Day 21: Ukutula Lodge & Lion Centre

On Sunday, May 29th, we had the day off from classes so a number of us headed out to a local lion centre where we were told that we could see baby lions. Sure enough the Ukutula Lion Centre had that and much more! There we saw 3 week old lion cubs, bottle fed lions that were a few months old, went into an enclosure with a full grown cheetah and took a walk with 4 adolescent lions. It was amazing!



Picture of the Day: Posing with the world's cutest lion cub!

As we first walked onto the grounds, we saw a small pen set up in the middle of the yard outside of visitor centre. The whole enclosure was about 5 foot squared and the sides of the pen were no more than 4 foot tall. Inside we could see furry little critters, but weren't sure what they were. As we walked closer, though, we could here the distinct meow-like sounds of some sort of cat. And then we saw one of the cutest thing I'd ever seen: five lion cubs piled on top of each other!



Several of the cubs were interested in nothing more then napping, but at least one was much more adventurous, wandering around the pen and warning us of his presence. The miniature "roar" he was trying to get out was absolutely adorable.











The centre also has a cheetah on the grounds which was given to them - anonymously - as a cub. She came to them near death and they rehabilitated her. She is now in excellent health, but due to her intensive care, is fully acclimated to humans. As such, we were able to enter her enclosure and interact. She clearly enjoys human interaction as she was purring loudly during our visit. A number of my colleagues were able to pet her, but by the time I moved forward to get next to her she decided it was play time and took off running through the compound. So no close ups of me with the cheetah. Drat!





Next we made our way to the 3 month old lion cubs that were about to be bottle-fed. Since I didn't get a chance with the cheetah, I was given one of the first shots with the bottle feeding. Unfortunately, my cub wasn't too keen on being bootle fed. While a three month old lion cub sounds small and cute, they're really about the size of a medium-sized dog and have amazing strength.

I had my cub in the feeding position about 20 seconds before he decided he was having none of it. He swatted the bottle from my hand and went straight for my face. Thankfully he wasn't trying to hurt me, just to make a point. He grabbed my chin in his mouth, not quit biting, but scratching as he pulled away, then leaped from my arms and tore across the yard, far from these ridiculous people trying to shove a bottle in his mouth. The other cubs were having the same reaction. So for the next 30 minutes or so, while their handlers ran after them, we sat and laughed as 5 cubs skillfully avoided being caught. Hilarious. We eventually gave up the attempted bottle feeding and moved on to our next adventure: walking with the lions.











It was time for our lion walk.

From an enormous enclosure the handlers released four "under 2-year" lions that were to be our partners on our walk with lions. We were told that those over two are not safe to walk with, as they could easily turn on humans at any point. So I asked, how old are these lions? The answer: about 1 year, eight months. I wondered if the lions knew this 2 year rule. As one of my colleagues put it, "this may be one of the least-safe things I've ever done."

Nevertheless, who could pass up an opportunity like this. The whole compound was hundreds of acres large, so our walk was really just a hike along a trail - a couple of miles long - with the lions running along side. The handlers carried with them two buckets of dead baby chickens, which they used to keep the attention of the lions, occasionally chucking the food here and there, the lions chasing down the morsels.

Along the way, the lions climbed trees, ran into a pond to fetch a chicken bite, and even took off after a few zebras that lived on the property.



















The whole centre was an amazing experience, well worth half a day.

I mean, really? Who gets the chance to pet lions and cheetahs? One of the best days ever!

Until next time,

Rachel

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Location:Near Pilanesberg, South Africa

Day 20: Pilanesberg National Park

Over Memorial Day weekend we made our way Pilanesberg National Park, a couple of hours outside of Johannesburg.

On the first day's game drive, we didn't see much that I hadn't already seen, but it was still magical nonetheless.






There were herds and herds of wildebeest and impala, so I finally got some closeups of both of those, which I think I had previously neglected. Above, a wildebeest grazes as we pass.






During the drive we stopped at a blind overlooking a waterhole. There we saw crocodiles, birds, turtles and far-far in the distance, small grey bumps that we were told were hippos.






Crocodile goes cruising past.






The highlight of the first day's drive was the elephant encounter. We came across a single young male which took some interest in us and came exceptionally close. Eventually, he backed off, but not before we all got some great closeups!






