MY "OUT OF AFRICA" TRIP - PART 3

AND ONTO THE SERENGETI 

Great excitement as we head onto our final Northern Tanzania destination.  Our great guide, Hash, takes us through to Manyara Airport and waves us off on our Regional Air charter.  Although in great hands, I am not known for bravery in small planes, so there are a few wobbly nerves as we fly over the edge of the mountainous terrain of Manyara and into the skies above the vast endless plains of a remarkable grassland ecosystem – the Serengeti.  
It is beyond magnificent.  After the rains, it looks like a great green grass sea and the pools of rainwater shine like diamonds in the African sun as we fly over.   Here and there are small homesteads with their distinguishable cattle kraals and we see animals galloping across the plains.  I disembark and take a deep breath – this is MY ‘BUCKET LIST’ MOMENT – I can hardly believe I am here!!

We will be staying with Singita Grumeti for four days and staying at three of their incredible lodges. We are whisked off through the private Grumeti Game Reserve adjoining the Serengeti National Park and arrive at our first lodge - Faru Faru - for lunch.   

I realize immediately, that even with Singita’s impressive marketing material and stunning videos, the real thing is so much more breath taking and impressive than any marketing material can ever achieve.  Inspired by a botanist camp, Faru Faru is exquisitely designed by integrating an organic theme together with quirky and contemporary elements incorporating stone, canvas and glass.   The overall effect is exquisite. 

My suite has a large glass window overlooking a private plunge pool and the savannah beyond where I spot a few black and white Colobus Monkeys scrutinizing me from the safety of their treetop perch.  One can just lie on your sumptuous bed, press a remote and the wall-to-wall glass windows glide open and shut.  I start to feel like my nine-year old son in a “Toys R Us” store.  This is so exciting.  After I have sampled every delicious thing in the stocked fridge, had a cup of tea out of an exquisite tea cup, a G&T out of a crystal glass, explored every interesting decorative item and devoured each fascinating book set out for my interest (of course including opening and closing the windows a few times with my remote whilst lying on the bed) we are called for our afternoon game drive – I am SO SAD to leave my rather amazing accommodation.

When people think of the Serengeti, the first thing that comes to mind is the Great Annual Migration made up of thousands upon thousands of wildebeest, accompanied by zebra and a smattering of Thomson’s gazelle.  Rain is the engine that drives this spectacle and dictates where the herds will be at different times of the year.  However, rain is not reliable and therefore it is not easy to book a migration trip too early.  Our visit did not coincide with the migration passing through – apparently we were a few weeks early.  Even though the annual migration must be the most incredible sight to witness, I wasn’t slightly disappointed because our game viewing was beyond spectacular (and trust me – I have been on many game drives).  

There is always so much game in the Serengeti.  You always see large herds of every antelope, elephant, prides of lion (even climbing trees), cheetahs hunting – that just visiting the Serengeti is “spectacle” enough.  It is a place that touches your soul at any time of the year and it is not possible to be disappointed.   It is your perfect African Safari dream come true.    

Our next stay was my favourite camp of all because I am a bit of a Karen Blixen wannabe.  Sabora Tented Camp is nestled right in the middle of the Serengeti Plains and is a stunningly decorated 1920s style explorers’ camp with a treasure trove of lavish antiques and artifacts, heavy wood, rich Persian rugs and an abundance of crystal, silverware and glass.  Being out on the plains, you really do feel anchored in with the Serengeti wildlife.  

Cozied up in my lavish tent in the middle of the still night, two large magnificent male lions decided to walk right through the camp.  Just passing my rather thin canvas protection, they roared the ‘Lion King of all Roars’ just metres from me…there was absolutely no doubt that the earth shook with this spine-chilling sound.  I was certainly shaken to my bones quite literally- in fact I think I still trembled for days afterwards.  Those that have heard a wild lion roar at close range will know exactly what I mean.  The roar of a lion packs a power punch that completely unnerves you and is part of the thread that binds your soul forever to this wild and unpredictable continent.    Sabora Tented Camp is not for the faint hearted. 

