tigerpaw

My original post asking for help with setting up a slideshow on Kodak's Easy Share site was starting to look rather cluttered with my posting errors!
I did find out how to combine all of my trip albums under one link (hopefully). Thanks for the suggestion Dennis.
I will also try to copy and paste my trip report segments in order....making them easier to follow.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...&y=-ihjt5z


Zambia, Africa trip-----May 16-June 4, 2006

We began planning our trip last July. Originally we were going to go with OAT on their Ultimate Safari trip to Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. We knew someone that had taken this trip and told us how wonderful it was. However, during my research, I started reading Fodor's and all the information about Zambia.....especially from Rocco. I contacted him and he was very helpful and promptly answered my questions and suggested that I contact Barry at Luangwa River Lodge. As most of you know, Barry left his job in London and he and his wife Tara opened the LRL. (along with his brother, Sean and his wife MaryAnn, as we later found out)
Our original plan included camps in Zambia, Botswana, and a visit to Victoria Falls and Cape Town. Well, it didn't take long to see that the trip was going to be much more expensive than we could afford. So after much emailing with Barry, we decided to keep the trip to Zambia only. All those extra flights just added too much to the cost. We decided to stay for more days at fewer locations and were really glad that we didn't move around so often. After deciding on 2 National Park locations---S. Luangwa National Park and Lower Zambezi National Park, Barry made the reservations for us as well as internal flight reservations. Really can't say enough about his services. He was so helpful,prompt and patient during this planning process.

The itinerary:
Left home Tues, May 16 and arrived in Zambia on May 18th. ( flew from Peoria, Il, Chicago, London, Lusaka, Mfuwe)
May 18-22 --- Luangwa River Lodge
May 23-26 --- Kapamba Bush Camp
May 27-31 --- Chiawa Camp
June 1-2 --- Old Mondoro Camp
Arrived home June 4 (flew from Royal, Lusaka, Johannesburg, London, Chicago, Peoria)

Arrived at Mfuwe airport after 2 long and tiring days of travel. We were met by Godfrey from LRL. On arrival at LRL, we were met by Barry and MaryAnn, his brother Sean's wife. Tara, Barry's wife, was in S. Africa at the time, so didn't get to meet her.
They had a late brunch prepared for us and then went to our chalet #3 and took a shower and rested briefly before our 3:30 tea time and 4:00 game drive. Really glad for the shower after 2 days of travel! Met the 6 other guests from England that were staying for a few days following the wedding of the daughter of one of the couples. Barry had also attended the wedding. They were a lot of fun and we enjoyed spending a few days with them.
We met Victor, our guide, and left for our first game drive. Until the river goes down and can be driven across, it is necessary to cross in a boat to enter the SLNP. It is a pleasant and scenic ride to the location where LRL keeps a vehicle for their drives. The area is an open plain and often had a variety of game and birds to see.
Our guide Victor was the best. His knowledge and ability to communicate were excellent. He kept the drives and walks lively with his stories and anecdotes. His walks were educational and he could find more to tell about in the dung and termite mounds and animal tracks than we thought possible.
Our scout from the National Park, Godfrey, was entertaining as well as watchful. The park requires an armed scout to accompany us on the walks.
The LRL management and staff were always helpful and efficient.
The Lodge is located in a beautiful spot on the Luangwa River. Baboons were frequent day and nighttime visitors in the camp and hippos and elephants during the nights. As with all camps, we were escorted to and from our chalets after dark.
The food was excellent, with a good variety available at brunch and dinner. A new chef was just starting to work there and doing a great job.
Delicious homemade breads and soups!
Mary Ann did an expert job of managing the food services and trying to get us all to meals on time!
We saw more animals from here than any of our other camps. I won't name them since I have already posted pictures.
The British couples left on the 21st and Sharon (stamiya on Fodors) and her husband Richard arrived. Was good to finally meet her after our email exchanges. Seemed as though we already knew each other. Got along great as did our husbands....the 2 Richards-- as they came to be known. We would meet up with them again at Chiawa on the 27th., as well as the other Sharon (cooncat) and Stefanie (Esmeralda).
Our time at LRL went by too quickly. We felt that it was an excellent first safari experience and would recommend it to all seeking a well rounded adventure.

