Lions, Leopards, and Buff's, Oh my!

Now I’m sure most of your are aware that I've just returned from an amazing trip back home to see my family and friends (well, over a month ago now). That will for sure be a post in itself, but if you will allow me to divert from the chronological path that I have kept since I began this little blog, I am going to go a bit out of order here. I had an incredible time back home with the fam, but unfortunately I left my camera in Africa… so I wasn’t able to capture many photos! I will tell you all about it though soon.

Now for this particular story, I DID have my camera on me. And man, was I glad that I did.

So Zimbabwe has two back to back public holidays (“Hero’s weekend”) in the second week of August every year. This is always a good time to take a nice little long weekend trip somewhere close. We had originally planned on going up to Masau, which you will remember from my previous posts with Adam and Megan, but its actually a really long drive for us to get up there and back even if we did have a few extra days to travel.

So thanks to our friend Lauren Mallett and her brilliant idea.. we decided to go camping in Botswana instead! Brief geography lesson: This country is directly to the west of Zim, as the crow flies probably about 250 miles from Bulawayo. But even closer if you are travelling across the border from Victoria Falls! With some last minute luck we managed to find an available campsite in Chobe (Cho-bee) National Park. The lack of availability led us to believe that this was a pretty popular place, and for good reason…

So once the decision was made and the final list of travelers was decided we got together all of our camping gear and headed north(west) toward Vic Falls, and the Bots border! We were originally planning on having 5 of us total on the adventure, but unfortunately our other two guests had other prior obligations. So at about 5am Saturday (Aug. 9th) morning, me, Cu, and Lauren (“Lol”) hopped in the truck and headed to the border!

We crossed the border with ridiculous ease and before we knew it were inside Chobe National Park! As this was the first time that any of us had been to this particular national park (and my first time in Botswana! Another one checked off the list..), we had no idea really what to expect.

The Chobe River creates the northern border of the Chobe National Park, and stretches towards Botswana’s Okavango Delta. So we were prepared for a lovely drive on the “River Road” in the park, but did not expect the vast floodplains beyond the river that allow for uninterrupted views wildlife all the way to Namibia. As we entered the park we were welcomed with a large herd of Elephant and Buffalo grazing along the river and an unbelievable amount of birdlife bathing in its refreshing waters.

It was at that point that we knew this was going to be a special place. The deeper and deeper we got into the park the more wild it became. We took the long way to our campsite along the road that runs parallel to the river all the way through the park.

I will say the only negative thing about Chobe that we noticed right away is the amount of people touring the park. That is one thing that we take for granted in Zimbabwe, it’s a bit of a hidden gem for some tourists who still think that the country isn’t safe or don’t realize the beauty it holds. So you rarely bump into another vehicle when in Zim’s national parks. In Chobe however, there was another car every 5 minutes. It took away from the awe of our surroundings, but only slightly. There is a reason that so many people visit this place.

As we were cruising along, we came upon a lone elephant really enjoying himself in a mud bath. He was caked in mud from head to toe and spend 20 minutes wallowing and rolling around in the pit! What a funny little guy. During the rest of the drive we spotted more elephants, giraffe, sable, kudu, and tons of fish eagles (looks a bit like a small bald eagle).

After winding along the river road for a few hours, we made it our campsite. We were pleased to find out that our site was right next to river and the endless floodplains beyond on a private section that no one could access unless they were staying at that particular campsite.

So we set up our tents and got our campsite organized then headed back out for a short drive to watch the sunset. There is something about an African sunset that just cannot be put into words. We sat and watched a herd of over 800 buffalo made its way across the plains as the enormous sun made its slow dip into the horizon. Its moments like these that I really appreciate where I live and what I am fortunate enough to experience in my own backyard. Those sunsets will never get old.

And as if that sunset wasn't enough, it happen to be full moon that night, so we stayed and watched the unbelievably huge orange moon rising into the sky, humbled by its presence. I know its not scientifically possible, but when watching that scene, a small part of me feels as if, in the very spot I am standing, I am miles closer to the sun and the moon than any other place on earth. It just makes you feel so small and yet so privileged at the same time. 

