Swaziland
The Royal Kingdom of Swaziland is just that, Royal! Differing somewhat from the western monarchs, the Swazi King is chosen depending on the standing of his mother! Once he is elected King, the two rule jointly. To be chosen as Queen Mother, may only have one son and must be unrelated to the current King. There is absolutely no "royal blood" intermarriage. The Swazi still live according to their cultural traditions and while most of them are Christian, they still go to the traditional healers for advice and medicine. Swaziland is a small country but it offers a variety of landscapes. Birding and game viewing are excellent here and the country has plenty of golf courses to support those sport fans. Walking trails, horse riding trails and quad biking are all available for the active and adventurous. For a really festive event try the annual Umhlanga (Reed) Dance. In August or September depending n the moon, the unmarried maidens of Swaziland cut reeds to present to the Queen Mother and dance for the King. Another major attraction in Swaziland is the Royal Swazi Sun complex and casino extravaganza - complete with spa! Try your hand at roulette or simply let your worries disappear under the hands of a masseur.
