Lower Zambezi
Chapter three
A day of elephant encounters.
In the morning I’m told there’s something special planned in the evening for the full moon, but that I can’t be told what it is. I’m intrigued.
Leonard meets me for our morning drive. My fellow guests have left and I’m alone with the guides. Wild dogs live in the area and we set out in search of them.
It’s a tranquil morning, a beautiful time to be setting out. We’re staying close to the camp and driving through the brush and thicket to various open areas in search of game. We spot tracks and impala but it’s mostly quiet until we come across a family of elephants.
The baby runs around playing in the bushes, trumpeting at its siblings and at us before it settles down to feed with its family.
We follow them to a patch of shrub they seem to enjoy and stay to watch them eat their fill until they file off back into the brush.
We drive up to the viewpoint and sit on the foundation of a house. Raphael tells me his father was a bricklayer and built the foundation for this house and the pool, the foundation we’re now sitting upon. He tells me about the con man who built the house, who promised the government bio diesel generated from crops grown on the land around us, but who ended up running off with all of the investment money.
Leonard prepares coffee and tea and snacks and we eat and drink while looking out towards the river and Zimbabwe on the opposite banks. The sun rises; the day warms.
Driving back down the road towards camp we pass an elephant and a herd of impala making their way across a dry plain. The sun paints the dry brush golden.
We come across another family of elephants and watch as they walk alongside our path. One turns to watch us as they pass.
We continue on driving around the conservation grounds in search of game. At one point I ask Leonard to stop so I can take some pictures of birds nests hanging delicately in the trees. I see no birds, but love the intricate sworls the dry grass makes.
By a waterhole we spot another family of elephants and I’m trilled to be able to spend more time with my favorite animals.
We watch as they drink and then stay until they move on. Further we spot another small family of elephants and catch two mock charging each other, before entwining their trunks.
Driving on back to camp we spot a saddle-billed stork walking to a waterhole. It’s an immense bird, regal in its strides.
After lunch we head out again in the late afternoon, the sun gilds the world around us.
An elephant peeks out from behind a dry bush, awash in sunlight. We pause and soon its mother emerges, another child in tow.
As we continue our explorations Leonard points out a southern red-billed hornbill alone in a tree. It sticks out like an errant branch on a limb of a dead tree.
We pass another elephant and its mother, the baby raising its trunk as if to sniff or salute us.
We climb back up the hills for sundowners. In the distance we can see an elephant climbing the hills and a civet cat roaming by itself.
On the drive back to camp the full moon glows brightly on the horizon. Leonard drives us past the camp and to a plot of land just off to the side by the river. A table has been set up and a bonfire lights the area around it.
I am joined by a family from South Africa who are regulars to the camp. A bush dinner is served. They welcome me into their circle and I listen to stories they tell each other, following along as best as I can. The moon rises, the fire sends flames into the sky. Wine is poured and warms my body, the day’s memories warm my soul. 🇿🇲
21 July 2024
