Jacob’s Story

As mentioned in my last post, Jacob walks with me across the bridge that borders Zimbabwe and Zambia.  It is incredibly hot this time of year so I suggest we break our journey for a drink and a bite to eat at the cafe on the bridge.  Our cokes arrive, with glasses that are half full of ice (a luxury in these parts) and a slice of lemon.  As we sip our drinks, Jacob begins his story..

Jacob was born in Tsholotsho, a small town near Bulawayo to a family of seven kids.  He was the 6th child and belonged to a poor family, with a dad who did odd jobs so his family could survive.  Jacob attended the local school and studied English, Ndebele and Maths but left school after his O’Levels to look for work.  In addition to English and Ndebele he speaks Shana and the Zambian language Tonga and I am once again amazed at the language skills of Africans who like Europeans seem to master so many languages with ease and speak them fluently. 

Jacob leaves his small town as a teenager for the brighter lights of Vic Falls.  His first job was selling bread on the street just to make ends meet.  He obtained the bread from his brother who was working in a bakery at Vic Falls at the time. 

After saving enough money Jacob obtains his small car licence which enabled him to drive a taxi for 5 years.  The work was not that interesting but it paid the bills.  Jacob then decides to further his passion for singing and dancing and approaches a local dance troupe, Umkhankaso Wamajaha Arts Group (Walking in the bush in search of wild animals).  They perform at street corners and special functions similar to buskers back home but with a lot more talent.  One of the highlights of his career was to perform at the International Airport to welcome Robert Mugabe on his visit from Harare to Vic Falls.  It was Jacob’s first time to see Mugabe in the flesh and quite an experience for him.

Most members of this group of eleven survive on the income they make from their performances and unlike Jacob have no other source of income.  Most days they perform once or twice, singing for 4 hour stints and make from one to two dollars each. 

As he tells me his story we are interrupted by the screams of a traveller who has just bungy jumped off the bridge.  I would never do that he tells me, besides it is so expensive.  I wonder what he really feels about the travellers who spend his entire monthly income on 5 minutes of fun and/or sheer terror!  He doesn’t appear to hold any resentment toward the muzungus who visit his country and enjoy all the fun activities of his city that he and most locals will never be able to afford.  I have often heard fellow travellers complain about the two tier price system at entries to national parks and museums  but I wonder if they realise the huge disparities that exists, between wages here and in the west.

Jacob lives with 3 of his mates, sharing one room in a house in the area.  They have access to cooking and living facilities and make do with a very simple lifestyle. 

Our meal of burgers and fries arrives and I make use of the break in conversation to ask about his normal diet.  He eats the local staple of maize meal, interchanging it with rice for a bit of variety accompanied by meat or veg.  We don’t need something different every day like you guys he tells me.  He talks about the times when food was so scarce in Zimbabwe, they travelled across the border to Zambia just to buy maize and sugar.  I don’t think most of us could even begin to comprehend how hard life has been here for so many.

We get back to his story. 

Jacob has been singing with the group for four years and loves performing for the many international visitors that pass through Vic Falls.   Last year he obtained his heavy vehicle licence and joined the overland company Nomad Overlanders as a truck driver.  His trip of 29 days covers South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe.  He loves driving the truck and visiting countries he might otherwise never had a chance to see.  But the work is seasonal and currently, there is a lull in business and he finds work elsewhere driving trucks across the border.

Jacob gets a text message and he passes the message to me.  It is a short message informing him that his mate from the dance troupe has just lost his brother.  He had entered hospital yesterday and today he is no more.  Jacob isn’t sure what he has died off but tells me they will probably visit the funeral house to console the family and sing.  I am once more reminded how fragile life is.  We spend a few minutes in silence and Jacob resumes his story to talk about his dreams for the future.

Jacob has just turned 28 and dreams of finding a partner one day to spend the rest of his life with and possibly start a family.  It has been a year since he broke up with his girlfriend of two years and he hopes it won’t be long before he finds someone special. 

His dreams for his dance troupe include that of making a website so they can better publicise their skills and promote their CD’s and DVD’s.  He hopes to find a sponsor for the group one day which may take them to bigger and better places.  So far, all of the promises he has had of sponsorships to South Africa and Namibia have not come to fruition but he remains hopeful.  His ultimate dream would be to visit the west, perhaps America and perform there.

