Swaziland

The most notable thing about Swaziland is that it is not Lesotho. That is to say, when you cross the boarder from South Africa nothing really changes, and there are no great visual cues that you are in another country. However Swaziland is very different from SA – it is one of the world's few remaining absolute monarchies for one thing.














We'd planed to stay relatively close to the border, but unable to find the backpackers, we went on to the Mlilwane wildlife sanctuary, and took a rondaval for two nights. It was a tranquil setting, with warthogs and zebra wondering around the accommodation. There are self guided walk through the park (it lacks the dangerous predictors), but due to my illness, we just took a short one up the hippo pool, which reliably had two hippos lazing in the water.














In the evening we were offered to chance to see local dancing at the main camp. Despite these staged for tourist events being a bit dire, it would have be our only chance to see Swazi culture. However my lurgy got the better of me and we sat out.














The next day we made for the border, stopping only to pay the 60 rand (£5) speeding fine. The border itself was a strange ghost town – a former asbestosis mine which once employed thousands.