That evening we were enjoying our campfire dinner and drinks, when a couple at a nearby campsite warned us to be careful as there was a leopard right by us! We jumped from our seats, managed to grab the camera and slowly crept to the other side of the tree sheltering our tents. Sure enough, an adolescent leopard was sitting there waiting to climb “his” tree. He was not deterred by our presence and went about his business ascending the large tree to have a look around. He stayed there, directly about our campsite for what seemed like hours before departing from the tree and trotting off into the distance.

What an unexpected treat! We were hoping to see leopard while we were there, but not this close! We all sat in wonderment for a good hour trying to wrap our heads around what we had just seen, before heading to bed for the night.

Woke up early the next day so we could head out and catch some early morning game sightings. Not 10 minutes into our drive, as we rounded the corner onto the river road we spotted two lionesses sitting directly on the road! They looked fat and satisfied from what we assumed was a successful night’s hunt. Undisturbed by our vehicle, the lionesses allowed us to observe them and get some great pics.

The rest of the day was full of some more incredible sightings. We spotted a leopard sitting high in a tree lounging in the safety and comfort of a hamerkop’s nest (small African bird), a large troop of banded mongoose frolicking and playing all around us and our campsite, the largest herd of giraffe I have ever seen (about 30 in total), and yet ANOTHER sighting of a leopard sitting in the shade of a nearby bush. We also spotted the rare Lechwe antelope found in very few regions of Africa, snake eagles, and zebra frolicking in the plains alongside hippo, warthog, elephant, and buffalo. Overall one of the most stunning sceneries I have ever witnessed.

After yet another remarkable sunset we settled back into our tents, falling asleep to the sound of buffalo ambling in the riverbed next to us. The next morning we packed up camp and slowly made our way out of the park and back across the border into Zimbabwe where we spent a night camping in the Victoria Falls National Park. Not many game sightings in that park, but still so nice and peaceful camping on the banks of the Zambezi River with the soothing sound of the rushing rapids next to us.

What a trip! I’m still finding it hard to believe that each time I venture into the bush I discover more new and amazing things. This place continues to astound and amaze me! Can’t wait for more adventures to come!

Until next time… 

Family, Red Fishin', and New Additions...

So after recovering from a wild few holiday weeks, Cuan and I got on the plane for Ameeeerica! We timed it this year where we would land in Dallas just before the Dallas Safari Club convention, a hunting show that Cuan’s taxidermy company TCI participates in every year. We had a day to catch up on sleep and get over the jet-lag before setting up for the 3 day convention. I sort of play Cuan’s assistant at these shows, helping to make the stand look “pretty” and deal with payments and customers when Cuan is busy, which is pretty much ALL the time. His clients really value the opportunity to see a TCI manager face-to-face and take full advantage of it when he’s at the shows.  

This year’s Dallas show went very well, made lots of leather sales and satisfied existing clients with updates on their trophy’s being assembled back in Zim. We spend our days in the convention hall and evenings out on the town with some of TCI’s loyal customers. I do enjoy participating in the shows, but this time because I hadn’t seen my family in 8 months, I was so anxious to get home! After it was all finished, we packed up all the products and booth supplies, sent it off to Vegas for the next hunting convention, and Cu and I headed to good ole Shreveport!

We decided that we needed to rent a car for the time we were in the States so that we could have some form of transport while we were there. (I sold my car last time I was home… felt so lost without it!) It took me a few minutes once I got behind the wheel to re-train myself on driving on the RIGHT side of the road. But I got the hang of it and we made it to Mom and Dad’s in one piece!  

I was so excited to see the whole family, how much my two nephews Hudson and Andrew had grown, and especially my expecting sister Lindsey! The last time I saw her she was driving off in her honeymoon vehicle with her new husband after an incredible wedding and reception.. there must have been love in the air that night because 8 months after the wedding she was one month away from having a baby! I was so excited to see that baby bump and catch up on everything that had gone on since I last saw everyone.