Jacob’s story leaves me humbled.  We so often feel devastated by our own problems in life and yet they seem to pale in comparison when I hear about the lives of the majority of blacks in Africa. 

It is time for us to leave as Jacob needs to get back to work.   They have another performance that afternoon by the Zambezi River.   Over lunch he has made up an African name for me.  He calls me ‘Intombi ehle’, and tells me it means pretty girl :)! I wrinkle my face and laugh.  Is he serious? 

He walks me to the Zambian border and bids me goodbye.  I have one more day in Zambia and he promises to visit to say goodbye.  See you tomorrow ‘Intombi’, he says as he hugs me goodbye. 

“The fact is, life is not a dress rehearsal. We have one life to live and this is it. Yesterday is gone forever. Tomorrow is not yet here and none of us have any guarantee of tomorrow. True, we need to plan for tomorrow, but today s the only day we ever have. One thing is certain, once this day is over, it is gone forever”.

Source: Unknown.

A bit of local culture

Emma and I are walk toward the entrance of the National Park.  We are together for the last time and we are planning to spend the morning watching a local dance troupe before I go across the border back to Zambia to catch my flight to the Middle East.  We have been invited to watch this group of local dancers by Jacob who we met on our last night in Zimbabwe…. while getting a taste of the local culture.

One of the last activities we did as a group before we go our separate ways is attend a session of interactive drumming done by the local ‘Rastafarian’ boys!  We go across to the Shoestring Lodge to find it buzzing with life and backpackers and quite different to our own rather quiet campsite.

We have a hilarious evening trying to keep the rhythm of the drum beats as the local boys instruct us on what we should do.  Occasionally, they try and trip us up and we are doubled up with laughter.  The drumming is interspersed with a bit of singing and dancing.  Our merriment has carried to the bar because we are soon joined by the backpackers at the bar who stand around and join in by clapping to the rhythm.

It has been a fun evening and the session ends with a taste of a traditional meal.  It is quite a simple meal of pap, spinach and some rather tough meat which we struggle to get our teeth into!

After dinner we relax, get a few drinks and settle in for one of our last evenings of fun.  There are a lot of locals around and they walk over to introduce themselves.  Emma and I get chatting to Jacob who turns out to be a driver for Nomad, another overland company and a member of a local dance group.  He invites us to come watch a performance the next day.

So here we are.  Emma and I walk across to the entrance of Victoria Falls to see Jacob and his troupe perform.

These African boys are so talented and athletic.  They have amazing physiques and they sound fabulous.  The singing is accompanied by a local dance which involves a lot of jumping up in the air and reminds me both of the outfits and dances of the Zulus in South Africa.  Emma and I can’t but help think of how far they might have gone with this kind of talent had they been in Australia!

They entertain passing tourists all morning and there is about a dollar each to go around the group.  This is the main source of income for many of these boys and I wonder how they survive.  I buy their DVD to show a bit of support as well as to remind me of my last day in Zimbabwe.

It is time to say goodbye to Emma and walk across the border back to Zambia from where I will catch my connecting flights to Egypt.  I had left my rucksack back in Zambia and just come over with a day pack and some clothes.  Jacob offers to walk me across and I’m glad of the company. 

We walk across the bridge which is basically no mans land, a stretch of road across the Zambezi which connects Zambia to  Zimbabwe.  We stop for lunch at the cafe on the bridge and Jacob tells me his story….

 “If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home” James Michener

Goodbye Kumuka

After 42 days of travelling together on the Kumuka truck, the time has come for me to say goodbye.  We have had an incredible time on the East Africa trail and while the time appears to have gone quickly we are amazed at how many adventures we have shared along the way.  From trekking Uganda to find ‘gorillas in the mist’, to camping in the wilds of the Serengeti & Masai Mara to dancing the night away at the full moon party in Zanzibar, we seem to have done it all.  We had every decade represented from twenty to sixty amongst the 12 travellers left and while we may have had minor differences got on exceptionally well to complete a fabulous trip together. 

Some of the guys are going on to join other Kumuka tours while Rob, Ali and I say goodbye to overlanding at least for now.  We are especially grateful to the Kumuka crew of Muwangi, Martin and Patrick who took care of us during this amazing experience and brought us safely this far.  So as I walk away having survived another overlanding experience, let me say goodbye to my fellow travellers.. 

