Safari Day 9: Mini-bus comfort and night chills on safari

Matopos to Hwange (Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe)

A plan within a plan had evolved. A replacement vehicle, trailer and driver were expected and we were more than happy to sit tight and wait.

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS:

A. Perfect LATE 9 am breakfast on the balcony meant we had time to completely repack. Everything fits back in comfortably but definitely would have been an advantage to have my "lost" spare bag on hand. We have a single night stopover today and once again just packed the kiwi back pack that we borrowed from @Gill with tonight's essentials - don't need to take the big bags in.

 #Magogo failed to report to duty and remains in the fixit shop and after his huge afternoon and early morning relocation journey from Vic Falls (speaking like a local now) our 13 seater alternate arrived at 11 am complete with driver who introduced himself as @Innocent. The law is that if the vehicle is hired in Zimbabwe, it must be driven by a Zimbabwean licence holder. @Louis was still with us but had one less job to do. 

The replacement vehicle was AIR CONDITIONED and you don't even need a step, a milk crate a forklift or a helping hand to get on board. Each travelling pair has a "row" of seats which is absolute luxury. One seat for each bottom and one for the backpacks, plenty of storage for the provisions and even room to stretch out the legs. The trailer was extra large - all the luggage was in and we are not travelling with anything tied to the roof.  Sorry to be so disloyal #Magogo but this is delightfully comfortable. @Steve, however, remained unfaithfully loyal to the land cruiser!

Hitching a ride with @Innocent in the van 

@Mac's rotation system was completely blown out of the water but everyone appreciated the extra room on what was another big day of repositioning and sitting on the bus.

 Time was so precious and stops and conditions so unpredictable that we took a packed lunch from the lodge as sustenance for the predicted 6-hour journey. Timing is extremely hard to judge on these "so called" main roads - the distance that needs to be negotiated through wild potholed conditions is not to be underestimated.

Lots of  dusty settlements, lunch on the go but plenty of room. Luxury.

B. At 11:15 we waved a fond farewell to @Kerry and @Andre settled in and headed back for a much warmer retrace of the 40kms to Bulawayo as our first leg.

The long haul to Hwange was along roads that alternated through rutted bitumen corridors and narrow pot- holed strips that were once roads. Need to be a rally car driver to pick a pathway through the endless destruction on these surfaces. Encountered "random" "not employed by anyone" men with shovels just scattering dirt and stones into holes and then waving at the passing drivers for money as a thank you gesture.

There were stretches of road that were great but where they were bad it was very very bad. @Innocent had to spot the destruction, work out a strategy to share the available road with the oncoming traffic, brake to an almost standstill to negotiate what was often a deep rut that breaks the continuity of the road and keep us all upright in our seats and prevent heads from making contact with the ceiling. Not really a "snoozing" surface for the passengers - relaxation comes with unexpected wake up shakes

Barely a township in sight on this stretch of road although we did see one random general store (that was open); a two-pump petrol station in the middle of nowhere; passed one accident involving a transport vehicle; noted two motor bike conveys of five riders each and encountered one police check point (waved on through because we were tourists.)

And the animals we see - cows, donkeys and goats - have to predict their intentions and dodge them on the roads as well. @Mac has dubbed these the "Domesticated Big3" and totally random spotted one lone black pig on the run today.

After two hours of driving @Louis checked in on our need for a comfortable stop - bushman style. No takers.

At three hours he checked again. A pause of dead silence and then brave @Gill offered "I'll need one soon. @Innocent's mission was to find us a wooded area with not too much  passing traffic.

Time to introduce #Sheweena to Africa. What a star. Put my back up against a tree, locked and loaded, and Bob's your uncle. No pants down featuring a white bottom, no squatting, no prickles where you don't need them for me. A little shake and wipe and I was smiling. Not sure what the local dude in the orange vest thought when he saw the white woman peeing standing up - but he didn't fall off his bike so probably just thought "that's Africa." The other ladies had various degrees of squatting success and were grateful for @Louis's toilet roll that he cheekily offered to auction off.

Thanks @Gill it was a relief.

#Sheweena and I took the big tree on the left! Other crew members disappeared further into bush.

Once we hit the Hwange concession, we started to see the wildlife including elephants. Heard the story of Cecil the lion which was killed by the American dentist. Story made headlines around the world but apparently, he was a very old lion without a pride (had been banished) and he was shot on the concession with a legally acquired permit. I've just Dr Googled and that is definitely not the story being shared. However, there is acknowledgement that his death boosted conservation fund raising.

B. Arrived at Hwange a shade after 4 pm and were met by an elephant being herded off the main path of the camp. Got our keys and accompanied our luggage (carried on the head by the porter) and opened the door to a beautifully presented hut for the night.

@Roz and the porter

That balcony perfect gathering spot.

Happy "half an hour" 

It was busy, busy, busy - no time to waste. Congregated on the front porch at @Del and @Steve's for "we made it" drinks (@Del had even set up a bar - we were motivated to clear some of the already opened bottles.) Also had to have collective diagnosis of @Marg's scratch from the Acacia thorn before determining and sourcing the appropriate first aid - lots of suggestions and funnily none of them included elephant, giraffe or impala droppings.

Next stop was predinner drinks at the bar with great, talkative hosts and time to explore the first-floor pool and lounge area.

Moved on to the open fire pit and circular seating for a recap of the day, swapping stories and highlights and tuned in to @Louis's emotional story of his Botswanan encounter with his spirit animal, the elephant. He mentioned he has created a short, animated film "Do elephants go to heaven? We are interested in viewing.

