The next day we drove around the Drakensburg mountains to the northern side to another National Park (Royal Natal Park) which is closer to Joburg. On the way, however, we narrowly missed an intense rain/hail storm! We happened to stop for lunch and the rain started and just grew in intensity until the roar from the metal roof was deafening. It was like a white-out, but with rain/hail and not snow. So much hail fell that parts of the grass turned white! Needless to say, we took an extra long lunch break until the storm had passed and were glad of it based on several cars in the ditch once we got back on the highway.
Yes, that white stuff is hail...in Africa...and it sounded like the sky was falling
Our accommodation for our last night in South Africa was the most impressive. It was a 4-bedroom cottage with full kitchen and outdoor braai (it looked like a fireplace with a chimney so it could be used in any weather). Our guide had been talking about braai-ing for our last night and was a little concerned with the rain that showed up at lunchtime, but we had no troubles. Before we ate, Bridget and I did a nice little hike around the hills nearby and got some good shots, although they can’t do justice to the magnitude and majesty of the peaks in the distance.
View from our cottage
Bridget on the trail
Not sure why she took this picture...
Us with the mountains in the background
Cool sunset!
The next morning we went into the Royal Natal Park before heading up to Joburg (and the airport). We did a short guided walk to see some paintings made by the “bushman” – the original inhabitants of South Africa. It was pretty cool to see them in person, although most of what we could see had been defaced by previous guests. The trail used to be open to anyone at any time, but the vandalism got so bad that they closed it and the only way to go up is with an official park guide so he/she can make sure the visitors respect the artwork. There are 15 other locations of bushman paintings, but they remain secret for their protection. People used to pour water on the rocks to get the paintings to stand out better for photos, but this eroded the sandstone (duh!) and has washed the paint away.
Legit Bushman paintings (look like cows)
Royal Natal National Park
After finishing up at the park, we headed up to Joburg and, on the way, we stopped at a Nelson Mandela Memorial where he was captured in 1952. There was a cool apartheid museum and a sculpture of Mr. Mandela. The sculpture looked a bunch of poles with metal pieces on them, but when you aligned yourself with them, they made a profile image of Mr. Mandela. Really cool!
Sculpture
From there, we stopped at a mall for some last-minute souvenir shopping before our guide dropped us off at the airport to start the journey home...
...love it!!
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