Raining Prawns

The road into Swaziland from the West is paved and painted. The road out of Swaziland to the South is paved and painted. Inside Swaziland, the present King has 17 wives. Each year he picks the choicest virgin in the country. Before he chooses, the sangoma throws bones to determine if she will have a boy. If so -- she's in. Meanwhile, Swaziland has one of the highest HIV rates in the world.

The people are very sweet. In the marketplace you see a few emaciated ladies lying on their blankets, but in general Swazis appear hearty and happy. Swazi art is beautiful, especially fabrics. When people see Staci they begin speaking to her in Swazi, though how people know which of all the tribal languages to speak to another person, is a mystery to Plotnik.

Out of Swaziland and into Kwazulu Natal, and down to the Indian Ocean. St. Lucia is like Manhattan Beach, with crocs and hippos. It's going to rain prawns in a few minutes.