Beach life

We’ve been through Zimbabwe and made it to warmer weather in Mozambique, but let’s back track a bit and talk a bit about what we’ve been up to in Zim (you’ve had a sneak preview of some pics!)

We passed through the southern part of Zim, through Bulawayo, Matapos, a slight detour to a spot near Gweru, the Great Zimbabwe Ruins and finally the Bvumba mountains.

Bulawayo treated us to a night in a guest house (the first night in a bed since Zanzibar for some), restaurants, and a bit of exploring around the second biggest city in Zim, with a very interesting museum.

From there we headed south to the Matapos region, a beautiful part of Zim full of granite rock formations. Some of us went on a guided day out, visiting some of the ancient rock art sites in the area and learning about Zimbabwe’s history from local experts. We went to a Shona village and were entertained by Mr Pondo  with his leopard-survival story, and even got to wear a leopard skin... While we didn’t manage to spot any rhino in Matapos National Park, despite some serious tracking, I think we all came away a bit more enriched from the experience, with more knowledge and understanding of both rhinos and some of the indigenous plants and bush-lore.

Our next stop was Antelope Park, just south of Gweru. The name is misleading as it is almost more of a lion ‘park’ rather than antelope. Essentially, this is a lion conservation area  where there are breeding projects and ‘rehabilitation’ programs in place, to try and widen the gene-pool and increase the numbers of lions in Zim. You’ll have to go there to find out more about the projects (they do take long and shorter-term volunteers) or look it up at Antelope Park, Zimbabwe... But apart from the lions and many activities to do with the lions, it was a wonderful campsite to stay at. We were treated like royalty – with excellent hosts and guides, a beautiful view over the river, lawns to camp on, and free tea/coffee and juice (which really counts when you’re a camper on a budget!). The lion-feeding was a hectic event, with male lions fighting for their food; cub-viewing was a bit more ‘cute’. Some went off to learn about elephant training, some went horse-riding, and as we were there over full moon, there were certain special activities available, like lunar horse or elephant rides. A very surreal and special experience. We also went off on a night drive, following lions as they went out hunting. Unfortunately, these things can’t be pre-determined and organised, and while we saw the lions stalk, we didn’t see them kill. The first night. Those die-hards of our group who went back for more the next day were ‘rewarded’ with a chase and a kill. (Don’t get me wrong, we aren’t a blood-thirsty bunch completely.)  The twins in our group (Glenn and Kaye) also celebrated their 25^th birthdays at Antelope Park – with tea on the lawns, fishing for frizbys, and the best steak this trip. Good times.

Glenn and Kaye's 25th birthdays

Birthday party

Lion cub

Fishing

A spot of canoeing

Fisherman Nick

On a cold and wet day we landed at the Great Zim Ruins, but they were intriguing enough for us to spend a fair bit of time there, learning about some of the different stories and interpretations relating to this massive stone complex.

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Our final stop in Zim took us to the Bvumba Mountains, just on the Mozambiquan border, with spectacular views, lots of walking opportunities, a round of Golf for Kevin, tea and cake, more horse-riding, a lazy day, and surviving the cold nights. Al was treated to cheese and wine and pass-the-parcel on her birthday. More good times – at least for me.

Happy birthday Al

But time to move again – especially to warmer terrain. So here we are in Mozambique. A glorious week on the beach lies ahead, and then more time in the capital exploring this mix of African-Portuguese cultures.

It’s wonderful to be on the coast again, with warm weather and lazy beach days. From Vilanculos, we went out to an island in the Bazzaruto Archipelago for the day. A little piece of paradise, we spent the day snorkelling, swimming, walking around the island, and having a seafood feast.

Alison proudly displaying the trip t-shirt designed by the group in Livingstone

Coming ashore on Robinson Island in the Bazaruto Archipelago

Indian ocean coastline, Robinson Island

Sunrise views from the campsite in Vilanculos

Sunrise over the pool, Vilanculos

Seafood lunch prepared by the dhow crew

Jason and Rogan cooking their crayfish

We’ve been making our way slowly down the coast, changing gear and adopting African time more and more, with a few beach activities and challenges in between, like avoiding falling coconuts, putt-putt, snorkelling and frizby – in a different manner.

Snorkelling?

Frisby?

Putt -putt?

