convert. The school has 100% of its students pass the national matric exam each year, the best record for any public school. However, there is the age old problem of town vs gown with most of the local children dropping out before 11th grade but a great education is available, even in this extreme rural site. The students have no distractions as there is no TV, internet, video games, shopping mall or fast food within 40 miles. They are required to attend study hall from 6 to 9 pm each night. They are highly motivated and understand that their role as the promise of the new South Africa. This school has no discipline problems with every student in class, listening attentively to the teacher’s lectures and doing the required work. In South Africa, the certificate or standard is what counts in getting a good job and a bright future.
In spite of no science laboratories, no textbooks in many subjects, and 40 or 50 students per class, signs of progress are in the works. The school has just received 24 top-of-the line personal computers for the students and beautiful new biology textbooks. We offered our services to assist with the computer lab, tutor in the sciences, organize an AIDS awareness day for the students in conjunction with the Hospital staff, and provide a Shakespeare instructor for a special session. (Welcome Melinda). The Principal joyfully embraced all of the ideas and asked Brendon to work on the network that day. The new South Africa is optimistic about the future and we saw this hope embodied in the staff at the high school. AIDs Awareness Day is especially poignant as the students are on summer vacation during the December program. HIV infection rates are finally going down among teenagers but plateaus as soon as the youth leave home in their 20’s. Hopefully an assembly devoted to AIDS education and the theme “Make a plan to stay AIDS Free for Life” will empower the students, lessen the stigma, and open up a dialogue.
With American zeal, I called engineering firms and municipal water officials to determine the root cause of the water shortages. Since the power was working, the lack of treated water must be due to another problem besides load shedding; maybe a broken pipe, pump, inadequate tank capacity or increased demand from the doubling of the boys boarding facility. Ironically the small lake and river that are the source of our supply are abundantly full, due to above average rainfall this year. To our surprise, an engineer from Zululand Water arrived at the Hospital and stated that the pump was too small to provide water for the 500 persons using the system and a plan would have to be developed to replace the pump. In the meantime the utility company would provide a tanker truck of treated water. However, the tanker truck has not arrived and the nurses must take care of very sick AIDS patients with intermittent water supplies.
The nurses are the heroes at the Hospital. The professional nurses (called Sisters) are the US version of registered nurses. They are very experienced and have had several careers in nursing, which is a good thing because they have the character to deal with day to day crises, shortages of supplies, lack of a generator or clean water. This week the Hospital had another sort of crisis with the nurses, director and doctor at odds with each other creating a tense atmosphere. Peace Corps volunteers could not ameliorate the situation, only observe and feel pain from the disconnect. Dedicated professionals, taking care of suffering indigent AIDS patients, could not work as a team. Their squabbling caused us more personal grief than the water shortages or those long trips to town for food. Finger pointing and fault finding seemed to be the norm rather than problem solving.
In spite of the difficulties of the week, several positive developments occurred. First, an order for 20 fleece hats and scarves arrived from an NGO in JoBurg so at last some funding for continuation of the occupational therapy program for the patients has started up. (Of course it will take sales of around 2000 items to fully fund the volunteer coordinator and the quality fabric, beads and shoe materials that the Peace Corps grant paid for this year.) Winter is coming and the fleece hats look very inviting on a cold day- pension distribution points in March look like a good marketing tactic. This week was spent getting the JoBurg order ready and knotting the fleece scarves with yarn fringe.
Brendon and I finally connected with the Principal at the public high school that shares Mountain High. We have been tutoring and mentoring several Zulu students but want to formally offer assistance to the school. Peace Corps encourages a secondary project at each site. The charming man welcomed us with open arms and we wondered why we hadn’t met with him sooner. The high school has 500 students, most of them boarders. They come from all over Zululand and as far as JoBurg and Durban to attend this institution, named after the first Zulu Christian convert. The school has 100% of its students pass the national matric exam each year, the best record for any public school. However, there is the age old problem of town vs gown with most of the local children dropping out before 11th grade but a great education is available, even in this extreme rural site. The students have no distractions as there is no TV, internet, video games, shopping mall or fast food within 40 miles. They are required to attend study hall from 6 to 9 pm each night. They are highly motivated and understand that their role as the promise of the new South Africa. This school has no discipline problems with every student in class, listening attentively to the teacher’s lectures and doing the required work. In South Africa, the certificate or standard is what counts in getting a good job and a bright future.
