This was a very relaxing way to canoe the Zambezi. Three course meals each night along the river shore (with candelabra and pre-dinner drinks), camp set up for us, lunch in the middle of the river (all you needed to do to wash your plate was bend down and rinse!), walking tours through the bush with an abundance of game - hardly what I'd call "roughing it"! And yes, we did see wild lions! However, they were frolicking on a dry river bed in the distance, and you needed good binoculars to see what they were doing.
If anyone from the canoe trip would like a copy of any of the other photos, please feel free to e-mail me and I'll send you some when I get a chance.
Here is a brief description of the photos:
The older bull elephants are generally very peaceful - although it's still not wise to tease them, as they can grow to more than 6.5 tonnes and each tusk can weigh up to 50kg! They generally live for 65 to 80 years, and need to trundle around seeking food for up to 18 hours a day. They die of starvation after wearing out their sixth set of teeth. Because humans have occupied a lot of the best, most fertile land, and ellies only digest perhaps 40% of the plant matter they eat, the ellies often destroy their habitat (especially trees) in search of food.
This guy shook his head and flapped his ears at us, but were we intimidated? Of course we were!
This shot typifies the canoeing experience. In order, the people are Mark, Shelley, Craig (our guide), Simon, Caroline, Paulie and Anna. Often the riverside scenery includes elephants (sometimes wading and swimming across the river), buffaloes, the ever present hippos, the occasional croc, and a large variety of birds and antelope.
The bird life in southern Africa is prolific and often spectacular. We saw vultures, various raptors, geese, kingfishers, storks, owls, eagles, hawks, and plenty of these colourful bee-eaters, which nest along the banks of the Zambezi.
To get a photo of one large croc (maybe 14 or 15 feet, perhaps 70 to 100 years old) Mark and I rowed as close as we dared. Craig (our guide) was a little worried, because the only thing blocking the croc's easiest escape route was our canoe, sitting in 10 inches of water! (And here's more crocs than you would want to meet on a dark river, taken at Kariba croc farm. However, I must say I have a bit of a soft spot for these reptiles... there's something fascinating about them).
After swimming in this beautiful, cool, fresh water in the heat of the day, I can well appreciate why the hippos are happy to bathe all day!
We had no reason to be afraid, because we were accompanied by our fearless guide, the Great White Hunter, Craig Parsons!
There are plenty of hippos down the Zambezi. One part of the river is even known as "hippo city"! When you go by, every pair of eyes watches you. Sometimes these guys submerge close to the canoes, and don't pop up again for four or five minutes. When that happens, we tended just to sit tight, hug a bank, and wait to see where they re-emerged. We even startled one guy whilst he was feeding on the bank (or perhaps I should say he startled us!) We were hurrying to get a good view of an elephant crossing the river directly in front of us, when the hippo ran along the bank and "disappeared" into the water! Unfortunately I was too busy gripping my paddle to take the photo :-( However, as long as you respect these guys, and give them their space, they'll return the favour.
