L ve E@ i teract n I

n the way home from Our initial greeting from staff was why (not for the fi rst time) it is that a trip to the Wild Coast on the opposite end of the warm simple beauty is disregarded for over the Christmas and friendly spectrum which was over-hyped, over-priced resorts. OHolidays, my partner quite disappointing, but we’re The cottages are popular, I’m told, Kenny wanted to show me what he grown-ups and were fresh from a with a bookings waiting list. described as one of his favourite lovely holiday, so we shrugged it off places, Game Reserve and were signed in by a friendlier We set up camp, the tall Acacia in KwaZulu Natal, near Estcourt. staff member. We had the campsite trees making us feel awfully Driving into the reserve, the to ourselves, which was a huge African-adventurer with our pukkah neat, serviceable entrance and plus but at the same time a bit sad. canvas tent, not-so-pukkah blue buildings and well-kept gardens The huge trees, anthills and the gazebo, and a dinky kitchen stand didn’t overwhelm with allure. But view of nothing but bush for miles which gave me the best washing- the big indigenous trees hinted at created an ambience that surely up view I’ve ever had, over the something perhaps more interesting should have been enjoyed by bigger grass and thorn trees to the hazed within. numbers of visitors. I wondered hills beyond. It didn’t hurt that there was a power supply and we a little primal prickle on the backs punches above its weight in the from the Stone and Iron Ages to an interesting dishwashing session block – clean, if clinical compared could plug in the kettle for our of their necks that they couldn’t toilet stakes. At the hide and also Boer time. under the gazebo with the storm with the cute loos on the trail. fi rst cup of tea, though it was a fathom) as they approached the at the view site later we found wind and rain swirling around most My concern, always, with places like bit of a camper’s cop-out. The water. After they had all drank the attractive huts with toilet paper, a We stopped at an enormous Natal exhilaratingly. Later, Kenny shone the Weenen Game Reserve, is that game reserve has a variety of water slowly and serenely, one of basin and running water: so civilised. Fig tree for a pre-sundowner beer the torch to see if he could pick it’s not utilised enough, and as we buck, and and other the youngsters started nibbling the and snack, then headed back to up any cat’s eyes (real ones) but know, everything has to pay for itself large animals, so the walking ear and ankle of its sibling, which A winding afternoon game drive camp to light the braai and prepare instead we had umpteen pairs of in this age of Capitalism or it falls started a steadily-escalating but punctuated with sightings of red for our evening meal. As the sun eyes shining back at options are limited. We tried the away. So please, do yourself and friendly scuffl e which was lovely hartebeest, giraffe, and a mother went down and a storm started us. If they could have, they would short trail to the nearby dam and everyone a favour and go there. It’s to watch. The mothers and aunts and baby rhino, as well as a very to build, a herd of red hartebeest have told us to kill the light and let bird hide, coming across masses 5000 ha of loveliness. grazed quietly nearby, not once of butterfl ies, and rhino middens bold jackal, led us to a picnic area settled near our camp. We just them get some sleep. By now, the coming over to intervene and not writhing with all sizes, and a couple and view site. Getting out of the car squeaked in with our meal before rain was pouring down, and I went Contact Charmaine Manicon, EE Publishers appearing to need to, unlike I did in of colour varieties, of dung beetle. I expressed a little disappointment the storm arrived, and again, I had off for a shower in the ablution [email protected] some of my kids’ fi ghts when they Their clumsy antics amused and with the view. Kenny commented, were youngsters, which probably inspired us for a while – no maps “Just got out of the car and you’re said more about my parenting than or GPS or life plans, just blind judging it?!”, and led me the the youngsters’ behaviour. After determination to get that ball of opposite way down a path to a that, a mother came down giddying view over the Bushman’s poo across the road. with three nervy young, sticking River Valley, which is a worthwhile very close by. We watched them It was cool in the hide and as we experience all by itself. A well- for a while, feeling soothed and sat, trying to avoid eye contact prepared guide leafl et is issued heart-warmed afterwards by the with the begging terrapins (there by the park, and we used it happy-family displays of our fellow are stern signs on the walls not extensively as it details trees and earthlings, a few chromosomes- to feed them), a family of zebra animals, insects and routes. There’s removed. came down for a drink. The zebra also a little information around the seemed only mildly alert (there are The reserve may not boast all rich history of the park, including no predators so it was probably just modern conveniences, but it the stone structures, which date Engineers @ Leisure