Scratching the not-quite-seven year itch: Zambia travelogue

[Marks]

An utterly charming Egyptian goose sequence.

The snakeskin closeup is remarkable.

 

But what a story! Equally harrowing and tragic (it's heartbreaking to think of the donations causing added problems for the widow).

 

You are a writer and photographer par excellence.

[SafariChick]

I am SO enjoying this report. I agree with the other comments, your writing is so engaging and the photos are terrific! Looking forward to more!

[Game Warden]

@@TintinMumbai Please do consider writing a review of the properties in which you stayed for the new Lodge and Camp review subforum. Thanks, Matt.

[TintinMumbai]

@@Game Warden : Aye Aye sir. Once I am done with the travelogue I will review each property in the specified format.

[Tdgraves]

Your heron is a Goliath

Lovely photos and story telling

[TintinMumbai]

Your heron is a Goliath

 

 

@@Tdgraves : You made my day! I was hoping it was so...Thanks for noticing and telling.

Edited October 2, 2015 by TintinMumbai

[Peter Connan]

@@TintinMumbai, firstly please accept my very delayed welcome to Safaritalk.

 

Secondly, thank you for a hugely enjoyable trip report! Great writing and photography. I love particularly the moments of deep introspection on our efforts and effects, they mirror my own concerns.

[TintinMumbai]

@@Peter Connan : Thank you for your kind remarks. It is particularly generous of you to mention a delayed welcome, when it is I who has jumped into a trip report without introducing myself on the forum. The same apology extends to all Safaritalkers and of course canonically to the @@Game Warden

 

I became aware of this ritual only after I joined. I guess by now that ship has sailed!

 

On the introspection that you mentioned -

 

Trying to unravel the enigma that is conservation and finding your own way forward through a morass of often conflicting learned opinions is daunting to say the least. One also wonders, if one can truly know a fix or a if a fix at all exists. I hope it does. I hope with every part of my being.

The good part of this is that I feel that I am standing at the edge of an ocean and there is so much to explore. As far as the eyes can see.

 

I like it that Safaritalk does not do dogmas or tell us the story of the world through any one particular filter. Actually, I love it. Among the many things I love about Safaritalk, this is the uppermost in my heart. I would like to learn and not be force fed.

[TintinMumbai]

I know I have been slacking. Soon, very soon. Meanwhile...

 

[fictionauthor]

@@TintinMumbai What an experience it is reading your report. You just took all of us on safari with you.

 

You have, what we call "voice." Your unique voice is rich in your stories (and even the stories that were told to you) making them a delight to read. More, please.

 

Btw, I first discovered Tintin in India. With your father being such an adventurer, I'm guessing he is the one who named you?

[Sangeeta]

You have, what we call "voice." Your unique voice is rich in your stories (and even the stories that were told to you) making them a delight to read. More, please.

 

 

Nicely said, @@fictionauthor, I'm with you completly on that storyteller's voice.

 

Great going so far, @@TintinMumbai - to tell you the truth, I'm enjoying the words even more than the photography Looking forward hearing all about the sleepouts on the Luwi riverbed.

 

Don't procrastinate forever now! Remember, ST rule No 936, clause (11) says that while you're certainly allowed to procrastinate at the very beginning by not starting your TR on time, but once you've gotten started, you've got to slog on through to the end within 7 days of the first post. All members found not to be in compliance with rule 936, clause (11) have to write other people's TRs for them for that calendar year. Right, Matt?

[Kitsafari]

 

You have, what we call "voice." Your unique voice is rich in your stories (and even the stories that were told to you) making them a delight to read. More, please.

 

 

Nicely said, @@fictionauthor, I'm with you completly on that storyteller's voice.

 

Great going so far, @@TintinMumbai - to tell you the truth, I'm enjoying the words even more than the photography Looking forward hearing all about the sleepouts on the Luwi riverbed.

 

 

 

i have to agree with the comments. your words have woven in much of the atmosphere and ambiance that marked your safari and drawn us into your world. don't stop now @TintinMumbai !

[TintinMumbai]

@@fictionauthor : Thank you for your generous praise. Assuredly, I do not deserve it. But it sure does perk you up when an established writer such as yourself takes any interest.

 

@@Sangeeta : You bully me way too much. Is it strange that I love it? Thank you so much for your interest.

