Swaziland

We have discovered two other Buicks in Swaziland. One is a 1938 model and the other from the 1970s, both are huge limousines owned by Mswati III - king of Swaziland and kept in his car museum alongside the royal Cadillac. In fact that is the entire collection in the Museum, which is otherwise given over to pictures and statues of the royal family. 

Mswati has 17 wives and at least two palaces. We stayed in a third palace reserved for visiting heads of state. It’s set out as a series of houses in an estate, each one has a Royal Suite for the senior dignitary and smaller suites for his or or her (but this is Africa so his is correct) entourage. The Skall and I had the room reserved for the secret service detail, so we went around with our fingers held as guns and peering around corners. 

Swaziland shouldn’t really exist as the British plan was to make it part of S. Africa. But a combination of guile, legal manoeuvring and bribery kept most of the kingdom intact and independent. 

It’s a beautiful place, very hilly, a cross between Scotland and the lower parts of the Alps. The approach road into the capital, Mbabane, is terrifying in an old car steep and twisty. We were in second gear the whole way to save the brakes. 

Mozambique and S.Africa between them have pretty much got Swaziland by the political balls. They took some of the King’s power away a few years ago and the Swazi Lilangeni is pegged to the S. African Rand. 

Still, Mswati still rules the roost domestically - although, perhaps with 17 wives his domestic life is more complicated than we think.