No stopping on the road as we pass through Isimangaliso Wetland Park
Laura reads about activities at Thonga Beach while Michael drives.
Bill photographs livestock attempting to cross the road.
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Cattle on the road
A frequent occurrence along our route. We also saw goats and people on the road at various times.
This one was determined to cross the road.
Roadside market in Mbazwana
Everyone is ignoring the "no vending" sign where vendors have set up shop. We passed several towns on our drive where residents had set up roadside stands, selling everything from clothes and artwork to lunch, and were attracting crowds at mid-day.
Laura and Michael at Coastal Cashews
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Michael unlocks the door to the detached toilet (typical in rural Africa) at the Coastal Cashews factory.
While we expected to find a simple pit toilet, we instead found a facility with running water stocked with soap, towels, and lavatory paper. It was clearly intended for Thonga guests. What is difficult to see is that a prior visitor had haplessly and unfortunately stepped into one of the many piles of animal feces in the area and had tracked it into the room.
Car park for Thonga Beach
Our chariot to Thonga Beach has arrived.
We are shuttled along with other guests of Thonga Beach Lodge.
In the front row are Digby and Jennifer, visiting from Capetown.
The graded dirt road becomes a two-lane track.
As the road deteriorated from graded dirt to the occasional mud-pit, and then to a dual-track, we realized that the drive into Thonga Beach was itself to be an adventure.
Michael, Bill's hat, and Laura on the drive in to Thonga Beach
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Up and over high, forested sand-dunes we go.
At this point we were happy to let Sthembiso (our driver) do the driving.