Tom and Gayle, were the oldest travellers on the truck.  They have travelled to Africa from a small farming town in Victoria as part of Tom’s 60th birthday celebrations.  It isn’t often I find grandparents who have been married for 38 years on the overland trail and I take my hat off to them for giving it a go and for having the courage to rough it out with travellers younger than their own 3 children.  They are travelling on for another week to Johannesburg and I think they have been an inspiration to us all. 

Ali is a solo traveller from New Zealand who has been on the road for quite awhile, having lived in England and explored the Middle East.  She is travelling for almost 3 months in Africa and will continue on the overland trail through Botswana, Namibia and on to Cape Town in South Africa.  A teacher by trade she is looking forward to getting home in time for Christmas and a long awaited catch up with the friends and family who await her return. 

It is wonderful to find you have two resident chefs on board your overland truck, when cooking is part of the chores you are required to do along the way!  I was doubly delighted as Nathan was part of my group so cooking for a truck load of passengers was never  as stressful as it might have been.  Nate and Lisa are a young couple from Sussex Inlet in the Sydney area.  They travel the world using their cooking skills, having just finished a stint at the snow in OZ and now looking forward to a stint in Canada when they get back from travelling to Cape Town.

Dave and Katie are in their mid twenties and are the ‘youngsters’ on the truck.  They are on their honeymoon, having just been married months before they came away to Africa.  They hail from a small town in Canada and are keen adrenalin junkies :) who liked to try everything from white water rafting grade 5 rapids to jumping into pools just above Vic Falls.  Katie is a nurse and Dave builds log homes and they will go back home to a white Christmas in Canada, after travelling to Cape Town.  Their next dream is to spend 6 months in South America before settling down to raise a family.  

Rob and Ali are a lovely couple from Perth making their way back to OZ after living in England for a couple of years.  They have been on the road for 6 months, having explored the Middle East and other European destinations before travelling to Nairobi to board Kumuka.  I get to know Rob and Ali really well and I’ve truly enjoyed their company over numerous conversations, card games lots of laughs and cocktails at the Vic Falls Hotel.  They will travel on their own to Cape Town from where they fly home for Christmas to prepare for their next big adventure!  Rob and Ali are getting married in Bali over the Easter holidays so they will have their hands full over the next few months.  I raise my glass in a toast to their future and look forward to spending time with them on their next visit to Sydney.  

Emma and Julie joined us after we had been travelling for 2 weeks but fitted in to the group so well that I had almost forgotten they had not been there at the start.  They are the two chicks I hung out with the most.  We shared many special memories and had lots of laughs!  Our Sydney reunion is already planned and we are looking forward to catching up and reminiscing about the amazing adventures we shared together.  

Emma lives in Brisbane but works in the mines (in Admin) in South Australia.  She flies in to work for a week and then has the next week off!  Sounds like a great deal Em.  She started her time in Africa doing volunteer work in Kenya, living with a local family and working at a local school.  She enjoyed this experience very much and hopes she might come back to Africa to continue her work here.  I have had lots of laughs with Emma and enjoyed the times we shared together and look forward to catching up with her soon. 

Julie has taken this year off to celebrate one of life’s great milestones…yes she turned 50 while on the road somewhere in Africa, some months before she met us.  Julie has an amazing zest for travel and has been travelling since she was just 11 years old.  She travelled to Africa in the eighties when overlanding was a lot harder that it is today and has been to places far off the beaten track from Timbuktu to the Silk Road.  She has been through many rough patches in life and I find her enthusiasm to keep on living life to the fullest incredibly inspirational.  We shared many stories and experience during our time together including our little beach cabana in Zanzibar.  Julie will continue on another truck to Mozambique before flying off to Madagascar to complete what has been a fabulous year for her.  Here’s to you Julie and I look forward to our Sydney reunion when I get back!

Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow; Don't walk behind me, I may not lead; Walk beside me, and just be my friend.  ~ Albert Camus

Martin’s Story

Martin is part of our Kumuka crew, a tour leader who has joined our trip to study the route as he will very shortly be running this trip as a tour leader in his own right. 

Martin was born in Kangaita, a small village in the  foot hills of Mt Kenya.  He was the youngest in a family of 5 kids and grew up attending the local village school till he was about 15 years old.  His parents were Christian and he grew up with the Christian values his parents instilled in him.  He still attends church in Nairobi when time and his travels permit.