We spent the next few weeks hanging out with the family, eating amazing home-cooked meals made by Mrs. Diane herself, and shopping. There were days where Cuan would say “I’m just going to run to Academy and grab a few things,” and I would literally not see him for 3-4 hours. Who knew he was a bigger shopper than me?! He blames it on the shopping list he received from all his friends back in Zim, but something tells me he got a little bit distracted in the fishing section, or the gun section, or the boating section or the camping section, of Academy and Bass Pro. He really would fit in well in Louisiana…

So do you remember Adam and Megan? The two brave Americans who came to visit us last year. Well we were dying to catch up with each other so Adam organized a weekend down in Grand Isle. And not only that, but a weekend bow-fishing Red Fish in the marshes of Grand Isle! I was back and forth about going as Lindsey was literally about to pop! She had gone to the doctor 3 weeks before her due-date and he told her it could be any day! So understandably I was a little hesitant to go, but I convinced myself if there was an emergency I could make it back in time!

So off we went, down into the deep, Deep South. I don’t think I’ve been that far south in Louisiana before.. Although it was absolutely freeeezing down there right on the shores of the Gulf we still had an incredible time catching up and meeting new friends. As soon as we saw Adam and Megan, it was as if we had just seen each other yesterday! Went straight back to goofing off and acting weird.

We stayed bunkered up in the cabin, laughing and playing games until it was dark enough to go fishing. Now I didn’t really know much about this bow-fishing thing so it was all a new experience for myself and Cuan.

We met Captain Dave or Mike (I can’t remember his real name since Cuan was calling him Captain Phillips the whole time..) and his daughter down under the bridge just inland from the Gulf. To put it lightly, I think this is the first time Cuan got to meet some REAL Louisiana Cajuns. I have spent years trying to convince Cuan that people from Louisiana are not like what you see on TV - Swamp People, Duck Dynasty, Bayou Billionaires, etc. But this duo on the air boat in the marshes of Louisiana just threw my whole argument out the window. Definitely would have needed subtitles had this evening been on a reality show…

But it was truly an experience unlike any other. We were each given our own crossbow and arrows equipped with a fishing line and reel, hopped on to the airboat fitted with lights surrounding the outer base of the boat, and headed off into the darkness to catch us some Red Fish! First time I have been on one of those air boats, it was so cool! Felt weird just being able to cut straight over the marshes without worrying about the motor getting stuck. Although it was quite frigid out, we had bundled up enough to not feel much of the icy wind..

 It was slow going at first, but once we spotted the fish the arrows were flying all night. Everyone else on the boat got the hang of the bow, and how to adjust your aim according to the deflection of light in the water, waay before me. I think they were starting to feel bad for me that I hadn’t caught a fish yet, but I was still having a good time! Eventually… I did manage to get one! I think it was pure luck, I still had no idea what I was doing, but I got one in the boat! So we all finished the night will at least one catch. I could not believe the time when we were wrapping things up and headed back to the boat yard. We started just after 6pm and fished for what felt like 3 hours or so, little did I know it was past midnight by the time we made it back!

I had such an amazing weekend in Grand Isle and was really glad that I made the decision to go, and luckily Linds didn’t have her baby while I was away!

When we got back it was almost time to get ready to head to Vegas for the second Hunting Convention that TCI was a part of. Again, mixed emotions about going since Lindsey was even closer to her due date. A big part of me visiting during that time was to be able to be there for her when she had the baby, and of course meet my first little niece! So I was not really looking forward to this trip and being away from her, and I think Cuan could sense that… So he told me not to worry about going to this show, that he had enough help in the booth so he would be fine. What a relief! So for the next few weeks I got to spend more time with the nephews, hanging out with the bros-in-law and catching up with all my series with mom and dad at the end of the day.

Of course, as Murphy’s Law goes, Lindsey didn’t have the baby during the time that I would have been in Vegas. But I’m still happy that I didn’t go, would have been too worried the whole time I was there I would not have enjoyed it, and of course I got to spend more time with the family!

Now this next bit deserves to have a blog of its own, but again as I'm trying to catch you up, I'll put it all in one! 

My beautiful oldest sister had a bit of a surprise when she found out that she was pregnant with her first child mere weeks after she became a wife! Exciting/terrifying realization for her I'm sure. But she grabbed the bull by the horns as they say, and carried on with her new life as a working wife and expecting mother without even skipping a beat. I do wish that I could have been around for her more during the pregnancy, but I have no doubt that the football team of family support surrounding her more than made up for my absence. 

