Wonder Cave.

Yesterday afternoon we took Toon and Pauline to the Rhino and Lion Reserve which is also home to the spectacular Wonder Cave. It is literally next door. These are the very lions we hear shouting at night. This marvel of nature is a cave which dates between 2.5  and 3 million years. It was discovered and then shortly afterwards, plundered, by the Italians in 1902. They lowered ropes down a hole in the cave and equipped only with skanky old lanterns, inefficient fireworks and pickaxes, proceeded to blast away at the limestone stalactites and mites. They brought the rock up to the surface and then baked it in ovens to form a powder which was then sold in Joburg for 50c a tonne!! This powder would be used to make soap and toothpaste etc. It took them 4yrs to realise that they were making no profit whatsoever and so abandoned their dubious endeavours.

We took a very quaint looking lift 20/30m down to the bottom of the cave and then a very typical South Efrican tour followed, peppered with a host of corny, sexually suggestive jokes.apparently the cave is the size of a rugby field...these are measurements South Africans can understand. The cave is spectacular, a most fantastic sight I can recommend visiting to anyone who doesn't mind walking the 120 steps back up to the car park.