KIDS ON SAFARI 
@ PAKAMISA PRIVATE GAME RESERVE
KWAZULU-NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA

Pakamisa Private Game Reserve is in a malaria free area. There are no major predators making this an ideal location for kids on safari.

The reserve is approximately a 4 ½ hours’ drive from Johannesburg and slightly shorter to Durban.  From Durban there are plenty of interesting places to stop off on the way, the petrol stations have clean bathrooms where you can freshen up and get a light snack.

Families must remember that whilst on safari you must be constantly aware of safety precautions and even though the reserve has no predators, all animals are unpredictable. Never get out of the vehicle unless the ranger is close by and aware of your intentions. Keep children close to you on walks and in the vehicle and please remain sitting at all times.

Initially children are excited about going on safari, but the reality may include driving on dirt roads looking for animals. In order to meet your children’s expectations, explain that patience is part of the adventure. 



Bring along some colouring-in books, cameras and a check list for animals to occupy them should they become bored.

A real bonus is allowing them to have their own camera or video recorder 

(it doesn’t have to be an expensive piece of equipment). 

This will encourage them to focus on what is happening around them.

Safaris involve waking up early in the morning to avoid the heat. 
This can result in grumpy kids! Let them have a good rest, 
a swim and some down time between activities. 
If they fall asleep in the vehicle, let them snooze away. 
You can always wake them up when something exciting is around the corner.

Pakamisa is an exclusive lodge and they are happy to 
tailor make your itinerary to suit you and your family, 
taking your needs and those of other guests into consideration. 
The kitchen is happy to cater for the younger members.

The South African Immigration Law requires that all children under 18 must carry an unabridged (long form) birth certificate along with their passports. Make sure you apply for this in good time. These certificates show details of both parents: names, ID numbers, birth place and date.

This law has been introduced to combat child trafficking and is in force at all ports of entry.

For more information click on this link: http://www.dha.gov.za/files/Brochures/Immigrationleaflet.pdf

Contact details:

e-mail: res@pakamisa.co.za

Telephone: +27 (0) 83 229 1811

Web: www.pakamisa.co.za

LIFE IN THE SLOW LANE. INDEED.

It is always such a special treat to be included in out rides at Pakamisa Private Game Reserve. I am a bit of a plodder and was grateful that my steed for the day was Badger. He is a gracious old gent and understands my need to take it slowly. My companions were clearly much better riders than myself and they kindly tolerated my lack of horsemanship.

Pakamisa is the best place to amble through the pristine bush. 




The horses have been trained to accept the wildlife we encounter, and they too remain calm in our presence.

Isabella Stepski, who owns Pakamisa, led our ride. She was born in a saddle and her love for horses is so obvious. Her horses are in excellent condition as is their livery. Isabella welcomes volunteers who spend anything up to 3 months at the reserve escorting guests on rides. They look so elegant on horseback and maybe one day I will get there too. Most volunteers come from Europe – Germany, Austria and Switzerland. As many guests are European they feel quite at home chatting in their mother tongue.

The balmy sky was quite dramatic with the threat of a storm. The afternoon light was so beautiful and taking it slowly we went through tamboti forests and down farm roads making it easy to forget all the troubles of the world.

Learning the Zulu names for the animals is fun on a ride. Pakamisa has a journey of giraffe, or indlulamithi, who are so used to posing for photographs with riders, etching the memory of the encounter forever.  We came across a small group with a youngster who put on a lovely show for us, bucking as he slipped deeper into the forest. The warthog, ntibane, are great opportunists and frequently hang around the stables, greedy for scraps. 

A family of ostrich, intshe, are also always close by. They have raised many chicks in the past, but this year their nest of eggs was vandalized by predators. Eggs are laid in a communal nest called a dump nest, which can hold about 60 eggs at one time. The Zulus haven’t quite wrapped their head around a name for impala, and they remain as ‘mpala’. These delicate antelope will start rutting soon and their guttural call can be heard day and night. Kudu in Zulu are called mgankla or tshabalala – what a fun name! The way they negotiate the thickets with their majestic horns is incredible. Finally, the comedians of the bush, nkhonhoni or blue wildebeest can keep you entertained for ages.

