LUSAKA AGAIN

Jollyboys is far away now and its back to the peace and tranquility of Paseli Hostel. The 8 hour bus trip with Shalom bus company will, for now, go down in history as one of the most unenjoyable bus journeys in my history. The large bus was a normal width had been fitted with an extra line of seats, making 2 on one side and 3 on the other. Consequently the seats could only be comfortable for a school outing for 12 year olds. 

But back at Jollyboys last night I found some locals playing this Zambian game called isolo. Two stones are put into each dish and the idea, like drafts, is to take all your opponents stones. The board is made from two carved pieces of hard wood and hinged down the centre. Can get quite noisy.

So at Paseli another family dinner was had with all the cooking done by the guests and Miriam, the host, doing the washing up. She had to wash up because there'd be no dishes or plates for breakfast in the morning. That would never do.

A new American member of the fraternity sitting on the right provided the ice cream for afters. What a pleasant way to finish an arduous day. 

BIG GAME MORNING

The last day here in Livingstone and its a fresh cloudy day with sunshine. Quite a change from what I have been getting used to. 

Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park

Had to get up really early for a game drive in the small game park (660 sq km), which apparently isn't big enough to keep lions. They'd make quick work of the prey in such a small area. Stan, the guide was very informative and knew a lot about the animals and birds we saw. Though it was early it was a perfect time to be out in the game park.    

http://www.safpar.com/gamedrives.html

And now a short movie of this morning's action.

The drive lasted nearly three hours so there was ample time after to have a late breakfast and get down to Barclay's bank to change money and then buy a bus ticket to Lusaka with Sharom bus company again. 

Its very hard to believe that Christmas is only a week away.

HIPPOS AND RAIN

14^th December 2013

Reception girls in their funny hats

The internet connection here in Livingstone is troublesome but I hope this makes it through to the WW Web.

The Falls

It seems that all the talk here at the hostel is about going to the Devil's pool. Its well documented on Youtube so no need to explain too much. I was to have done the 'walk' to this pool on the edge of the falls but decided better not to do it. The past few days rain have made water levels rise so the walk has become a really a precarious 45 minute wade through fast flowing rivulets making their way to the edge of the falls not so far away. Some people did it but said it did seem very dangerous. The guide said, reassuringly, that the route to the pool was bone dry a few days ago, adding that if the water continues to rise this activity will have to be cancelled for the months of the wet season in two days time.

Rain at Victoria Falls entrance

 

'The smoke that thunders'

A couple of days ago I went on a sunset cruise down the Zambezi. It was a fun trip with free food and booze and a chance to see a lot of hippos, crocodiles, and luckily an elephant swimming across the river from the Zimbabwe side. Towards the end of the two and a half hours a couple of African marimba players struck up and the whole compliment of the boat, mostly Africans, ended the evening with dancing to the music. A nice evening. 

Lady Victoria cruise boat

Hippos are very big here

A crocodile waiting for a meal

The elephant heading for the river.

The wet season has begun late, with a vengeance, and now after 4 days of sporadic torrential downpours it is a different place from when I first arrived in Zambia. The humidity has brought on a rather irritating itchy heat rash but hopefully the medication I bought from a pharmacy here will calm it down soon. The rain does tend to restrict activities but lots of interesting people to talk to. One of them, now gone to Namibia, was an Irish motorcyclist with a massive BMW bike. Ridden all the way from Ireland and heading to Cape town.