David shows Laura and Michael the beach deck.
Thonga Beach Lodge, walkway junction
Sunset beach walk
Michael and Laura on Thonga Beach
Bill at Thonga Beach as darkness closes in.
Laura dresses for our first dinner at Thonga Beach Lodge.
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Michael ready for dinner at Thonga Beach Lodge
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Inside my round room at Thonga Beach Lodge
The bed was wide enough to accommodate a quarreling couple.
Closet
Shower (through opening at center), and toilet room at the left.
Two sinks and a tub.
Shower
Toilet
Michael and Laura at dinner
Bill at dinner, Thonga Beach Lodge
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Michael models the bed with mosquito netting
Laura on Thonga Beach
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Sthembiso drives us on the cultural tour.
Laura and Bill on the cultural tour
Laura and Sthembiso at one family's compound.
Laura considers one of the turtles.
We meet a couple of villagers.
Mabibi Medical Clinic compound
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Michael relaxes on the beach deck at Thonga Beach.
Photo courtesy of Michael Thompson.
Rear of Medical clinic, Mabibi
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Vegetable garden at Mabibi Clinic
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Mabibi Primary School
Bill at Mabibi School
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Mabibi School
Sthembiso tells Laura about the school.
Mabibi School
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
A Zulu family compound
Extended family will live in a compound such as this. The round house (roundavel) is for the ancestors and is not lived in.
Community cellphone
This cellphone is left on a small ledge on the exterior of this building so that its ring can be heard by everyone in the compound.
Shin damage after banging it on the edge of the chariot when getting onboard.
Ouch! I hate doing this.
Michael and Laura commence their luncheon.
Although I wasn't too hungry on this occasion, the lunch had good vegetarian options and was tasty.
The Forest Walk begins just off the boardwalk to the beach and starts by tunneling its way into the jungle.
Euphaedra janetta
Fire ant nest
Large old milkwood tree
The milkwoods look a lot like oaks, especially their bark. But, the leaves are smooth and round, not spiny like oak leaves.
Thulani and Jennifer on the Forest Walk trail
We arrive at the top of the dune where the forest gives way to a meadow.
The Forest Walk trail ends at the beach.
Jennifer asks about the plant growing on the dunes.
The plant looks a bit like (but isn't) naupaka, but I can't recall its name.
Thulani takes us to the Lake Sibaya "Sundowner".
Sunset at Lake Sibaya (2)
The most distant set of "rocks" are a family of hippopotamus.
Bill and Laura at Lake Sibaya
Notice the hippopotamus yawning in the background.
Sunset over Lake Sibaya
Thulani mixes drinks.
Bill snaps a panorama photo at Lake Sibaya.
Photo courtesy of Michael Thompson.
Sunset at Lake Sibaya
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Sunset over Lake Sibaya
Sunset at Lake Sibaya (4)
The most distant set of low "rocks" are a family of hippopotamus.
Michael, the hippos, and Bill at Lake Sibaya
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Bill enjoys the sunset afterglow at Lake Sibaya.
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Last light over Lake Sibaya
Michael at Thonga Beach at sunrise
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Laura at Thonga Beach sunrise
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Crabs at the water line, early morning Thonga Beach
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Thonga Beach at sunrise
Before breakfast I walked out to the beach alone and dipped my feet and lower into the ocean. I couldn't leave without at least making contact with the Indian Ocean.
Water up to my ankles
Windy morning on the sea.
Michael at Thonga Beach, just after sunrise
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Michael goes for a swim in the ocean.
His head is visible near the center of the image. Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Ocean view from Laura and Michael's room.
Photo courtesy of Michael Thompson.
Bill waits for the shuttle to Coastal Cashews.
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Michael waits for the shuttle to Coastal Cashews.
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
View back toward Mabibi and Thonga Beach on the far side of the forested dune