 

@@Kitsafari : Hoping to post today. Between a slowish connection, an early wake up requirement tomorrow and general ineptness on my part - let's see!

[TintinMumbai]

@@fictionauthor : Tintin and Asterix remain firm childhood favourites. It was actually my Mom who named me, because I had a tuft of hair that just wouldn't sit!

Edited October 27, 2015 by TintinMumbai

[TintinMumbai]

Scratching the not-quite-seven year itch: Zambia Travelogue (Part Two: SLNP)

Instalment Two: Chalk and cheese - a tale of two days

Day of the long night

 

The moon was indeed getting bigger and brighter.

 

 

I did not so much sleep as close my eyes and wake up the next moment. Refreshed.

 

The morning walk started once again by crossing the Luwi river.

 

 

We headed in the direction of the old village site (relocated at the formation of the park in the ‘50s), where we had spotted the magnificent elephant herd the day before. Such are the vagaries of nature that it was eerily empty.

 

 

Right next to this clearing we find the skull of an elephant that Lawrence informs us was poached 3-4 years back. You could see the exit wound on the skull.

 

No words.

 

 

We located lion tracks but after following them over an hour the trail was lost in hard ground. There was a brief lion roar as well but we could not locate the pride.

 

Highlight of the morning was a massive warthog that charged Lawrence and Amon as they came up a small slope. It backtracked after we also showed up right behind our leaders. I could not get a picture as it scurried off into the bushes.

We surprised many more warthogs along the way. As is their wont, most of them ran away frantically.

 

 

 

We circled back to the lagoon where the Luwi Hippo hide is located (where we had spent the last afternoon). Let me re-iterate what I said earlier. The Luwi hide is a grand place to relax with a beer in the afternoon and watch the wildlife come to you. The views are spectacular.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We got back to camp and were getting ready to have brunch when we spotted a herd of elephants about 300 meters from us. That is our chalet the picture below.

 

 

We expressed an interest in walking up to them! So Lawrence called in Amon (our scout). Poor Amon had just had a shower and was wearing a baby pink T-shirt. What a sight we made, ‘Amon The Pink’, me with shaving gel on half of my face (I had forgotten about it in the excitement), Sayan and my dad in slippers - all trailing Lawrence as we crouched and advanced through the grass.

 

Word of sagely wisdom, shiny pink clothes and noisy townies are terrible for bush camouflage. Just remember that you heard it here first! The elephants ran away from us, rather than towards, clearly a positive if one were to take a holistic view of things. That is the Luwi hide from the other side.

 

 

As we had brunch, we had multiple ele conventions happening within a stone’s throw.

 

 

 

 

As we relished our own delicious brunch we watched the elephants feed. This was an embodiment of the dictum that there is no love sincerer than the love of food. And elephants are all about their food.

 

 

 

 

The evening drive started with a lot of anticipation. We were to sleep out under the stars on the Luwi river bed. Nothing but mozzie nets and a fire. As usual we were to drive to a spot and walk to our ‘bedroom’ for the night.

 

The drive yielded these LBR photos, my first kudus and this eagle take off sequence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we started off on foot we also saw our first bee-eater from a distance. We reached the riverbed as the sun was going down

 

 

 

 

Our provisions had already been dropped on the riverbed and the fire was crackling.

 

 

We offered to help but our gracious hosts insisted that we chill. So, we did.

 

 

 

A little bit about these lights. The caps on these jars are solar panels. The energy they gather during the day is our light at night.

 

 

 

The time on the riverbed was like all my childhood fantasies come true. I was in the middle of a magical adventure and had to pinch myself to believe that this was not a dream.

 

Actually, it was a dream! It was all a dream.

 

 

There was very little conversation. We all sat in convivial silence, lost in private thoughts. Time stood still.

 

 

Until it was dinnertime at least!

 

We had expected dinner to be plainer than usual given where we were. But the camp stuff had different ideas.

 

There was a barbecue of varied meats and sausages, veggies, salad…and hold your breath…rice and Bengali Chicken Curry! Now, I avoid Indian food assiduously whenever I am outside the country but somehow this blended in seamlessly. It was like my mom had cooked me a hot meal in the middle of South Luangwa. TV brings Africa to my dinner table but this was my dinner table transported to Africa…in the middle of a riverbed!! As I grew up and saw a little more of the world I must have forgotten that my young dreams were not dreamt over mouthfuls of sausage, bacon, cold cuts and steak…much as I delight in them. To eat this food was like having the joy of my youthful reveries weaved right back into those very moments of my childhood when I dreamt about Africa. The circle was complete.