Next "station" was the outdoor eating hut for dinner - it was a menu that offered guests some choice - curry chicken for me and a number of the crew, otbers selected a braised beef and @Mac and @Steve tried the crocodile tail with chips. 

Report was it had a nice texture, the flesh was white but the flavour of the coating dominated any distinctly identifiable taste that could be pegged as crocodile. Nonetheless very tasty and an enjoyable experience - no crocodile and no chips left. 

The highlight at the dinner table though was @Mac the Hiccup Whisperer. @Gill was a little bubble of explosions of hiccups at the end of the table and @Mac offered his "cure." Don't know how or why it works - but it does. It was always the go to for our kids. He gently massages the eyeballs (over the closed eyelids of course) in circular motion for about 60 seconds and much to the astonishment of the crew - especially @Gill - her hiccups were instantly cured! Bravo our hero!

Continuing with the "moving," next stop was the cultural performance by the staff- drums, beads, impala head dress and skirt, singing, dancing, stamping and kicking, dust and (dreaded) AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION. Our host filled us in on the history of the local people and emphatically introduced us to the rules of the show:

Rule Number 1: No refusals

Rule Number 2: No refusals

The music action began and all too soon it was our turn. Was more laughing than that dancing, but the crew gave its collective best, much to the enjoyment of our host.

The real thing and the rule following pretenders. Think @Mac hurt his knee.

Moving through the venues

C. Last activity on the roster was the night safari. Okay. Imagine the coldest you have ever been. Now double it - and you are not even close to how COLD it was. Yes, had beanie, gloves, scarf, two layers of jackets and long pants, socks and leather boots AND a lodge provided blanket, and we were still chilled to the bone perched up on the seats of the open-air safari vehicle. 

That cold was only when the vehicle was stationary - it was nothing compared with when the vehicle was moving.

This drive was 60 minutes of tension: driving in the pitch dark, accompanied by @Louis and the local guide, both armed with bright handheld 🔦 + 🔦 (no guns or big sticks), searching in an open vehicle for lions, leopards and creatures of the night. At one stage, I interrupted the shivering to ask myself "Why are we doing this?" But obviously we have lived to tell the tale.

Not sure if we were glad or sad when we didn't spot any cats because we were in the back row of the vehicle. Consoled myself that we had the huge spare tyre at our backs as our shield - and we weren't easy pickings.

Did the rounds of the park - trying to pinpoint the eyes in the dark but the sightings were lean. Did get very close to some extra-large elephants and were startled by their trumpeting and "snuffling." 

Have absolutely no photos. Could not risk the cold! And bizarrely, @Mac got the hiccups on the safari - hadn't had them himself for years - he must have absorbed them from @Gill. And in the silence of the nighttime safari - we entertained ourselves for a good 20 minutes with his efforts to suppress his gulps. There was no way I was taking my hands out to rub his eyeballs!

I can say with confidence that we were all glad to disembark and scurry to our individual "home" for the night. Unfortunately - the decision to shower AFTER the safari was a BIG mistake. Although we could encourage some hot water from the hand basin - the shower and its 12 fine sprays of water didn't deliver. I was content with splashing a little bit of water around some "precious bits" and doing the "I am freezing" quickstep and to reapply the deodorant - sure I can get away with it!

Took a running leap and high jumped into my single bed and snuggled down for a dreamless night knowing that the alarm was set for 5.15 am in preparation for the early morning safari run. Glad I didn't have nightmares about the possibilities of the temperatures for tomorrow morning.

PS Need to research and read Shannon Pincott "Elephant Whisperer" - she hails from Granite Belt.

Accommodation:  Gwango Elephant Lodge - individual, what feel like very new, individual chalets. All concrete walls and floors. High mosquito covered beds, spacious bedroom with featured wood bag stands and bed heads, African animal print art works; separate shower, bathroom and storage with very cute "stable" door privacy screen. Sandy pathways to the chalet are shared with the elephants (stay alert)! Shared areas of bar, pool and open-air dining venues. And as we have encountered throughout the trip - the most obliging and helpful staff team.

Accommodation always special.

Steps: ignoring pedometer today - says 18 000 - but that was the impact of the vehicle on rutted roads

Transport: replacement vehicle and trailer. Departure: 11:15 Arrival 3:47 pm Distance: 350 kms

WILDLIFE SPOTTING:

Ant lion: only walks backwards; turns into lace wing butterfly

Sable: very stately, large black horns, national animal of Zimbabwe, thermal regulation with white on face, record a few years back 4.5 million rand for breeding stock ( game breeders breed for length of horns); males and females have horns

Elephants: even bigger looming in dark; trumpeted and rumbled at the safari vehicle - eat and drink 20 out of 24 hours a day

Bark scorpion: @Louis located with ultra violet light - then warned us to check shoes in morning - small stinger, large pincer - makes you unwell (deadly version large stinger, small pincer)

Bush baby: like a monkey very fast - make the sound of a baby crying  - huge eyes

Spring hair: the south African version of kangaroo - very fast bounds/springs

Owl

Steinbok

Domesticated animals

Donkey

Goat

Cow

Pig - just one little lonely critter scurrying across the road

(@Mac has named them the Domestic 3 - when we are out of the parks - they are spotted in porlific numbers)

Accommodation:Gwango Elephant Lodge

Wildlife Spotting: text here

What's on the menu: text here

Weather: text here

Steps: here

Transport:  am departure,  pm arrival -  km

Google Maps Matopos to Hwange, Zimbabwe