Since baby girl Tison was so ready to come into the world, the doc decided to schedule and induction. Baby T was going to grace us with her presence on February 13! So when D-day finally arrived the whole Tison/Hudson/Merrick crew headed to the hospital to check how Linds was doing. I could tell she was in a bit of pain, but as we entered the hospital room, Lindsey put on a big smile and told us that she was doing "okay.." We were asked to leave the room for a quick check up on the mommy-to-be, but were told shortly after that this little baby girl was so eager to enter the world, we needed to stay in the waiting area until she was born! 

Anxious and excited, we spend the next few hours awaiting the announcement of the first female in the next generation of the Hudson family. After we heard she was born happy and healthy and Lindsey was doing just fine, we all breathed a sigh of relief and waiting on the edge of our seats until we were allowed to go meet this little angel. 

As we re-entered the hospital room, the atmosphere had taken a complete 180 degree turn. There was a sense of peace, and an overwhelming feeling of love throughout the room. Tison was holding his newborn baby girl and introduced Miss Evangeline Marie Tison to the rest of her family.  

It was such a special moment, Lindsey couldn't hold back her tears of joy, but I don't think I've ever seen her look more beautiful. Any worry about being a mom had completely vanished from her face, and she was just full of pure joy. She, along with Tison and the help of the Man upstairs, created that adorable, tiny little being, and was going to be her mother and role model and friend for the rest of both their lives. I was so happy and proud of her, and grateful that I was there to share that moment. I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

For the next week and a half I spend as much time as possible with that little bundle of joy, but of course it is never enough. I was excited to get back to my life in Zim, however, I felt so broken having to leave that newborn baby EvANGELine, knowing the next time I would see her she would be almost a YEAR old! But I am so thankful for the amount of time I got to spend with my family back home, almost 2 months in total! So I am keeping all of those memories very close to my heart until the next time I am able to visit home!

Always Late But Worth The Wait - 2013 Recap

Where on Earth has this year gone??!?  I think most of you know now that I'm pretty terrible with keeping up with a regular posting schedule, but this is just ridiculous.. half way through the year and not ONE post?? I am a bit disappointed in myself, but I just really can't believe where the months have gone! In an effort to catch you up on the 2014 goings-on so far I am afraid I'm going to cut the text down to a short story as opposed to my usual unabridged novels, and entertain you with more of a photo journal. As soon as I feel I have adequately caught you up to date, I will carry on with my more than detailed recounts of my adventures in Zim.

Let's see, where did we leave off...   ah yes, just before the end of 2013. First here is a small recap of the first half of 2013:

Got an amazing opportunity to hang out with a few kind elephants and witnessed one of my best friends getting proposed to by her lovely boyfriend in stunning Mozambique!

Absolutely unforgettable "Bike Trip" with the boys last July (weekend of the 4th), and just goofing off....

The Holiday season was full of festive parties and countless trips into the bush. It was my first time to be away from home during a time like this and I will say that the feelings were a little mixed. It was just so strange to be celebrating Thanksgiving (yes, good friends who own a restaurant were delighted to host a dinner for this American tradition), and leading up to Christmas wearing shorts and sunbathing! It was very nice to be so warm don't get me wrong, I hate the cold, but at the same time it was difficult to get into the holiday spirit when it felt like the middle of June! But nonetheless, the house was decorated with trees and garland and, much to Cuan's dislike, songs of Bing Crosby and Dean Martin echoed through the house even before Thanksgiving...

Christmas this year was spent with Cuan's mom and family up in Mkushi, Zambia. We spend a lovely week with them on the farm and for the first time I was one of the "adults" watching the kids open gifts on Christmas morning! It was really an incredible experience and I felt very welcomed and at home with the Meikle family. They made me feel so comfortable and knew how sensitive I might be during my first Christmas away from home. It was different but beautiful and so lovely to see the traditions of another family. On Christmas day after indulging in an amazing meal, (the "pig on the spit" was still delicious even though it feel off the spit!) Cuan, myself and the younger sisters took boxes of gifts to the families who live and work on Steve’s farm. It was such a special experience, and felt really good to give those small children something on Christmas, however small. Our little gifts meant so much to them! It really put a big perspective on how lucky we are and truly made us grateful and appreciate the meaning of the holiday. 

