At last we've been able to trade the numerous sightings of logodiles, rockapotami and warthills for the real thing. (Still seeing treeaffes though and I think big cats are off the list) As mentioned in the last post during a walking safari and a sunset cruise we saw quite a lot of different species. The walking safari was particularly good - we left at 7.30am and walked for 3 hours with one stop where our guide produced chilled homemade lemonade and home baking! It was surreal, sitting on a log in the middle of the bush with an eclectic group of people, a very knowledgeable guide with amazing dreads and the habit of punctuating his sentences with uh-huh (in a very "like-like" manner ha ha)and an armed guard who compromised his dignity somewhat at one stage by tripping over and jamming his rifle into a mud pool. We searched in vain for giraffes but they weren't obliging and we did see plenty of other animals, birds and insects - many more of the latter 2 than if we'd been driving.
The main animal on show on the sunset cruise was the hippo and only in the water and mainly only eyes, ears and nostrils on show - as the guide put it, they were all on the top level! One did yawn obligingly to show off his fearsome teeth.
On Sun 11 we went on a day trip to Chobe National Park in Botswana. It began early with us (just us!) being picked up in a 12 seater minivan with a driver and a guide and driving for approx an hour to a point where 2 rivers (Zambezi and Chobe) and 4 countries (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia) meet. There were many trucks lined up waiting to cross, one at a time, on the ferry. I asked if many had to stay overnight - more like up to 2 weeks was the reply! Fortunately there were various ferries and very soon a chap in a flat-bottomed boat that would take maybe 15 people zoomed up and took - yep - just us - to Botswana. There we were handed over again to a worried looking chap who was asleep in his safari vehicle. "Are there any others coming?" we asked but no - just us... A slow 15 min trip took us to Chobe Lodge, a rather gorgeous edifice, on the Chobe bank. Our boat would be ready soon we were assured but 30 mins later we were still sitting soaking up the atmosphere, whilst the atmosphere was being very soaked by a massive downpour. Eventually Chibby (that can't possibly have been his name but it's certainly what it sounded like)reappeared looking even more worried because it was far too wet to take a small boat and he was organising a bigger one. Okaaaaay we said, thinking just how big?? Our worst fears were realised when a sunset cruise type boat pulled up to the jetty and just us reluctantly got on. The carbon footprint was getting bigger by the minute.
A forlorn looking table was set with tea, coffee and biscuits but we hadn't taken advantage of it when Chibby came back, this time looking like he was going to cry. The boatmen were on strike apparently and he was trying to get hold of head office and he would try to organise something for "you guys" but in the meantime we would have to wait in the lodge. We reassured him that it wasn't his fault and were nearly back up the steps when a replacement came bounding down them and back on again we went. By this time it had stopped raining but our suggestion that we take the small boat was met with "oh no I don't know who owns it" Chibby was way more in need of coffee than us - luckily there were 3 cups!
Once underway he stopped looking worried and proved to be a very knowledgeable man. I can quite see how people can become mad keen birders - the bird life here is astonishing and even though we've only seen about 25 of the 450 species in the Falls area (and the 730 in Zambia)it's been quite addictive. It was particularly pleasing to see a couple of Fish Eagles as it's Zambia's national bird and whilst nowhere as elusive as the kiwi it's still not your everyday occurence. But the hippo and the elephants were the highlights and here the cloudy weather and the big boat proved very useful. Because of the former the hippos were out of the water and feeding along the river's edge and the latter meant that we were able to get a lot closer than in a small boat (but still far enough away not to disturb them) A small boat load that obviously was able to find a operator was nearby and came very close to being upset by a submerged hippo who was further out than normal. After that it scuttled along in our wake, seeking protection! The hippo is the most dangerous animal in Africa - on land also as they often travel vast distances at night looking for fodder and woe betide if you're in their way the next morning whilst on their way back to the river. Incidentally, if you are being chased by a hippo try to find a small log to jump over as their short legs make them unsuited for such obstacles and hopefully by the time they've struggled over, or gone round, you'll be safely out of reach!!
