Beaches - St. Lucia and Balleto

On Saturday, we left the game park.  We drove out the long way and continued to spot
animals.  We were on the scent of the king of the jungle.  Lions are in the Hluhluwe park
but we had only seen a pack of the highly endangered wild dogs.  After an hour of more
Rhino, Elephant, Buffalo, and Impala -- we came upon a group of parked cars.  Three lion had
been sighted in the ravine below but had disappeared.  Everyone waited.  We waited.  We
wait, drove back and forth, for 45 minutes.  No lion.  But knowing they were nearby would
have to suffice.

We headed for the exit.  At the exit, I was told they need my entry permit to exit.  This
was the first I had heard of this.  A quick search of the vehicle.  No paperwork.  The very
nice and beguiling gate attendant informed me that a lost ticket charge was R200 (about
$24).  I new I had the ticket.  I search the car.  After a bit he informed me that if I
"tipped" him R20 (about $2) he would take care of it.  At this point I realized that the
computerized document generated at the entrance could be easily reprinted by the admission
desk from their computer files with a simple display of my passport to identify me and the
car.  I then realized that the "lost ticket" was phase 1 of the shakedown.  If I resisted,
the attendant attempted to settle for the consolation prize ofr R20 - the "tip" - I decided
that I had a tip for him.  In no uncertain terms, I think I said "NO", a tip is a bribe and
I am not bribing you to leave a place I already paid to enter.  I went into the registration
building.  It came to me in a flash were the paper work was stored.  Back to the car.  I
retrieved it.  When I presented it to the attendant I think he was genuinely disappointed that I had outsmarted him.  I think the "lost ticket" scam works 50% of the time.  This is South Africa, where the have nots, having no options, work every angle with the have.  At one point he asked me where I was from.  Mom has told me that they think I am a South African Boer (size, color, weight all being factors in the stereotypical analysis).  Feeling satisfied in my pursuit of truth, we drove out of the park.

Next stop, 1 hour, St. Lucia. What turned out to be an "old Florida" beach town that time hasn't had time to forget yet. We are there to meet up with Mom's early 20 something Peace
Corps collegues.  They were Rachel (23), Danielle (24), and Charlie (23).  I suspected
Danielle was the ring leader of this group.  She was posted in a hamlet 3 KM (1.8 miles) from St. Lucia and the beach. Although just nearby, she spends all of her time in St. Lucia on the beach.  It was the weekend so the team had gathered for some entertainment.  Charlie had come 80 km but Rachael had come 11 hours by coumbie (small, 14 person vans that litter the road) for a weekend in St. Lucia.  St. Lucia, in case you are looking for it on Google Map, is a short 15 mintues from Mtumbatumba.  A tough Zulu town on the N2 freeway -- about 240 kms north of Durban.  St. Lucia is the place I want to be in the Peace Corps.  I half expected Jimmy Buffet to show up just hanging out at any moment.  Beautiful beach, a few
decent restaurant bars, and some clean and simple places to stay.  Paradise.  The PCV types
were staying at the local motel (very adequate with a pool) for R100 per night -- folks, thats $12 per person, per night.  It is walking distance to the beach.  So, we meet them.  They are smart and charming.  They adore Mother.  They think and wish that she was their mother.  We had speculated what kind of a son Barb would have -- quiet and introverted or more like her.  The agree, "more like her." We went to the local spot.  Sat on the deck.  I bought lunch.  Salads, wine (3 bottles), pizza (2) , and 1 kg of prawns for R700 ($85).  They were in heaven.  That's $17 per person for a two hour lunch.  About 2, we said our  goodbyes.  Mother is joining this group for Thanksgiving back in St. Lucia.  I would move to  St. Lucia.

We hit the road hard.  Drove without stopping to our destination of Ballito.  A Durban  resort town 20 KM north of the Durban airport.  We have a very nice 2 bedroom cabin a short  walk to the water (the Indian ocean) in what is effectively a camp ground.  Very quiet. Very  tropical.  Warm, humid, lush.  The beach road has a nice assortment of restaurants and bars,  there is a very busy shopping center that provides what is needed.  But the day was tiring.   Once we arrived, I collapsed.  By 7:30 I was asleep on the couch.  By 8 pm I was asleep in  my bed.