The days after Christmas were spent relaxing in the pool, playing volleyball by the dam, and taking a day trip to a stunning waterfall! After saying our goodbyes, Cuan and I got in the truck for the long trip back town to Zim for New Years!

New Year's was spent back in Zimbabwe at Squirrel and Cat's house in Harare. The theme of "I can't believe you wore that" brought some veeerrry entertaining and interesting guests! We partied the night away, literally, watching the sun rise on the first day of 2014. Needless to say I didn't see much of the rest of the day as I needed to catch up on my beauty sleep! Definitely an excellent way to ring in the new year... 

Up next: Recap of my trip back home in January-February! It will come soon I promise...

Americanas in Zim: Part Dos

“It’s Been a While,” This seems to be a recurring statement to the beginning of my blogs … but I have decided that this is more like a monthly newsletter than a daily blog. Plus I have a legitimate excuse this time! My computer has been acting up and I was afraid it would crash and I would lose everything. My life is on this computer! Pictures from previous blogs and adventures I have yet to write about! So I have now safely backed up my computer and can continue to share a piece of my world with the rest of the world.. 

And now for the second half of Adam and Megan's trip! Catch up on the first half here.

Although Masau was a priceless trip in and of itself, Adam and Megan still had 6 more days in Zim! After a slight delay **cough-adam-cough** we departed almost on schedule for the longer trip out of the Zambezi Valley to Bulawayo.. It’s always a sad drive out, because you know the holiday is over and are never too sure when you will return. 

Again, being in such cramped quarters and having already spent a good amount of time together, it didn't take any time before we were goofing off and being weird. Makes for a more interesting trip. I will say on this road trip, we were a lot more jolly than on the drive in. Belting out songs like "Only the voooiiicess, can bring us back hooOooOOOme" and "In the Jungle the mighty jungle...." and of course Sweet Caroline, "Because the good tiiimes never seemed so gooood…" All were a part of our personal singing playlist on the 11 HOUR drive home, no music necessary. I think our driver Cuan was getting a little annoyed by about hour 2.. But we made it to Bulawayo with only one issue on the way. It was actually the first time I’ve been legitimately scared living here. 

So we are driving through one of the towns along the way, and decided to stop and stretch our legs before the last few hours of the trip. We pulled over somewhere in the middle of town and hopped out, only to quickly be yelled at by a passing taxi: “City Council! City Council!” followed shortly by Cuan franticly shouting for us to get back into the car.

 Keep in mind this is only about a week after the elections, which are always a heated time here. The only thing I remember when we pulled up to our rest spot was seeing a ZANU-PF (current political party) sign in front of us, so my mind immediately went to the worst. And it didn’t help when a truck full of policemen screeched in front of us and threw down road spikes. I had no idea what we could have done, but at that point it could have been anything. 

Turns out, it was really nothing. Just an over-dramatized attempt to catch somebody parking in an illegal spot. The taxi that passed us was only trying to help, letting us know that we were parked in front of the City Council building, which isn’t allowed. The cops just happened to be driving around right as we stopped, and high-tailed it to us so they could give us a fine. The spikes were just to keep us from fleeing and avoiding the ticket. This one Cuan couldn’t talk his way out of.. 25 bucks later we were back on the road and, after nerves were calmed, got back to serenading our chauffer. 

After what seemed like days we finally made it to Bulawayo! First time I’ve got to show of our little home to some American friends. Its felt nice to prove that I’m not living in a mud hut here in Zim, we actually live in a pretty nice neighborhood. Cu and I got a few days to catch up on the real world before heading off to our next destination. 

We struggled to figure out how we were going to spend the last few days of Adam and Megan’s trip. They were flying out of Harare on the Monday but we still had another half of the country to cover. Victoria Falls was a must. You can’t be a few miles away from a Natural Wonder of the World without going to see it. But Cuan and I were also aware of how many amazing things were along the way. So we decided that spending a night in Hwange National Park was worth one less day in the Falls. 