Our last night was spent at Sasakwa Lodge – a stately Edwardian Manor House offering guests a sense of refined comfort, luxury and olde world grandeur.  Being on a high vantage point, it offers amazing
panoramic views of the endless plains.  The walls are crammed with beautiful old paintings, maps and other interesting bits and pieces that make you want to just wander around the Manor House for hours analysing each one, just taking it all in.  A game of chess is set out and whilst we were enjoying an after dinner drink, someone was tinkering on the piano and that sound in itself took me straight back to grand and elegant days gone by – just required me to bring out a silk dress laced with antique embroidery and elegant jewellery.  Karen Blixen eat your heart out!

Although completely taken by all the Singita lodges up in East Africa, the mobile Singita Explorer Camp that we had a quick look at, pulled at my heartstrings especially.  I dream that if I ever win the Lucky Lotto, this is where I would take a group of my closest friends – some time spent in tune with nature for the more adventurous.  These mobile camps, although luxurious in every way, offer a more olde world “camping” feel and are set up according to climate and movement of animals. 

What really stayed on my mind after this visit was that Singita, having won many awards and accolades for it’s eco-luxury lodges, low impact conservation and outstanding community work, is really about it’s people.  The people that work for Singita make Singita.  From the ever smiling and thoughtful Francis (our host and ranger) to the managers and their friendly staff at each lodge and camp, were outstanding.  I will always remember the surprise on our last night when we stopped for the usual sundowners.  

We turned the corner to a path of candle lights lit up, and at the end, chairs decked with Maasai blankets, snacks and our favourite drinks all beautifully set up - an amazing end to our Tanzanian adventure.  I still sing the song that the Maasai  guards sang with us as they walked us back to our rooms at night…. A bit like the thunderous roar of a lion, it just stays in your soul forever. 

Thank you Singita Grumeti  for a trip of a lifetime…. an experience I will, quite simply, never ever forget!

** PLEASE SEE MY VIDEO BLOG ON A TRIBUTE TO THE PEOPLE I MET AT SINGITA GRUMETI** 

MY "OUT OF AFRICA" TRIP A tribute to the people I met at Singita Grumeti

MY “OUT OF AFRICA” TRIP – PART TWO
MAGIC IN THE TANZANIAN HIGHLANDS

With a heavy heart, we left the sanctuary of ChemChem heading towards Karatu and the Tanzanian Highlands.  As we wound our way through villages we noticed a monthly Maasai market - a hive of colour and activity as they bartered their goods and enjoyed the monthly get-together.  It then started to get colder as we climbed up over the Great Rift Escarpment, and it was raining when we found ourselves in the Highlands – a lush emerald green farming area dotted with banana trees and towering acacias.   We eventually arrived at Gibbs Farm – a working coffee farm at the foot of the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area.  

I was captivated.   

How does one even begin to describe this place? It was so different to anything I had visited before. If we were to continue on the movie theme – I had definitely left the open plains of 'Out of Africa' and entered the dream-like world of Pandora’s Planet in the movie 'Avatar'.  (I loved that movie)

The first thing I noticed were the enormous trees that seemed to form a canopy over it all and the lush wet jungle-like gardens below with moss dripping off trees and “Lobster Claw” plants in abundance.  I had entered a botanical garden with sweeping views over dark green coffee plantations.

 Well known for its organic fresh “farm to table” cuisine, the centre of it all is its extensive “kitchen garden” which spreads out into the forest. Gibbs boasts acres of coffee, fruit, vegetables and various other gardens including a herb garden and a medicine garden, as well as a working dairy and pig farm.  The earth is fertile and dark reddish brown – you could smell the earth mingling with the many herbs and vegetables growing and the smell of roasting coffee together with the sweet pungence of a rain forest.  

The beautiful kitchen garden 

Birds called, pesty baboons chattered, the Maasai men bantered as they worked the coffee beans and the old women filled the baskets on their backs with vegetables and herbs for the kitchen.  Some young children could be heard playing a soccer match beyond the rhubarb hedge.  I believe the odd elephant has come to test out the various veggies – thankfully they do not make an appearance whilst we were there.