After our final morning game drive at LRL, we had lunch and finished packing and started on the long journey to Kapamba Bush Camp. Our luggage was loaded into the boat and we crossed the river and were driven to Mfuwe Lodge. There we were met by Jason from Kapamba Bush Camp.
I had read on Fodors about a CD of sounds from the Luangwa valley. Barry told me that he thought I could buy one at Mfuwe Lodge. It is called "A Luangwa Adventure" and we have enjoyed listening to the sounds since arriving home that we heard everyday while in SLNP.
Jason loaded our luggage and we started on the very long and bumpy ride in the Bush Company Land Cruiser, which was smaller with less leg room and rougher riding than the LRL Land Rover. Took us 3 1/2 hours to go about 40 miles on the rough park roads. There was a better road that would have been a shorter trip, but it wasn't ready to open yet after the rainy season. We arrived at Kapamba around 4:30 and were met by Sean, Barry's brother who was working for the Bush Camp Company until his return to LRL.
Kapamba, which is only in it's second season, is the newest of the 5 Bush Camps in that area of the SLNP. The camps are only open for 6 mos. because of the heavy rains. The chalets are beautiful as is the location on the Kapamba River. As shown in the photos, the chalets are open on 2 sides. The day we arrived it was cloudy and a chilly wind was blowing through our chalet. They have a generator, but it was out being serviced so we couldn't charge our camera batteries and since Dick's shaver is electric, he couldn't shave and looked pretty scruffy after 4 days.
We left right away for an evening game drive with Gilbert, our guide, and Bau, our spotter. Found a pride of lions with some cute cubs. Saw a few other animals...puku, impala, zebra, and a genet. We were the only guests the first night. Four more coming tomorrow.
Dinner after the drive was around 8. Got to bed earlier than usual, around 9:30. Up at the usual time at 5:15, breakfast of cereal, toast, fruit, juice. Left for game drive at 6:30 with Gilbert and Kristen. We found the lions again and they were starting to hunt and stalk. Four females left to start hunting, followed by 2 males who were going along to wait for the girls to kill something for them to eat. The females do the hunting, then the males eat first, then the females and then the cubs, if there is anything left. They watched a couple of zebras across the river, hoping the zebras would cross the river where they could stalk them. But the zebras must have detected them as they started to cross and went back. We drove on to the confluence of the Kapamba River and the Luangwa River and watched the many hippos. Very pretty spot. Then back to check on the lions. Found that they had crossed the river to hunt the zebras and pukus. So we drove across the river.....very bumpy ride. Found the lions and watched them, but they were not hunting now.
Back to camp for brunch. One of the new guests had arrived.....Eric, a gentleman from Kent, England.
Had time before brunch to shower and do a little unpacking since we were too tired after yesterday's late arrival and it had been too cold to shower after dark anyway.
Had a delicious lunch buffet....spinach quiche, greek salad, pork meatballs, pasta salad, homemade bread, and bowl of mixed fruit for dessert. All the food at Kapamba was excellent. We asked to meet the chef and were given a tour of the kitchen. Don't know how they can prepare such great meals with no electricity. All cooking is done on a small 4 burner gas stove with one small oven. No dishwashers, etc.
Back to rest before 3:30 tea and 4:00 game drive. Saw the lion pride again, no hunting, just resting. Back to camp and the other 3 people had arrived. A couple and their college age daughter from New Zealand.
Dinner was served at 8:30......tender beef, rice with vegetables, fresh green beans, and a roll. Apricot-coconut pie for dessert.
Bed around 10:15.
The game was scarce and shy. Except for the pride of lions, we saw very little.
It is a beautiful pristine area with the hills and much different terrain than the area around the LRL. Also much more remote. We saw no other vehicles on our game drives.
While we were the only guests, Gilbert spent a lot of time with us watching the lions. However, after the others arrived, he didn't give us a choice of walks or drives. Just informed us that we were walking in the mornings and driving in the afternoon/evenings. His walks were o.k., but we basically just walked most of the time with very little stopping and talking about what we were seeing unless we asked him to stop. He just lacked the enthusiasm and interest that we had seen with Victor. The other family had asked him if we could check on the lions before our morning walk. He did find them and they were on the move, so possibly going to hunt. We thought we would probably follow them for a while, but Gilbert just turned the vehicle around and left them and said we would find them again on the afternoon/evening drive. They had moved on by that time and we never found them again. He had determined that we were going to walk and seemed somewhat irritated by the request to watch the lions, which all of us would have preferred to do.
In order to catch our flight out of Mfuwe to Lusaka and then Royal in Lower Zambezi, we had to get up at 3:30 AM and leave at 4:30 AM in the dark for the long cold drive back the way we arrived four days ago. Sean gave us blankets and hot water bottles and we wore our warmest clothes. Those open vehicles are cold when driving fast. The bumpy roads are hard on the back when drivng slowly, but is really difficult when going fast. But we survived and arrived at Mfuwe Lodge at sunrise and shed some of our clothing before continuing to the airport.
When we arrived at the airport, we met up with Sharon and Richard again. They had gone to Puku Ridge while we were at Kapamba and now we were all on our way to Chiawa.

