4. Dundee and Golden Gate NP, South Africa - 16 July to 20 July 2009

We crossed the border back into South Africa at Lavumisa, across from Golela in South Africa. Very fast border crossing - within half an hour.

Drove to Dundee across rugged open mountainous country then down on to beautiful black soil plains where all the battlefields can be found - including early Zulu wars, Zulu-Boer battles, Zulu-British battles, Boer-British battles and numerous uprisings and rebellions. It actually looks like country worth fighting for - beautiful open grassland with scattered hills. Camped at the Battlefields Country Lodge out the back. Cold night - 1.4 degrees in the camper and huge frost.

Friday July 17 visited the Ncome / Blood River Heritage sites. Both recount the Voortrekkers (Boers) battle against the mighty Zulu army in 1838. Three thousand warriors were killed, hence the renaming of the Ncome River to Blood River by the Boers. Both sites give their own perspective to the battle, which is really interesting. The memorial at Blood River comprises 60 bronze wagons, a replica of the laager (D-shape) formation that the Voortrekkers formed to defend themselves against the Zulus.

We are now camped in the Golden Gate NP, so called because of the golden colour of the cliff formations. They are truly beautiful with red and yellow colours at different times of day, and interesting erosion patterns with the granite deposits throughout the sandstone. July 17 and 18 two very cold nights camping. -1.2 degrees in the camper the first morning, which we thought was pretty cold, but this morning -4.2 degrees!! The fridge was -1.2 degrees - would have been warmer in there!! Our water bottles were frozen - they were not in the fridge. We had iced brown bananas and a crunchy dishcloth on the sink. So writing this while we wait for the sun to come out so we can pack up and be on our way to the Drakensberg Mountains - more cold nights ahead I fear. But we're loving it!