Martin grew up in a farming village, in a small community where you knew all your neighbours and people helped each other farm the land.  He tells me how his fore fathers who were pastoralist were pushed out of their home land to more arid parts when the British colonised Kenya and took over the land.  After independence in 1963, many colonisers returned to England and left the land in the care of their African managers who inherited it by default.

His parents and others like them formed co-operatives to repurchase the land that had been theirs for generations and bought shares from the new owners which they were once more able to farm.  This is the life that Martin was born into. 

Martin left this farming community for the big city lights of Nairobi to commence his secondary education.  He then attended college for 2 years to study tourism, his passion in life.  He was given an opportunity to complete an internship for a year with Kobo Safari’s, a private company running luxury safari trips in the lodges I dream of staying in one day.  After completing his internship, he does 2 years of part time work with East Africa Shuttles and Safari’s before landing a full time job with Kumuka, the overland company I am travelling with right now.

He has now been with Kumuka for 4 years and loves both the company he works for and the job he does.  He finds his job challenging and enjoys the variety this kind of work presents as well as the opportunity to meet people from all over the world.

I have had long chats with Martin about his values and way of thinking.  He he tells me that while he respects the traditions and culture in Africa, he does question blind conformance to a way of life that has been handed down for generations.  For example, we have discussed the preference for boys by most families and the practice of polygamy in the event a couple are not able to have boys.  Martin is flabbergasted by the fact that many girls are denied an education and not valued because of their gender.  He wonders why nobody questions this practice in a day and age where people should be more enlightened.   He tells me we need traditions that add value to our lives rather than blindly following a way of life that has been handed down by our forefathers.

We talk about Martin’s concern for the environment and his fear the forests of Africa are being destroyed by people’s greed.  We talk about the use of charcoal for cooking.  Many people take the easy option of cutting trees down for conversion to charcoal and say the government gives them no other option.  Martin argues that poverty is not an excuse for destroying our environment and makes the point this use of charcoal has only come about in recent times.  He reminds me that Africa is an ancient continent and the original inhabitants of this continent did not  burn charcoal to survive.  The original tribes of Africa respected the forests and considered them to be spiritual places that needed to be preserved.  We talk about how the Masaai people still live today in harmony with their environment  and no use of charcoal and acknowledge this is a problem that needs to be addressed.

We talk about the premier of Africa, Raila Odinga who has banned the use of charcoal in Kenya today and the Nobel Prize winner for Forest Conservation, Wangari Mathai who has spear headed the Green Belt Movement which has already planted more than 10 million indigenous trees across this continent.  Martin tells me that Wangari’s push for conservation stems from a fear that one day the Sahara desert in the north might be one with the Kalahari in the south.  It is a frightening thought, and one which many of Africa’s politician’s do not seem too concerned about.      

Martin reminds me of our own individual responsibility for our planet and tells me that he himself has advocated that the people in his village devote a portion of their land for tree planting and gives seedlings away to those who can’t afford to buy their own.  I am inspired once more by the difference one man can make to the environment he lives in.

Martin dreams of further expanding his knowledge of tourism and becoming the best tour guide of Africa.  He aims to promote ecotourism here and perhaps join a team of experts who will promote and develop a variety of destinations that will reduce the pressure on destinations such as Victoria Falls, the Masaai Mara and the Serengeti which is all many travellers seem to visit.  He tells me that while it is important for Africa that the numbers of visitors increase, we do need some balance in the regions they visit.  For example, while most people wish to climb Kilimanjaro, very few visitors even visit Mt Kenya, the second tallest mountain here.  Why?

I wish him all the best in his dream.  It is very inspiring to find a kindred spirit in my travels.  A man who cares about the environment while he pushes for people to discover his continent.  Good luck Martin, I hope your dreams come true. 

 There are chapters in every life which are seldom read and certainly not aloud.  ~Carol Shields

Muwangi’s Story

I never really sat with Muwangi (centre) to document his story but I thought I would share some memories of this man with you.  Muwangi was our tour leader and just like the rest of the crew hails from Kenya.

He always seemed to have a smile on his face and a jovial laugh that often accompanied everything he said.  Looking after a truck load of travellers is hard work but Muwangi makes it look dead easy.  He never seems to get riled even when passengers bombard him with a hundred and one questions.

