*The internet has been really dodgy since our last entries on this blog, the concept of using the mobile phone network seems pretty good initially, but the practice falls way behind the expectations. Here (on the exotic isle of Zanzibar) it seems OK so we will try to clear the backlog over the next couple of days.*
SOUTH LUANGWA NATIONAL PARK (Heaps of Hippos)
Within moments of arriving at the camp site we saw a large croc swimming away and heaps of hippos lolling, grunting and spouting in the water below us. Then a group of elephants were seen feeding just across the river! A good start indeed.
We all packed into the dodgiest game drive truck ever the next morning (doors held on with wire, etc) and trundled off in search of those gorgeous big critters.
Not long into the beautiful lush park the dodgy truck got bogged! So out over the bonnet we all clambered – keeping a keen eye out for any big pussy cats – and pushed and shoved until we were free. Yay, the adventure just got even more exciting!
The vegetation in that park was so lovely and green, big trees with swampy areas between. Lots of vines and other herbage made some parts incredibly dense, but the open areas were great for viewing all the zebras, bushbucks, waterbucks, elephants, impalas (commonly known as NABI – Not Another Bloody Impala), storks, cranes, eagles, owls, crocodiles and even a lone giraffe. Little frogs kept falling into the truck as we brushed past branches, but we had to keep quiet about them because one of our party was phobic about those sweet little bubby things. We watched a couple of crocs stalking a small group of nervous puku, slowly, slowly with the patience of a reptile. It was a lovely time and it soon became one of our favourite places in the world.