Just want to add a little more to the Kapamba report from last night. (Guess I was getting tired and forgot to refer to my journal before posting.)
We had 2 of the highlights of our trip while there.
As we were watching the pride of lions....the males weren't there....we heard one of the males in the distance roaring and the other male answering. The first male's roar was getting closer as he came to join the rest of the pride. Then the other male started answering him and then the lionesses starting roaring also. And finally the little cubs joined in so that the whole pride was talking at once. It was very impressive to hear and one of our favorite memories.
Another was when Sean surprised us with sundowners set up in the river. We had to remove our shoes and socks, roll up our pants and wade out to the chairs set up in the warm water. The sunset was beautiful.
Sean was an excellent host and the staff was very attentive and helpful. The chalets were very nice, open, and bright. The food was some of the best we had. We enjoyed the remoteness and were glad we chosen to go there.


As the four of us, Richard and Sharon and Richard and Star, waited in the Mfuwe Airport to board our flight to Lusaka, we were informed that there were 2 flights going to Lusaka and we would be on the first one so that we could make our connecting flight to Royal airstrip in Lower Zambezi. They were to call us when it was time to board. As we waited we noticed people boarding and we hadn't been called so we went to ask and were told to board. As we were getting ready to go up the stairs of the plane, one of the employees told us that there were only 2 seats available because there was a couple that they were unable to communicate with and that they belonged on the 2nd. plane because they had a later connection in Lusaka, but they wouldn't get off the plane. The employee told us that he was going to try again to tell them to get off so that we could board. This didn't work. The couple claimed they didn't speak English and wouldn't get off. So rather than 2 of us go ahead, we decided that all 4 of us would wait for the next flight. We were told that they would hold our connecting flight out of Lusaka for us. We were treated to chips and a coke while we waited. This 2nd. flight was to depart an hour later, but of course it was longer than that.
When our plane arrived and we boarded it was just the 4 of us and one other couple on the flight!
When we arrived in Lusaka, we were hustled along to board the flight to Royal. We met Sharon (cooncat) in the airport who was also on her way to Royal. She was visiting with Grant Cummings, one of the owner/managers of Chiawa. He had come to meet us at the airport since he and his wife recently had a baby and are currently staying in Lusaka. We just had time to say Hello and then hurried aboard our plane. It turned out that the 5 of us were the only passengers. So off we went to Royal Airstrip. It was a very scenic trip with views of the hilly landscape and the Zambezi River. A large tree is the "terminal" and a bucket of sand and a fire extinguisher are the safety equipment. Was a pleasant and smooth flight.
Dispencer from Chiawa met us at the airstrip. We had to wait a few minutes for him because he was delayed when an elephant wouldn't allow him to pass by. He loaded our luggage into his vehicle and provided us with water. It was much warmer than when we had left Kapamba at 4:30 that morning.
We took the bumpy road to a conservation facility where school children are taught about the environment. We were then loaded onto the Chiawa boat for the final leg of our journey that day.....to Chiawa Camp. It was a fast boat ride and as we sped by the many hippos on the banks, they quickly jumped back into the water as we would get close to them. Was like watching dominos fall!
We were warmly welcomed to camp by Barbara, Craig, Joe, and other staff. We had time then to shower and shave (for Richard who hadn't shaved for the 4 days at Kapamba) before eating a late brunch and then getting ready for a game drive.
Dispencer was our guide for most drives. He was very knowledgeable and personable. We enjoyed him very much. Joe was our guide for walks. He also was a great guide and we learned much from his walks.
Barbara and Craig were very helpful in explaining our activity options.....drives, walks, canoeing, boat rides, and fishing. They were very organized and everything was well planned.
On that evening's game drive we were in search of a leopard that had recently been seen in the area. No luck finding him, however.
We were often paired with Richard and Sharon (stamiya) for activities and enjoyed their company and got along very well. Sharon (cooncat) quickly became known for her ability to change her mind about which activity to choose. When Craig was asking our choices, he finally just started saying that he would skip her and come back to her after she decided! (Hope you don't mind my telling that Sharon)