So, despite not galloping on the beautiful open plains at Pakamisa I believe we all had a magical ride taking in the sights, sounds and smells of the Zululand bushveld. We were rewarded with a spectacular storm drenching the reserve with much needed rain.

Thank you Badger for this wonderful experience.

Click here for more information about Pakamisa Private Game Reserve

HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAM AT PAKAMISA

Pakamisa Private Game Reserve conducted their third health clinic for all the staff at the end of June. These clinics have proven to be extremely important, not only for managing the health status of the staff, but for the educational value that is shared in the group.

The clinics are run by Siloah Lutheran Hospital situated approximately 60kms away in the rolling hills of Dlomodlomo. 

They are an NPO, funded by the Department of Health, and a primary health care facility providing HIV, AIDS and TB-related treatment, care and support services. Their health care program monitors, and proactively works towards the improved health and well-being of families in surrounding areas. They provide HIV counselling and testing (HCT). They are an accredited anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment initiation and on-going treatment site.

Statistically there are over 6 million confirmed cases of HIV in South Africa, ie. 12.5% of the total population (estimated at 50million). Of these, 3.5 million are being treated through Government or private outlets. This means that 2.5 million cases are untreated, possibly due to lack of testing. It is essential to encourage people to be tested and treated as soon as possible.

According to Dr. Heinz Niebuhr, CEO and Clinical Manager at Siloah, there are an estimated 200 new HIV infections daily in the 16 – 30 year age group. These young women are extremely vulnerable as they have a tendency to be seduced by older men, known as ‘blessers’. Once these relationships terminate the girls gravitate back to their own age group males, and the cycle of infection is well under way. Women are testing for HIV, but it proves more difficult to persuade men.

Thankfully the incidence of TB infection has halved in the past 5 years among women as they tend to be in a treatment program. In fact the transmission of HIV from pregnant mother to child has declined dramatically to almost zero incidence, again thanks to women being more responsive to testing and treatment.

Pakamisa is extremely grateful to Siloah for their commitment to our 

health and wellness program and collectively we hope to 

reduce the incidence of HIV and TB in our community.

CONTACT:

Pakamisa Private Game Reserve:

Phone: +27 83 229 1811

E-mail: res@pakamisa.co.za

Pakamisa Website

Siloah Lutheran Hospital
Phone: 034 907 5224
E-mail: hfn@lantic.net

I AM WATER Ocean Conservation is extremely fortunate to have the support of Roland Puckering and his incredible team at the Mbazwana SUPATRADE SPAR for our Outreach and Education Projects that we run with underprivileged children.

I AM WATER is a Non Profit Organisation that believes in ocean education through human experience. We work with children living in coastal communities and we give them an educational and transformative ocean experience by taking them into the ocean for the first time and by inspiring them to become ocean ambassadors.

Sodwana is an extremely important area for us to focus on because most of the local Sodwana residents haven’t had the opportunity to learn to swim, which leaves them unable to appreciate the wonders and the beauties on their blue doorstep. I AM WATER believes that we need to teach people, especially the children, to have the confidence to explore this underwater world as it is only once they understand and appreciate how precious this resource is that they will want to protect it. Also, we believe that these opportunities could lead to some of these children becoming Dive Masters, Boat Skippers and other related Ocean Employment positions.

For the third consecutive year, SPAR has generously donated nutritious food packs for the children to enjoy on the beach after their snorkeling experience. This kind donation is extremely helpful to us, as the money that we save on purchasing food for the children, is able to go back into the Ocean Experience Projects.  This is allows us to give more children this life changing experience.

