07 September 2009 – Monday

A p-day that was spent driving over 300 kilometers, visiting two game parks, missing a turn so we went about 100 kilometers out of our way, and being detoured off the toll road because of an accident so we went another 20 kilometers out of our way. But it was all fun and other than being tired of driving, it was an excellent p-day.

When we got back to our boarding we just relaxed, read, did indexing – Ohio is easier than Wisconsin – and went to bed rather early. Mary called Cindy and wished her happy birthday. Since they talked a long time last night, they did not have a lot more to say tonight.

They say pictures are worth a thousand words so here are a few thousand words about the day.

We went to the left and entered the Imfolozi side of the park. We are getting pretty good at spotting game so when we saw this spot in the shade of a tree a few hundred yards away we got out our binoculars and found this Rhino enjoying a rest from the heat of the sun.

Impalas are everywhere and I seldom take pictures of them, but Mary does and here are three good examples of what we saw yesterday only they were in groups of up to 30 animals.

We usually also see lots of nyalas but this time we only saw this one male. However he was a good looking one and was happy to pose. We figure this tree was supposed to be on the other side of the world – here it is just upside down. I wonder which way birds sit on the branches.

We saw lots of giraffes today. I like the way we caught this one picking the leaves off one at a time. We see a lot of the backs of animals. Mary took a number of pictures of these two giraffes and was finally rewarded with one at least turning its head.

We came across a large family of baboons eating leaves. They pick them off one at a time so they keep busy. They were on both sides of the road and the middle guy just sat and stared at me as I stared at him. I wanted to take a picture of the back end of one but Mary said it was gross. So giraffe behinds are OK – baboons are gross.

We actually came across these two large rhinos lounging in a mud pile before we saw the one above resting in the shade. One of them was nice enough to get up and pose for us – the other one could have cared less. They were about 20 yards away from the car.

As we drove out of a camp area, we came across these two wildebeests on one side of the road and the zebras right across from them on the other side. It was almost like they were placed there so the tourists would have something to look at up close and personal.

We were happy when we got to this direction sign because it meant we were less then 5 kilometers from the gate. Along the way to the gate we came across this signed that warned us that there might be water in the upcoming dip. But it is pretty much dry season so there was not and we were just as happy. After we left Imfolozi we came across this wild animal standing in the middle of the road – it felt like we were back in Swaziland.

After leaving Imfolozi we had a nice drive to Ophathe Game Reserve and went in to see what was there. We found out that most of the Reserve can only be seen in a 4×4 vehicle. But we drove around on some nasty gravel roads and ate our lunch – rusks and drinks – while looking at this waterhole. Nice view and there was a herd of impalas feeding in the trees nearby but nothing came to drink. This is a huge reserve and has both black and while rhinos so we might rent a 4×4 and come back to see if we can finally see a black rhino up close. It has a beautiful reception center with a number of people on duty but it does not seem to be a very popular place for visitors. When Mary signed us in on the 7th the last group before us went through on the 3rd.

06 September 2009 – Sunday

Up and out by 7:00 so we can pick up Presidents Nyawo and Nkosi for PEC meeting. After PEC we headed to Port Durnford for the regular meetings. There were not a lot of people at the meeting because some were working and some were recovering from the funeral. I really felt some of the testimonies – especially President Zondi’s as he talked about those who were not at the meeting and how we need to love them back. After sacrament the members kind of mill around but we got them organized. Mary taught Primary and YW mixed, Elder Richey pretty much taught Young Men, and I taught a combined men and women’s class.

I asked them what was the biggest problem in the branch and they almost simultaneously said that it was the less active. So we sat and talked about what each of them might do to help get one person who was not at church today here next Sunday. Each of them had good ideas and are committed to trying to love the inactive back to church. It will be interesting to see  how it works out. We will not be able to beat PD on Sunday but I will ask Elder Richey who comes.