His tasks include making sure we have supplies for breakfast, lunch and dinner and keeping the pantry stocked for replenishing everything from our staples of bread and margarine to the little treats we all enjoyed – Nutella!

Muwangi shared some of his past with me during the many long bus journeys we took.  I remember him telling me that he spent some time working for the UN refugees.  He worked in the stores and often flew to other countries as part of his job – stock taking.

Being trip leader means there is a lot of paperwork that goes on behind the scenes that many travellers perhaps do not fully appreciate.  Muwangi has joined me on occasion as I sat writing my blog with his own laptop and the admin work he must complete once we reach a campsite.  I think it must be a nightmare keeping track of what is spent in each country in so many different currencies but he seems to find the time to stay on top of it all.

Muwangi has done lots of little things to make our trip special.  This includes buying us little treats such as muffins in the morning to chapatis for dinner.  He has often sussed out the best internet places and arranged us accommodation when we wanted an upgrade and our optional activities at destinations that offered them.

I have enjoyed spending time with this man and wish him all the best in his travels and thank him for going out of his way to make our trip comfortable.   

 The first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell it.” - Rudyard Kipling

Patrick’s Story

Patrick is the Kumuka Mechanic and Truck Driver  on our overland journey and is a delightful man who I connected with right away.  Born in a village called Ulawe (Western Kenya) around Lake Victoria he hails from a family of six, 5 boys and 1 girl and is the baby in the bunch. 

His family was poor and his father did small scale farming that just sufficed to feed the family.  His family’s economic situation meant he was only able to complete a primary education but he was determined this would not hold him back from realising his dream of becoming a mechanic.

Patrick lived with his family till he was 19 before one of his older brothers encouraged him to move to Nairobi.  A big city in Africa often offers more prospects and job opportunities but there are inherent risks with making such a move.  Patrick gets lucky and finds work on a construction site where he works for a year and a half before he gets an apprenticeship in a local garage.  Patrick is finally on the road to pursuing and achieving his dream of becoming a mechanic. 

A year and a half passes before his brother persuades him to return home and meet a local girl from his village who his family have picked as his prospective bride.  Patrick is 23 years old and feels he is too young and financially unprepared for the challenge of supporting a wife.  However, his brother is persuasive and he returns home to meet this young lady.  She was just 18 at the time!

Patrick meets Monica and they form a mutual agreement to get marred after she completes her education.  A year later they are married but Patrick is still completing his mechanic apprenticeship and is on a very low wage.  Monica however, is determined to follow him to the big city and they go back to Nairobi together. 

Those first years of marriage couldn’t have been easy but Patrick is a man on a mission with a dream to pursue.  He completes his apprenticeship and find work servicing cars for a car hire company.  He stays with the car hire company for 6 years, gaining invaluable experience before landing a job with Game Trekkers.  He is at Game Trekkers for 9 years before he is hired by Kumuka.  After a stint in their workshop his manager suggests he starts driving the overland trucks. 

Excited by the prospect of a new challenge Patrick agrees.  He starts off doing small 3 day trips in Kenya but his excellent performance sees him promoted to longer and more exciting adventures.  Trips such as 3 weeks exploring Kenya and Tanzania eventually prepare him for his promotion in 2006 to overland truck driver on the long distance 3 month journeys that explore 8 countries!  Patrick has certainly come a long way from his humble beginnings in a little village in Western Kenya. 

Patrick tells me he loves his job because it enables him to interact with people he might otherwise never have an opportunity to meet.  He loves making new friends and cherishes the chance to see and observe how other African countries are faring.  Many of his passengers are Aussies and he wonders if he will be able to visit the country that so many of his overlanders hail from, so he in turn can learn something about a faraway land.  He tells me he is always learning something new on his travels and would be quite happy to continue in this line of work till he retires.  He is 51 years old. 

While the work can be tiring at times Patrick enjoys doing his part on the overland adventure trail.  The longest drive he does covers 700 km, which in Africa can take almost 13 hours including pit stops.  What has surprised many of us is that even on those days when we have started the day at 5 in the morning and not stopped till 5 in the evening, Patrick is still so cheerful with no visible signs of tiredness.  There are compensations on the  month trips such as the long breaks in Victoria Falls which gives him a chance to have a sleep-in and enjoy a good breakfast.  I have on occasion cooked Patrick a good bacon and eggs brekkie which he has definitely enjoyed.  He is appreciative of little things such as this and will often reciprocate the favour when I need a hand with something myself! 