The 1929 farmhouse has hardly changed and has history that gives it a settled ‘soul’. A lodge can try as much as it likes but it cannot have ‘soul’ unless it has the quiet confidence of a rich history - a place settled into time nestled into the coffee plantations for generations.   

Ray hard at work

The atmosphere is relaxed, slow and peaceful and very much in rhythm to the farm.  When we caught our breath after catching up with our dear friend, Rachel, who is the Executive Chef here, it felt easy to settle into the inviting big old leather armchairs in front of the fire-place and surrounded by old rock clad walls (which I’m sure tell a story or two). Adorning the walls throughout the farmhouse are black and white prints of the farm many years gone by, photos of favourite characters that have worked here and been loved (many being grandparents of those working at the farm today) as well as local art of Maasai warriors and African wildlife.  It is not trying to be “African Chic” – it is not trying to be sophisticated at all - but then that’s its appeal. 

The kitchen team with Blev

The food here lived up to every expectation – fresh, full of flavor and absolutely delicious.  Our meals were fun and jovial affairs.  Apart from the happy friendly staff and our noisy banter, we also enjoyed chatting with a big sociable group of American doctors and nurses.  They had come over for a few weeks to assist in the local Karatu clinics providing further basic medical care to the local villagers. Gibbs is also closely associated with a school in the area and guests have the option of buying a desk and can sign it with a message and deliver it personally to the school.  This farm, like ChemChem, is very much part of the community.  As I travel in East Africa, I am getting a recurring theme.  There is a great deal of work being done together with the communities  – something quite special is going on here. 

A Maasai Warrior emerging from the mist

Gibbs Farm is also close to Ngorongoro Crater and we managed to do this as a day trip. Together with Hashim (our very enthusiastic and attentive guide with his Bill Clinton “don’t you worry about a thing” take on life) we headed into the misty dense forested mountains of the crater rim.  We could barely see in front of our vehicle as we edged along the ‘jungle’ roads.  At various points in the ghost-grey mist we noticed brightly clothed Maasai with their cattle and some beehive huts but other than that, I felt an eerie quietness.  I believe this is only because it was “quiet” season – during peak season the park apparently explodes with safari vehicles.  I don’t think hundreds of tourist vehicles jostling about like swarming African Army Ants could be any fun.

Crater View - with our great guide Hashim  

Our forest escapade then opened up to an incredible view of the crater – the world’s largest inactive unbroken caldera.  The steep sides of the crater have made it a natural enclosure for an extensive variety of wildlife.   Game viewing was spectacular – just like visiting London Zoo!  

In my sense of utter amazement, I took at least a thousand photos (my trusty camera battery even died on me).  Never had I seen such a concentration of African animals like this.  

Apart from every ungulate you can imagine, it also includes the rare black rhino and the densest known population of lion.  The flamingoes in the crater lake were a sight to behold.

What I found really interesting was that the crater provides multiple land use, with wildlife happily coexisting with semi-nomadicMaasai pastoralists practicing traditional livestock grazing.  We saw some of the Maasai bringing their cattle down from their homesteads on to the crater floor to graze, which they have done every day for many years.  We watched as they wandered past prides of lion without a care in the world – just like they were heading down Main Street for a spot of shopping.  The VERY true meaning of co-existence!

The following morning we said good-bye to 'Pandora’s Planet'.  The past few days in the Tanzanian Highlands had been fabulously magical and rather mythical actually.  Back to 'Out of Africa' we go, as our next stop is the Serengeti – I am beyond excited to see it at last.  To the local Maasai, it is known as Siringitu - "the place where the land moves on forever." 

See you there in the final stage of my East African adventure.

MY “OUT OF AFRICA” TRIP – PART 1

And so Ratty’s Rambles is back - off on African adventures and dying to tell you all about them.  In fact so excited to do this that I am rambling too long in my blogs – much to the horror of my social media guru who tells me emphatically to “keep it short” – some things are just too exciting to tell in a few loose paragraphs. 

