A story from South Lwanga NP (Zambia)...

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Ok, you're on way to spend a penny at the loos and meet a couple of monkeys in your path. You don't like them too much so kick up some dust and a few stones to scare them away. It does the trick, or at least you think it does as they scarper up a nearby tree. So, you carry on your journey and reach the toilet block. You're just settling down to do your business when you hear a strange rustling sound. Looking up, to your surprise, the same two monkeys appear on the rafters above you. They then proceed to unscrew the light bulbs and, get this, throw them at you! Escaping unharmed, you quickly run to the bar to retell the story to your friends. The moral of the story must be not to mess with monkeys, they're evil buggers!!!

Having had enough hair raising animal encounters to last a lifetime (or at least a couple of days on this trip!), we headed off to Zimbabwe via Chipata and Lusaka. Crossing the border was an absolute mission. They were so strict, not allowing any food to be taken across, demanding to see all our vaccination certificates and taking at least 10 minutes to interrogate everyone individually, in the scorching sun. We were there for hours, literally.

We travelled a short distance to Kariba where I spent the night getting mossie bites all over my face, lovely! Just in time for the house boats...

We spent three days experiencing absolute luxury on a house boat on Lake Kariba. It was seriously awesome...a Jacuzzi, swimming pool, en suite bathrooms, beers for only 30p and bottles, yes whole bottles of vodka for 2 squid each...heaven! The first night was madness. Everyone dressed up in drag or just damn right awful outfits...Jimmy Saville style shell suits and various other 80's throw backs which i cannot believe anyone would have ever worn without committing social suicide! Can't even begin to describe what I was in! A night of drunken debauchery(???) followed with much gossip, including live fish mysteriously ending up in the Jacuzzi?!! There were some very ill people, me included the next morning, and afternoon! The rest of our time followed in pretty much the same fashion and unsurprisingly, sickness broke out. Yes, the dreaded "travel bug" had arrived and it wasn't pretty!

Our arrival at Antelope Park on the 12th was made even more pleasant by finding out that they don't sell alcohol...thank God! This place was absolutely amazing...I rode on an elephant and almost fell off, played with lion cubs (soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo cute. I want one!!!), went horse riding and got so close to the game, including a 5 month old giraffe and experienced the most scary moment of my life so far...I went walking with lions. Yes real life big, scary lions, with razor sharp claws and teeth and I lived to tell the tale! I strokes and played with them and took some amazing photos. Just wish you could see them! The three lions we walked with were 2 years old and had been hand reared so were fairly tame with humans, or so we thought... the rest of our group went on the same trip in the afternoon. Unfortunately, the male lion decided to attack one of the girls, jumping up on her, going for her throat. The guides acted quickly and pulled the lion off her but she had to be taken to hospital as she had deep cuts from the teeth and claws. She had stitches and is now healing well but she was so lucky. Despite everything, I still decided to go on a second lion walk the following day!!!

If that drama wasn't enough, the following evening we were getting ready for some grub and noticed that one of the lads wasn't there. Looking down at the river, we noticed that one of the canoes was missing. A rescue boat was sent out to look for him and things weren't made easy as it was a cloudy night and pitch black. Oh and I think I forget to mention that the river was infested with crocs! Eventually he was found a short way down the river, paddling in circles, and hadn't gone over the weir. We all breathed a big sigh of relief. Luckily, there were no more major dramas at Antelope Park and I can't help but think they were probably glad to see the back of us!

We drove to Bulawayo, where I spent a long, long time glued to a sofa, watching three films in a row...fantastic. And for the icing on the cake, the tour leader ordered pizzas too. Brilliant!

I'm now in Victoria Falls. I saw the falls today. Words can't describe how magnificent they really were and I'm sure the photos won't do justice either.

Vic Falls is an adrenaline junkie's idea of paradise. I fitted right in. I've white water rafted down the Zambezi which was breathtaking, literally. Our motto was 'go hard or go home' and all the guide said after each grade 5 rapid we flipped on was "shit happens". Certainly does when you get pulled under, spun round like in a washing machine and finally spat out, gasping for breath while swimming down the rest of the rapids. Great fun! And if that wasn't enough excitement, I've also abseiled and rap jumped down a 150m cliff, run and leaped off over a 120m gorge attached to a wire above and then experienced the ultimate...the Gorge Swing. Very similar to a bungi. You freefall 55m at 160km per hour before being caught by the rope and swinging out over the gorge. So good, I had to do it twice!

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Comments

[Carly]

Moments of madness!
Hey chick - sounds like you are going crazy - those dare devil things you are up to - all sounds like it is right down your alley! I personally would rather be a spectator I think! The animals however - bring it on!! How awesome to be face to face and totally out of control! Have other people got such good stories to tell - or are you the chosen one? Lots of people at school have been asking after you - asking if I have heard from you. I am really enjoying my second year in Year 2 - have a complete handle on the topics second time round and my class are a bit more challenging behaviourally too which I like. Something to sink my teeth into ... speaking of teeth ... I hope that girl is ok?! Not much else going on in this neck of the woods. Caio is back from Oz tomorrow for a week then he is off to Oxford - I am taking Friday off work this week to spend with him. Lovely to get your news... these blogs are such a great invention. Look forward to the next one - say hello to the monkeys for me! Love Carly x