After the meetings we took Thandi Nzama and her children as well as sister Chirwa to see gogo Nzama. She is looking much better and has started to eat again. I think she will be back in health by next weekend. After that we drove Thandi and sister Chirwa to sister Joyce’s road so they could visit her and see why she has not been coming to church. So they got started on re-activation right away.

While we were at the Nzama’s I found that one of our front tires looked very low, so we decided we better get some air in it. There is only one petrol station in Esikhawini and luckily we know where it is. We went there and got some fuel – I know it was Sunday but I hate to take free air and not give them some business. I have the same problem using a restaurant or fast food place’s toilet without buying something. Anyway we filled up the tank but by the time we had finished there were four or five cars lined up to get air in their tires.

Since we had actually been at the station the longest, I got out and started talking to the men who were using the air hose. We talked about a number of things including the US. After they had finished with their tires, they did mine and so we did not have to wait for everyone else.

We arrived at Esikhawini just before they let out of the last meeting. I was excited to see brother Mavundla at church. I made it a point to go over and talk to him and tell him that. I hope that our talk a couple of weeks ago helped him decide to come.

I talked to president Nyawo and president Thusi for a short time. I think they had been talking about holding Presidency meeting. I certainly hope so. While Mary taught her piano class – only two of her students come almost every week – I helped lock up the buildings. We once again ended up the last folks to leave and so I end up locking the gates as we left.

The rest of the day was spent at our boarding eating, napping, studying, indexing and checking in to see how our family was doing. Taylor and Spencer had engagement/wedding invitation pictures taken. They are a good looking couple.

05 September 2009 – Saturday

This was kind of an extra P-day for us that the Barts. We had our usual morning except the Rawlings had to leave to go to see a track meet that was about 2 hours away. Grace left a nice breakfast for us and we ate early before the Bs were ready. After breakfast we finished packing and then loaded the car – and we really did load it – so we could leave to meet the Sessions at the Essenwood Saturday Market.

When we arrived it reminded me of any of the many craft markets we have seen around. The one it reminded me most of was the Berkley market. I would bet that some of the same African masks are sold there as we saw spread out in this park.

There was not much we really felt a need to buy but we did end up with some things we liked. Some we will keep at home and some we will give to family and friends. I guess all told we managed to burn through $100 US by the time we were done.

The one funny part of the experience happened when I was bargaining with a young vendor over a shadowbox that had carvings of the Big Five. He started at R220 but quickly went down to R200. About that time Elder B walked up and asked me what I was doing and I said that I was trying to decide if I wanted to pay the R175 that the salesman had offered to sell it to me for. The look on the young man’s face was one of shock – of course he had not offered that price at all but he did not want to lose the sale. So he offered it for R190 and I said OK and paid him the R200 he had offered earlier. He was very surprised and thanked me. I told him it was too bad that he did not take the R175 price because if he had I would have given him the original R220 asking price.

After everyone had had their fill of shopping we went looking for a place to eat. The Mexican restaurant we wanted to go to had failed and was being re-modeled. The steak house we next chose did not open until 6 on Saturdays for dinner. We ended up across the street at a place that had lots of customers. The food was pretty good – nothing special but at it was filling and the company was great.

Once lunch and the visiting was finished we said goodbye once more – the Bs and the Sessions have become very good friends – before getting into our cars and heading home. I managed to doze through much of the trip home – I am glad that Elder B prefers to drive. There was more talk about the branches, what we might do if no couples come to take the Bs place, etc.

There has been no indication that any couples are coming to Durban and of course the first one will become the mission office couple. President Mann just could not function without one. Hopefully there will be two by the end of October and one couple will come here to Richards Bay. If not we will just have to do our best and seek a lot of help from the Lord.

When we got home, unloaded everything, and said goodbye to the Bs we realized that there were a few things we really needed from the store so I almost immediately hopped in the car and headed out. One important thing was air freshener – luckily the dead mouse smell had pretty much disappeared from the bed room but we wanted something to take out the last of the lingering smells. We have no idea where the mouse actually died but some day in a drawer or under something the dried remains will show up. Mary is far from thrilled with that idea.