Back in the 80s Swaziland was a weekend getaway, a cross-border jaunt for thrill-seekers to snub the Immorality Act, sample the country's herbal export and gamble.
Two decades later and some things haven't changed - the Mzimba Mountains still stare down on a verdant Ezulwini Valley, the casinos still pump out fistfuls of Lilangenis (the local currency) and Hotel California remains on the playlist at the Royal Swazi Spa Hotel.
But other things have changed. The once teenage king has grown up and has acquired several wives over the years, and a new breed of adventurers have swopped the thrill of the-one armed bandit for a weekend of outdoor adventure.
The Royal Swazi Spa Hotel has become the stopover point for quad biking, adventure caving, canoeing, horse riding and white water rafting. And that is how I, one weekend, came to tangle with one Monica Lewinsky.
Monica lay in the middle of the Great Usutu River, a graded rapid.
This was the first bit of white water of the morning and it looked scary. Negotiating Miss Lewinsky meant manhandling a narrow, two-man inflatable boat called a Croc between a couple of rocks and making sure we hit the rapid head on.
All went according to plan until, halfway down the rapid, I was thrown from the bucking Croc, tumbled through the white water and came to bobbing along in a life vest and wearing a cheesy grin. My partner hadn't even noticed I had left the boat.
I had just "gone down on Monica Lewinsky", was the insider white water rafter's joke.
The rafting trip was organised by Swazi Trails, which says it is suitable for beginners as well as confirmed adrenalin junkies. The Usutu River is the Kingdom's largest river but not all of this waterway is about rollercoaster rides through turbulent water.
The rapids come along occasionally but most of the time is spent idly paddling along the wide, slow-moving river, catching glimpses of the locals bathing, watching lihiya-wearing fishermen casting their nets from the banks and seeing long-horned Nguni cattle grazing alongside the river.
This is the tame section of the Usutu, where there are no crocodiles or lurking hippos, and for a long time it was southern Africa's best kept secret. But the global financial crisis is apparently ruining all this.
"Since the downturn, we have been busy. People are looking for cheaper alternatives that are closer to home," said Darron Raw, a photographer and one of the guides who shepherded us along the river.
Monica Lewinsky was nothing compared to the final rapid of the day. This monster lay at the bottom of a gorge, where the Great Usutu had channelled into a fast-moving torrent.
We had a choice on this one. After beaching our Crocs, we made our way over the rocks to recce the beast from the shore.
We were told that those not willing to take up the challenge could walk around. There were few takers.
"Go right, then the river will take you left," one of the guides advised. But once in the swirling water, we had little control over the Croc.
We got caught on a rock, took on water and over we flipped. This time the tumble was longer and I emerged sporting what was to become a fist-sized bruise on my shoulder.
But that was the finish line and after we had docked the Crocs, it was time for a beer on the shores of the Great Usutu.
But Swaziland is not just about raw adrenalin. There are quieter pursuits, such as bird watching, game viewing, as well as spa treatments to be had back at the Royal Swazi Spa. And it doesn't get much quieter than reading a book by the pool side.
The food is pretty good too.
There are several curio shops within walking distance of the hotel. And there are gentle walks to be had in the surrounding hills.
A more unusual activity was a team-building adventure, organised by Into the Wild Adventures.
This was like a kiddie's party, where the über-organised parents lay on a host of activities to keep the tykes occupied until mom and dad return.
But there was no sandpit to hide in and here the toys were for grown-ups. There were quad bikes, blowpipes with sharp pointy darts, GPS handsets and a well-stocked onsite bar. Everyone was divided into teams, decked out in different coloured caps and ... then the games began.
Teams had to complete challenges, one of which involved using different shaped wooden blocks to duplicate a drawing that could have been used as part of a Rorschach inkblot test. It was a Chinese puzzle, we were told.
While the team pondered over the wooden blocks, one of the members had to zoot off on a quad bike on a quest to find a hidden marker, with the help of a GPS.
Running scores were kept and the more competitive of the participants got bossier and tried harder to pull ahead. The less interested hovered around the bar.
One game entailed hitting a dart board at 10 paces with a blowpipe, while another involved a game of bowls. It seemed part of a post-grad psychology student's experiment, but the ultimate aim was to break the ice and to get the group to bond.
Of course, there is always the traditional Swazi pastime, a visit to those famed casino tables of 20 years ago. The one-armed bandits have also changed with the times and are now push-button operated and some even accept credit cards.
By Sunday afternoon it was time to head for the border, humming Hotel California and wondering if Monica Lewinsky would be gentler next time.