Eswatini, or the Kingdom of Eswatini is another land-locked country in South Africa. It is also the smallest country in Africa. From North to south it measures 200 km or 120 miles and from east to west it measures 120 km or 81 miles. It shares a border with Mozambique in the Northeast and South Africa on its Northern, Southern and Southeastern side. It is an absolute monarchy, ruled by a king. The last and only country left in Africa where the Monarchy have absolute power. It is also a country that tries to hold on to its traditions, heritage and culture with the Umhlanga or Reed dance being celebrated in August or September and the Incwala or First Fruits festival held in December or January depending on the Luna and Astrological calendars. These are important rites, and they were once practiced everywhere in Africa. Now they are only celebrated in Eswatini. Eswatini was formally called Swaziland. In 2018 they officially changed the name to eSwatini.
Eswatini road
I originally wanted to go to eSwatini for the Incwala festival that was held beginning of December. But because of the delay with the bike and the fact that the overnight trains to Johannesburg were not operating I didn’t make it. I was also looking at buses, but there was also really bad weather, heavy rain and hail forecast and Johannesburg was suffering from flash floods I reluctantly cancelled that plan.
But now it was time for eSwatini. I decided not to take the border crossing at Barberton. The road conditions on the pass over Piggs Peak in eSwatini were really bad and I didn’t want to do it on a fully loaded bike. It was partly a gravel track. So, I took the crossing at the Oshoek border post. This went really smoothly. Had to pay 100-rand road tax and they noted the bike into my passport. I didn’t cancel my carnet de passage on the South African side as I wasn’t gonna stay too long. Plus no one really cared. I think that the South Africa vibe is getting into my body. For the first time on this trip, I had a Corona check on the border, mostly a questioner and asked if I was vaccinated but didn’t want to see proof.
Fruitsellers on the road in eSwatini
So, my plan, as such, for eSwatini was to see some of the cultural dancing, a visit to the Heritage cultural village and to do some hiking. I ended up staying around the Ezulwini valley. I decided to stay at the Lidwala Lodge. This is a lodge with a hostel, rooms, chalets, and a camping site. I was gonna camp but they gave a deal on a room that was really good, so I took that.
The little river running through Lidwala lodge and singing me to sleep every night
The lodge is also the starting point for a private hiking trail that runs up to the top of Sheba’s Breast. The author J. Rider Haggard was inspired to write his famous novel “King Solomon’s Mines” on seeing the twin peaks of Sheba’s Breasts in the 1880s, when he travelled through eSwatini. It is also rumored to be the site of King Solomon’s Mines. So in true Indiana Jones fashion I set out to explore. It is a private trail and it costs 40 rand. About halfway up the trail I stopped to take some photos of the baboons. I reached into my pocket and instead of pulling out my phone I pulled out my power bank…. The same size and shape as my phone. My phone was back at the lodge on the charger, where the power bank should have been. So, there was no way that I was gonna walk back down to get it…. It’s an easy trail but it is steep, and I was tired. But when you reached the top it was worth it. The views are brilliant.
A warthog
Back at the lodge I was relaxing, and I noticed two new arrivals. They were looking for the reception It was Teemu and Saija from Finland. Unfortunately, the reception had closed and the receptionist had retired to bed. It was just after 9 pm and life shuts down then in the country. Then I met up with a really fantastic, elderly, Lady. Really prim and proper, the receptionist, a young lady, was carrying her suitcase and struggling a bit, so I got up and helped. The Lady immediately said ahhh, yes, the perfect gentleman, the way it should be, in French. Once she got settled in, we met up and wooow what a meeting. Her name is Mary-Francoise and the perfect old-fashioned lady from the South of France… Prim and proper and many years retired to put it mildly. She also seemed to have some little ailment like Parkinson’s or something. But that didn’t stop her. She has been travelling for over 50 years now. She worked in the social sector in France as a social worker. Dedicating her life to helping others. She told me that she wanted to pitch her tent but that the staff were shocked and gave her a really good deal on a chalet in the garden, which she took. But what was really amazing that this lady was travelling on local transport, shared taxis that are minibuses. She had just made a 5-hour journey from Johannesburg in one of these contraptions. She was just so full of energy and the wonder of a child looking at the world and marveling at its beauty.
The next day I walked down to the crafts market. This is an initiative from eSwatini to promote the natural crafts. Bought one or two little things. That afternoon Teemu and Saija had offered me a lift to the Heritage village. I gladly accepted as it was a long walk along the main road. First there was a visit to an old Swazi village. The houses are beehive shaped and woven from reed on a log frame. There is no chimney, the smoke rises above where people are sitting, and filters out the walls. In a village the children leave their parents’ home when they are 6 years old. They live in a hut for boys or a hut for girls until they get married. When they get married, they build their own hut. A typical family will consist of the Grandmother’s hut. She is the peacekeeper in the family. She will have her own hut, a hut for cooking and a hut for brewing beer. Cattle were important and a person’s wealth was determined by the number of cows they had.
Swazi hut
Swazi village
Every village also had their medicine man. The door of his hut faced in a different direction from the rest, thus identifying it. He used traditional herbs and conversation to heal. The entrance to the huts is really low down. This is done on purpose. One, it protects from the elements, but it also forms a first line of defense. If an enemy enters, he has to enter head first. This of course gives the occupant the chance to whack him on the head. One must always ask permission to enter a Swazi house. This is done by standing outside the compound and shouting out loud a Swazi phrase asking permission to enter. Only after permission has been granted may one enter.
Medicine Man’s hut
Our Guide
Then came a dancing display, that was really good. Really energetic and physically taxing. But it is really good to watch. See the videos. These dances used to be normal all over Africa but unfortunately, they are dying out. Some of the indigenous people are actively reviving them. They are steeped in tradition and history and shouldn’t be allowed to die out completely.
Singing (Heritage village)
Dancing (Heritage village)
Waterfalls Ezulwini valley
I moved down to a place called Malkerns. I wanted to post and upload an album and I needed good Wi-Fi. Lidwala had satellite Wi-Fi and wasn’t too stable.
Graffiti in Lombamba Eswatini
Happy bikers, international tour group I met on the way
I walked into a guesthouse called Malandela BnB. Normally it would be way out of my budget, but I thought that I would check. They were empty and they gave me a really good deal, so I took it. It is part of a whole complex with a theater called House on Fire. It is also the home of the Bush Fire Music Festival held in May every year. Kinda neat.
Malkerns
House on Fire – Theater in Malkerns
Street in Maklerns
I was also planning on going to the Milwane Wildlife Sanctuary. Was gonna camp and do some walking. But the weather was turning again. Heavy rainstorms. I also was warned that the hiking trails were infested with Ticks and that it was better to walk on the driving trails where the grass was shorter. On an impulse I decided to cancel that plan and head back into South Africa again. eSwatini is the smallest country in Africa and the country where I spent the shortest time.
So, get a nice wee cup of tea, dust of your favorite chair and grab a packet of biscuits and click your way through the like named photo album, on my facebook page.