We also came across a black-blacked jackal. Though I'd seen these in both Addo Elephant National Park and Kruger, this was the first I'd seen one during the daylight hours! He moved fast too.


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Location:Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa

Day 18: Apartheid Museum & Soweto

In his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, Nelson Mandela wrote that Apartheid:

[R]epresented the codification in one oppressive system of all the laws and regulations that had kept Africans in an inferior position to whites for centuries ... The often haphazard segregation of the past three hundred years was to be consolidated into a monolithic system that was diabolical in it's detail, inescapable in it's reach and overwhelming in its power.

From my travels through the country over the past month, I would also add that its legacy still survives in nearly every part of South African culture. Thursday, 26 May, was a day designed to reflect on the South African freedom struggle and to consider the progress - and remaining struggles - in the fight for equity for all within the South African society. We began the day by visiting the Apartheid Museum, which seeks to explain the crushing system enacted by the white minority to repress black South Africans. We also toured the Soweto Township, a community that began as one of the relocation sites for the black populations, but is today a thriving community with a proud history. Located just outside of Johannesburg, the community became a hotbed of the anti-apartheid movement. Finally, we visited the Hector Peterson Museum, which presents the role that children played in the Freedom Struggle.



Picture of the Day: On the Streets of Soweto I Met These Two Boys Returning Home From School.

The day began with a trip to the Aparteid Museum. The museum was quite well done and extremely thorough in it's explanation of the years of "High Apartheid." While at times graphic, it told the story in a meaningful and appropriate way.



Identification Cards, like the one above, categorized one's racial status. That classification determined your education, where you could live, and the rights that were afforded to you.

After the Apartheid Museum, we made our way to the Soweto Township. The tour of the Township was one of the more powerful experiences on this trip.

Soweto is most widely known for it's resistance during the years of Apartheid. The most significant incident, known as the Soweto uprising occurred on June 16, 1976. Our visit to Soweto looked at both the community as it is today and at it's historic role in the anti-apartheid movement.

Though there is exceptional poverty in many areas of this community, the most striking features I observed during our time there was the sense of community and the pride that nearly everyone has in their homes, their community and the South African nation. For many of these people, especially the desperately poor, little has changed in the years since freedom came to this country. But, it is remarkable how much faith they still have that, in time, life will get better.


A women I met on the streets saw me taking pictures and pointed out her house (above). She mentioned how very proud she was of it and thought it was the prettiest in the neighborhood. I told her I very much agreed. I loved the colors.



All around the community (both the wealthier areas and the not-so-wealthy areas) were signs of pride and hope for the future.

While in Soweto, we also had the opportunity to visit the Regina Mundi Catholic Church. During The Struggle the church was used by those of all faiths to speak about the challenges that their community faced during those dark years. Many of the liberation movement's top leaders spoke here at one time or another, including future President Nelson Mandela.







Above: Mandela signs the church registry on a visit in 2010.



The church is full of colorful stained glass windows such as the one above, depicting Mandela.

The Hector Peterson Museum was probably the single most emotional experience I've had since I've been here. Nothing has touched me as much as the story of this young man - and the symbol he has become for all children who struggled under Apartheid.

The story of Hector Peterson is the story of the beginning of the Soweto uprisings. In 1976 a decree was made that all African students in South Africa would begin instruction in the Afrikaans language (the language of the white minority). But in Soweto the local school board had long held that instruction would be in English. Since many of the students did not speak Afrikaans, it became impossible to teach the students. Fed up by the lack of response to their struggles with the new policy, the students sought to make their voices heard. Unbeknownst to their parents or teachers, a group of middle school aged students organized a protest where students from multiple local schools would stage a walkout, where they would march to a local stadium, and there, voice their grievances to authorities.

But before the students could reach the stadium, they encountered the police who ordered the children to disperse. Despite the peaceful nature of the march, the police eventually opened fire, killing a number of youth including Hector Peterson.

The image of Peterson's body being carried away by an older friend captured the attention of those around the world of the atrocities being committed under Apartheid and Hector Peterson became a symbol of the Struggle.



Above: Monument outside of the Hector Peterson museum. The picture to the left is the famous imagine of Peterson's body being carried away. The inscription on the monument reads: TO HONOR THE YOUTH WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM.



Despite the heavy nature of the days events, the evening walk through the township left me feeling a great sense of peace and hope within this community. It was truly a beautiful experience and one I'll remember always.

