South Africa 2.0 - Tala Game Reserve & Midlands

June 5th - Tala Game Reserve

The boys had their stag do the night before and did not arrive back until 6am, hungover or still semi inebriated whereas the sensible girls arrived back from the hens night far earlier.  So the boys slept on the bus to Tala, we had a huge lunch while we waited for our tour to start.  Eating in general is a massive deal with over 30 people to cater for, booking in advance and taking over the entire restaurant was our usual style!

Yip, all a bit of a struggle for the boys! No sympathy given.

Pumba (Phacochoerus africanus)- meaning ignorant or stupid in Swahili, seems a bit rough for the hilarious to watch running, Warthog.

Tour driver- good guy funny as

Just Chilling after driving around the reserve

Eland (Taurotragus oryx)

The girls throwing poo (after the tour guide started eating it saying it enable him to get in touch with nature - so Luke decided to try it out)

A male Impala (Aepyceros melampus) scouting out his territory. 

Grazing Impala

Do you see it?

Red-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorhynchus) on the Rhino

Southern White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum), the most social and largest rhino species.  They also have three toes!

Just getting amongst the Rhino

Candelabra Tree (Euphorbia ingens), its' sap is poisonous and contact with ones eyes can cause blindness.  It also features in "The Gods Must Be Crazy" movie.

Blesbok Antelope (Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi)

Blue Wildebeast/ Gnu (Connochaetes taurinus)

 (Photography by Jenna and Pete)

Chilling after another busy day at BizAfrica.  (Photography by Jenna and Pete)

June 6th - Midlands Arts and Culture Day

We went to the Midlands region where the first stop was to visit the Nelson Mandela Capture Site which has been made into a historical land site to mark the incredible figurehead that is Nelson Mandela.  After evading apartheid operatives for 17 months, he was captured on August 5th 1962, which lead to his 27 year incarceration at Robben Island and Pollsmore Prison.  There was this incredible monument/structure along with the immense history that has been Mandela's 95 years of life.

After we went to a few crafty places, a chocolate store where we all spent up large! We had lunch at a lovely Italian restaurant, seemingly in the middle of nowhere but we had a stunning meal.  For the 12 people at our table with entrees, mains, drinks and coffee it totalled Rand$2,500 which is roughly AUD$250, really good value when the exchange rate is so good, although now the AUD is shit - damn you end of the mining boom.