African Adventure - part 4

 The journey to our next stop was simple enough, the roads getting lower in quality but still ok, wide in most places. The scenery turning more hilly and in most places lush and green.

 Our night stopover was a very pleasant place, a view of a river from the bar and, if we had wanted, a short boat trip over crossing into Mozambique. 

A lone female backpacker was struggling to figure out how she could get money she needed, and true to form BigA stepped in and gave her what she needed, with a promise she would pay him back. With a lot less stress in her voice she set off for Mozambique. Then we unpacked, set up and got into our swimming costumes and headed to the pool. It was beautiful, still a little cold for perfection but really lovely. 

Unfortunately the machine that issued visas wasn't working and so she came back that evening, arriving in a taxi looking like she was rather bored of it all. I think she was trying to stay positive. Poor thing, all in her own so we took her under our wing. She joined us for dinner, sort of, as she didn't want to eat but we chatted away, we all had a good laugh, swapping stories and get telling us about her trip so far she has seen so much, very impressive woman. We offered her a space in the tent but she opted for a room, sensible! 

The next morning we packed up with one more passenger and her bags we headed off. A nice drive through cut through hills and plenty of good road. We dropped her off having had her reassure us she would be ok at a bustling town. She seemed so together and clear on what she wants out of her travels. But we swapped numbers so she could let us know she'd got where she was planning ok. Inspiring. 

We continued to our final destination, south Luangwa, a safari park with drives all provided, my birthday treat. It really didn't disappoint. Our open room, looking out over the river and the hippos, a shower room in the elements. Beautiful. 

We had a great sunset game drive and saw Hyena cubs at their den, no adults in sight. Over the drive we saw lots of adults. We saw other animals and birds. Sundowners of G&T and I felt utterly relaxed.  

The evening meal was at a table with the other guests, we chatted away and, I think, narrowly avoided a Brexit conversation that could have gone badly. As we were about to leave we were prevented by a large male hippo blocking our most obvious route. We watched him graze and then took a detour to get to bed. 

My birthday started early with a 5:15 wake up ready to go on a game drive. The sunrise was beautiful, deep reds and pinks echoed in the reflection on the river. On the drive we saw the fantastic sight of two female hyenas with their cubs, making all sorts of noises. We saw all the usual animals and had a close encounter with an elephant, all under control but I did hold by breath. While we took our sun up tea and cake by the river side I heard someone in a safari vehicle say, 'that's BigA, BigA?' and turned to see my newish friend Kate. So we stopped to chat and swap safari stories of our stay. 

Then towards the end of the drive their was a lion sighting of we headed over and A's keen eyes saw the three of them before even our guide. Lots of cars arrived and we also had a bit of fun watching one car get stuck in the sand, he didn't quite seem to know how to get unstuck. Not great to break down near lion. In the end they were rescued by fellow guides who has to push them through the sand. Just as we were to move on, another car couldn't start. Interestingly, again a fellow guide came to the rescue, slowly driving into their front bull bars and the other driver turning the engine at the right time. Very impressive from both and not something I've seen before. 

We headed to our beautiful and large room to shower and change for lunch. But we chose to take it in turns despite the double outdoor shower. Baboons had gotten into our room and had some fun with our shower gel, and we thought they had stolen BigA 's sandals, but they were just being washed. 

Lunch was beautiful with a new set of guests, two teenagers that A could chat away to, and much more left leaning we realised. Then a little pool time and change for 3pm tea. The chef had made me a birthday cake and the staff processed with it singing a traditional birthday song and then the classic. I felt very special, cutting the cake with my band worried on it. And then our next drive. 

One advantage to a guided drive is the sundowner. Here, the sun sets quickly, no hanging about, it just turns a deep shade of pinky red and sinks into a sky that has turned into layers of purple, lilac, pink and orange. This time it slid down behind a mountain that looked like it was eating chucks out of its favourite biscuit. We sipped our G&Ts and wondered at the expanse before us. We watched a herd of Impala dart off at a pace, we hungrily hoped they were chased by a predator. Sadly not, just happy to be free and run. 

Back in the car we enjoyed the dip in temperature and the last of the light. Then an almost complete darkness and the spotting began. We saw the nervous grazers, their green eyes reflecting in the torch light from our co- guide. We saw gennet and hairs, and the odd zebra and puku. Our main guide was so excited by a cane rat, you know something is a rare spot when your guide gets high pitched and insist you get your camera out. Sadly BigA  was a bit too slow and the fat and fast rodent disappeared into the long grass. 