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Loading charcoal purchased from roadside sellers in Mozambique

Girl power - roof crew

Diane compares shoes with a local lad in Vilanculos

The rift valley

Boat trips galore… isn’t this supposed to be an over“land” journey?

Well after our busy time spent at the waterfront in Livingstone it was time to move on further south, only a short day in Athena as we drove down to where Zambia borders Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe. One of our quickest border crossing to date involves us putting the truck and its precious cargo onto a barge that crosses the Zambezi river at Kazungula. Its a bit different arriving in a new country on a boat and is great because you can clearly see the divide between the two places. Once off the boat and through immigration just a few more km's and we arrive at Kasane our stopping point for a couple of nights where we will go into Chobe National Park, Botswana's first declared wildlife reserve.

Our campsite on the Chobe river was a great place to relax in the sun, read a book or take a dip in the pool and also to celebrate Carlos's birthday round the fire with a bit of cake and cane. Just to mention August is birthday month for the trip with six celebrations and lots of cake to cram in, maybe September can be dieting month.

Carlos cutting his 40th birthday cake!

The next day we had our evening game cruise down the Chobe river into the park. Armed with a coolbox full of drinks for the sunset we boarded our motorboat to take us along the river banks and islands to get up close and personal with some of the parks animals. Chobe is known for having thousands of elephants as they have been protected for so long and that evening did not disappoint. We were able to see massive elephants feeding on the grassy islands knee deep in water, along with crocodiles, water buffalo, giraffe, monitor lizards and a few more large scary looking crocs. You probably wouldn't wanna swim here but would have been a good real man test hey Jason?

Enjoying a sunset cruise on the Chobe River

The cruise was excellent getting to view animals up close in the water and also from a far on the banks and in the rolling hills of Africa it really gives a different perspective, a few vinos and a cold beer went down well for what has to be probably the best sunset on the trip so far. Don't think you can beat watching a whole herd of elephants from big bulls to toddlers crossing the river onto an island with at times only trunks sticking out of the water like periscopes on a submarine. Cracking stuff but will let the photos do the talking!

Stunning

Best left alone...

Wading across the river

Very civilised game viewing - with a glass of wine in hand!

From Kasane we headed down towards Nata staying over night at a beautiful camp out in the bush down a sandy winding track, complete with a waterhole to try and catch a glimpse of some night time game sneaking a sip. The next day we continued down the seriously pot holed road to Nata and then swinging west out past the Makgadikgadi pans to Maun, whilst along the way navigating through foot and mouth/ veterinary check points where official try and pinch all our food for bbqs. With one of Botswana's biggest industries being its livestock they are quite protective of it and don't want meat and dairy products getting transported around the country even though we have brought them from supermarkets within her borders, its a weird one which involves a game of vac-packed meat hide and seek as we see up and coming checkpoints; luckily we're still winning.

Ok then so smuggling food aside we get to Maun the gateway to the Okavango delta, a brief description of the place then... the Okavango river which starts life in Angola before flowing down through Namibia's Caprivi strip before entering Botswana where it spreads 16,000 sq-km over the countries flat land creating an array of lagoons, islands and intricate waterways attracting a huge bird population and other wildlife.
We camped on the outskirts of Maun where we celebrated Paul's birthday (no.2) with the world's (Botswana's maybe) biggest balloons and steaks what more could you want? The next day was an early start for the group as we headed out in the back of sturdy old Mercedes trucks to tackle the sandy tracks that wind out to the poling station on the edge of the delta. At the poling station we load all our camping and food supplies along with ourselves into mokoros (dug outs) two per boat accompanied and powered by a local poler to expertly navigate us to our overnight bush camp. A mokoro is a dug out canoe traditionally hewn from either the ebony or sausage tree, nowadays quite a few are fibreglass to stem deforestation.

Birthday candles

Make a wish, Paul

Not quite Athena...

The Okavango Delta from above

Flying over the Delta

Relaxing in a mokoro

Poling into the sunset

All ready to go

Being punted along narrow reed lined waterways in the lying back on your backpack and roll matt in the morning sun is extremely relaxing and a great way to explore the delta, unfortunately it doesn't last all day as we soon are starting to set up camp on a nice tree shaded island to escape the mid-day heat. With camp set up and Nick, Di and Carlos on the wood finding mission for dinner the afternoon is a laid back affair with napping and reading books before a late afternoon / sunset mokoro trip and nature walk on another island.
The head polers are also guides who did an excellent job of educating everyone on the various bird life, vegetation and animals track seen on the walk.