Our plan was to spend Friday night in the Park, head to the Falls on Saturday, and book them on a bus to Harare on Sunday, so they would be there with plenty of time to catch their flight on Monday. The problem with that was the bus left at 7am on Sunday morning. Giving us only about a half a day Saturday in the Falls, which wasn’t ideal, but doable.. Our first option would be to book them on a flight to Harare at the end of the day on Sunday, which would allow for almost another full day there. But unfortunately, all the seats were booked on that flight. So we carried on with our plans.

We left early Friday morning to get the most of the daylight in the Hwange National Park. I’ve mentioned this place before, as it’s the location of the remarkable Nehimba Photographic Lodge from a previous post, and also happens to be a great stop on our way to Victoria Falls. 

It only took about two hours before we (and our smuggled in little four legged friend Savuti, the new addition to our household) made it inside Hwange NP. Being the largest in the country, the park is home to an unbelievable amount of game. But we were all surprised at how quickly we ran across multiple herds of various animals. Not 20 minutes into our drive (of course Megan and I are already on the bench in the bed of the truck) we spotted a large herd of Elephant and Zebra. This particular trip through the park yielded us more “this is extremely rare” moments.

 All-together it takes around 4 hours to get to Nehimba, our stopover for the night. And in those short hours we saw some incredible sightings. Just before reaching the camp, Cuan pulled off the main road towards a water pan where we had a chance of seeing more game. And lo and behold, three elephant were awaiting our arrival and allowed us a few photos before wondering off into the sunset. 

After hanging around to enjoy that sunset with a few more photos, we were heading back to the truck when Adam spotted something replenishing his thirst at the pan. As we all turned to look Cuan couldn’t believe his eyes as he told us it was a wild dog! AKA Painted Dog, aka endangered species in Africa. This animal does not resemble your typical domesticated pet. He actually looks more like a hyena than a dog to me: Giant ears with a uniquely spotted coat. This animal typically hunts in packs so seeing a lone painted dog was also not something one witnesses often. He didn’t seem very spooked by us as he took his time drinking, while we all watched in wonderment, then as stealthily as he arrived he silently trotted away and disappeared into the distance.

 

The Wild Dog, and our little dog in the wild...

It was just a short while before we made the turning into Nehimba lodge. The sun was set by this point, but that did not mean we weren’t about to behold some pretty remarkable stuff. As we walked through the main building of the lodge, we were welcomed by a heard of elephant AND buffalo socializing not 30 yards from where we stood. As I mentioned in my previous post about Nehimba, this is an everyday occurrence here during this time of the year. But it was my first time being here when the animals are around! As many photos as I’ve seen of this place in high season, it still doesn’t do it justice. It is really an amazing sight. We sat and enjoyed the view a few moments, then walked to our rooms/cabins to freshen up before dinner. 

I don’t know many other places in the world where you can stand in your private outdoor shower while simultaneously watching elephant and buffalo walking around as if you weren’t even there. Nehimba has done an incredible job of providing 5 star luxury while keeping you as in tune with your surroundings as possible. These animals are not in your territory, you are in theirs. And it makes you have a huge respect for them and the very land they on which they are standing.

We later sat down for a delicious dinner, with sounds of elephant all around us… and lion. Yes, Nehimba also has a few resident lion that run the territory around the lodge. Perhaps that’s why there is a trained professional guide permanently there. After dinner we sat around the fire and chatted, while the elephant were walking up to drink from the pool right next to us.  Moments later, that professional guide I was speaking of came to see us with some interesting news. The lions we kept hearing? Yeah they were hanging out right behind his cabin. As he went around to light the boiler, he spotted them just a few feet away! 

We jumped at the opportunity to get in the Land Cruiser and go see them. All of our hearts we racing as we rounded the corner, and wouldn’t you know to top off the excitement, a hyena ran across the road before we even made it to the lions! First time I’ve seen them… this was getting intense. We slowed our roll as we got closer to where the guide had seen them. With the spotlight out we scanned the land in front of us for any sign of movement. Then we spotted two sets of glowing eyes staring back at us. We crept closer and closer trying not to startle the giant creatures until we were almost at arm’s length to the couple. The male and female lions were too tired they couldn’t be bothered with the likes of us. For what seemed like hours we sat there and watched them yawn, stare, half fall asleep. It was the first time I've seen lion in the wild so it was all too remarkable for me. However, we were eager for a little more excitement, so we started making noises to get a rise out of them. And boy, did we get a rise! Out of nowhere a THIRD lion popped his head up right next to the other two! We had been sitting there for at least 15 minutes and hadn’t noticed him lying right under our noses. Really makes you think about how camouflage these animal can be. Shocked and satisfied, we left the kings to enjoy their slumber.