I have just returned from Tanzania.   A first-time trip for me – a real look-see!  Travelling with a great school friend - Blev - and visiting another dear school friend en-route - Ray, who works in Tanzania - we planned to visit as many lodges as we could, to get a good feel of what the Tanzanian “Northern Circuit” was all about.  This trip therefore included Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti. 

I can confirm that I am now fully “hooked” on this rather special part of the world.  Realistically, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.  To me, East Africa had always been the classic movie “Out of Africa” even if that was based in Kenya.  Apart from a dashing Robert Redford, I hoped it would live up to my romantic expectations of a vast African savannah, endless plains of game, densely forested mountains flecked with coffee plantations and rather quaint colonial plantation lodges and tented camps.   I can, after my trip, confidently confirm it is exactly what I imagined- and more!  However, only after my visit, I realized that my pre-trip impression hadn’t quite done enough to impart the strong soul East Africa has.  This is made up of firmly entrenched traditions, an eternal sense of history, a community of generations of families and Tanzanians’ overwhelmingly warm hospitality.  Everywhere you go you hear Jambo (hallo) and Karibu (welcome).  This felt like a genuinely happily settled nation – everyone so keen to make you feel welcome and to love their country.  So began my “Out of Africa” trip.   

We had been advised to take Rwandair – Rwanda’s national airline-  and so we embarked on a rather “around Africa” trip – stopping at Lusaka in Zambia, Kigali in Rwanda and then eventually onto Kilimanjaro.  I highly recommend this airline- the flights were very pleasant. 

Beautiful Plantation Home - Legendary Lodge

Upon arrival in Kilimanjaro we were whisked off to Legendary Lodge at the foot of Mt Meru in Arusha - and this is where the magic began.  Everyone who goes past Arusha MUST stay at Legendary Lodge.  There is just no “two ways” about it!  We were met by Gregory and his team and felt immediately at home.  How can you not, when you have your heavy bags whisked away from you and in their place handed an icy cold ‘gin & tonic’ to settle your weary ‘travel’ bones.  My goodness, I loved them all immediately.    Here we met Rupert Finch-Hatton from Hoopoe Safaris who was providing a vehicle and guide for our weeklong sojourn.  He is apparently the great nephew of Denys Finch-Hatton (yes – the one in “Out of Africa”) although when I mentioned it to him, he looked weary of this constant link that every tourist must bring up – sorry Rupert!  However, it certainly provided roots for my “Out of Africa” frame of mind and positioned me firmly into yesteryear.    This lovingly maintained colonial plantation home could have been Karen Blixen’s and is full of history – you could feel it seeping out of every corner.   I woke up in the morning listening to the birds and a far away train whistling.  Whilst wondering what delicious feast Max the chef was preparing in the kitchen, I heard the clinking of a tray being delivered to our room…and in came the smell of freshly ground coffee and lavender cookies. 

Waving good-bye to our newly made friends at Legendary Lodge, we were off on safari with our guide -Hashim – who regaled us with his new American accent and had us in stiches from the start (Hoopoe Safaris had just recently hosted an American group and the accent certainly had had an effect on Hash – from then on I felt I was travelling along the dusty African roads with Bill Clinton).

Although aware that most visitors to the Tanzanian “Northern Circuit” use the short charter flights, I was thrilled to do this bit of the trip from Arusha through to Tarangire and Lake Manyara by road.  You really get to know a country this way.  After witnessing the majesty of the 19,341 ft. Mt Kilimanjaro with its snowy cap, I found the area around Arusha so densely forested and fertile -coffee plantations abound. Everything was so colourful – especially the people and the vibrant “Maasai” colours they wear.  I loved watching everyone going about their daily routines, colourful buses, motorbike taxi’s weaving in and out of the traffic being stopped by very official policemen in their all-white uniforms, small informal plant street sales, cafés with old men bantering over pipes and young children playing with wire cars.  

After the busy streets of the Kilimanjaro and Arusha area, we ventured out towards Tarangire.  It started to get more sparse and every now and again, we would see the colourful figure of a Maasai tending to his cows and the small villages dotted here and there. You could see that the fierce sun sucks the moisture out of this landscape.  

