Transferring back to our trusty van – and trailer – we settle in for a long drive into Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland.  Unfortunately, there are protests today at the borders today. An organization called EFF (I think – it stands for equality for all) is blocking all the borders to the country today. Elon (our crazy ass driver) says he’s found a border point that won’t be blocked. We shall see!  We shall also see if there is a plan B!

After driving through ever changing countryside scenery, going higher and higher into the mountains, we arrive at the border crossing, only to find that it is closed.  Oh, and it has been for years!  Oops.  Ok. Border gate 1 – not gonna work. And the guards he talks to don’t look too happy either!  So off we go to the next Border gate – 30 km away.

Let the fun begin.

The first place we go doesn’t work either.  Elon can’t find the road.  He makes a u-turn at the dirt road that was supposed to lead us to a border gate, asked for directions then did another u-turn and start heading back around sort of skirting the border. And still we drive….

Ed and I are following along on Google Maps trying to guess where he is going.  We’re not even close!  He turns off onto a “short cut” that isn’t even on the map. It’s a dirt road – stretching out into the horizon!  Ten or more kilometers of rough, rutted dirt road I might add. Maybe an hour of serious off road driving in a 16 passenger towing a trailer! We were quite literally in hysterics. Bouncing around, bouncing out of our seats, laughing, crying, praying the trailer is still with us.  It was so funny we just had to record it for posterity!

In Elon’s defense, it did cut off a huge amount of time and kilometers while delivering us to a border crossing with no protests. As it turns out there was some violence at the protesting borders, with rubber bullets fired and 4 seriously wounded. At this crossing, all is quiet and peaceful.  We follow a slew of children into the immigration area – a whole busload who cross everyday for school! What patience that takes.  They’re in the system, obviously, so their passport checks go relatively fast.  Ours, not so much.  It takes forever to process us through – all manual input no scanning plus temperature checks.  Incredible these kids do it every day!  

Our first stop in Eswatini is the candle factory – which takes us forever to get there from the border.  But we did – right before they closed. We were willing to skip the whole thing, but glad that we didn’t.  They were making amazing things and we were able to watch one of the candlemakers work – which was fascinating! So much so it actually made us buy a candle!

Then we’re back on the road for another 45 minutes to the Mountain View Inn, which, as indicated by the name, is located at the top of a mountain with amazing views.  Our room even has a lovely little patio overlooking the valley below – which if we bundle up well (it is freezing!!) we can sit out on after dinner for our nightcap.

We take the opportunity to visit the great local bar downstairs before dinner – lots of locals and us!  Then upstairs for dinner, which weirdly is on us.  I mean, doesn’t matter it is so ridiculously cheap, but still a little odd!).  The food was great – a huge salad for dinner that cost $5.  We celebrated Walt’s birthday with a cake Charl had the hotel provide – and then it was back to our patio to sit outside in our puffy coats (yes- it is that cold!)