After lots of New England posts these past two weeks, let’s go back to Africa!
I left the epic Drakensberg region in South Africa on Baz Bus and headed to Johannesburg. I merely stay one night — right near the airport — to wake up the next day and rent a car for one more road trip. This time my stops will be Swaziland, Kruger National Park, and the Panorama Route; it will take me six days to complete this itinerary.
Here is my road trip at a glance:
A closer look:
I originally plan to do these stops in the reverse order, but the weather forecast indicates a few days of clouds followed by sun — and it only makes sense to drive the Panorama Route on a sunny day. So onward to Swaziland!
When picking up the rental car in Joburg, I specify that I plan to drive across the border into Swaziland, and the rental company (Budget) gives me a piece of paper stating that I have their permission to do so. This is my first time driving a car across country borders and it turns out to be super easy — I think I pay the equivalent of $10 USD to bring the car into Swaziland, and South Africa does not charge me anything to re-enter their country. At the border I found it easy enough to park, get my own passport stamped, and then queue in another line for my vehicle. I think the whole process takes me 15 minutes or less both times.
Heads up — some of the border crossings close earlier than others! I fortunately think to Google this before attempting to cross at Josefsdal (which closes at 4pm). Oshoek is open until midnight and they are very speedy at processing travelers.
My first impression upon entering Swaziland is that it feels way more modern than the rural part of South Africa I’ve just left — the highway is well-lit, as opposed to the dark country roads I’ve just been on. The highway passes through most major areas so I’m able to take it right near my hostel (Legends Backpackers) in Ezulwini. I check in, hop back in the car, and grab dinner at a nearby mall called The Gables — sushi and grilled calamari at the cheap seafood chain Ocean Basket.
I return to The Gables the next morning for a delicious latte at Mugg & Bean, one of my favorite cafe chains in South Africa. Then I drive a short distance to the Swaziland Mantenga cultural center to catch the daily dance performance at 11:15am (more info on Trip Advisor). I’d first read about this performance on RTW in 30 Days, a fellow travel blogger who documented her visit to Swaziland. (NOTE: if you are planning a trip here, check with your accommodation for the exact location of the Mantega cultural village — its Trip Advisor page and this site have more info.)
To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much — a 45-minute showcase of song and dance performed by locals in traditional costumes. But whoa, are these men and women impressive. Their dancing is electric and entertaining. Their soaring voices are especially captivating — the smooth blend of their vocals, the spot-on harmonies, and genuine emotion behind the notes stirs something in me. Heck, I don’t even understand the language they are singing in, but the emotion comes across loud and clear. Most of the numbers are joyful, percussive, and smile-inducing; a few of them are more somber. I think everyone in attendance can’t help tapping their own feel along to the contagious rhythm.
After snapping lots of pictures, I realize this experience would better be captured on video, so that footage follows the photos. I’ll stop the commentary so you can scroll through uninterrupted; see if you can hear the faint beat of their hand-made instruments through the screen, and feel the repetitive thud of heels striking the floor. I think their energy translates though the photos.
At this point they asked if anyone in the audience would like to learn to dance. I hang back to take photos, but it looks fun.
Okay, here is the video footage as promised:
Following the performance, there is a 30-minute guided walking tour of the village for anyone who’d like to participate. I don’t think this costs any extra; just tip the guide at the end.
They live inside these traditional beehive huts:
Various huts are restricted to certain members of their group; for example, I think (don’t quote me on this) that the one below surrounded by a fence of tall branches is only for men. Similarly, I think women have a space where they congregate.
We go inside one of them; they are unexpectedly huge — our whole group fits in a circle with lots of room to spare.
They sell crafts, most (all?) of which are handmade.
I love this next photo because of the difference in footwear between the local woman and tourist — bare feet vs. uncomfortable-looking neon pink shoes.
The woman below is cooking a starch-based ditch — it’s got the consistency of thicker mashed potatoes. There are a few varieties in Africa, depending on the local crops; I recall that in Malawi it’s cassava.
Finally, I ask the guide if I there’s a CD I can purchase of their group’s music. I had expected them to push some sort of merchandise during the show but they did not, and I truly want to listen to their songs over and over. She explains that they do have a CD but I have to be very quiet about purchasing it (I hope I’m not revealing too much by sharing this). I happily buy a copy and listen to it on repeat for the rest of my road trip. I still play it — with frequency — because their music makes me feel so uplifted. In particular, the first and last songs are my two favorites — the last song is a version of Amazing Grace that is overwhelmingly lovely. It’s the only English song on the CD.
Should you find yourself in the beautiful nation of Swaziland, do yourself a favor and check out this daily cultural dance, then perhaps purchase a bootleg copy of their music. It’s definitely worth it.
More from Swaziland tomorrow!