We saw elephants from the boat and also crocodiles lazing on the bank plus kudu, lechwe and the ever present impala and after a sumptuous lunch at the Lodge we went in the safari vehicle further into the Park. There was a herd of elephants on the road outside the Park - they often appear in town! Highlights in the Park included warthogs that didn't run away, a leopard tortiose (compensation for not seeing an actual leopard) and lots of elephants, including babies. As we were leaving a couple charged us, probably because they were on both sides of the road so we drove right in the middle of them. A young one, maybe about 2yrs, followed his big brothers' example - he was very cute!
The game drive was a little rushed because of all the delays in the morning but still very worthwhile and after returning across to Zambia we were really pleased to see that our van was filled up with a group of young Americans, some of them Peace Corps members, who were going to Livingstone. Chatting with them rounded off a superb day.
We retrieved our packs from the Waterfront and, as previously arranged, booked into the Zambezi Sun for 3 nights - they don't have many people turn up with packs here but at least they have the good grace not to look surprised every time they realise we're still here!! Apart from the usual baboons and vervet monkeys they also have zebras and giraffes in the grounds as the hotel is in Mosi-Oa-Tunya Park (That means the Smoke that Thunders and is the local name for the Falls).This morning the zebra were grazing outside our building but the giraffes remain elusive.
I'm now back in Lusaka - Fi went back to Kalene this morning and I leave for home tomorrow. On our last morning we caught a glimpse of the giraffes so left well satisfied.
Still awake? :-)
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Victoria Falls,,,
...are amazing! We arrived here yesterday (6 Jan) from Lusaka after 2 nights in the Flight Service guesthouse there. The flight from Kalene was pretty smooth until the last 45 mins - I was ok but poor Fi suffered again. Flying for all those hours over what is actually a very small part of the African plains, let alone Africa, makes the Canterbury plains seem like a small backyard!
Our bus journey from Lusaka to Livingstone was in a different league from the previous experience. We met up with charlie again at the guesthouse - on his way back from Harare - and he organised us onto a business class bus - no chooks, nobody sitting down the aisle, no breakdowns and we started the journey with a prayer! Initially that was a tad worrying but no - it's standard practice. The conductor asked for a volunteer to pray but nobody stepped up so the relief driver obliged. Nobody heeded the second part of "Conveniences on board include a toilet at the rear. The toilet is not to be used" either unfortunately!! But the occasional aroma from there and the 20km of rough detour just before Livingstone were nothing!
It's now Sat 10 and we're about to spend our last night in our tent. It hasn't rained for 2 days which makes things very hot but it's nice to have a dry tent! It was a trifle damp earlier. We are going to Botswana for the day tomorrow and then back to a nice hotel for 3 nights. It was going to be a 7/1 split but the ratio seems to have shifted! They can't quite work us out here - I don't think people stay more than 2 nights. Every time we come back from an excursion someone, usually the lady with the hideous wig (a fashion statement), says 'You back again?' Well duh yeah - stuff's still here and we haven't paid or anything.... But the young man who puts the flaps down if it rains when we're out and brings in our washing before dusk and putzi flies is delightful!
On Thu we rafted the Zambezi - well some of it!! It was amazing - really exhilarating and so much fun. The guides were hilarious - especially when telling us what to do if our "laft fripped"!! Our laft only almost fripped once - much to Fi's disappointment but the almost flip was enough to lose one of our members overboard. (We got him back)The other rafts went over frequently and we were involved in a couple of rescues. One trio parted company with their raft, went down a set of 3 rapids under their own steam and were a trifle stressed when we picked them up. "Schwim! Ve are schwimming - vot do you sink ve are doink? Haffing a party???"
Yesterday we went into Livingstone to try and book a bus ticket back for 14/1 but oh no it can only be done the day before travel. Grrr. We went to the Museum which was very good but the combination of not enough sleep the night before (for me - SO hot)and the heat meant that all i wanted to do was lie down on the observation bench in a gallery and sleep. When in the bathroom dunking my face in tepid water the solution came to me and I subsequently enjoyed the Museum whilst participating in a private wet t-shirt competition! It worked a treat and no it wasn't see-through :-)By the time we'd done a few messages, stopped for numerous cold drinks, fought off the attentions of many taxi drivers and walked quite a long way we were melting into the ground and I was ready for another competition!