Part 4...Chiawa continued.
Sunday, May 28
The hippos in the Zambezi River are very noisy during the night. Especially around 4 AM when they are jumping back into the river and talking to each other after their nighttime grazing on land.
Chiawa serves breakfast around the campfire. They cook cereal over the fire as well as making our toast on a grill over the fire. Also have cold cereal, fruit, yogurt and delicious muffins.
After breakfast we left for our morning game drive.....still in search of the leopard. Didn't find him, but did see 1 male lion, 2 females and 2 cubs.
Back to camp for brunch and resting, writing in journal, etc.
For our afternoon/evening activity, Sharon and I chose a leisurely boat ride and the 2 Richards decided to go canoeing....even though neither had ever canoed before. Sharon (cooncat)and Kristina another guest from Germany(I think) also went canoeing. There were 4 guests and 2 guides going. The Richards thought that they would have a guide with them in each of their canoes, but the 2 of them were put in a canoe together with no guide. Sharon and Kristina each had a guide. Daniel was the guide for the water activities and instructed them on how to paddle, but neglected to tell them how to slow down, turn or stop the canoe!
They did pretty well with the canoeing, but finally decided it worked best if only one of them paddled so that they weren't working against each other. Richard T. was in the back seat and then did the paddling with Richard K. in the front seat paddling occasionally when requested by Richard in the back. Somehow the canoe got away from them at one point and they couldn't slow down and ran into a bush on shore. No injuries. just some debris left on Richard K. in the front seat.
Our boat and their canoes met along the shore for sundowners and then Sharon, Sharon, Kristina and Star went on the night game drive and the 2 Richards returned to camp on our boat towing the 4 canoes. Saw a couple of genets and a civet on the game drive.