Patrick confesses he was initially worried that his lack of education would prevent him from advancing in life.  He was determined to overcome the trap of poverty he was born in and ensure his own children would be given a good education, ensuring they would never be faced with the hardships of poverty he himself experienced.  His face lights up as he tells me about his first born, a daughter who has already completed her University Degree and is currently teaching High School.  She plans to apply for her Masters Degree in the near future which for him is a dream come true!  He hopes this daughter will be an example to her younger siblings as well as her cousins, ensuring they too pursue an education which in Kenya is a guarantee to a secure future and a meal on the table.

Patrick tells me his dream in life was to be a role mode to his extended family and his community.  He wanted to demonstrate that one is able to pull oneself out of poverty and provide a secure future for your children.  He is proud of what he has achieved given his humble beginnings and lack of education and hopes the future generations in his family will go on to achieve bigger and better things.

I am truly astounded by the people I have met on this journey and the stories they have shared.  People who began with so little and yet were determined that would not hold them back.  I think back to the generation of kids growing up in the city I have left behind and wonder if these kids who have been given everything in life will find such determination to achieve their own goals.  I wonder if they will ever realise how hard it is for the rest of the world and realise how truly fortunate they are.  I think a gap year for kids completing high school should be a compulsory part of their education, enabling them to experience the world before buckling down for more study.

Patrick tells me that while he has shared parts of his life with other passengers before, this is the first time he has sat down with someone who has wished to document his story.  He is overjoyed and touched and tells me to carry on with my ‘spirit’ and continue my dream of writing stories.  He says he has appreciated having me on the trip, the little chats we’ve had at dinner and the laughter along the way.  So have I Patrick…keep trucking mate and thanks for sitting behind the wheel and bringing us safely across Africa on all those long distance journeys!!

 There is deep wisdom within our very flesh, if we can only come to our senses and feel it.  ~Elizabeth A. Behnke

The Smoke that Thunders – A Post Card from Zimbabwe!

Greetings from Zimbabwe!  We have the shortest leg of our journey so far, the trip between Livingstone and Victoria Falls, which includes the border crossing in to Zimbabwe.  It is an easy crossing, that hundreds of locals and tourists alike make everyday. 

Our campsite is lovely but Ali, Rob, Julie and I decide to upgrade, on this our last stop of the tour.  It will give us a chance to rest and recuperate and also have a bit of fun together before we go our separate ways.   We book a simple two bedroom chalet which includes a bathroom, dining area and kitchen.  Nothing flash but after roughing it in a tent for most of the past 6 weeks we think this is great.

At dinner on our first night in ‘Zim’, we are entertained by a troupe of local dancers.  We are enthralled by their singing and dancing and later learn that the much of the proceeds of the CDs they sell go toward supporting a local orphanage.  Many of these boys were orphans themselves and this is their way of giving back.  Another great African example of what people who have so little are willing to do to give back a little. 

We have 3 nights here and on our first full day Julie, Emma and I decide to walk to the National Park and view the falls from the Zimbabwe side.  It is the dry season but despite that the falls are still spectacular.  One of the local dancers who has befriended Emma join us on the walk.   

We  walk to each lookout and take photos and stop to admire the wildlife and the spring flowers.  The fireball lilies are blooming and look spectacular. 

We stop to reflect at a statue of David Livingstone and remember this great man who spent so much of his life on this continent at a time when it was incredibly rare to find white men in the places he travelled to.

It is hot and humid but the mist reaches us across the gorge and cools us down from time to time.  We take our time around the circuit walk, taking lots of pictures and just admiring this amazing natural spectacle and one of the widest & most wonderful waterfalls in the world.

It is almost lunch time when we finish but we have another important mission before lunch.  Emma has decided to brave the bungy jump off the famous bridge across the gorge.  She had finished her waterfall walk way ahead of us but has patiently waited for so we can go along to watch.  Julie and I are more than happy to just watch from the sidelines, support our friend and take a few pictures for her. I can’t believe she is doing this, and my spine tingles as she takes a leap off the platform and careens down to the gorge.  The bungy cord seems to pull her about and she seems to dangle upside down for ages before she is finally hauled back up to safety. 