Goofing off and enjoying at Nehimba

After such an eventful night we managed to get some sleep and woke up refreshed and ready for the day ahead of us. The drive north towards Victoria Falls allowed us a few more hours of game-viewing opportunities. And we were not disappointed! Ran across a beautiful heard of buffalo, more elephant and zebra, and wouldn’t you believe ANOTHER rare sighting! Cuan spotted a cluster of animals that I had not seen before and didn’t recognize. It was almost humorous at this point with the amount of times he had said “I cannot believe you guys are getting to see this.”

It was a small herd of Roan, a rare antelope and what they call “Royal Game” in Zimbabwe. Meaning, it is not allowed to be hunted in any part of the country. Cuan, who was born and raised in the bush around animals of all kinds, has only seen this unique animal twice in his whole life. And get this, during our drive out we saw not only one but two separate herds of Roan. It was difficult for Cuan to explain that some people come to this part of the world many times and spend weeks even months trying to catch a glimpse of  what Adam and Megan have seen in just a few short days. But regardless of rare or frequent, common or unusual, I think they were appreciative of everything they set their eyes on.

 

Made it out of the park and into Victoria Falls with ease. Our first goal: get Adam and Megan on that later flight to Harare. We decided to test our luck at AirZim to see if any seats had opened up on the flight we were so desperately trying to get them on. Cuan walked in to speak with the guys and after a few moments, walked back out and did a happy dance. Two seats had opened up and we were able to get Adam and Meg on the flight! That really lifted all of our spirits (as if they were even down to begin with) as it gave us a whole extra day in Victoria Falls. 

So with a little more time to chill, we checked into our rest spot where we would spend the night and had a nice lunch by their pool. Our exhausted driver wasn’t able to move much, so we left him, and Adam, Megan, and I headed off to the market. I’m not sure they knew what to expect, but there is a reason that I wanted Cuan to be with us. Vic Falls is the biggest tourist town in Zimbabwe and the guys at the market know it. They do NOT give up until they have sold you something. The Falls has quite a few nice shopping areas, but I wanted to give them the real experience. This particular market is the more native, if you will. These guys set up in little shacks that share a wall with the next stall and the next and the next… so as soon as you feel you have escaped one salesman you take two steps and are in another person’s territory. They hound you, make you feel bad, and they take advantage of you. In other words, it’s quite an experience. I think we were all too exhausted to even speak by the time we left. And cussing Cuan for not being with us. If we had a local who could speak their language, they I’m sure they would have backed off a bit. But either way, we all found a few treasures and made some interesting memories.

Air Zim, you came through for us in the last minute woo-hoo! And some interesting people at the market...

Our evening activity that day was going to “The Boma.” This is also another touristy place that I had yet to partake in. It’s nice having other foreigners around to enjoy these things with. The Boma is basically a huge buffet with local food and after-dinner entertainment. Upon our arrival, they dressed each person with African cloths and painted our faces to set the mood.

The food was actually pretty good! Warthog on the spit, kudu stew, sadza, and some really nice salads. One thing on the menu that Adam and Megan were a little hesitant about were the infamous Mopane worms. I’ve pointed these little guys out before, but allow me to explain again. These are a local delicacy here in Zim for the natives. The worms live in the Mopane trees found all over the country. As I stated before, some people love them and others despise them. But when in Rome right? So our two friends reluctantly took a bite of their not-so-appetizing looking critter… and absolutely hated it. At least they gave it a shot! 