There is so much more i could write about but this post is long enough already. Suffice to say that this am we went on an early morning 3hr walking safari and this evening a sunset cruise and between the 2 have seen, amongst other things, warthogs, crocs, hippos, zebra, buffalo, wildebeest, heaps of birds including a vulture and a hornbill (Zazu!)many baboons (but not the Big one Andrew!) dung beetles doing what dung beetles do best, a velvet mite (looks and feels like red velvet)and more impala than you can shake a stick at. The baboons, warthogs and crocodiles aren't enough to keep the numbers down so they are thinking of introducing cheetahs to the Park. Someone asked 'Will you still have walking safaris?' 'Oh yes,' replied the guide thoughtfully, ' but we will rename them running safaris' ;-) Incidentally we had a fully armed escort with us.
That'll do.
:-)
Our bus journey from Lusaka to Livingstone was in a different league from the previous experience. We met up with charlie again at the guesthouse - on his way back from Harare - and he organised us onto a business class bus - no chooks, nobody sitting down the aisle, no breakdowns and we started the journey with a prayer! Initially that was a tad worrying but no - it's standard practice. The conductor asked for a volunteer to pray but nobody stepped up so the relief driver obliged. Nobody heeded the second part of "Conveniences on board include a toilet at the rear. The toilet is not to be used" either unfortunately!! But the occasional aroma from there and the 20km of rough detour just before Livingstone were nothing!
It's now Sat 10 and we're about to spend our last night in our tent. It hasn't rained for 2 days which makes things very hot but it's nice to have a dry tent! It was a trifle damp earlier. We are going to Botswana for the day tomorrow and then back to a nice hotel for 3 nights. It was going to be a 7/1 split but the ratio seems to have shifted! They can't quite work us out here - I don't think people stay more than 2 nights. Every time we come back from an excursion someone, usually the lady with the hideous wig (a fashion statement), says 'You back again?' Well duh yeah - stuff's still here and we haven't paid or anything.... But the young man who puts the flaps down if it rains when we're out and brings in our washing before dusk and putzi flies is delightful!
On Thu we rafted the Zambezi - well some of it!! It was amazing - really exhilarating and so much fun. The guides were hilarious - especially when telling us what to do if our "laft fripped"!! Our laft only almost fripped once - much to Fi's disappointment but the almost flip was enough to lose one of our members overboard. (We got him back)The other rafts went over frequently and we were involved in a couple of rescues. One trio parted company with their raft, went down a set of 3 rapids under their own steam and were a trifle stressed when we picked them up. "Schwim! Ve are schwimming - vot do you sink ve are doink? Haffing a party???"
Yesterday we went into Livingstone to try and book a bus ticket back for 14/1 but oh no it can only be done the day before travel. Grrr. We went to the Museum which was very good but the combination of not enough sleep the night before (for me - SO hot)and the heat meant that all i wanted to do was lie down on the observation bench in a gallery and sleep. When in the bathroom dunking my face in tepid water the solution came to me and I subsequently enjoyed the Museum whilst participating in a private wet t-shirt competition! It worked a treat and no it wasn't see-through :-)By the time we'd done a few messages, stopped for numerous cold drinks, fought off the attentions of many taxi drivers and walked quite a long way we were melting into the ground and I was ready for another competition!
There is so much more i could write about but this post is long enough already. Suffice to say that this am we went on an early morning 3hr walking safari and this evening a sunset cruise and between the 2 have seen, amongst other things, warthogs, crocs, hippos, zebra, buffalo, wildebeest, heaps of birds including a vulture and a hornbill (Zazu!)many baboons (but not the Big one Andrew!) dung beetles doing what dung beetles do best, a velvet mite (looks and feels like red velvet)and more impala than you can shake a stick at. The baboons, warthogs and crocodiles aren't enough to keep the numbers down so they are thinking of introducing cheetahs to the Park. Someone asked 'Will you still have walking safaris?' 'Oh yes,' replied the guide thoughtfully, ' but we will rename them running safaris' ;-) Incidentally we had a fully armed escort with us.
That'll do.
:-)
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Things I do and don’t and will and won’t miss….