Tarangire National Park is but a brief stop off and unfortunately I do not get to experience the magnificent bird life, the tree climbing pythons and great elephant herds that it is well known for.  However, I did experience my first tsetse fly bit (wow, they sting!!) Onwards to ChemChem Lodge we went. 

ChemChem Lodge, described as “an authentic haven that awakens the senses”, is situated in a private wildlife concession assisting the migration corridor between Lake Manyara and Tarangire.  Quite magical the work that the owners – Fabia Bausch and Nicolas Negre- have done here assisting the surrounding communities by protecting their wildlife and supporting their education system.  This small tented lodge is a true oasis where the key words are SLOW SAFARI – a place that demands you to wind down and enjoy nature at its soothing best. (complete with a yoga mat in your tent). Surrounded by palms, exquisitely decorated with natural fibres such as canvas, lava-stones and wood and giving you spectacular lake views, the lodge and its attentive staff, led by manager Kelly, ensure you have no choice but to relax and enjoy this tranquil holistic haven.  

You can do a number of activities from here – a trip into Tarangire should be on the cards (or staying over in Little ChemChem Tented Lodge in Tarangire).  However a must is a holistic spa treatment, bush walk (the bird life is incredible) and sundowners on the lake.   After being thoroughly spoilt with a spa treatment, we were taken on a walk with a Maasai warrior and a field guide whilst being watched by inquisitive giraffe and zebra.  It was fascinating learning how the Maasai have survived for generations in harmony with nature.  The perfect end was a surprise sundowner on Lake Manyara.  Nothing could be more incredible than sitting on the tranquil shores of Lake Manyara with a view of the Great Rift escarpment – you could not be further from frenetic city life if you tried. 

And so with ‘sundowner’ in hand, I leave you with my memories and photos….until Part 2 of my “Out of Africa” adventure which sees us onwards to Ngorongoro Crater and the lush valley of Gibbs Farm.  Kwaheri (good-bye) until next time.....

Paradise on Earth found in Mozambique

 

Oh to be the friends of people who have ‘island paradise getaways’!    

 The Wilson family found themselves on a rather hair-raising road trip from Johannesburg to Vilanculos in Mozambique to spend some time with friends who have a share in the most idyllic place in the world – The Sanctuary.  This rather special part of the world is a 30 minute boat trip from Vilanculos - not exactly an island but a jutting out finger from the mainland and situated within the Bazaruto Archipelago.  You can only get there by boat from Vilanculos. 

The Mozambique border patrol was by far the most fascinating experience I have personally had in Africa – we all stared in wide eyed wonder at the screaming, jostling and negotiating going on around us, topped by the border police chasing – at top speed – the very kindly gentleman who was helping us with our insurance papers.  What can we say – he was wanted by the police!  Wow…life in Africa is never dull. 

The rest of the long road trip was just as exciting – watching out for cows, goats, the odd croc…humans!  You name it, everything and everyone crosses the main roads in Mozambique at any point they see fit.  You have got to have your wits about you when travelling in this part of the world.  It has to be said though, that a trip to Mozambique is not complete without stopping off in Maputo to enjoy some extra hot spicy prawns and  Portuguese peri-peri chicken. 

 I wasn’t sure what to expect from Vilanculos but it was more bustling and chaotic than I imagined it would be– we couldn’t even leave the car at the shops as there were at least 20 people crowding us trying to sell something.  I was glad to get to the meeting point on the beach to get the boat across to The Sanctuary.  I wasn’t expecting such a small boat but nevertheless, I was up for adventure even though my back and stomach weren’t feeling quite up to the crossing – wow, felt like an old lady when I got off.  Note to self: must find my sea legs!!   

All woes were completely forgotten when I arrived!  Looking up at Curlew Lodge nestled amongst the tropical foliage overlooking the turquoise sea,  I felt I had stepped into a Robinson Crusoe book.  It was pure heaven.    I remembered when I was at school and had to write a piece on “My Utopia”.  Mine went along the lines of “My Utopia - a tropical island paradise all to ourselves, not another soul in sight -  with palms waving in the wind, endless turquoise seas, long stretches of white sand, striking sunsets, dolphins frolicking in the waves… and tree trunks made of chocolate” (ok, apart from the tree trunks of chocolate, there was no doubt that  had found my Utopia here complete with dolphins frolicking in the waves).  