 

How often does one get to say that in life? Boy, were we spoiled.

 

The moon was out and Lawrence opined that the stars would be visible only after the moon sets at about 1am. I was enthusiastic to shoot a starscape and asked him to wake me up.

 

Only problem was, I had no idea how to shoot the night sky! I was carrying a tripod and realised that I would have to use a high ISO and probably pre-focus.

 

That was the sum total of my knowledge.

 

Took a trial selfie! To think about it, this maybe my first selfie ever.

 

 

I was duly woken up at 1am. I sincerely apologise that my pictures do no justice to the majesty of the night sky. As I tried to shoot and was incompetently experimenting with long exposures, Amon was concerned that a buffalo herd that was watching us from the distance did not like all the jumping around by me. Nothing seemed to matter to me though, as I fumbled about. I was a mere spectator to everything and everyone, including myself.

 

My night photos may suck but I have stood under that BIG SKY and gazed up! That moment is mine forever, to ruminate at leisure. The view reminded me of time spent under the Spiti Valley night sky.

 

 

 

 

[TintinMumbai]

That day on steroids

 

Woke up as the sun was popping up over the horizon. Amon let me pose with his gun in the group photo.

 

 

 

 

 

It was a long walk to Nsolo camp and I remained obsessed with dead trees and sunstars.

 

 

 

 

 

We reached Nsolo camp to a grand welcome.

 

 

Kolo was the camp host and she is one of the most energetic, positive and vivacious people I have met in my life.

 

 

 

She told me that she had a surprise in store for me. Our welcome drink in the middle of the day was double Jameson’s on rocks!!!

 

Then she explained that Vicky and Frances, our two new Aussie friends, were here till yesterday. They had also left me a note in my room, which was the same one they had stayed in, the night before. Let’s just say it was heart warming to read the note. Big shout out to you if you are reading this. And, let me just say that I echo each one of your sentiments! It’s a pity our itineraries did not overlap more.

 

The guide in Nsolo is the soft-spoken and incredibly tenacious Philemon Banda.

 

 

Nsolo is a slightly grown up version of Luwi Camp, but somehow quirkier!

 

 

 

Our chalet balcony.

 

 

There was some news of the Kakuli pride having been spotted in the area and we jumped into a vehicle to investigate.

 

 

 

We could not find them to our disappointment.

 

We came across a couple of elephant families that looked really nervous and edgy. One of the elephants actually mock charged us for a good 50 metres.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The only other guest in camp was Gilian, born in Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) and now a resident of South Africa. She continues to own farmland in Zimbabwe though and still visits often. She speaks of “Wankie” and Mana with genuine fondness and even has some business interests in India. And yes, Londolozi in the Sabi Sands, of course! Clearly her favourite place.

 

She is related to Dave Wilson, NCS MD, who joins us for lunch. Conversation is sparkling and it is a privilege. I casually suggest that a walking mobile down the Luwi river sounds like a good idea. Dave listens patiently, to his immense credit. J

 

A key attraction of Nsolo Camp is the waterhole on the riverbed right next to it. As we near tea-time, we watch a whole Elephant herd come down to drink.

 

 

 

Coffee, cake and elephants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The herd tries to leave the opposite way from where they came in and comes face to face another herd coming in from that direction. We have an interesting situation where the lead bull of the other herd blocks the matriarch of the outgoing herd. He fancies a roll in the hay presumably, but the lady is being very coy. We have a very tense 15-minute standoff.

 

 

 

 

[TintinMumbai]

We leave camp and start to drive by the Luwi river and have our first and only Eland sighting.

 

 

 

Then it happens. As we are driving by, our spotter (I wracked my brain but cannot remember his name), shouts ‘lions’!

 

 

 

Keystone species spotted! A great load off my shoulder. No pressure now as trip planner.

 

This group is part of the Mfuwe pride. The collared lioness is the alpha female.

 

 

 

 

The cub turns out to be quite a poser.

 

 

 

After sometime, we leave the lions and cross over the Luwi river.

