Visit from Spokane friend

October 23-November 4, 2010 we enjoyed time with a Spokane, WA, friend, John Stanley, who worked with Ron on the police department K9 unit for years and retired on the same day. Together Ron and John worked as Forest Protection Officers four summers in northern Idaho prior to our mission. It was a treat having him visit.

On Sunday we introduced John to members of our ward where he good naturedly attended three hours of meetings with us.

The week of October 25 we spent a day in Pilanesberg National Park (first two photos) where we saw rhinos, giraffe, elephants, zebra and a myriad of antelope varieties up close.




We then went on a road trip, spending the first night in Swaziland (third and fourth photos) where we basked in a tropical climate of lush foliage, observed craftsmen in glass blowing factory, and admired work in candle, textile and silversmith shops. Seemingly everywhere in Swazi are amply stocked produce stands, wood and stone articles to purchase from local merchants. Notice the baby wrapped on the mother's back.

Our most intriguing stop was in bustling Manzini Market in the city's downtown where men and women shop for fabrics which are sewn into clothes while they wait and native herbs, roots and bark are available for medicinal and cooking use. Available also are household items (cooking pots, tin lamps, brooms); shoe repair; men's haircuts and clothes in all sizes. A entire building housed a produce market with an upstairs craft market.




We drove northward through Swazi for two nights in Marloth Park with easy entry at Crocodile Bridge into Kruger National Park. In the fifth photo Ron and John are watching monkeys swinging in to view us at Needles Lodge.