While we wait for Emma to pick up her DVD we chat to a couple of the local boys to while away the time.  They  tell us how difficult it is these days in Zimbabwe with only 10% of the population employed.  These boys sell bracelets and other knick knacks to make ends meet.  We work for food, they tell me. I buy a copper bracelet to help out in a small way.  Copper is one of the major exports in these parts and a valuable part of the economy.  Their cheeky grins belie the fact that life for these young men is quite difficult.

After lunch at a little cafe on the bridge we decide to visit the Vic Falls hotel.  On the way we stop at the gorge lookout to marvel at people who are braving the gorge swing and riding the flying fox across the gorge.  Their screams of terror or was that pleasure carry toward us.   The Vic Falls Hotel is the Zimbabwe version of the Raffles Hotel in Singapore. 

We get there around afternoon tea time and find the patio full of beautiful people in their lovely smart casual outfits having high tea.  I feel a little underdressed but we don’t care.  We are here to try their famous cocktails! 

Many years ago, Julie had stayed at these posh digs with her then partner and remembered a drink she had enjoyed very much.  “Do you still serve the Zimbabwe Shandy”, she enquires and we find they do.  A mocktail of ginger beer, lemonade, orange crush and a splash of bitters it is served ice cold and is just the refreshing drink we needed after our long hot day.   We settle into our comfortable chairs and sip our drinks, savouring the chance to experience for a little while how the other half ‘do Africa!’ 

 "Travellers, there is no path, paths are made by walking."  -   Antonio Machado

Walking with Lions!

It’s the morning after the booze cruise and some of my fellow travellers are not feeling the greatest!  One has to pay for the pleasures of too many gin & tonic and beers! 

Despite the hangovers we all up early for more unique experiences.  After all how often do you get to walk with a lion and hold his tail while you do so? The Mukuni Big 5 Safari’s Cheetah Research Program is committed to the preservation of cheetahs and lions.  The funds we pay for the privilege of walking with the cats go toward this worthwhile conservation effort and helps toward increasing the population of these wonderful big cats.  The project also has a mobile clinic and helps educate the local population by means of interaction and lectures on the importance of protecting this endangered species.

We are asked to sign away any claims in the unlikely event something goes wrong and then given a useful briefing on how one interacts with these amazing beasts!  We are then asked to pick up a stick each, which will help keep the lions in check as they’ve been trained to respond to certain gestures.

There are five of us on the walk today from Kumuka.  Rob and Ali (an Aussie couple from Perth), Ali (from New Zealand), and Emma (an Aussie from Brisbane).   We have travelled a long way together and become great mates along this journey so it is nice to share this experience with each other.

Rob goes first and tells us later his hangover vanished immediately he sat down next to the lioness.  It is a thrilling, spine tingling experience to stroke a lion and scratch under their chins and we follow the instructions of our guides closely.

If they show signs they want to play with each other or start walking, we move away.  In between the games, they lie down and allow us to approach them and pose for pictures.  I was afraid this would be a tourist experience.  In reality. these lions need to be walked everyday to ensure they get enough exercise and we are made to feel quite at home with these magnificent beast.

The lions treat the guides as members of their tribe and as we are introduced to them, we are accepted as part of the tribe as well!   There are 2 lionesses and 1 male lion all of who are about 3 years old.  We are even allowed to hold the tail of the lioness, who is apparently quite fond of this gesture.

After we complete our walk, we are informed that for a small extra fee, we will be given the chance of playing with the cheetah and lion cubs.  Ali and Rob have already signed up for the full cheetah experience, which includes interaction with the full grown cheetahs.   Emma and I put up our hands to play with the cubs.

The lion cubs are just weeks old and we are given an opportunity to bottle feed them milk.  The cubs are cheeky and full of beans but settle down for milk.  Another amazing time follow as we bottle feed these babies and get a chance to play with them.

Our next interaction is with the cheetahs who are initially very frisky and skip around making us chase them around their enclosure. 

However, as the day gets hotter they calm down enough to let us lie down with them and have a play. 

We were initially told we would have 15 minutes with the cubs but we have spent almost an hour with both the lion and cheetah cubs.  It is time to go and we reluctantly put the cheetahs down.  I exchange contact details with the guides who promise to stay in touch.  Perhaps I might get a chance to spend more than a few hours with these magnificent animals one day!