I do miss
• The rest of my family and other animals (with apologies to Gerald Durrell)
• Fresh dairy, especially cheese. Had some rubber stuff when first here but nowt since
• Abundant veges, especially leafy greens
• A decent sharp knife!
• Comfortable chairs
* The belt that keeps my shorts up!
I don’t miss
• Stress
• Junk mail
• NCX (sorry SJ!)
I won’t miss
• The ‘shocking’ kettle
• Mossie nets
• Ironing towels after forgetting to bring them in before dusk (refer earlier post)
• The leaky iron
• The heat – and yes I know this isn’t the hot season!
• Living in a goldfish bowl :-(
I will miss
• Mangoes, mangoes, mangoes – also fresh pineapple and monster avocadoes
• The people I’ve met here – most of them! :-)
• Walking up Kalene Hill
• Spectacular thunder and lightning – and the way the rain cools things down…for a bit….sort of :-)
• The greater reliance on self and on having to ‘make do’ – a bit tedious at times but ultimately good for the soul
• The whole experience of doing something totally ‘outside the square’
• The rest of my family and other animals (with apologies to Gerald Durrell)
• Fresh dairy, especially cheese. Had some rubber stuff when first here but nowt since
• Abundant veges, especially leafy greens
• A decent sharp knife!
• Comfortable chairs
* The belt that keeps my shorts up!
I don’t miss
• Stress
• Junk mail
• NCX (sorry SJ!)
I won’t miss
• The ‘shocking’ kettle
• Mossie nets
• Ironing towels after forgetting to bring them in before dusk (refer earlier post)
• The leaky iron
• The heat – and yes I know this isn’t the hot season!
• Living in a goldfish bowl :-(
I will miss
• Mangoes, mangoes, mangoes – also fresh pineapple and monster avocadoes
• The people I’ve met here – most of them! :-)
• Walking up Kalene Hill
• Spectacular thunder and lightning – and the way the rain cools things down…for a bit….sort of :-)
• The greater reliance on self and on having to ‘make do’ – a bit tedious at times but ultimately good for the soul
• The whole experience of doing something totally ‘outside the square’
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Happy New Year - may it be a good one!!
Visit to Hillwood
Hillwood Farm is owned and operated by a branch of the Fisher family, Walter Fisher being the missionary doctor who founded Kalene Mission Hospital in the late 1800s. The Fisher family story is well documented and makes fascinating reading. The journey here seemed long and somewhat tedious – in the early days they trekked 1500 miles to the Angolan coast to catch a boat for home!
Hillwood has supplied the Mission with meat and dairy produce since the early 20’s when Walter and Anna’s second son ffolliott (yep that was his name and no it doesn’t have a capital f!) returned home from the war and started farming. His son Paul, a courtly old gentleman, still has a reasonably active part in the governance but the day to day running is now in the hands of Paul’s son Pete and his wife Lynne, helped by their 2 sons when home from school/uni. It’s quite a dynasty! Pete and Lynne sent out a general invitation to the Mission for games and afternoon tea last Sun. Fi, Nikki and I went with the Reeds and eventually there were 22 of us, including Fisher cousins from ‘next door’ for soccer, volleyball in the pool and a sumptuous afternoon tea on the terrace.
That would have been a great afternoon just by itself but was topped by a private game drive! Nchila Game reserve forms part of the farm and although it was closed for the season to the hoi-polloi the animals hadn’t left! Pete took a carload of us on what was supposed to be a quick 30min drive but was more like 1’30” – he is such an enthusiast! They don’t have any large mammals but we saw about 9 different species of antelope/deer including wildebeest, oribi and the rare sitatunga, a couple of warthogs and some vervet monkeys. About the only animals that didn’t oblige were the zebras. Unfortunately I only have my little camera with me so have a lot of shots of grass with brown or black blobs in the distance! We also saw the bushcamp – closed also but very tempting with individual chalets, gourmet meals in the chota, spa under the stars by the animal feeding station, etc. (I guess Fynn could always have a bone out on the grass when we’re in the spa at Iona!!)
