Our main work this year is in assisting the KwaZulu-Natal region of the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa in its efforts to increase the community mission outreach activities of the local congregations in the province.  Just after we participated in the first of four scheduled workshops for the local churches, held in Durban on May 12, we gave ourselves a break and took a few days to visit the southern coastal areas of the province.  We had seen them in passing, as we drove down the coast to the Garden Route, about a year ago, but we had not seen the area itself.  While this is a big seaside resort area, and is just a stone's throw from the big casino just over the border into Eastern Cape Province, we took the opportunity to visit a few of the nature reserves in the area, and had a great time walking and birding.  In the end, it is not the most spectacular scenery, but very enjoyable and relaxing.

Preparing to hike into the Umtanvuna gorge.

The upper part of the Umtanvuna gorge.

On the road in the Oribi gorge.

On the way back to Kloof, we cut inland and overland, through the southern Midlands through Ixopo to Pietermaritzburg.  Here again are  Sugar cane and tree farms, and several frontier-like settlements and towns.

     The KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service (the amalgamation of the old Natal Parks Board and its counterpart organization from the erstwhile KwaZulu 'homeland' government), has a pretty nifty web site at http://www.rhino.org.za, which is worth a look.  You can check out our destinations noted on this page -- Umtanvuna and Oribi.