| I lived for a while in the Cape and I must agree it is | | | | more than 4 000 years these mountains were home |
| truly beautiful and full of life but not the be all and | | | | to the indigenous San people, who created the |
| end all to South Africa, come on now. I keep reading | | | | largest and most concentrated collection of rock art |
| articles expounding the virtues of the Cape and Cape | | | | in Africa. Dating back about 2 400 years there are |
| Town in particular so much so that it made me stir | | | | some 600 sites with collectively 35 000 individual |
| my stumps to let you all in on my little secret... There | | | | images in the Drakensberg. The artists used clay, |
| is more to South Africa than Cape Town! | | | | burnt wood and ochre oxides to paint images that |
| I live in KwaZulu Natal the garden province of South | | | | have lasted longer than anything we have painted |
| Africa, a subtropical region of lush hills and valleys, | | | | since, I think. You will also find the world's |
| and a coastline washed by the warm Indian Ocean. | | | | second-highest waterfall in the Drakensberg. With a |
| I think Hillcrest which is just outside Durban, and | | | | drop of 947 metres, the Tugela Falls, are easily |
| where I live, must have just about the most perfect | | | | viewed from the main road after heavy rains and |
| climate I have encountered anywhere. We get | | | | great for ice climbing in winter! |
| weather but only of the moderate type here - no | | | | But we are not content with astounding beauty alone |
| frost but it can snow on the mountains just an hour | | | | the Zulu Kingdom also offers culture to our visitor in |
| away, mainly sunny days but without the coastal | | | | the form of anything from a cultural village sleep over |
| humidity during the hottest months. Believe it or not | | | | where you can absorb Zulu history and lifestyle, to |
| but we can see the sea from up here and it's only a | | | | arts and crafts at sophisticated galleries and art |
| 40 minute drive down the hill. We enjoy cool nights | | | | shops. Country studios in the Midlands can be visited |
| after even in the hottest days and our gardens | | | | on one of four art trails and enthusiastic roadside |
| abound with everything from aloes to azaleas and | | | | vendors everywhere sell anything from wire toys of |
| pansies to palm trees, a delight to any garden lover. | | | | animals, people, musical instruments and bicycles to |
| Doesn't it sound great to you too? But I have only | | | | traditional clay pots and carvings. Zulu beading has |
| told you about Hillcrest which is almost a suburb of | | | | also exploded into a huge international industry. |
| Durban so let's look a bit further afield to Durban and | | | | Where they were once made from organic materials |
| KwaZulu Natal the province. | | | | like seeds, seashells, ivory and animal teeth, now |
| Although the smallest of South Africa's provinces I | | | | glass beads can be found on anything from cutlery to |
| believe KZN has much more diversity to offer than all | | | | clothing. I love it to pieces. |
| the rest put together, maybe I'm biased - find out | | | | Still on the cultural trail we have an area called |
| for yourself. | | | | Battlefields where you can listen to our storytellers |
| Let's start with Durban a bustling city port with a | | | | take you back to the many historic battles that have |
| delightful mix of architecture; in fact people come | | | | been fought, from the Battle of Isandlwana to the |
| from all over the world just to see its beautifully | | | | siege of Ladysmith or Rorke's Drift where soldier |
| kept art deco buildings, apparently the best outside | | | | bravery earned the greatest number of Victoria |
| Florida! I certainly have my favourite streets in | | | | Crosses ever awarded at a single battle and was |
| Musgrave which I always detour along. | | | | recreated in the famous motion picture "Zulu" |
| Further afield we have not one but two World | | | | featuring Michael Caine |
| Heritage sites of outstanding natural beauty; | | | | The countryside hasn't changed much in KwaZulu |
| iSimangaliso Wetland Park and uKhahlamba | | | | Natal from the days of King Shaka so you can savor |
| Drakensberg Park. | | | | the whole bush atmosphere while looking for the |
| Southafrica.info succinctly says of iSimangaliso "... | | | | really wild animals in a BIG 5 conservancy or a |
| Here, and nowhere else in the world, can one find | | | | Reserve teeming with wildlife waiting for you to find |
| hippopotamuses, crocodiles and sharks sharing the | | | | them. Sounds easy until you try it but with luck you |
| same waters." iSimangaliso's wide variety of | | | | will be able to see: White and Black Rhino, Elephant, |
| ecosystems and natural habitats provide for an | | | | Buffalo, Giraffe, Zebra, Blue Wildebeest, Antelope |
| amazing diversity of species in the area. | | | | you might even be lucky enough to catch a the |
| With its lakes, lagoons, freshwater swamps and | | | | predators like the Lion, Leopard, and hyena especially |
| grasslands, iSimangaliso supports more species of | | | | if you go with a Ranger as they are brilliant at |
| animal than the better-known and much larger Kruger | | | | knowing where the animals are hiding out and can tell |
| National Park and the Okavango Delta including the | | | | you all the interesting stuff. To be different you |
| country's largest population of hippos and crocodiles, | | | | could join a Rhino Darting Safari or an Elephant Back |
| giant Leatherback turtles, black rhino, leopards, and a | | | | Safari to really see the bush from a different |
| vast array of bird and marine life. | | | | perspective |
| According to Living Lakes, more than 530 species of | | | | So much to do! Have you the time to do it? |
| birds use the wetland and other areas of the Lake St | | | | There are golf courses, horse trails, scenic self-drives, |
| Lucia region. These waters are also graced by 20,000 | | | | trout streams for fishing, mountain climbing and |
| greater flamingos, 40,000 lesser flamingoes, as well | | | | abseiling activities. City cycle tours, crocodile farms, |
| as thousands of ducks and with 36 species of | | | | diamond tours and for the Rufty Tufty even a four |
| amphibians, the highest diversity in South Africa. | | | | by four ride up the Sani Pass to the highest pub! |
| If the hasn't blown you away yet, hang on we're | | | | So do you believe me now? There is a whole lot |
| only warming up . | | | | more than the Cape and I really enjoy everything |
| The uKhahlamba (barrier of spears) Drakensberg | | | | that KwaZulu Natal has to offer so why not treat |
| Park, has Africa's highest mountain range south of | | | | yourself - Come and enjoy the best of South Africa |
| Kilimanjaro. "The site's diversity of habitats protects 2 | | | | all found in its tiniest province KwaZulu Natal. Join me |
| 153 plant species, endemic and globally threatened. | | | | on my Beach Bush and Berg Painting Holidays or |
| The park is also home to 299 recorded bird species | | | | adventure on your own, whatever, just get yourself |
| and among the park's 48 species of mammal are the | | | | here and see for yourself that I tell no lie when I say |
| threatened eland and endemic grey rhebuck. For | | | | this province has been seriously overlooked. |