We spent our days boating around the various islands, enjoying long lazy days on deserted beaches, swimming, snorkelling, taking long walks and exploring the various islands.  In the evenings, our very smiley chef would see what 'the catch of the day' was and we would perhaps enjoy fresh fish over the fire after sundowners on the deck watching the magnificent sunsets.  It is hard to explain a tropical paradise on paper so I hope you will enjoy the pics I have included that tell their own story of our experience of the   THE BAZARUTO ARCHIPELAGO.

  

Curlew Lodge

Island Living

Cricket on our own deserted beach on Banque Island

Every now and again the local fishermen would join us on one of the islands - always fresh fish on offer

A perfect place for a sundowner!

Zim is Back

I recently attended a very inspirational presentation on Zimbabwe at the Wilderness Safaris office in Johannesburg.  Getting there on time during a wild Highveld thunderstorm was somewhat interesting.  Living here, we all love the smell of an African storm and never complain about the much needed rain, but trying to avoid the many potholes and staying as calm as possible with most of the traffic lights out of order ….eesh!  By the time I got to the presentation, my mind was ready to be whisked off to the stunning plains of Zimbabwe and that it was.

The presentation “Original Zimbabwe” was given by a number of key players in the hospitality and tourism industry in Zim.  They came with a strong message - ZIM IS BACK - and they wanted the world to know. As each presenter spoke, I was struck by their strong sense of pride, loyalty and passion.  They have each invested so much of their own money and time into communities, game reserves and the like - pulling Zim back up into the African tourism spotlight where it belongs.   For me, this was very exciting being reassured by those in-the-know and, afterwards, I couldn’t wait to get out there and sell Zim in every itinerary I sent out.  All my own memories of this country came flooding back right there and then watching these beautiful scenes come up on the screen (with Chardonnay and canapés in hand, it has to be said -Wilderness Safaris always do hospitality so well). 

I remember my first trip to Zimbabwe (with new boyfriend Dave) as a cash-strapped student many

My first view of the majestic Vic Falls

years ago.  The two of us had decided to do a three week self-drive camping trip through Botswana and Zim on a strict budget.  By the time we arrived at Victoria Falls, we were so tired of pretending to enjoy one tin of baked beans on dry bread rolls for dinner followed by brittle biltong that we decided to treat ourselves and headed to the Elephant Hills Casino just to see a bit of luxury.  We tried our best to blend in with the other guests but truthfully we couldn’t afford anything more than a coke between the two of us.  Having never gambled in my life, I tried my last R10.00 on the slot machine, much to Dave’s horror as that R10.00 was for next day’s food (it was nearly the end of our fledgling relationship).  Can you believe it…that machine gurgled to life and with bright disco lights flashing, it spat out a bag of coins.  Even Lady Luck was smiling upon our visit.  Convinced this was now a sign to thoroughly enjoy what the country had to offer and we could afford to do a bit more, we settled the exorbitant amount in dollars to go white water rafting down the mighty Zambezi River with Shearwater the following day.  

That's us...'bobbing' along the Zambezi

I can tell you that I remember nothing of the apparently amazing scenery down the Zambezi Valley that day as I had my eyes squeezed shut for most of it.  According to my fellow ‘braveheart’, Dave, I screamed most of the way like a real ‘girlie’ (so much for impressing the new man in my life) and frightened away the baboons, much to the amusement of our raft leader who looked like Tarzan. What I do remember is being tipped out of the raft into the swirling green waters of the mighty Zambezi which threatened to swallow me up.  Luckily for me, Tarzan was having none of that and hauled me back in each time, quite calmly and effortlessly I have to say, as if this was his normal day picking up screaming tourists from the ravages of the river. This all said, I have to admit that I found white water rafting on the Zambezi the most exhilarating experience I have ever had and very professionally done.  I recommend it to all you intrepid travellers out there – those with a strong sense of adventure and a few nerves of steel. 

