Wednesday, April 1, 2009

I guess I'm Swazi Now...

After a long trek up from Nhlangano and a fruitless search for cheap box wine in Manzini, I boarded a kombi (mini-bus) to Milwane Game Reserve for a much-needed weekend of R&R. As usual, it was ridiculously hot (about 90) and I was carrying a huge amount of unnecessarily heavy bags and sweating profusely (that’s just what I do). I was sitting on the kombi enjoying a 20 cent fried egg sandwich purchased from some woman with a plastic sack full of fried eggs when my meal was interrupted by something scuttling up my leg. I couldn’t see my feet because of the huge bag sitting in my lap, so I just ignored it…until about 20 seconds later when all of the critter’s friends decided to join him. I made quite a scene throwing my bag off my lap and into the seat next to me, only to discover that there were like 10 nasty little cockroaches running up my legs! And for some CRAZY reason, I was relieved. I thought "Oh good, they're just cockroaches!" and went on ignoring them. WHAT? A few months ago when I was killing cockroaches in my family's kitchen, my sisi said to me the same thing, and I thought she was crazy. So either I'm crazy or I'm Swazi...

Anyway, I have limited time at the internet today so I'll write again on Saturday or something. In the meantime, enjoy the photos!

Love from the Swaz!


This is Peter the (female) ostrich at Sondzela's Backpackers over the weekend. She was coming over for a nice cool drink out of the pool. Yes, I live in Africa.


My Bhuti Kwanele climbed up the guava tree to get me some of the biggest, juiciest guavas from the top. If you come visit any time between March and April, you can have all-you-can-eat guavas. (Or any other time you'll have mangoes, bananas or avocados...)


Here's Bokhi's puppies (who I am calling Mario and Luigi even though Swazis can't say those names...). They're 3 weeks and 1 day old and they're adorable. Except that they have fleas, but tonight they get flea baths in dishsoap! Mmmmm...adorable with a lemony fresh scent!

2 comments:

Erin said...

Do you know the scene I'll make if a cockroach crawls up my leg?! You really shouldn't tell stories like this until after I've come to visit.

The puppies are really cute! Are they in your bathtub? I think you should give them Disney Princesses names. :)

220 days!

Jessica D. said...

I agree with Erin about the cockroaches!!! ABSOLUTELY GROSS!!!!!!!

Since when do cockroaches travel in heards of ten, especially up legs!?

Also, the puppies are cute! I really noticed how tan your foot was! I bet you have some nice tan lines going on if your foot is that dark.... lol