Dinner on the fire (now with enough wood to bring Guy Fawkes night forward) followed by a few drinks and then some dancing put on for us by the polers which was brilliant and of course Brucie jumped up to have a go at the now legendary frog dance. Each dance was also a story of some sort acted out round the fire, cracking night.

Campfire in the Delta

Bruce and the frog dance

Striking down camp the next day after some of the group had opted to get up early and venture off on another nature walk whilst others had chosen a bit of extra kip; we headed back on another relaxing mokoro trip and then back to camp for hot showers and cheese toasties already made and waiting by Alison.

From Maun we quickly retraced our steps towards Nata where we stayed at a luxury lodge, albeit in their luxury camping section! Basing ourselves here allows us easy access to enjoy a guided trip out onto the Makgadikgadi pans made up of the Sowa, Nxai and Ntwetwe pans collectively the biggest network of pans in the world. We arranged an late afternoon trip to include sundowners out on the pan and set off in a couple of game viewing tracks to the north eastern parts of the Sowa pan, on the drive out we saw springbuck, various birds of prey and ostrich. With Jon looking out for leopard that has eluded him so far! The pans with their surreal colour and almost endless horizon make for some stunning pictures. Water provided by the Nata river which flows onto them creates a shallow lake that is home seasonally to Pelican and flamingos. Again another stunning African sunset to end the evening with over acacia trees mimicking exactly the front logo of our trip t-shirts.

Mkgadikgadi pans

From Nata we headed down towards Francistown on our way to Plumtree the border crossing into Zimbabwe and our next few weeks of adventure…

On safari in Zimbabwe

Camping outside Bulawayo

Another legendary camp fire

One angry beast...

San bushmen paintings

Rock art

Matopos National Park

Rock art being explained

Local entertainment

Village tour

Colleen all dressed up and ready to go

Sue looking a little bit apprehensive with her new friend

Big, round and soft (although quite heavy...)

Lion feeding at Antelope Park

Dinner

Bruce, showing dedication to his art

Zambia has been great!

After a terrible road that got people wondering ‘is it really worth the drive?’, South Luangwa National Park has fast become one of the highlights of the trip.

Jason & Cherie

One of Zambia’s most pristine and fairly difficult-to-get-to National Parks, South Luangwa really is wild. We camped on the banks of the Luangwa river, and it is here that wild animals and their power really become a reality. Massive crocs and hippos in the river, and at night time the hippos come out to graze. Listening to the sound of a hippo munching just metres outside your tent and staring through the mozzie flaps at these massive creatures is pretty hectic. A family of elephants were also regular visitors to our camp. It’s amazing how silently they manage to move about, and how they carefully avoid stepping on your tent...

Some went for a guided walk in the park, and/or game drives – some of the rarer sightings included honeybadgers, civet cats, and a Pel’s Fishing Owl (which means something if you’re a twitcher).

From South Luangwa we took a couple of days driving across Zambia to get to Livingstone. Victoria Falls or Mosi-oa-Tunya (the smoke that thunders) is just down river from where we are camping, and apart from seeing the Falls there are many activities centred around the Falls and the Zambezi River.  Micro-lighting over the Falls, walking down to the ‘boiling pot’ at the base of the Falls, bunji-ing off the bridge next to the Falls, or rafting the Zambezi below the Falls – take your pick how you wish to view them! And the sunset cruise is also always an ‘experience’...

Nick and Jason helping to load charcoal on the road to Livingstone

Sue at Victoria Falls

Paul going micro-lite-ing

Nervous smiles from Claire and Cherie before their tandem bridge swing

On the way down!

On the sunset cruise

Cherie, Claire and Zoe enjoying the cruise

Alison & Jason after the cruise...

Alison, after not so voluntarily going for a swim...

Still a little more time in Livingstone to recover from the activities, and maybe do a few more. High Tea at the grandest hotel in Livingstone has also been on the cards – don’t worry, they do make an exception and let us overlanders in to have a taste of the life of the rich and famous... (I’m sure we eat more cake than they do!)

Colleen, Sue, Hazel, Bob, Paul, Glenn and Kaye at High Tea

Next stop, Botswana.