My next visit a few years later was much more sedate but no less exciting.  I was working in London at the time for an African travel company and this was an educational visit together with a group of English travel agents.  It was quite fascinating seeing Zimbabwe through their eyes – they loved every minute of it.  It was blisteringly hot during our visit though- so hot that we were constantly given salt tablets for rehydration efforts and our English guests were certainly “pink in face”.  Our visit took us briefly through Victoria Falls where I was shoved off the road because Mugabe’s motorcade was coming past.  However, there were no dry bread rolls in sight for me this time as we stayed at the grand old lady herself, the colonial Victoria Falls Hotel.  To this day, I believe she retains her class and charm and so I have booked myself a stay for later this year – a treat for my husband, Dave, who still associates Vic Falls with dry bread rolls from our camping trip those many years ago. 

With our English guests, we then headed to The Hide and Little Makalolo, camps in Hwange

Elephant enjoying the water in front of Makalolo

National Park, and I remember the huge herds of elephant walking through one of our tented camps during the night to get to a waterhole in front of the camp which was pumped daily full of water - it was the only water around!   Each herd was around 100 strong but waited patiently until the previous herd had moved off and then approached the waterhole, and so they came in one herd at a time.  It was quite an extraordinary event to witness (us humans could learn a thing or two).  I didn’t feel terribly brave in my tent though – luxurious as it was – as herd after herd of elephant moved silently past my tent all night.  Eventually, exhausted, I decided to sleep against a big wooden cupboard so that if an elephant did trample through my canvas tent by mistake, I would at least be safe against a strong structure.  When I told the game rangers this story the next day, they found it extremely amusing that I would imagine such a thing (in fact, one game ranger was laughing so much at my antics that he choked on his morning cornflakes and we had to rush off and get him some water) – they who understand these gentle giants so well!

The exclusive and remote Singita Pamushana Lodge

Our tour also took us down to Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve and to the new exclusive and remote Pamushana Lodge – today safely under the Singita banner.  Since 1994, a trust was set up to protect and manage this large area and create harmony between conservation initiatives and dynamic outreach community development.   Singita now manages the Pamushana lodge on behalf of the trust.  What a success story!   Each guest who visits cannot but be touched by these efforts and the magic that goes on here in an area virtually untouched by humankind. 

After the travel agents left to go back home to ‘safer’ English shores, I spent a few more days ‘on the Zim road’ on my own.   My visit to Lake Kariba certainly stands out!  I stayed at Matusudona Water Lodge – where accommodation consisted of individual floating chalets.  You needed to paddle in your haiwatha-like canoe to and from your floating chalet to the ‘mother ship’ for meals etc – if you didn’t feel so brave, they would come and fetch you.  I was the only guest that night, so when I

Your very own "floating chalet" at Matusadona

was ready to paddle from my chalet, I rang a bell so that they could watch out for me and off I would go in my canoe telling myself that I was from Africa, I could do this.  Scary but very exciting!  After a hippo decided to pop his friendly head out across the waters just to see what I was, I decided that a few glasses of the ‘strong stuff’ was definitely in order at dinner to be brave enough to paddle back.  Lake Kariba is also the area where we went on a bush walk and quite literally stumbled upon a pride of lion.  These are the moments I marvel at the local Zim people – our ranger appeared so calm and professional, knobkerrie at the ready, and so we walked slowly backwards without the pride even bothering with us.  I, however, thought my heart was going to pump right out of my body.

And so began my love affair with Zimbabwe – my own experiences have shown that it really is the most wild, exciting and exhilarating place to visit, and I am thrilled to hear that tourism is going as strong as ever in this incredibly beautiful land with the most hospitable people.   I would pack your bags and get there as soon as you possibly can.  Tarzan at Vic Falls is waiting to toss you into the Zambezi and I will certainly listen out for you down there in the valley when Dave and I are sipping our cocktails in the colonial splendour of the Vic Falls Hotel.   ‘Cheers’ to you Zim!