There's nothing like a breakfast prepared over a camp fire to set you up for the day....bacon, eggs to order, oats porridge with a shot of Amarula.....as well as cereals, fruit & yoghurts...
This morning I'm experiencing my first canoe trip on the Zambezi River....a bit scary after all the stories I have heard over the years....but I'll give it a go just because we're being guided by Paul Grobler, one of the most respected river guides on the Zambezi...Once we've slapped on the factor 50 sunscreen, as it's already seriously hot even at seven in the morning, & grabbed our hats we're ready to go...
And true to his reputation Paul guided us carefully & safely down river through the pods of hippo - his knowledge & experience evident in every action...
Grant calls this 'the Enchanted Forest' and it is easy to see why - there is a special light through the trees that gives the landscape a magical feel....seems he's also a fan of Enid Blyton!!
We stop further downstream for much needed liquid refreshment, then hop on board the 4x4 for a game drive back to camp..seriously there are elephants wherever you look....I have never seen so many congregated in one place. It is partly thanks to the time of year...it's HOT, end of the dry season and rain is expected any time now so the animals are travelling many miles a day in search of food & water. Throughout the country bets have been placed as to what date the first rain of the season is going to fall...
Big ones, medium ones and teeny ones, still pink behing the ears, that were only born a week ago....
I suppose we should have guessed what the main attraction would be when we saw these on our beds..
In fact, we needn't have bothered going anywhere, we could've just sat on our veranda as they came to us....the camp is shaded by Acacia albida (winterthorn) trees which just happen to be an elephant's favourite food at this time of year...
We had to radio for assistance midday as the path to the dining room was fraught with large grey obstacles enjoying their own lunch.....one very large bull calmly walked right up to the dining area daintily picking up all the winterthorn pods lying on the ground....causing a subdued frenzy of snapping by anyone who could lay their hands on a camera or any recording device!! I gather it is his party trick....Just before this photo was taken, I had been sitting on one of the sofas in the lounge area and he came within two metres of my perch - just calmly going about his business, both of us observing each other....me almost forgetting to breathe....amazing & very humbling!!
After the excitment of lunch it is back on the boat agin for the 20 minute transfer to the Cumings' other camp in the Lower Zambezi NP, Old Mondoro.
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