In December 2016, I AM WATER’s Outreach and Education Manager, Beth Neale, broke two South African free-diving records to fund raise for our Outreach Projects with children. I AM WATER hope they will receive enough support and funding in the future so that we can one day help the children attending our Outreach Programs to grow up and break national records of their own. We are proudly South African and our coastline is a huge part of our heritage. As a result, we believe that children from disadvantaged coastal communities, like Sodwana, should be given the opportunity to excel both on land, and in the water.

We are extremely grateful to SPAR for their continued support and we look forward to our partnership growing from strength to strength so that we can further protect our oceans and change the lives of our future generation!

Having a bale of a time.

There’s always one who has to get her fingers caught in the cookie jar. The drought has been relentless and we have had to take desperate measures to keep the animals in good condition.

40 tons of lucerne and grass fills up our bush pantry and every day the vehicle takes out loads of food to various points on our 3,000 hectare game farm.

Except some folk have become lazy and they hover around the shed eating their bellies full, then lazily amble a mere 20 meters away to chew the cud. And back again. And so the cycle goes.

Today one clever heifer ate her way from the front of the shed to the back. Until she was caught in a corner and her exit was blocked by a heavy bale.

Far from being domesticated and with an unfortunate disposition, made the task of freeing the heifer difficult. The bales were far too heavy to be humanly removed so the front end loader (TLB) was called in. It took ages to shift the bales, while the buffalo was beginning to breathe heavily and showed signs of stress.

Two hours later the way had been cleared for her, by now she was exhausted. We let her rest and finally, after a couple of hours, she shook herself off, snorted out the dust and ambled off as though nothing had happened.

Just another day in Africa

POLISHED FEET FIRMLY ON THE GROUND.

It’s OK to “let go”, “drop the mask”, “say no”, “have me time”…….

in fact in Art Therapy anything goes.

This was my first brush with Art Therapy; I had done something similar a hundred years ago through the Buddhist Center in Johannesburg when a therapist from Samye Ling in Scotland tried to get our untidy minds into a more peaceful state. But that’s all just a blur now.

So it was with some excitement to learn that Deanne Kim Jordaan from Sacred Space in Kaapsehoop was in Pongola to run a course. We were sent our shopping list for materials. The most unlikely items are required, most of which are not found in an art shop. So, here’s the thing: Slip out of your comfort zone, don’t pretend to be what you are not, do what you want, let the inner child come out to play and have some fun.

Armed with a huge sheet of paper, shoe polish (yes, that’s right), kiddies oil pastels, some meths (to blend with, not drink), sponges; and an apron and gloves if you don’t want to get too down and dirty.

Deanne Jordaan extracted information from us, just to get the feel of the group. We were a nice tight group made up predominately of exhausted mums, craving a little escape and some ‘me’ time. Never having had kids I have probably missed the step of knowing what it’s like to have the life sucked out of you by little people!

Our first step was to take a piece of paper with “IT’S OK TO…………….” with each of us being given various messages to contemplate for the next couple of weeks. Mine was “It’s OK to let go”………….and that I shall. We proceeded to do a couple mind maps with the central words being “BIRTH” and “SELF”. All these elements, I supposed, would influence how we expressed ourselves with a combination of shoe polish and sponges!! We could then choose an image to project onto our paper.

Then…………..we painted upside down!! We were given no techniques to follow, although a little guidance slipped in every now and again………I sneaked a look at my neighbour and was envious of her ability to transform shoe polish into a medium closely resembling water colours. But alas, served me right, I proceeded to make a nice mess trying to copy her.

Once our art was complete Deanne analysed our work, with our permission. Judging by the nodding affirmations she hit the nail on the head for some of us, and for others gave us food for thought. Speaking of which, we were then rewarded with a lovely lunch and a glass of cold white wine, plus the pleasure of making new friends.

We look forward to Deanne coming back to Pongola in July. If you wish to participate contact Deanne on deanne@xwi.co.za or follow her on Sacred Space facebook page.

