River Club, Zambia

Thursday, October 2

We are at the River Club in Livingston, Zambia, a grand English style hotel with 6 guests, all American. It feels a long way from the Bush, Botswana and Savuti Camp. Our last game ride was great; we followed a leopard for at least half an hour, hoping she would lead us to her cubs. We gave up as the guide decided she was hunting. Our last night their was a real Celebration of their independence from Britain. Like our 4th of July, flags were everywhere (sky blue background with black and white strips in the middle. After the singing and dancing we danced in a line to the kgotla (an outdoor meeting place where village meetings are held.) When they sang their anthem it was a joyous moment. These Botswanans love their country! That evening we were treated to typical Botswana meal-shredded beef, beans, spinach, and corn meal mush-all eaten with out hands. I was selected to be the chief woman, partly because I was the only guest wearing a skirt. I was given a shawl and a giraffe tail and I removed the scarf around my neck and tied it in my hair as custom demanded a hat. The Chief was another American guest. Our ceremonial duties were minimal but a lot of fun.

The next morning we got up early and Goodman took us to the runway at Chobe. Ron dipped the fuel and we started to taxi and got mired in the sand. Goodman, Ron and I pushed the plane onto the Calcrete runway and were off by 8:45 am. The air was hazy due to smoke and dust. I have not written much about the flying aspect of the trip. The Hanks have provided maps and photos of each runway. The hazards are bird strikes (the usual hazard anywhere) and animals on the runway. Usually our guide runs the vehicle up and down the runway to chase away any animals... The heat and winds contribute to some turbulence. Landings have been not up to Ron’s usual as crosswinds seem to be the normal. We will have flown a total of 1473 miles, about 14 hours in total-12 days in the bush. Many of these camps have been only accessible by air and most people fly in on small charter plans. We have yet to meet up with any others that are flying themselves. We fly around 120 knots and 3500-8500 altitude. From the air I have not seen any animals but lots of water holes and animal trails leading to them. I saw only 1 paved road in Botswana. We landed at Kasane for fuel and then on to Livingston, Zambia. We flew over the magnificent Victoria Falls; a mist fills the air as the water cascades 360 feet into a huge gorge. Rafting, bungee jumping and kayaking are also done here. We have had our thrill from the wild animals and are content to walk along the top of the falls. Remember, this is the dry season and the flow is 4% of the rainy season. The other great physical feature of the area is the Zambezi River-about three times as big as the Sacramento River and it serves as the boundary between Zambia and Zimbabwe. Our hotel sits on the bank of the Zambezi, and our hotel room looks out on it. The River is full of crocodiles and hippos. Last night we took a river cruise with another couple staying at the hotel and drank vodka tonic as we watched the animals, including mating baboons, a small croc sunning and hippos in the water.

The River Club driver was waiting for us at the airport and we drove to the hotel. I notice litter, never seen in Botswana, and people walking along side of the road. Maybe this is not a fair comparison as were never in a city in Botswana. Zambia has suffered a lack of good leadership and is economically very poor. AIDS is a real epidemic here and Ron saw a large box of condoms in the men’s room at the airport.
Today we were able to post some of the blog but the internet connection would not upload any of the photos. Keeping a blog up in Africa has proven to be more of a challenge than we had imagined.

Today we visited the falls, the Livingston museum and a village of 3,000 people living without electricity. Several wells provide the water for the community. We visited the primary school and were very impressed. One of the teachers showed us around the simple school, with outside toilets and a small garden of tomatoes and onions. We saw small mud huts with thatched roofs and separate outdoor cooking areas. We saw a satellite dish and the guide explained to us that they have a TV powered by car batteries which are charge by solar cells during the day. They can communally watch a couple of hours of TV every night. The head woman of the village inherited her position in 1971 from her father and she lives in Livingstone. I asked where the chief lived and our guide told me a palace. When we got back to the hotel we ate lunch by the pool and when went to our room for a siesta. Tonight we take another river cruise and eat communally. Last night we ate with a guy who is some kind of contractor in the Middle East and what a character. He had lots of stories and I’m not sure what to believe. He and his younger South African wife live in Dubai.

Time for high tea and comparing stories with the other guests. The second river cruise was a delight, the sky was full with little black birds and it took 20 minutes for them to pass. It looked as if the birds were flying out of the red setting sun and making ribbons of black along the sky where it met the horizon. We say the usual hippos and another small crocodile. The couple that took the cruise was an Army officer and his German wife. He was on “terminal leave” from the Army and his wife Stefanie was a therapist. We spent a companionable dinner with them and an assistant manager from the hotel. Yesterday we got up early and left for Jo’Berg.

A few impressions of Zambia. I saw lots of beautiful Jacaranda trees-purple blooms that look like lilacs. So lovely. Also, people walking along the road, the women with huge loads on their heads. Lots of litter. The economy is very bad and the result was men eager to help with bags and showing you the ropes at the airport. They were very happy to have US dollars. In fact, their currency was never used-only rand and dollars. Luckily I was prepared with lots of dollar bills.

Yesterday was Friday, October 3 and we set off on the long flight from Livingston to Jo’berg. Took off at 9 and flew along the Zambezi River to avoid Zimbabwe airspace. It was hot. By the time we got to Francistown we gassed up, paid fees and headed for Lanseria. Part of the time we enjoyed a tailwind. We ate the sandwiches that the hotel had packed and I napped a little and helped navigate. We got to Jo’Berg and it was hot and smoky-bad visibility. We circled the airport at Lansaria for 40 minutes because the field was IMC due to smoke. Airplanes were queued up and waiting or diverting to other airports. Ron requested a Special VFR clearance and we were finally permitted to fly the approach. 5.7 hours in the air.

The Hanks were there to meet us and neither of us could stop relaying our adventure. Ron refueled the airplane, we unloaded and their driver took us to the Intercontinetial Hotel at the Jo’berg airport. We showered and met them for dinner in the dining room. Nick took notes of small details on the plane and we talked about the animals we’d seen, the accommodations, our impressions and next trips in Africa. In the room we turned on CNN and BBC news and saw a rerun to the VP debates and news of Congressional action on the Banking Bailout. Our first news in twelve days. Somewhere along the line we heard that Paul Newman had died and the Steve Fosset's body had been found.

Saturday morning we are on Mango Air flying towards Cape Town. Mango Air is a bargain airline kind of like Southwest. Colorful paint jobs and quite cheap tickets. More from Cape Town