Until next time,

Rachel

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Location:Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa

Day 16-17: The HIV/AIDS Crisis in South Africa

As many of you may know, this 4-week trip had two purposes. The first was sightseeing and leisure travel, which you can see from the the previous postings went quite well. The second phase of the trip, however, shifts gears as I participate in a two week study abroad program. For a two week period (24 May - 4 June) I am attending a public policy class through George Mason University at the University of Pretoria and the University of Cape Town. On Tuesday, 24 May we had a series of classroom lectures on the HIV/AIDS crisis in South Africa. On Wednesday, 25 May, we did site visits to several local facilities providing services to those infected and affected by the disease.




Picture of the Day: Daycare proving care for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS

We began the day by visiting the Centre for the Study of Aids at the University of Pretoria. The Centre provides a wide range of support services to those impacted by the disease.







Above: At one of the facilities, which provides hospice care to homebound patients, supporters of the center help to grow herb and chilis. The sale of these goods are used to help support the Centre.




Above: Chilis drying in the sun.

For lunch we met at a local restaurant, serving traditional Africa fare. The food was exceptional, though a bit exotic. I have to admit, I didn't try the beef tounge or the "trite."







In the afternoon, we visited the Union House, the Executive Building of the South African government.












Above: During Apartheid, the grounds of the Union Building were restricted. Most South African had never set foot on these grounds before 1994.

Clearly, South Africa faces some very series challenges, particularly with respect to the AIDS crisis, but fortunately, the country is blessed with some very bright and passionate people who are deeply dedicated to the country's future.

Until next time,

Rachel

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Location:Hammansskraal, Guateng Province, South Africa

Day 13-15: The Drakensberg and the Kingdom of Lesotho

Below is the blog entry for Saturday, May 21st through Monday, May 23rd. Sorry for the late posting. The internet is often spotty and/or expensive here. Right now I'm in a guesthouse where it's free, but it doesn't work consistently. Oh well. No point stressing about it. As the locals say ... TIA ... This Is Africa.

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This past weekend I had the opportunity to travel to the Drakensberg Mountains and take a day-long excursion over the border and into the mountain kingdom of Lesotho (pronounced: la-su-tu). Coming from Lesotho's eastern border, there are limited entry points into the country, as most of its eastern portion is a sparsely populated highland area. A good deal of the land is preserved in a transfrontier park with South Africa, but I get the feeling that even if it weren't, they're wouldn't be a lot of people there. Its a ruggedly beautiful, but extremely punishing, landscape.



Picture of the Day: At Sani Top, in the Drakensberg Mountains.

I made it from the East Coast City of Durban to the small village of Underberg near the Lesotho border around midday Saturday. I had elected to stay at a backpackers hostel called the Sani Lodge. The accommodations are quite inexpensive, but backpackers lodges are just like college dorms, bathroom sharing and all. While it was a little cozy living this close with others, the upside is that you meet incredibly interesting folks. I struck up a conversation with a couple of other lodgers that told me of their work work with an NGO. The group goes into rural African communities and helps entrepreneurs work together to set up tourist routes. Since so many in the rural regions have no access to employment the venture provides an opportunity for job creation. The idea is that, together, the individual businesses can create the infrastructure that will be inviting to tourists. Throughout the trip, we've been referring to "The Garden Route," "The Whale Watching Route," "The Blyde River Canyon Scenic Route," and "The Waterfalls Route": turns out, this is preciously what this group does. Very cool.

I also met a middle-aged woman from the Netherlands who is on a year-long journey around Africa. She had just spent the past 3 months traveling through west Africa, including the DRC. It surprised me how fearless she appeared to be. When I commented that this must be the journey of a life-time, she replied that it was quite interesting, but that this was not her first time traveling for an extended period through Africa. Apparently she works for 2 years at a time then travels a region of the world for the next year, something she's been doing more than 16 years now. It was fascinating to hear her describe her experiences.

On first arriving at the hostel I had second-guessed my choice of accommodations. But after meeting these folks - and many others - I'm glad I decided to stay. There is a true community of travelers in these places and a vibe that you just don't get at a hotel or guesthouse. As this was a weekend on my own, it was nice to have this as a base from which to explore the region. And explore, I did.



Above: The Sani Lodge backpacker hostel.



Above: My room at the Lodge. At least it wasn't in the dorms.

