Swadini..more

I think this pic is really great...the thorns....I like the focus here...just what I wanted....
And of course....the leaves and the colours were the focus here...I love Autumn, for all the changes during Autumn...
If any South African can leave me the name of this plant...I would appreciate it...I don't know what it is called, I only know that it got seeds on the end of the branches....they make a lovely scence, though the colour looks a bit dull...
Waterfall sign post alongside the road from Swadini Forever Resort on your way to the Blyde River dam. This waterfall is about 20minutes' walk into the forest...stunning!

And...as you can see...ET! When you arrive at the waterfall, ET meets you there...look at that eye!
I know these pics are not that great...if you are in a hurry, this is what you get! That's the only pic I have with this rock tied-up in the tree...
And this little mini-beast!!! He wouldn't let me photograph him properly, I tried everything to enhance the pic for you to see what I tried to capture...this little naughty spider, was a bit curious and even played dead! on the last pic...he suddenly turned over and aish! he thinks I'm dumb! He must have known that I know he plays dead...silly little creature...but I love them, I can watch them for hours! I wish it was my job to go out in nature to photograph these creatures or just to do research on them....I would love it...

Next pictures to blog...a Tufa waterfall...the third longest in the world, called the Crying Tufa...in the Blyde River Canyon and I've got some very good pictures on it! A tufa waterfall is formed when water running over dolomite rock absorbs calcium. Mosses which grow on the rocks in the stream extract carbon dioxide during photosynthesis which precipitates the calcium from the water to deposit it as layers of tufa on the surface of the waterfall - a process that takes millions of years. The waterfall continue to flow underneath this rock-hard outer shell. There are only a few active tufa waterfalls in the world - one of which is at the Blyderivierspoort Dam.

Here is a fantastic link to keep your mind busy while I'm sorting my pictures...

Here are two links to spider websites, South African spiders and I've sent an email to Norman on the one site to identify the spider on this pic for me!

This one is Science magabout spiders

Bio Museums about spiders with Norman.

Blyde River - Swadini

Please click HERE to read on my Wordpress-blog more and to see more beautiful images.


During our holiday in August...in South Africa......we were very lucky to find accommodation at a place next to the Swadini Forever Resort (previously Aventura). I grew up in the Eastern Transvaal....now Mpumalanga...which means..."place of the rising sun" (which is the East...of course)...We drove through Lydenburg, spent time on the farm where I grew up...Krugerspost, between Lydenburg and Pilgrims Rest, the historical town, and then ventured off to the Echo Caves, but first stopped at Ohrigstad to fill-up the car. We first thought to stay at the Echo Caves Motel, but changed our minds and headed for Blyde......thought that we will just pop-in and have a place to stay! But, we....didn't know about the long weekend...Thursday was Women's day...and the Friday was a public holiday...! Anyway.....got at Blyde River Forever Resort..."sorry...we are fully booked!" Oh my....ok, it is 7pm, (not late, hey!) .....there are loads of B&B places which we saw on different roads, very close, so...let's go!

Just as we took a turn-off, stopped to look at an entrance of a B&B...Andre stopped next to us...he was our angel!..."Hello...are you lost?"...he asked very friendly and with him was his partner...."No..., but we're looking for a place to stay", we replied..."Come with us...you can stay in Marius's lodge!"...We didn't wait for a second invitation...tired of being all day on the road basically from Groblersdal...we followed him...for only just about 80 m! What we got, was a fantastic lodge, place for about 10 people to stay...we could pick and choose where to sleep, like Goldilocks!! haha..I tried different beds...playing Goldilocks...! It was fun...2 bathrooms, showers ...huge kitchen...(if you keep coming back to my blog later, you will see all of this)...fantastic...and ...."because you don't have any cleaning services for the weekend, you can pay R30 per person less...," he continued through all the non-stop talking! I wanted to say: "Shut up! you're talking too much," because Andre was talking non-stop about all the places we can visit and the more he talked, the more excited he got!! He also told us about Moholoholo Animal Rehabilitation Centre, but our time was limited and you have to book to go there. Our boat trip was already booked for the same time we could go to Moholoholo, so sadly, we couldn't go there, as we were heading for Pilgrims Rest and Sabie the following day...If my memory hasn't gone lost..."moholoholo" means something like..."falling rock"...(rolling rock...can't remember...)

It was really fantastic...loads to do and see....even a waterfall about 30 min's walk from the road....stunning! .....these pictures here...let me explain...this place is the "other side" (the back) of the famous "Three Rondavels"...or like most people in SA...know.....Bourke's Luck...this is Blyde River-country! The Blyde River is in the Blyde River Canyon, the third largest in the world....and the greenest canyon in the world.....click on the key words at the end of the post..."Blyde River Canyon" or the others...and you will find more on my blog about this Canyon. You can even do a search in the box top corner, left. I also have a link on the site saying..."the greenest..." follow that link to read more...

