Table of Contents
Arrival at Shamwari Game Reserve
“By-ye-thi” I salute you!
A cheerful chap called Brian drove us all the way up the coast through Port Elizabeth and on to Shamwari Game Reserve. It took 5 hours in all. Bayethe Lodge is tented accommodation (although you would never really know you were actually in a tent!) set in very peaceful surroundings of rich vegetation giving a real feeling of seclusion with spectacular views of the African bush. The inspiration for the name of Bayethe Lodge comes from the Afrikaans “By-ye-thi” – “I salute you”.
Flora and Fauna
On our first evening game drive at Shamwari, we saw a lion.
Fascinating Facts
Brian said he spoke 3 languages – Afrikaans, English and nonsense! He chatted with us for most of the drive, which was a great way of learning about South Africa. This is just a small sample of what we learned.
There is no public transport outside the cities here, so you often see people walking alongside even very busy roads hoping for a free lift – or offering to pay for one .
70 percent of motorists carry no insurance, there is no requirement for an annual MOT and there is no points system for traffic offences.
The vast majority of cars are white – to reflect the sun. The King of Swaziland has 52 wives.
There is 32 percent unemployment and 10 – 15 percent of the population is illiterate.
Learning the Lingo
Learning Afrikaans- Thank you very much is pronounced “buy a donkey”. Thanks Brian!
Tips for Future Travellers
Keep some spare 2 and 1 rand coins handy – most of the toilets are coin operated.
