Swaziland

Here we are in the Kingdom of Swaziland! The only absolute monarchy in Africa, it has reached the macabre and almost surreal AIDS rate of 40%. Practically almost one out of two people. Not that the rest of Southern Africa is doing much better, with a rate between 20% and 25%.
To combat its spread, the king —who has about twenty wives and almost always chooses girls aged 17–18— some years ago imposed a ban on sex for teenagers in his kingdom. The ban was however lifted the following year, also because the only result was that young people ended up having even more sex due to the appeal of the “forbidden,” while AIDS kept rising. Anyway, it’s a really catastrophic situation.

I'm in a wonderful hostel inside Milwane Park. Right around the fence of the complex, and sometimes even inside it, there are various types of antelope, zebras, ostriches, and many little wild boars walking around with their babies (I don’t know the exact name, they are like wild boars but a bit smaller). Not very pretty, but cute.

Then there are wildebeests. The first times I walked past the wildebeest herds I was a bit scared because when you get within about ten meters, the larger ones turn around and stare at you fixedly, completely still. They don’t get distracted for a second. So being stared at by those fairly large horned animals is a bit unsettling, but the truth is that they’re the ones who are afraid. That’s why they stare so intently. And often just the slightest movement is enough to send the whole herd fleeing! Hehe. Better not to mess with Dekaro!

Then we have: hippos, which I haven’t seen yet, only heard. Crocodiles, I’ve seen one. Birds everywhere, and some strange reptiles, something halfway between large lizards and chameleons.

Apart from that, nothing much happens. There’s a total sense of peace. The hostel is run by some chubby Black women, gentle and calm, like those who used to take care of white households in old, somewhat racist American films, always kind, helpful, and unflappable while all kinds of chaos unfolded around them.

In the evening they cook and we all eat around the campfire. The sky is full of stars. You can only hear crickets, cicadas, and night birds.

Hi Pierre!! I'm so glad of the news!! Great! We will have a lot of fun! :-))



Vilankulo, view from the hostel.




Green sail, Vilankulo.




Mother and child, Vilankulo.




Colors, Vilankulo.



Girls, Vilankulo.




Antelope, Swaziland.




Zebra.




Reptile.




Little wild boar.




Wild boar with babies.