We did get two leopard sightings. The first because we were following another hyena. The second much more close up and longer. They are beautiful and shy. Avoiding the light and so easy to lose as they stay frozen in the grass, hidden until they shift and look around. 

To get to the main park here you have to take a very short boat ride to the other side of the river. That evening I was struck by the absolute darkness, the cloud cover stopped the moon giving us any hope of seeing without a torch and although this was shone across the water the unspoken concern of a rouge hippo definitely crossed my mind. They aren't normally in the water past sunset, but I clipped my life vest in place none the less. 

The morning was an early one again, A couldn't be stirred so we let her sleep. I chose to just have fresh strawberries and tea for my breakfast at I watched the sun rise again over the river. 

We explored the part of the park we could get to. I'm always struck by the difference water makes, some areas totally desert like, with damaged remnants of trees standing lonely with jaggered hostile edges and then a turn and a bump and you're surrounded by a green carpet of fine looking grass and healthy trees, animals enjoying their shade and taking advantage of the nutrients left in the grass. We had a great morning for giraffe. Several sighting and add they are so gentle and calm we got very close up on more than one occasion. The birds were setting up for the day and we saw a great mix, a good number of birds of prey too. A fish eagle swooping into a herd of Impala setting them off on a run across the expanse. 

I find such peace on these drives, the air rushing past you as you bump along, even when your not spotting animals there's a joy being out and almost alone, watching a bustle of small birds take flight and land on the next available bush. The excitement of spotting something in the distance and then bombing along to get a closer look. The best spots of that morning being giraffe 

Back at the camp we went to find A, shower and pack. We had a delicious lunch with a range of very well presented options. I tried them all. 

Then we settled the bill and got back into the Bongo, ready to get back to Malawi. Happily the cloud came over again which softened the power of the sun and so at 30 degrees or so it was bearable to have the widows open and get the welcome rush of air into our incredibly dusty car. 

The roads were less well maintained which meant BigA  couldn't really relax into the drive, having to avoid potholes and goats so I'm not sure he could enjoy the depth of the hills and mountains around. The soil had been slowly turning into the familiar orange of Malawi and after a few hours we got to the border. Simpler here to get out and back in, a little confusing if it had been the first time but BigA  had done this bit a few months before. A quick toilet stop and we carried on into our second home. The road was instantly narrower and it felt like the number of people doubled but otherwise the change wasn't as dramatic as I thought it might be. 

We stayed the night in a backpacker place, I got the bottom bunk. We headed off for a curry nearby and then back to the room. We watched a film but I was asleep before the end. We simply got up, washed, dressed and then watched BigA  check the tyres and then off to a cafe for breakfast, then the 4 hour journey to Blantyre. 

It really is busier compared to the other three countries we've visited on this adventure. And, although there are trees around, you can see the devastation where they are missing. Scared sides of hills and mountains, the orange earth bleeding through, homes with no real shade and a sparsity that shows what a population boom can do. There were a lot of police on the road and it was frustrating to be stopped so much, no drinks requested here but it slowed our progress when all we wanted to do was get home. 

The joy of being home, A raced in to see the cats and then she got her art stuff out and set about doing an acrylic and ink mix piece, I put on the kettle - lush and set about emptying the suitcases and getting started on the loads of washing - not so lush. BigA  headed off to the shops to get some fresh food.

 The two of them headed off to frisbee that evening and I spent some time on my own, after 4 weeks of not doing that it was lovely to potter about, putting things away, unloading and reloading the washing machine and reading a bit more of my current book. 

I felt a little disoriented in the morning, having woken up in a range of places over the last month. I made a cup of tea, more washing and time wandering around the garden. As the sun is getting hotter the washing has dried super quick and so I happily plonked it all into piles. BigA  was his usual busy self, sorting a wifi issue and a meeting online. A spent most of the day in bed. I checked in with a few work things, nothing too big and resolved that I'll worry more about all that next week. 

Yesterday was another simple day catching up with people who are around and trying to avoid spending money because now we're a bit skint. To be expected when you go on a long holiday like that and well worth it. 

I was pleased to see that many of my seedlings are doing well and planted out a batch of basil and harvested leeks, peas and rocket for our evening meal.