My attraction to this Region had been based on the opportunity to join a 4x4 excursion up the notorious Sani Pass (pronounced: Sa-nee). The Pass is a rugged, switchback jeep trail that climbs straight up the eastern face of the Drakensberg and connects the eastern highlands of Lesotho to South Africa. At the top of the pass are remote border posts where you can tell there is limited cross-border traffic. I made the trek with a local guide and a couple of others from my lodge.



Above: The LandRover is one of the few vehicles that can take the Sani Pass. No fancy finishes on the inside, just bench seating and plenty of grab bars.

Along the way, we learned that the Drakensberg has played an interesting role in the distribution of the tribal peoples of southern Africa. The land at the bottom of the mountain - in what is now the Kwazulu-Natal Province of South Africa - is the historical home of the Zulu tribe. In the 19th century the Zulu were a powerful, warrior nation and under King Shaka were able to conquer many of her neighboring peoples. The Basotho tribe were one of the many groups that felt this pressure from the Zulu. But the Basotho were able to retreat to the high veld region beyond the Drakensberg and from here were able to defend themselves against the advances of the Zulu.



Above: View from what the Zulu called the "Valley of the Spears." The Basotho defended Zulu advances by throwing spears on the Impi Warriors from the cliff tops. The Zulu were ultimately unsuccessful and the Basotho established the high veld as their lands.

In later years the Sani Pass was established as a trading route to allow Basotho farmers from the highlands to trade their wool with the towns below. The pass was initially a donkey trail and it wasn't until the late 1940s that the first vehicle was able to make it up the Pass. Today the route still requires a 4x4 vehicle.




Above: The Sani Pass road winds it's way up the Drakensberg.

At the top of the Pass, we were at an elevation of over 3500 meters (more than 11,000 feet). At this elevation, no trees are able to grow and there is only limited wildlife. One of the few creatures that do exist, and in fact thrive in this environment, is a small hamster-like creature known as the Ice Rat. They're funny little creatures and seemed endlessly curious of our activities.



Above: Ice Rat checks out the noise.



Above: Ice Rat scurries past.

Once at the top of the Pass, we continued along the high veld many kilometers into the interior until we came to a point which the guide indicated was within a few hundred meters of the highest point in Africa south of Kilimanjaro. Here, we rested and enjoyed a picnic lunch. We hiked around a bit, exploring the area and enjoying the unbelievable vistas.



Above: View from the top of the high veld.

On our return trip we were able to stop at the home of Basotho woman who was a trader in her village. Inside she had foodstuffs (bread and maize products), blankets made of the local wool, and beer. She allowed us to sample the beer, but as much as wanted, I wasn't able to drink much. It was a frothy pink-grey liquid that was dipped from a bubbling container in the center of the room. I made a great effort and was able to take a few sips, but Basotho beer is clearly an acquired taste. I bought some bread and a small doll that was one of the few toys she had for sale. Outside, the guide explained how the individuals here survive the extremely harsh winters. Of course, there is no electricity and very little else in terms of heating products. So the people make do with what they have: animal dung. Throughout the year the dung will be collected in specific areas, allowed to compact and then, in preparation for the winter will be cut into small bricks and stockpiled outside the home.


Above: Home of the local trader in the Lesotho village we visited.



Above: Heating supplies for the winter. In the foreground are the dung bricks that will be the household's primary source of fuel for heating and cooking.

We made our way back towards South Africa and just before the border post came across a small pub claiming to be the "highest pub in Africa." At 3500 meters, they may well be. Either way, a more contemporary beer seemed to in order. I ordered the local brew and enjoyed the scenery from the top of the Pass.



Above: The "local beer" in Lesotho.



Above: View from the deck of the highest pub in Africa.

Finally, we crossed the border back into South Africa and were treated with a fantastic sunset over the Drakensberg.



Above: Sunset over the Sani Pass.

The next morning was some quite relaxation at the Lodge before the journey back to Durban and then onto Jo'burg and Pretoria to meet up with my class.



Above: Porch at the Backpackers Lodge.

Next week I begin attending lectures at the University of Pretoria. Should be incredibly interesting to see how the lectures tie into what I've been seeing around the country for the past two weeks. I'm excited to begin. I'll post as I can once in Pretoria.

Until next time,

Rachel


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Location:Underberg, Kwazulu-Natal Province, South Africa