You Sure?

…this is South Africa?

Okay, so I did have to go through customs to prove I wasn’t entering the country with some nefarious plot to steal all the diamonds or to mess with the World Cup.

When I arrived, I was met by my daughter and her host family – – Mabunang and Bogosi and I forget the other one’s name.  Bogosi was a hoot.  Claimed his spot as youngest child in the family was usurped by Daughter Person.  He was also the one who asked, after only 5 minutes there, “So are you enjoying your stay in South Africa?”

Host family went back home while Daughter Person and I hit a B&B near the airport.  We were going the next day to the coast to start our holiday together and it was closer from Jo’burg than from the host family’s home.

Now, other than the host families accent and having to drive on the left hand side of the road (in our rented, bright red Toyota Yaris…which had the steering wheel on the wrong side), everything seemed pretty much like the States so far.

Waking up that first morning in ZA, the first creatures I saw?  A sparrow and a rabbit.

Driving out to the coast (which, by the way, after my 16 some hours sitting on my butt in an airplane required me to sit in the car for another 8 hours!  – – OW!), we did see some things which were not like back home, but a lot of the landscape looked very similar to back home.

I just left farmland like this.

and…

sort of like the Finger Lake region of New York

Those views, coupled with the most popular fast food joint being KFC (it seemed to be in EVERY town there), made comparisons to the States very easy.

Then we got to the lodge where we were to stay for the next few days.  At the front desk, we received two warnings:

1)  After dark, do NOT wander the village.  The hippos like to come in and graze and are none to happy to share their space with humans.

2)  Before going to bed, close all doors and windows.  Otherwise the bush babies might come in your room*.

Okay then… maybe we’re NOT in the States anymore…

We drove over to the building where our room was.  Night had fallen.  I heard one of the first non-States critter sounds since getting there.  Looking up into the tree, I saw nothing.  Just for fun, though, I took a picture – – –

is there someone there?

Looking at the picture later…and zooming in…I found this…

Just who or what is there?

Yep, two beady eyes shining back at me.  Not sure if it’s an owl or a bush baby or what…

Still, other than the sound (and not checking the picture until days later), I was still feeling State side.

Until breakfast the next morning on the porch.  Gorgeous weather.  Waiting to start my adventure, but still not feeling the ZA…

And look who joins us for breakfast – –

No relation to me, I'm sure

Yep, I’m here!  More adventures to be had – – –

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

*Girl Child remarked, naively, that she would really like that if they did come in the room.  “Oooo, they could come snuggle up under my chin as I slept!”.  Yeah, more like crap in your suitcase, steal your food, and give you a rodent disease…

Tags: carpal-er butt, critters of the night, looks like Ohio, looks like upstate New York