 "If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking.  Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk."   -   Raymond Inmon

A Postcard from Vic Falls, Zambia

We travel for 3 long days of travel before we finally get to Livingstone, Zambia.  We have broken journey at 2 campsites in Zambia along the way including Lusaka, the capital city.  We are glad to finally reach our campsite in Livingstone which turns out to be a lovely spacious place with a sprawling old house, green lawns, a bar and pool.  We have 3 nights here so I’m glad it is a place we can truly relax in!  It is also walking distance to town, which is convenient.   

This is my second time in Zambia, so I plan to do some activities which are different to my first visit.  While here in 2007, I viewed the falls in a helicopter so I am delighted to hear you can also view the falls in a micro light!  I do a bit of research and am told that if the engine fails in a micro light, you don’t crash!  The pilot can safely glide the craft down which makes me feel a lot better.  They also have a 100% safety record here…so after giving it a bit of thought, I sign up! 

I go along with Julie, who tells me that even though she has done this before she is still rather nervous.  After watching it take off and land a few times, it is finally my turn.  The helmet is strapped on and my seatbelt fastened.  The belt is the only thing holding me and I try not to panic.  You sit astride the pilot and hold on to the sides! 

  I have never before been up in the air in a contraption that is completely open to the elements.  I grip the sides and try to relax. 

As we take off over the surrounding national park, we spot a herd of elephants in the Zambezi River.  It is absolutely beautiful.  A bull elephant has strolled across to the nearby highway and is holding up the traffic.  There are more animals below us and I relax a little and try to look over the sides without leaning out too much!  This is perhaps one of my most terrifying experiences but it is also one of the most incredible things I have done.  Unfortunately, we are not allowed to take our own cameras.  Photos are taken by a camera fixed onto a wing of the craft.  While I have purchased these photos (which are incredible) I am unable to share them with you, ‘cos they are on a CD and I don’t have a CD reader!  (later perhaps).

There are hippos in the water as well as crocs.  My pilot is almost leaning right out of micro light as he points out various things to me and I wonder what it must be like to do this for a living everyday.  Then we reach Victoria Falls. 

I am flying over one of the world’s greatest waterfalls in a micro light.  During the wet season 545 million litres of water goes over the edge each minute and sends a misty spray 500 m into the air.  Hence, it is often referred to as ‘The Smoke that Thunders!"’ The falls are 1.7km wide and it drops about 107m into the Zambezi Gorge.  The gorge is the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, Livingstone being the town in Zambia and Vic Falls the town in Zimbabwe.  It is also the adventure capital for both these countries and one can do everything from bungy jumping, swinging across the gorge and white water rafting grade 5 rapids to walking with lions and cheetahs!  I intend to get my adrenalin fix here although it won’t be as high on the adrenalin scale as what some of my fellow younger travellers have planned.

All too soon my 15 minutes of time in the air comes to an end.  The pilot asks if I am OK and why I have been so quiet.  Perhaps, this experience just took my breath away... 

The entire group including the Kumuka crew have signed up for the sunset cruise, also referred to as the ‘booze cruise’ due to the fact there is unlimited alcohol available.  It is a great chance to see a bit more game as many animals come down to the Zambezi for a drink a chance for all of us to cool down (Zambia is quite hot at this time of year) and a chance to start start the farewell process.  We only have a few days more together as a group before we go our separate ways.

We have a wonderful time on the water.  It is incredibly relaxing way to unwind and watch the wildlife.  The weather is gorgeous and the sky incredible.  Duncan their resident croc swims over for scraps and we spot elephants on the bank.  Duncan must have smelled the BBQ!  We tuck into barbecued sausages and chicken.  The sausages here are so spicy and yummy and we are having a great evening.  

We are all on a high as the boat pulls to shore.  The party continues long into the night and moves into the little bar on the banks of the Zambezi.  Someone puts the music on and we dance barefoot on the sand.  The African guys serving at the bar join us.  The same 5 songs are played over and over but we don’t care.  Ali, one of my girlfriends looks at me and says, she couldn’t be happier.  What a wonderful night amongst a great bunch of people.  I will be sad to leave my new friends behind but many of them are Aussies and we are already planning a few reunions in Sydney! I can’t wait.  

The traveler was active; he went strenuously in search of people, of adventure, of experience.  The tourist is passive; he expects interesting things to happen to him.  He goes "sight-seeing."  ~Daniel J. Boorstin