In spite of no science laboratories, no textbooks in many subjects, and 40 or 50 students per class, signs of progress are in the works. The school has just received 24 top-of-the line personal computers for the students and beautiful new biology textbooks. We offered our services to assist with the computer lab, tutor in the sciences, organize an AIDS awareness day for the students in conjunction with the Hospital staff, and provide a Shakespeare instructor for a special session. (Welcome Melinda). The Principal joyfully embraced all of the ideas and asked Brendon to work on the network that day. The new South Africa is optimistic about the future and we saw this hope embodied in the staff at the high school. AIDs Awareness Day is especially poignant as the students are on summer vacation during the December program. HIV infection rates are finally going down among teenagers but plateaus as soon as the youth leave home in their 20’s. Hopefully an assembly devoted to AIDS education and the theme “Make a plan to stay AIDS Free for Life” will empower the students, lessen the stigma, and open up a dialogue.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Escape to Leopard Mountain
So How’z it for the power crisis in SA? How does a Peace Corps Volunteer cope with no power? The power problem has settled into a pattern of no electricity for a few hours a day. So Why Worry! Akuna Matata! Unfortunately the power issue stretches its nasty web over all of the first world amenities- thus when the electricity shuts down in a remote location like Mountain High Hospital the clean water supply goes kaput and hot water is a pipe dream.
Last Sunday we awoke with no water because of the lack of power to drive the pump for the water system. The pump was primed and electricity restored several hours later. On Thursday the electricity was on “load shedding” and by Friday the power was back but the water and hot water were nowhere to be found. At 11 am the water mechanic announced that the water was on the blitz again. Brendon and I have been adapting to a lack of power with the purchase of candles, flashlights, batteries and a small barbeque for cooking but water restriction puts a damper (no pun intended) on many human activities. So with this announcement and the prospect of no power, water or hot water for the weekend we decided to TGIF (Thank God It’s Friday) by noon and head off to somewhere? Hopefully someplace with clean water! We hitched a ride to town and discussed where to go on of our two weekends offsite for the month.
A Peace Corp Volunteer (thank you Brad) had inquired about a game lodge which is nearby, Leopard Mountain Lodge. However, as the bird flies and the obscure dirt road make this destination a complicated getaway. However, speedy rides to town were coupled with transport to this beautiful lodge and game preserve, 10 km off the N2 highway. What a find! We have been eager to stay at a game lodge that is on the coastal track but have been put off by the prices- only the richest tourists can afford the $1000 per night per person so that they can sleep in air conditioned comfort in a tent with a full bath and butler in the bush. Leopard Mountain Lodge is on the 200,000 hectare Leopard Mountain Preserve and speaks for the future of affordable ecotourism in South Africa. I was embarrassed to call them late Friday as we searched for somewhere to go that would teach us about South Africa and would be fun. Leopard Mountain certainly met the bill! They graciously offered us one of the 6 beautiful thatched chalets high on the mountain above the savannah overlooking the game preserve. Each chalet has comfortable hammocks that swing across the deck. The price per night includes dinner and breakfast, scrumptious tea times and game drives with a lower cost for two people than a hotel room in a US city.
We found our way into Leopard Mountain Lodge late on Friday afternoon and were awed by the amazing location high above the savannah. The chalets are thatched with large covered decks that extend over the mountain cliff. The decorating style is African with local fabrics, tiles and baskets. (It will be hard coming back to the US with hard plaster ceilings that do not absorb noise or provide the insulating capacity (or drama) that beams covered with handhewn thatch provide.) We sat out on the deck for the first few hours gazing at the savannah below with baboon troops running down the dry river and impalas grazing on the hillside. Drums call one to dinner at the “Boma”, a sand pit with gas lanterns, Zulu altarpieces consisting of pots, grasses, sculptures and tables set with fine china, and five course gourmet dinners. Most interesting to note was the fact that there were only three couples enjoying this amazing repast and sensory experience. Entertainment was provided by two toads in stereo competing for territory.
\
Saturday morning, Leopard Mountain provided complimentary game drives on their huge estate, which is now part of the Zululand Black Rhino Preserve. This is an effort to tear down the fences between properties and create an environment where existing game can thrive and former species can be reintroduced. After drinking a cup of real brewed coffee, we headed off in the open air jeep to view the game. One is promised two game drives a day and we took advantage of the offer with other guests as companions. The terrain is lovely with many beautiful African tree canopies, numerous species of birds and raptors and interesting geological formations. The game sightings were splendid-lovely herds of impala and wildebeest with their young, baboons running through the dry river, two cape buffalo cruising the terrain, families of wart hogs, and nyala with their yellow bobby sox and white stripes. The guide, who bears a certificate for wildlife knowledge and safety, stopped midway through the game drive in the dry riverbank for the passengers to stretch their legs and enjoy a cup of tea or cold drink. Surely a civilized way to face game in South Africa! After returning to the lodge where breakfast awaited, we relaxed at the rock pool and enjoyed the panorama below.
