so this one time in Zambia...

How have the last three days been you ask… AMAZING!

The road to Zambia
Got up at 5:30 am to go to Zambia Wednesday and it took us about 7hrs to drive there. First we had to go through immigration and that took a good deal of time. Trying to be allowed to leave Malawi took a good 30+ min and then we walked through no mans land to Zambia and went through a 30-45min process trying to get in there. The bus got through also and we loaded back on and off we went. We drove for a bit and then the paved road turned to dirt and potholes. The next four hours were spent on this road. It was insanity! Though bumpy it was beautiful! The huts around us looked exactly as I had pictured Africa to look like. Plus the area is far more green then Malawi and that was refreshing! As we pulled up to our resort the Safari really began!

Living conditions…
What a bummer… our hotel had over booked so some of us got moved to a different resort that was about a 10min walk away. This place was amazing! I stayed with Amy and Lydia and our little house was lifted off the ground. It was like a tree house! Felt a bit like swiss family robinson! The second night I had to move to our actual hotel but it was still cool. Running all around the outdoor walkways were monkeys… and randomly some elephants would just wander through… seriously no joke. So down at my tree house here were some of the adventures. I sat about 30-50yds from some elephants and wrote in my journal/listened to music. One decided to take a nap… let me tell you an elephant laying down is a funny thing. I also was woken in the morning by an elephant walking around and the sounds of a hippo in the water at the end of the yard… The second night up at the regular hotel I woke to an elephant eating a tree/attempting to knock over a tree that was outside my window. Probably the most entertaining way to wake up at 4am!

Night ride 1
Had the best first safari ride ever! Headed out at 4pm saw giraffe, hippos, elephants, zebra, the tail of a leopard though he wanted his head to stay hidden, cape buffalo, impala, puku, crocks and storks. It was getting to be sunset so we pulled off for tea over looking a river which held hippos and crocks and watched the Zambian sunset. Beautiful?... YES! Then we drove around more and ran into some lions… a momma and three cubs. They walked over to some water and were drinking and all of us were amazed and intrigued. Do you know what is not far from mamma and her babies… DADDY. We turned around in our seats to see Mufasa right behind us! He strutted over so his family was in eye sight. The cubs walked over to him and played around and then they walked into the long grass. Good end to the first night!

Morning ride 1
Got up at 5am for a 6am drive. Saw the same animals except no lion but it was really beautiful! The animals are so great! We just drove around and looked at animals walking right next to us. Saw the Puku with their babies as well as zebra drinking together out of the water. Also we drove past this big open field and a hippo was just walking though, slow as can be though he did have a little gallop in his step! I learned that zebra live to be about 20yrs and giraffe 28. Elephants live much like humans in to their 60’s commonly but often times much longer. I also learned elephants have a handedness… or rather tuskness. Most of them are right “handed” and you can tell because of the ware on their right tusk. Male giraffe have no hair on those balls that stick out of their head because it has worn off due to fighting other male giraffe.

Night ride 2
Similar events which never got old but this night can be summed up in a leopard hunt. My driver fred had a hunch and we sat in a field shinning a spot light around looking for the orange reflection of a predators eyes rather then the blue of animals that are prey. Driving down a non road we spotted another vehicle and together spotted a leopard strutting through the tall grass. We drove around and caught him entering the open field. Watched him creep up to hide in pouncing position near some impala (deer like animals). To many cars were around so he never pounced. We left to do some lion hunting but came up empty handed with that.

Morning ride 2
Not everyone took this ride as we had to pay 20 extra dollars to do it. I figured I was in Africa and you pay nearly 20 to go to the zoo so why not. Nine of us went and all I can say is what a morning… the only way to start the following thought is this
Before eight this morning…
I was in Zambia, I set off in a safari car, I saw giraffe bedded down still, hippos having one heck of a fight mouths wide open. At least ten crocs in one place. Mufasa sarabi simba and zazu graced us with their presence. Mufasa sat just outside some tall grass and overlooked the short green grass land… not kidding he was just chillin there. Eventually her turned and walked into the grass so fred drove off not wasting any time! We drove up on some elephant and 3babies were included in this group. There were zebras (who also had babies) in the same area and what a sight it was. Went on to see some more elephant, zebra, puku and impala. What a morning!

Then we took the same journey back to Malawi and I now find myself chillin in front of the computer wondering if that all really happened… looking at the pictures I am quickly reminded that mere hours ago I was chillin with so many creatures!