Firstly - sorry about most of the photos not working. The image hosting website I use has decide to stop hosting photos until it ''beefs up our server cluster''. I don't know what that really means, but (i) I hope it involves actual beef, (ii) I need to find another free image hosting website when I get a moment and transfer them there. In the meantime, if you haven't seen the photos yet, feel free to use your imagination ...!
On a completely different note - I went to Swaziland today. Swaziland is an amazing little country. Nestled in the midst of gorgeous mountain ranges and with a million people, it is one of the world's few remaining absolute monarchies - where King Mswati III can, well, pretty much do whatever he wants, and no one can stop him (insert evil laughter here). Despite this, Swaziland appears to be substantially more advanced than Moz. Heaps.
Once I get this photo upload thing fixed (has anyone here done an IT degree?) I'll share some of the snaps ... but five of my top ten highlights included:
- Getting far too close to a giraffe in a game park, before my mate Neville warned me that giraffes, whilst friendly looking, punch using their head and long neck, then kick you when you're down. Ouch.
- Finding an awesome backpackers hostel which used to be run by the guy running the Lodge I was consulting to for a week - they literally have zebras, buffalo and gazelle prancing around the car park! Oh, and ping pong!
- Eating a kudu. (here's a photo of one I've 'borrowed' from another website) It takes like steak, except ... different ...
- Getting told off for taking photos. Swazis assume that if you are holding a camera, you are taking photos of them (I usually ask for permission). I was taking a photo of some fruit at the fruit market, when a big lady starting chasing me back to the car, shouting "I'll kill you!" (A little excessive, I thought - luckily I was as fleet footed as a gazelle and got back to the car in time).
- Is it bribery if they make it really, really obvious? It costs 5 rand (just over $1 Australian) to bring a vehicle into Swaziland. The lady at Swazi customs took out 100 rand note, and wished us well.
We said: Don't you have change?
She said: (without even hesitating) No, no change!
We said: Umm ... okay. Do you take US dollars?
She said: Yes. Two US dollars (equivalent to about 12 rand, not 5).
We said: (after scouraging through our wallets, only to find $5 US). Do you have change?
She said: No, no change! (again without even hesitating)
I said: This is unbelievable! You know this is not right.
She said: Don't worry, it's not for the government, it's for me!
We said: (Nothing - we were flabbergasted)
Will update soon. I'm off to a new province tomorrow - Sofala, on the coast, to the second biggest city in Mozambique (insert drum roll and sound effects) Beira.
Blessings
john
1 comment:
photobucket.com is the one i use.
there is also picturetrail.com but i don't really like that one.
hrm... i actually have/had a domain where i used to upload photos under my parent's company site but you need ftp for that and i haven't done it in over a year.
hahaha and beware of swaziland women or men, because aren't africans meant to be the world's fastest runners?
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