When Sunday came it was time to return to the Hospital and face the work for the week. The electricity, water and hot water were all functioning and we were ready for the tasks tomorrow. Peace Corps has taught us to be open to new opportunities and to turn lemons to lemonade. This weekend was full of lemonade and surprises!
Last Sunday we awoke with no water because of the lack of power to drive the pump for the water system. The pump was primed and electricity restored several hours later. On Thursday the electricity was on “load shedding” and by Friday the power was back but the water and hot water were nowhere to be found. At 11 am the water mechanic announced that the water was on the blitz again. Brendon and I have been adapting to a lack of power with the purchase of candles, flashlights, batteries and a small barbeque for cooking but water restriction puts a damper (no pun intended) on many human activities. So with this announcement and the prospect of no power, water or hot water for the weekend we decided to TGIF (Thank God It’s Friday) by noon and head off to somewhere? Hopefully someplace with clean water! We hitched a ride to town and discussed where to go on of our two weekends offsite for the month.
A Peace Corp Volunteer (thank you Brad) had inquired about a game lodge which is nearby, Leopard Mountain Lodge. However, as the bird flies and the obscure dirt road make this destination a complicated getaway. However, speedy rides to town were coupled with transport to this beautiful lodge and game preserve, 10 km off the N2 highway. What a find! We have been eager to stay at a game lodge that is on the coastal track but have been put off by the prices- only the richest tourists can afford the $1000 per night per person so that they can sleep in air conditioned comfort in a tent with a full bath and butler in the bush. Leopard Mountain Lodge is on the 200,000 hectare Leopard Mountain Preserve and speaks for the future of affordable ecotourism in South Africa. I was embarrassed to call them late Friday as we searched for somewhere to go that would teach us about South Africa and would be fun. Leopard Mountain certainly met the bill! They graciously offered us one of the 6 beautiful thatched chalets high on the mountain above the savannah overlooking the game preserve. Each chalet has comfortable hammocks that swing across the deck. The price per night includes dinner and breakfast, scrumptious tea times and game drives with a lower cost for two people than a hotel room in a US city.
We found our way into Leopard Mountain Lodge late on Friday afternoon and were awed by the amazing location high above the savannah. The chalets are thatched with large covered decks that extend over the mountain cliff. The decorating style is African with local fabrics, tiles and baskets. (It will be hard coming back to the US with hard plaster ceilings that do not absorb noise or provide the insulating capacity (or drama) that beams covered with handhewn thatch provide.) We sat out on the deck for the first few hours gazing at the savannah below with baboon troops running down the dry river and impalas grazing on the hillside. Drums call one to dinner at the “Boma”, a sand pit with gas lanterns, Zulu altarpieces consisting of pots, grasses, sculptures and tables set with fine china, and five course gourmet dinners. Most interesting to note was the fact that there were only three couples enjoying this amazing repast and sensory experience. Entertainment was provided by two toads in stereo competing for territory.
\
Saturday morning, Leopard Mountain provided complimentary game drives on their huge estate, which is now part of the Zululand Black Rhino Preserve. This is an effort to tear down the fences between properties and create an environment where existing game can thrive and former species can be reintroduced. After drinking a cup of real brewed coffee, we headed off in the open air jeep to view the game. One is promised two game drives a day and we took advantage of the offer with other guests as companions. The terrain is lovely with many beautiful African tree canopies, numerous species of birds and raptors and interesting geological formations. The game sightings were splendid-lovely herds of impala and wildebeest with their young, baboons running through the dry river, two cape buffalo cruising the terrain, families of wart hogs, and nyala with their yellow bobby sox and white stripes. The guide, who bears a certificate for wildlife knowledge and safety, stopped midway through the game drive in the dry riverbank for the passengers to stretch their legs and enjoy a cup of tea or cold drink. Surely a civilized way to face game in South Africa! After returning to the lodge where breakfast awaited, we relaxed at the rock pool and enjoyed the panorama below.
When Sunday came it was time to return to the Hospital and face the work for the week. The electricity, water and hot water were all functioning and we were ready for the tasks tomorrow. Peace Corps has taught us to be open to new opportunities and to turn lemons to lemonade. This weekend was full of lemonade and surprises!
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