For our evening entertainment, each person was given a small local drum so that we could participate in the music and dancing. I was blown away at the talent these guys had on the drums and when they got us involved, the sound in that boma area was unreal. We watched ladies dance tribal dances to the beat of the drums while we attempted to keep up with the main percussion. By the end of the night Megan and I were up dancing with the best of them! After the show was finished all of us were too tired to do much of anything and went and had a chill night in our chalet. 

 

The next morning we woke up energized and excited for what lie ahead. Today was bungee day.. Adam had been trying to psych himself up for this endeavor for the past few days and convinced himself he had to do it. This bungee jump is the third longest in the world and drops you over the Zambezi River just below the Victoria Falls and into one of the most amazing gorges of that stretch of the river, quite an adrenaline rush. The walk to the area is intense in itself. The jumping point is located directly in the middle of the bridge that divides Zimbabwe from Zambia and is one of the highest lookout points over the river. The only thing that separates you from the roaring, croc infested waters of the river 400 feet below is a steel mesh walkway. Gives me vertigo just thinking about it. 

After signing the proper documents, Adam was strapped in a ready to go! I’ve been in that situation before so I know his nerves were on high alert by that point. Next was the countdown.... “3—2—1—BUNGEE!” and off he went! Disappearing under the bridge beneath us.. Aside from the woo-ing and yelling, we could make out one sentence as he was dangling below: “MEG, YOU HAVE TO DO THIS!” Well she didn’t need any more convincing and, before Adam had even made it up from his jump, was already suited up. I think it’s safe to say that the Vic Falls Bungee is a once in a lifetime experience and one that they did not regret.

On the bridge amidst all the excitement we met up with Cuan’s mom, stepdad, granny, and little sisters who were spending a few days in Livingston (Zambian side of the Victoria Falls) and walked across to spend the day with us! We all went together to enjoy Victoria Falls’ biggest attraction. THE Victoria Falls. I’ve only been once before but I think I would love it just as much if I went a hundred times. It really is one of the most stunning things to witness. Unfortunately I didn’t take any pictures of the bungee or the Falls excursion (I know.. shame on me.) But there were plenty of cameras there I just haven’t gotten my hands on any photos yet! If you’re curious about what I’m talking about just type in Victoria Falls into Google and you will understand. I will say its much different when you are actually there. Listening to the constant roar of the waterfall and feeling the mist on your face from the spray are breathtaking sensations that pictures can’t quite capture. So we spent a lovely time with Cuan's family enjoying the indescribable view of the Victoria Falls.

That evening we went to Gorges lodge just out of town for a quick drink before dropping Adam and Megan off at the airport! I have mentioned this place as well in a previous post. The lodge that is teetering on the edge of the gorge that drops down to the Zambezi. One last stunning look at this amazing country before our two American friends headed back to the real world. After a sad goodbye our two adventurers boarded the plane back to Harare before heading back the good ole US of A. 

I can’t say enough how happy I was to show off Zimbabwe to friends from the other side of the world. We have made a bond that I hope will last forever. 

I know I write a lot about this place but there are so many things that I experience down here that without actually seeing with your own eyes, you don’t fully understand. And now I have friends who really know what I’m talking about! Adam and Megan have made it a plan to get down here every year if time and financial situations will allow. And these people are just like so many of my friends and family back home! They had no idea what they were getting into and I hope that they weren’t disappointed! 

We shared a million laughs and made some insane memories. A lot of the things we did were for our two friends, but I will take any excuse to get out of town and see more of this country, so it was more a pleasure than a sacrifice. This blog is just a glimpse of the life I am living and I just can’t wait to show more people the true Zimbabwe. Adam and Megan, thank you so much for having the courage to come to a land you knew nothing about, and keeping such positive attitudes the whole way through. It really was a treat having you both, and I hope that we are able to do it again. We still have so much more of the country to cover! 

Just a snip from a very sweet email Adam and Megan sent us after returning home: 

           " We are so thankful that you 2 basically put your lives on hold for us for 2 weeks. I know this probably set both of you back, but you did it anyway. We will forever be grateful to you both. It was such a wonderful experience… I honestly cannot think of anytime either of us have laughed so hard, as the amount of laughter the 4 of us shared….we look forward to many, MANY more trips to Zim!"

And I hope you mean it! 

Well that just about covers it! Thanks for reading.. until next time!