Other blogs by Lois Kuhle:

SMOKE RINGS IN CUBA. A TWO WEEK JOURNEY FILLED WITH SALSA, SUNSHINE AND SILLY PEOPLE: http://smokeringsincuba.blogspot.com/2013/10/smoke-rings-in-cuba-journey-filled-with.html

'LIFE'S COOL'. MY NEAREST AND DEAREST BECAME THOSE THAT GRUNTED, BARKED OR BIT.

http://milimanilifescool.blogspot.com/2013/12/i-n-2002-i-was-lucky-enough-to-be-given.html

COOL THOUGHTS – LIFE IN THE SLOW LANE: http://loiscoolthoughts.tumblr.com/

FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/loiskuhlescribbler

WEBSITE: https://sites.google.com/site/loiskuhle/

Burmese Days

Our motivation to go to Myanmar (Burma) was inspired by a Top Gear program before Jeremy Clarkson disgraced himself. He still remains a favourite despite his outspoken ways. I had one eye on the TV, my nose in the computer. Rob piped up that Myanmar appealed to him. Despite numerous appeals to go somewhere new I could not get him to commit. I grabbed this opportunity and before Jeremy could say ‘Mingalarpar’ (hello) I had found our perfect itinerary thanks to Backyard Travel (Asia).

We jetted off in September via Hong Kong. Surprisingly, the air fare was not crippling, but the cost of our two week stay in Myanmar was pricey. The main appeal was sailing down the Irrawaddy River from Mandalay to Bagan. I have had enough of long days stuck in a vehicle on bad roads. This is how I wanted to travel. It has ruined me for life, because this is going to be my modus operandum from now on.

We arrived in Yangon at midnight. The new airport is under construction and looks hugely impressive. Yangon was asleep, it had rained and we had the silent roads to ourselves. A totally contrasting impression to the Yangon we encountered during the day. We arrived at the Kandawgyi Palace Hotel and were treated like royalty. Throughout our travels we were made to feel very welcome, we enjoyed the Burmese people and were impressed by their hospitality. In spite of their violent and chequered past they have embraced their role as major players in the tourism industry. All our guides from Back Yard Travel were excellent. Our driver in Yangon was hard work, we named him ‘Good Johnny’ as we didn’t quite catch his name and were too intimidated to ask again. We struggled to get a smile out of him, but by the end of the day he showed some signs of thawing.

Our itinerary included a couple of internal flights with Air KBZ. There were no delays, no falling out of the sky and smooth landings. We were impressed with the service. We flew from Yangon to Heho to spend 3 nights at the Inle Resort & Spa. Our guide Myo was wonderful, knowledgeable and put up with our requests for authentic food, a place to find gin and Myanmar beer. For two and a half days we skimmed the waters of Lake Inle.

We saw the floating tomato farms (fascinating for us, as farmers), silk and lotus weaving factories, morning markets where we ate as much street food as possible (and didn’t get Dehli Belly), watched in awe as the leg-rowing fishermen went about their cumbersome way.

We ate at the Golden Dragon, drank Myanmar beer, had a cooking lesson with a local family, bought silver jewellery, played with

Burmese cats at their sanctuary and visited golden stupas. We hesitated going to the sunken stupas of Sagar as it was a 3 hour journey by boat. It seemed a long way to go, the boats are not the most comfortable and the noisy engine can drown away the most peaceful thoughts. But I am glad we did it. The area is not over-subscribed by tourists, probably because it is part of the opium trade route!

Next stop was Mandalay. Our guide Lin was like a breath of fresh air. He was full of fun, and clearly loved his job. And we loved him. We travelled in September, on the cusp of the high season, and it was as hot as a red chilli. One advantage was the low number of tourists, but at times the heat sucked every ounce of energy from our exhausted bodies. Shoes have to be removed at temples and tourists are easily spotted hopping from one shadow to another.

Sunset at Mandalay Hill was magnificent. We opted out of the 900 stair walk and drove almost to the top to watch the sun set over the swollen Irrawaddy River. Young monks took advantage of our presence to practice their English. A lot was lost in translation but we loved their enthusiasm. We made our own marionettes – Christmas presents for the grand-daughters (one problem solved). 