 

 

We observe something strange. For a very long stretch there seems to be at least one marabou stork on top of every tree.

 

 

 

We also find two young saddle-bill storks (still monochromatic) playing in the distance next to their nest and a parent standing by a proximate waterhole. I mention them as they are to play a very prominent part soon!

 

 

We have sun-downers in that area and watch the sun go down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also watch the moon rise.

 

 

After we start the evening drive and are about to cross the saddle-bill by the waterhole, I have one of the sightings of my life!

 

One of the marabous is so pissed off about being denied access from the waterhole that it walks up to the saddle bill to remonstrate.

 

 

 

You can tell that the marabou is more effect than bite, despite its overt aggression. The marabou doth protest too much.

 

 

 

Let's dance.

 

 

 

The saddle bill makes it another offer it cannot refuse. Reason-ing personified.

 

 

They go again...

 

 

That is not a kiss...

 

 

 

The aggressor walks away in bitter resignation. The saddle bill's like "I'm watching you".

 

 

Caesar returns triumphant! J

 

 

Moral of the story : Don’t fight a parent when it concerns their children’s wellbeing. They won’t risk a prolonged fight and will probably just go for the jugular.

 

Why? Here's a pastiche of what really dissuaded the invader. The no-nonsense Occam's Razor approach to the confrontation that the defender took.

 

 

 

That smile that only Africa magic can bring on. J

 

 

All this happened about 15 minutes after sunset. So apologies for the grain in the pics. As we cross back the Luwi river we see a hyena rushing into the bushes and also spot a lion crossing in the opposite direction.

 

 

We would definitely be coming back at night to this side!

Edited October 27, 2015 by TintinMumbai

[TintinMumbai]

An action packed night drive

 

We drive back towards our camp and our spotter spots a leopard. It is a shy smallish sub-adult that seems to be rushing off, afraid of something. We lose it before it offers any photo opportunity.

 

We discover the reason for the fear. A hyena under a tree, with a leopard kill (impala) on top.

 

However, Philemon says that this leopard seemed to be oblivious of this impala kill on top of the tree. Turns out he is prescient as we see a large leopard hardly 100 feet away from the first one.

 

 

 

 

 

It seems to be purposefully walking away from the said tree, glancing back at it occasionally. Philemon enlightens us that leopards often make a kill, leave it for the hyenas that often trail them and then again go make a kill, to eat in peace.

 

We watch the hyena for sometime.

 

 

 

 

Then little goodies that perk us up - serval and civet.

 

 

 

 

We do not find the lions again but see plenty of elephant, buffalos and hippos. We are buzzed as we drive back to camp.

 

Just as we are about to roll into camp, our spotter shouts “Stop, Stop”!

 

He puts on the light and there is a chameleon on the branch right next to us!

 

 

It is an impossible bit of spotting!! How did he see that with the lights off, given how well it has blended in like a leaf.

 

He says he thought that he saw the glint of an eye. From a vehicle moving at 20kmph in pitch darkness!

 

As I mentioned earlier, I don’t remember our spotter’s name. But it does not matter. He is what every spotter aspires to be in his or her life.

 

“Eagle eye” is what our man is!

 

The man is his goal. How many people can be that?

 

 

(To be continued)

[ZaminOz]

Fantastic continuation of your report @@TintinMumbai

And wonderful photos as always!

[fictionauthor]

Love the bird drama! And a serval and a civet - oh my. And the nightscapes you took were wonderful because you were clever enough to show the land too.

 

Magical.

[Kitsafari]

what an incredible series of feathers flying, beaks fencing and wings beating. and a calm bird wins. that's an amazing sighting and fantastic captures on the camera!

 

i forgot to mention about that story about the dead man and the dead elephant. how melancholic and sad it was. made my heart ache, for both man and animal.

[TintinMumbai]

@@ZaminOz : Many thanks

 

@@fictionauthor : Thank you once again for taking interest. I am very flattered.

 

@@Kitsafari : Thanks. The greatest tragedy in that incident in my opinion is actually that of the living. The unfortunate scout's family and the calf that was with its mother (who knows what happened to it).

[Marks]

I thought your starry sky photos were great!
Also lots of nice ele photos, too. And that stork interaction is definitely something special.

[KaingU Lodge]

Great report and photos! I was surprised to see Kolo! I used to work with her. A great person. Thanks for sharing.