Dear Reader, the internet is not easy to access here in the bush and when accessible, quite slow so I am unable to upload the incredible photos we are taking. Once back in civilization I will add the photos but for now, please enjoy the latest installment of the African Adventure blog...
This morning we woke at the brutal hour of 5:30am. I find it impossible to believe that just 9 months ago this was my usual hour of weekday work wakening. If I ever return to believing this to be normal, please smack some sense into me. The butler knocked at my door with a beautifully brewed pot of earl grey tea and this did lift my spirits measurably. We left Clive at the airport and boarded the first of our two flights en route to Livingstone, Zambia. Shortly after lunch we arrived in Zambia, obtained our visas, and met our greeter, Victor, and his 2 porters and 1 female assistant, who loaded our luggage into the van and drove us to the Royal Livingstone Hotel on the shores of the Zambezi River.
Breathtaking is the only way to describe the setting of the hotel with its colonial architecture set in the middle of a wildlife preserve along the river bank. Wild giraffe, zebra, antelope, hippos and monkeys all call this home, and we have been assured that we will have ample opportunity to observe the animals in their natural habitat. We have also been warned by our red Fez and satin sash wearing butler Terrence, to keep our terrace doors firmly bolted when out of the room, as the monkeys are “naughty” and have been found in guest rooms sipping wine and enjoying scones. Justin immediately assumed the role of room security and informed Livvy of the strict room protocol that he would be enforcing.
We unpacked and soon were picked up for our Zambezi River cruise aboard the double decked African Queen, one of no doubt thousands of similarly named vessels along the river. Our hostess, Martha, gave us a very thorough and exuberant description of both the cruise trajectory as well as the food and beverage service aboard. From time to time Martha or one of her colleagues would take the on board microphone in hand and repeatedly blow into it to test the system with great ceremony before making a crucial announcement about the availability of beer and wine. We spotted dozens of hippos on the cruise and Justin and Livvy did an excellent job as wild life photographers with Mom and I serving as armchair spotters/trackers.
About mid-way up the river an African Queen speedboat approached containing 6 black male passengers aboard. Mom visibly tensed as the boat advanced, concerned that we were being overtaken by pirates. I told her that I was unaware of any recent pirate activity on sunset cruises along the Zambezi. The men climbed aboard casually, and were seated at a table unfortunately upwind from where we were situated. Mom was relieved to realize that we were not being hijacked but a bit frustrated that not even one of the men offered her a drink. The group turned out to be a bunch of taxi drivers out for an evening cruise dressed in their uniforms of light blue long sleeved dress shirts and navy trousers. Similar I imagine to the modern pirate uniform.
Justin and Livvy befriended an adorable 4 year old Zambian boy who was an board with his family. His little sister began to cry when I smiled at her and her father assured me that it was nothing personal but it is just that she is afraid of the "Maguweh". I smiled at the man, "I understand. She is adorable. What are the Maguweh?" He chuckled, "Maguweh are why-et pipple." How perfect.
When we returned from the cruise we were stopped by a troop of giraffes enjoying dinner in the trees by the large roundabout near the hotel and once back at the hotel heard the high pitched braying of a group of zebras who then thundered across the lawn between the restaurant terrace and the river. We were most definitely in the animal kingdom now.
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