We watched in awe as young men pounded gold leaf as fine as skin for hours, and visited the Mahamuni Pagoda where Rob added his golden contribution to the Buddha (women are not permitted to do so.) We visited the World’s Largest Book at the Kuthodaw Pagoda and caught our breath under the shade of a bodhi tree.

In Mandalay we boarded the Sanctuary Ananda. Talk about Nirvana. This five star boat was our home for the next 4 days, and it took a lot of will power to leave it in Bagan. Everything about it is excellent. The accommodation is luxurious, the food exquisite, the excursions just long enough to make you want to return ‘home’, and the staff were amazing. The Irrawaddy River was full to bursting from

the recent floods and the boat floated lazily from destination to destination. We stopped at Amarapura, walked the U BeinBridge, drank champagne in gondolas on the Taungthaman Lake. We bounced in ox carts along bumpy roads to the unfinished Mingun Pagoda. 

We learnt how to wrap ourselves in knots in our longyis and paint our faced with thanaka. We had cooking classes with Chef Sumat (who nearly came home in my suitcase), and learnt the history of Myanmar with our host, Tim Buma (who is also a South African). Our last night was on the shores at Bagan where we had dinner under the stars on the muddy banks of the Irrawaddy. If I ever run away from home, this is probably where you will find me! There were only 13 people on board (40% full) and we had a fun, fine time.

We came down to earth with a three star thud in Bagan. It was piping hot and I chose to escape to our mediocre accommodation until the weather was kinder. Rob found a great street café and dragged me out to eat a delicious meal for less than R5….(hardly worth mentioning the dollar value!). We visited an agricultural village called Minnanthu and wandered through homesteads going about their daily chores. 

Later on we stopped at numerous temples eventually settling on the upper terrace of Sulamani Temple to watch the sun set over the magnificent plains of Bagan.

One note of caution. As in every destination, where tourists have descended, there is a frenzy of willing vendors wanting to sell flowers, postcards and badly made curios. They can spoil the experience. Despite our inclination to respect their opportunistic behaviour my tolerance wore thin towards the end.

Last stop. Yangon. Back to where we started. I confess that I was pretty exhausted by now. The heat had got to me and the whole experience – the different culture, food and pace – was quite overwhelming.

The traffic in Yangon was challenged by ‘Good Johnny’s’ driving skills. We bought curios, and a stunning painting at Scott Market. We spent hours with gaping wonder at the Shwedagon Pagoda (hopping from one cool slab to another) and set birds free (much to my horror) at the colossal reclining Buddha statue at Kyauk Htat Gyi Pagoda. We caught our breath at the hotel poolside over-looking the Kandawgyi Park and prior to our midnight departure gathered our thoughts, our longyis and memorabilia before heading home.

In November 2015 Myanmar held their democratic elections where NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi won without contest.

BOOKINGS WERE MADE WITH:

Wai Lin
Backyard Travel Myanmar

Tel. +959 503 297 8
Skype: wailin.myanmar
Email: wailin@backyardtravel.com

 Backyard Travel
www.backyardtravel.com

Visit our blog. Follow us on Facebook & Twitter

Other blogs by Lois Kuhle:
SMOKE RINGS IN CUBA. A TWO WEEK JOURNEY FILLED WITH SALSA, SUNSHINE AND SILLY PEOPLE: http://smokeringsincuba.blogspot.com/2013/10/smoke-rings-in-cuba-journey-filled-with.html
'LIFE'S COOL'. MY NEAREST AND DEAREST BECAME THOSE THAT GRUNTED, BARKED OR BIT.
http://milimanilifescool.blogspot.com/2013/12/i-n-2002-i-was-lucky-enough-to-be-given.html
COOL THOUGHTS – LIFE IN THE SLOW LANE: http://loiscoolthoughts.tumblr.com/
FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/loiskuhlescribbler

WEBSITE: https://sites.google.com/site/loiskuhle/