Monday, May 29th.
Stefanie(Esmeralda)from the Netherlands, and Brian arrived around 7 AM, just after Sharon L,Kristina, Richard and Star had left for a morning game walk with Joe. Sharon and Richard T.had gone fishing with Daniel.
Stefanie and Brian took a short game drive with Dispencer and hadn't been gone long when they found a leopard along the road. (the rest of us had been looking for him 2 days and nights!) Stefanie got some great pictures.
We had a couple of animal encounters on our walk. Nothing scary. We met a bull elephant heading our way as we walked on a dry river bed. We just crossed the river bed and let him pass. We later met a cape buffalo cow. Joe told us that cows are more dangerous than bulls. This one didn't have a baby with her, so we weren't too concerned. She saw us and we just stood still and stared at each other for a while and then we slowly moved close to a tree and a termite mound in case she decided to charge.....but she just went on her way once she realized we weren't a threat.
Joe is very good and we learned much. It started getting hot and we returned to camp about 10:30 and met Stefanie and Brian.
I promised Barbara that I would not reveal any of her "surprises" on Fodor's and I did not plan to, however, someone else has already recently done that....so guess it is o.k. now!
As we were gathering for lunch, Barbara quietly told Richard and Sharon and Richard and Star to not go to lunch and to wait for her after she got the others started with lunch. Then she took the 4 of us down to the boat where a table was set for us. We enjoyed a pleasant surprise cruise on the river as we had our lunch.
When we went to gather in the bar area for our afternoon tea and game drive, we had a visitor in camp. An elephant that had been in camp in the morning had returned and was busy shaking a tree so that the pods would fall off for him to eat. He was just outside the railing around the bar and some of the pods fell inside the rail and he put his trunk over and vacuumed them up.
Was fun to watch him up close...also good for close up pictures. After he moved away, we proceeded with our game drive. No leopard. We did see a side striped jackel and a nice view of a genet sitting on a tree branch with long raccoon striped tail hanging down. Genets have a spotted leopard type coat, cute face, and long striped tail.
Back to camp for dinner. Bed about 11:00.

Tues., May 30th
Most of the camp was kept awake last night by one (or more) very noisy Bush Baby----a nocturnal primate with very big eyes.
After breakfast, we left for our morning game drive. Richards and Sharon and Star with Daniel and Sharon L, Kristina, Stefanie, and Brian with Dispencer. Bill, another guest from the U.S. (college professor from Pennsylvania) left with Joe for a walk.
A guide from another camp reported that they had just seen lions in a section of the park they call Out of Africa. It is a long drive--over 1 hour--but we decided to go and see if we could find the lions. After much searching, we gave up and started the long drive back to camp.
Then Dispencer radioed us that some vulchers were eating an elephant carcass...so we headed off to find it. As we got close we could see lots of vulchers circling and landing. They were huge brown birds. We saw the head and trunk of the elephant covered with vulchers.
Back to camp for lunch and rest to get ready for our 3:00 canoe channel trip.
This time each of the 2 passenger canoes had a guide and a Richard and the 3 passenger canoe had Sharon T. and Star and Daniel as our guide/paddler. We did some paddling also when Daniel told us it was o.k. Barbara and Kristina were in another canoe.
We were taken by motor boat to the site where we would start canoeing (our canoes were towed by the boat) We had to go to an alternate site because there was a herd of elephants drinking and bathing at our original site.
We watched as a baby elephant got stuck in a muddy area of the river bank. He fell over and was helped up by 2 females using their trunks on either side of the baby to lift him to dry land. What a great sight to see!
It was a beautiful and peaceful ride through the channel. We saw hippos, cape buffalo, zebra, elephants, and lots of birds.
Had sundowners along the river. Joined by 2 new guests...Ben and Lucy from England, on their honeymoon. Went on a short game drive and then back to camp for dinner. Bed about 10:45. Heard lions roaring during the night. They were lions in Zimbabwe across the river from us.

part 5......May 31.

