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The Queen of the Zambian Bush

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The Queen of the Zambian Bush

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  1. TheQueenoftheZambianBush “Theblackmambawaseyelevelwiththepassengersinmycar.Itwaslookinginsidetheopenwindow, balancedonitstail,serpenttongueflickeringinthesun,”Georgesaidwhenitwashisturn to tell hisbestsafari story. “Ididn’tseethesnakewhenIpulledtoastoponthedusty,dirtroad,butwhenalong, narrow,darkfigurejumpedstraightupintheairIshoutedforthepassengerstostaystill,nottomoveaninchoreventakeadeepbreath.Thedeadlymambawould attackattheslightestmove.Itstayed thereforabout15minutes,beforelyingdownandcrawlingbackintothebush.Itwasthelongest15 minutesofmylife.” “Luckily,thelasttimeIsawablackmambaontheroad,”Peter,thethin,baldAfricanmanonmyleft chimedin,“Iwasabletoshoutforthepassengerstorolluptheirwindowsjustbeforeitstoodup.” Giraffes&Zebras Iwasgettingjitterywithall theanimal stories,butithadbeenmyideaafterall,soIhadtostayand listentotalesthatwouldbecomeanimatednightmaresassoonasIwenttosleep.Iwasonsafariagain, thistimeinZambia,atLuangweNationalPark,oneofthemostspectacularinAfrica. WhenIwenttosignupforthetrip,afterhearingrepeatedlythatitwassomethingIcouldn’tmiss,Iwas toldthattherewasno morespace.But,ifIwouldagreetoalternateaccommodations,theycould squeezemeintotheirjeepforthe7-hourride.Withoutaskingforspecifics,Iagreedtothespecial situationandwenthometopackmybag. Zambia’scountrysidewasnotmuchdifferentthanMalawi’s,exceptthechildrenworeschool uniforms. Theysharedtheirneighbor’sarchitectureanddeep,richredsoil,aswellastheAIDSepidemicand averagelifespanof38years.

  2. AfricanEagle–nationallbirdofZambia Thehot,bumpyridetoLuangwewastiresomeanddifficult,butIenjoyed thecompanyofmyfellow travelers:ayoungDanishcouple,amotheranddaughterfromAustraliaandanIndianfamily,wholived inBlantyre,Malawi’slargestcity.Whentheycheckedintotheirserene,rusticlodgeandagreedto meet underthethatchedhutfordrinks,Iwasalittlesadtobegoingto“alternateaccommodations”, whateverthatmeant. BabyingElephantsAwakeningfromNap

  3. Ourtour guide,Ben,whoresembledamiddle-aged(black)Gandhiinappearanceanddemeanor told me,aftertheothershadleft,thatweweregoingtoaspecialplace,amuchbetterplace.“Really,”I answered,“betterthanthis?”“Ohyes,youwillsee,”Benassuredme.“It’sthelodgewhereallthe guidesstay,rightontheriverwiththebestfoodinthepark.” WaterBuffalo Benwastrueto hisword;CrocodileValleywasluxurious,inthemostnaturalhabitatpossible.The guidessleptintheirowntents,butIwastreatedtoachalet,builtlikeatreehousewithsimple wooden wallsandafloormadefrom hand-wovenreeds.Whennotdrivingaroundtheparklookingforanimals (6-10amand6-10pm)theguidesandIate,drankandwhiledawayourlazyafternoonstogether. ChaletCrocodileValley

  4. Iwasthetokenwhitewomaninagroupoffascinatingmen,expertsonnatureandwildlife.Passingthe time,Ibeggedformorestories.Iwouldsaythenameofananimal—elephant,andtheywouldcompete toseewhohadthemostexcitingtale.Itwasmyown,personal“AnimalPlanet”,liveandonlocation. HippomunchingonGrass Hippo—Georgewonbyrecountingthetimehesawacrocodilechargeababyhippoon theriver’sshore, thinkingitwasalone.Thecroc’smouth opened wide,readytosnatchthecreaturewhenitsmother,whohadbeenunderwater,rearedherheadandopenedherimmense,powerfuljaw,bitingthereptile in half.Thecrocodile’smouthwasstillopenandwithinaninchofgrabbingherbaby,beforeithadany ideawhathadhappened. Ilearnedhowtotracklionsandelephants,andlookforleopardsatnight—followthebabooncalls. WhenPetertoldmethatbaboonswerethesmartest animalsinthebush,IconfidedinhimthatIwasa baboonmotherand that mybabywasbrilliant,soitcameasnosurprise.

  5. MaleBushbacksreadytoFight “Madam,Imadeacakeforyou,”thelod. Formoreinformationclickhere:-DeliciousExpeditions-Small GroupCulinaryToursAnd Travel

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