Utter Shambles: short trip to my homeland

As some of you may already know, I was born in South Africa and moved over to Australia at the age of 9. I am now 23. My mum's side of the family still lives in South Africa so we often go back and visit them as well catch up with old friends. I recently went back for my god mother 'chookie's' daughter 'Kelly-lee's' wedding. Which by the way was absolutely beautiful.

We also had the luxury of staying at Phinda game reserve which I really do recommend to anyone thinking of doing a safari in South Africa. It can be quite expensive but really the staff, the animals and the accommodation itself are truly unforgettable. A day in the life of Phinda would include waking up at 5.30am meeting your guide for a coffee and heading out for a 3 hour game drive, most likely encountering lions, cheetahs, elephants, zebras and giraffes along the way, as well as stopping off in the middle of the reserve for a quick coffee and some snacks. Then head back for some breakfast, maybe indulge in a massage or maybe a tour of the local zulu village where you might visit the local sangoma (fortune teller) and crafts market and then head back out for your afternoon/night drive. The staff make every effort to make your stay amazing and extra special even attempting to remember each guests name. The food is delicious, healthy and substantial and there is alcohol available all day round. While Phinda sounds very over indulgent and it seems quite odd to be living it up in the face of poverty. Phinda has helped support the local communities surrounding the reserve by building schools, water facilities, the craft market and medical centre as well as employing members of the community to work on the reserve. You will have the opportunity to see all these community initiatives by taking the zulu village tour.

Hope you enjoy my pictures. Sorry its been so long since my last post. Also please feel free to ask any questions.