Blogs from South Luangwa, Zambia, Africa - page 2

I apologise in advance for beginning this entry with yet another moan about my trials and tribulations with public transport in Africa. However, the majority of this entry will be about 3 fantastic days I spent at the Croc Valley Camp right outside the South Luangwa National Park. In between chilling out by the pool in the perfect sunshine, I managed to get two game drives in. But first about my experience of getting up there. To get to South Luangwa NP by public transport is not easy. There is one bus a day that goes the from Chipata to Mfuwe, the nearest town to South Luangwa NP. I left Lilonwe at 7 a.m. to make sure I got this bus. I ended up getting over the Malawi - Zambia border, with very little hassle and ... read more

Zambezi airlines doesn’t like me. I don’t know why, as far as I know I’ve never said anything crass to its sister or put my feet on its coffee table but it just doesn’t like me… Our flight from Dar to Lusaka was scheduled for 2pm on Wednesday, which would get us to Lusaka (Zambia) by 3pm-ish, where we would overnight before our noon flight to Mfuwe. I happened to check my e-mail and was informed that Zambezi had canceled our 2pm Wednesday flight and rescheduled it for 2am (Butt crack of) Thursday morning. This change of schedule meant that A) The hotel we booked in Lusaka was a loss, B) We would have to kill from 6pm (when we made it to Dar) to 2am somewhere around Dar and C) when we got to Lusaka, ... read more

Hazel is doing some stock control of the drugs and equipment for the safari patients (separate gear to the clinic). She tries to take my blood to check if a sugar kit is still working - same pinprick as the malaria test kit, but instead of being stoic like all the patients at the clinic (particularly since I wasn’t very good at getting enough blood the first try), I run away. Carmine bee-eaters. Yesterday, Ian showed us his photos of the carmine bee-eater colony, taken with his new expensive camera and they are arresting. So Haz kindly asked Ian to take us out for a drive to the colony. It’s not the best light unfortunately, so we quickly put down the cameras and just enjoy the show and later have sundowners where Ian relates croc-eating human ... read more

Drinks night with couple Dave and Caroline with son DJ. All the staff are there - Cathy (cook), Jess and Ade (Flatdog directors), Paolo and Ed. Dave and Caroline are long term guests, and regulars to Flatdogs, so much so, they eat with the staff, get Palo and Ed gifts (they’re like adopted sons), and have people over to the tree house for dinner and drinks. They’ve mentioned funding the build of their own tree house since they come so regularly. After dinner, DJ and I go back to Jess and Ade’s for more drinks and conversation - they’re all such a good laugh. Jess and Ade have two sweet dogs, which they obviously spoilt rotten. ... read more

Spent the afternoon at the clinic doing malaria testing. Gulp. Not that good around blood initially. But get used to it. It’s easier to collect blood from babies, nice and coagulated, whereas adult blood just smears. I comment to Haz that I had to prick some of the adult patients a couple of times so to collect enough blood, and she wasn’t happy. But technique takes time to develop I say! Volleyball in the afternoon with Palo, Ed and Haz. I’m less dire. But we don’t have a reserve so I’m gasping most of the time... luckily we’re distracted by a couple of huge elephants on the opposite bank taking their leisurely time crossing. I would say they would have been about 200 meters away once they crossed. But they were hilarious to watch. The 2nd ... read more