Ok, the boat...on the photos you can see the dam, or part of it! We went for a trip on the dam...first we thought it's going to be just us! Then more and more people arrived...it was really interesting...a guide gave us lots of interesting information, there is a waterfall, a Tufa, (read on the link more about a Tufa waterfall)....and it is about 43m...the third longest Tufa waterfall in the world...for South Africans knowing about the waterfall at the Strydom Tunnel:....that is also a Tufa!! I didn't know it...never too late to learn something, hey! We spent an hour on the boat for R70 and I really think it was worth going...the guide also took us to the Hippo's! He showed us some crocks....and a bonsai tree on a rock...I've got a picture of it...will post it shortly...You can also see the wall of the dam. The guide also said that he was going to appear on the nature program, 50/50 at one point to tell people about the Tufa waterfall.

Bosfontein Primary School

This is the school which my grandpa started. The original school is actually about 2 km down on this road (and my mum only told me that afterwards!!) What I knew, was that he started the school in his house! I will have to go back next time to the original place then! It was really my first time visiting this place, always wanted to. On the 2nd picture is the original 2 classes before they extended the school. He taught in this school too. What is still on the video camera, is the new classes in the back. There are about 5 or more new classes.

The word "bosfontein" --- if you break it up...means..."bos"..in English.."bush" and "fontein"..."fountain"....

Boabab tree

This tree was pictured on the way to the Blyde River boat trip at Swadini. The boabab tree is one of the oldest on the continent. The boabab tree is also on the car number registration plates of the Limpopo Province in South Africa. See the first picture- background of the letters....

Read more here: Boabab trees
Some boabab trees are huge, take a look here to see how comfortable a boabab tree can be!(click on the link on the right saying:boabab tree) Boabab Tree

Red tailed boa

When arriving at the Blyde River Forever Aventura Resort- to take a break and have a kit-kat! we saw this Red tailed boa and I only wanted to take a picture of the guy holding it.... He then asked if I want to hold it! I'm not scared of snakes....I'm scared of spiders! Spiders are all over the place and you can't see them so easily! ....It was a bit funny, this very thick snake - having it all around your neck! This snake is a pet snake of the resort! I got a "reward" afterwards...an ice cream! (not from the resort!) One of my favourite flavours!

Forever Blydepoort

Virtual Mpumalanga ...worth taking a look at this site:

Mpumalanga and Blydepoort

Upsetting news

Apart from the daily news of people being murdered which you read in all newspapers on the first 5 pages - at least - and most murders never get published, because it is "bad publicity" for SA and for tourists visiting the country.....this article published in a newspaper in Mpumalanga, which we read while on holiday at Pelgrims Rest in August, was REALLY upsetting!!

This shows you how the government of the day spends the country's money! R3,5 million on the commemoration of the death of President Samora Machel (of Mosambique) 20 years ago!! Divide R3,5 million by about 14 and you get the amount in pound. Just think how many houses they could build with that money for people who don't have it.....think how much they could do to improve the country's education, which is in a state! think how much more they could pay teachers to improve the quality of education in "certain" schools, think how many new computers they could buy for schools to educate the children in a modern way! What about AIDS! The list is endless!! But,..... the outside world don't care, they just pour more and more money into the pockets of the people who are in charge....doesn't matter WHAT they do with the money! WAKE UP world!!

Pelgrims....again!

Pelgrims Rest

Pilgrims Rest

This is a beautiful historical town......about 1 hour's drive from where I grew up in the Eastern part of the country....Mpumalanga...near Graskop/Kruger National Park/Lydenburg.

For our honeymoon we were booked in the Royal Hotel, in an Annex.....Follow this link... Pilgrims Restand read more

Jock of the Bushveld

Jock - a bull-terrier - was born in the present day Kruger National Park near the Pretorius Kop Camp. He was the runt of the litter and the young Fitzpatrick saved him from certain death by adopting him as a pup.
Percy Fitzpatrick became a transport rider - carting supplies for the goldfields at Pilgrim's Rest and Barberton from Delagoa Bay (now Maputo) in Lourenco Marques (now Mozambique).
Jock grew up to be a faithful and obedient companion, as well as a champion fighter and hunter. Jock accompanied Fitzpatrick on his journeys through the KNP, as well as through the towns of Sabie, Graskop, Pilgrim's Rest, Barberton and Lydenburg. (Lydenburg is the town where I grew up..well, on the farm about 20km outside the town...)

Read more here....http://www.graskop.co.za/jock/