All in all it was a fascinating afternoon and the Reeds didn’t seem to mind not getting home til 8pm with 4 pretty tired children. When we got back to the house after the game drive they were all ensconced in front of a video and a fire!! It was raining but I still haven’t acclimatized that’s for sure.
We only have 3 more days before Fi and I fly down to Lusaka to begin our holiday. I’m ready to go – I’ll finish the nursing manual that I’ve been proofing and reformatting today and am still working with Kirrilee in preparation for her starting school next week but if I was to be here any longer I’d need a bit more structure. Fi and I had a long talk yesterday to a young teacher who wants to start a nursery school for the hospital staff kids and hopefully long-term patients. He hopes to get underway next week and it would have been good to have been involved in that but never mind. It’s frustrating not having any transport – the community does get a bit claustrophobic – but I came on the understanding that I would just fit in and it’s been fine. I just don’t quite fit the long-skirted spinster model – tee hee! ;-)
Last night we toasted marshmallows over a bonfire with the Reeds, and various other mission folk. It was very pleasant but as today it’s just an ordinary day no-one stayed up to see 09 in! Fi and Nikki are at work and I’d really better get going too…..
Happy New Year one and all :-)
Hillwood Farm is owned and operated by a branch of the Fisher family, Walter Fisher being the missionary doctor who founded Kalene Mission Hospital in the late 1800s. The Fisher family story is well documented and makes fascinating reading. The journey here seemed long and somewhat tedious – in the early days they trekked 1500 miles to the Angolan coast to catch a boat for home!
Hillwood has supplied the Mission with meat and dairy produce since the early 20’s when Walter and Anna’s second son ffolliott (yep that was his name and no it doesn’t have a capital f!) returned home from the war and started farming. His son Paul, a courtly old gentleman, still has a reasonably active part in the governance but the day to day running is now in the hands of Paul’s son Pete and his wife Lynne, helped by their 2 sons when home from school/uni. It’s quite a dynasty! Pete and Lynne sent out a general invitation to the Mission for games and afternoon tea last Sun. Fi, Nikki and I went with the Reeds and eventually there were 22 of us, including Fisher cousins from ‘next door’ for soccer, volleyball in the pool and a sumptuous afternoon tea on the terrace.
That would have been a great afternoon just by itself but was topped by a private game drive! Nchila Game reserve forms part of the farm and although it was closed for the season to the hoi-polloi the animals hadn’t left! Pete took a carload of us on what was supposed to be a quick 30min drive but was more like 1’30” – he is such an enthusiast! They don’t have any large mammals but we saw about 9 different species of antelope/deer including wildebeest, oribi and the rare sitatunga, a couple of warthogs and some vervet monkeys. About the only animals that didn’t oblige were the zebras. Unfortunately I only have my little camera with me so have a lot of shots of grass with brown or black blobs in the distance! We also saw the bushcamp – closed also but very tempting with individual chalets, gourmet meals in the chota, spa under the stars by the animal feeding station, etc. (I guess Fynn could always have a bone out on the grass when we’re in the spa at Iona!!)
All in all it was a fascinating afternoon and the Reeds didn’t seem to mind not getting home til 8pm with 4 pretty tired children. When we got back to the house after the game drive they were all ensconced in front of a video and a fire!! It was raining but I still haven’t acclimatized that’s for sure.
We only have 3 more days before Fi and I fly down to Lusaka to begin our holiday. I’m ready to go – I’ll finish the nursing manual that I’ve been proofing and reformatting today and am still working with Kirrilee in preparation for her starting school next week but if I was to be here any longer I’d need a bit more structure. Fi and I had a long talk yesterday to a young teacher who wants to start a nursery school for the hospital staff kids and hopefully long-term patients. He hopes to get underway next week and it would have been good to have been involved in that but never mind. It’s frustrating not having any transport – the community does get a bit claustrophobic – but I came on the understanding that I would just fit in and it’s been fine. I just don’t quite fit the long-skirted spinster model – tee hee! ;-)
Last night we toasted marshmallows over a bonfire with the Reeds, and various other mission folk. It was very pleasant but as today it’s just an ordinary day no-one stayed up to see 09 in! Fi and Nikki are at work and I’d really better get going too…..
Happy New Year one and all :-)
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