25 June, Saturday Kariba to Chirundu
(Mana)
Pack and strap and on our way. It is a short
drive to the gate of Mana Pools – less than 2 hours. Mana Pools have been a
dream for Willie to see for years…so we have a tentative team plan: We will go
to the office and find out if we can take Sammie in, but we do not have high
hopes. We’ve heard from more than 1 person that domestic animals in Wildlife
Parks are a definite no-no which is the verdict: ‘no pets!’ Our plan: the
gracious guys will stay with Sammie in Chirundu and Willie and I will go to Mana
for our 32ndanniversary
celebration. If it is earth-shatteringly beautiful then one of us will take the
boys in the next day.
We drive to Chirundu which is the border town between Zim and
Zambia and find the Tiger Safaris Campsite. It is so beautiful – on the banks of
the Zambezi – 5 thatched roof chalets, huge trees and green grass. They do not
really cater for campers, but the managers are so friendly to allow us to camp
in front of the chalets and they open the bathroom and kitchen of one of the
chalets for us! We are warned that we have to be careful, because elephants,
hippos and deer walk through the camp! They also have a lapa and swimming pool
in an enclosed garden overlooking a small waterhole. The camp attendant tells us
to go to the waterhole, because there are elephants. Hugo and I watch the 3
elephants drink water – 240 liters/day – and then proceed to give themselves a
mud bath which is fascinating!
We pitch our camp and relish in the beauty of our
surroundings. Late afternoon the first elephant casually walks into the camp,
carefully picks out berries under one of the trees and strolls out again. We
have firewood and I make a potjie whilst the guys play backgammon. Elephants
wander in and out and before we go to bed we hear the first hippos snort and
sputter down in the water. Not too long and they are out and grazing – 20
meters from where we are. We are cautious, because hippos can be territorial
and most lakeshore deaths are caused by hippos. The nights are getting very
chilly and we crawl into our tents to watch movies…on
our computers… (yes, I know…!)
(Mana)
Pack and strap and on our way. It is a short
drive to the gate of Mana Pools – less than 2 hours. Mana Pools have been a
dream for Willie to see for years…so we have a tentative team plan: We will go
to the office and find out if we can take Sammie in, but we do not have high
hopes. We’ve heard from more than 1 person that domestic animals in Wildlife
Parks are a definite no-no which is the verdict: ‘no pets!’ Our plan: the
gracious guys will stay with Sammie in Chirundu and Willie and I will go to Mana
for our 32ndanniversary
celebration. If it is earth-shatteringly beautiful then one of us will take the
boys in the next day.
We drive to Chirundu which is the border town between Zim and
Zambia and find the Tiger Safaris Campsite. It is so beautiful – on the banks of
the Zambezi – 5 thatched roof chalets, huge trees and green grass. They do not
really cater for campers, but the managers are so friendly to allow us to camp
in front of the chalets and they open the bathroom and kitchen of one of the
chalets for us! We are warned that we have to be careful, because elephants,
hippos and deer walk through the camp! They also have a lapa and swimming pool
in an enclosed garden overlooking a small waterhole. The camp attendant tells us
to go to the waterhole, because there are elephants. Hugo and I watch the 3
elephants drink water – 240 liters/day – and then proceed to give themselves a
mud bath which is fascinating!
We pitch our camp and relish in the beauty of our
surroundings. Late afternoon the first elephant casually walks into the camp,
carefully picks out berries under one of the trees and strolls out again. We
have firewood and I make a potjie whilst the guys play backgammon. Elephants
wander in and out and before we go to bed we hear the first hippos snort and
sputter down in the water. Not too long and they are out and grazing – 20
meters from where we are. We are cautious, because hippos can be territorial
and most lakeshore deaths are caused by hippos. The nights are getting very
chilly and we crawl into our tents to watch movies…on
our computers… (yes, I know…!)
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