Our final day at Chiawa. We went on a game drive with Richard and Sharon. Saw more leopard tracks. Went back to check on the elephant carcass to see if any lions were there. No lions, just lots more vulchers. The surrounding trees were full of them. Didn't stay long. Went on a search for lions. None found. Back to camp for lunch, resting and getting packed for leaving tomorrow.
3:30 tea and then the 4 of us (R.R.S.S.) left for a boat ride on the Zambezi with Joe. It was a pleasant and peaceful ride. Saw elephants, hippos, crocs, and many birds. Some crocs were feeding on a hippo carcass that was stranded on a sandbar.
At 5:30, we met Dispencer, Stefanie, Brian, and Bill on shore for sundowners. They were a little late arriving because they had been watching a male leopard. They had left the leopard to come and meet us! Very nice of them to come for us. They said it wasn't very far away, so we all piled into the landrover with them and headed off to see the leopard. He had however, moved on. So we went back to the river where we had left Joe sitting on the boat! As Joe wanted to get the boat back to camp before it got too dark, Richard and Richard (they were skipping the night drive) took their sundowners "to go" and got on the boat to return to camp. Stefanie, Brian, Bill, Sharon and Star had Amarulas and then on to look again for the leopard. No luck. Saw an owl and a chameleon.
We were then driven to a surprise location for our evening meal. It was a dry river bed area where the staff had set up our tables and chairs and hung lanterns. The chefs were there in their nice white clothing preparing our authentic African meal over a fire. Craig talked about each dish explaining its origin, etc.

Thurs, June 1st.
After breakfast, we said goodbye to Richard and Sharon. They were going to spend a week touring S. Africa before returning home to California.
We had enjoyed our time with them and will miss them.
So Sharon (cooncat), Richard and I went our last game drive with Dispencer. We found lions resting after feeding on a kill the previous night. We could see the vulchers circling nearby. There were 2 lionesses and 3 cubs. Their stomachs looked very full. We watched them for some time until we had to leave to get back to camp for lunch and final packing before leaving for Old Mondoro camp.
The Old Mondoro boat came to transport us, so we told everyone goodbye and the 3 of us --Sharon, Richard, Star--were off for a fast 1 hour motorboat ride to Old Mondoro. We arrived around 1:30 and were met by Helen and Roeloff, managers of Old Mondoro, and the rest of the staff.
It was a beautiful location on the Zambezi River. The chalets were smaller than the previous locations. But were very nice and open with great views of the river with hippos, elephants and buffalo.
The 3 of us were the only guests. They have 4 chalets.
After getting organized and a short rest, we had 3:30 tea and then 4:00 game drive with Levi and Roeloff. We saw 2 kudu. Then later found a male with large curly horns. These were the only kudu we saw on the trip. They were very shy, so I didn't get a picture of the male. Also saw 2 genets and an African wildcat sitting in the tall grass so could just see it's head and face.
Also saw a young hyena.....he was curious about us and even walked over to the vehicle to check us out and didn't seem afraid.
Back to camp for dinner.....pork with orange sauce, rice, carrots and snap peas, and a roll. Milk tart for dessert. All delicious.
It was very chilly during the night drive and during our dinner time. But they had put hot water bottles in our beds and was warm for sleeping.

June 2nd..
After early breakfast, the 3 of us left for a walk with Roeloff, Levi and a scout from the National Park, armed with an AK-47. We were gone about 4 hours and learned much from Roeloff and Levi. Saw many birds. At one place we had to wait for quite some time for 3 elephants to move on past us. They were taking their time eating and after waiting for them to move on, we decided to take a detour around them and go on with our walk....they seemed in no hurry.
Arrived back in camp about 11:00, lunch at 11:15.
After lunch we started working on packing for tomorrow's long flights back home.
They delivered our hot water at 2:30 for our showers. We had been told that there was plenty of hot water for 2 showers. I went first and guess I was too slow and the hot water ran out just after Richard got all soaped up and still hadn't shampooed his hair, so had to finish with cold water.
3:30 tea time and 4:00 game drive. (R.S.& S.) After dark we saw a civet, whitetailed mongoose, owl, and an African wildcat with her cute little kitten.
Back for dinner and bed early around 10:00

Sat., June 3rd.

Were awake some in the night hearing hippos outside our chalet walking and munching on something.
After breakfast, we went for a short game drive before leaving for the airport. We met an anti poaching team that had come to investigate gunshots that Roeloff had heard and reported on our previous evening's game drive. They told us that they had been in the area of Jeki airstrip about 30 mins. earlier and had seen a large male lion resting in the sun. So we decided to take a fast trip to see if we could find him. It was a long drive and we had to drive fast to be back at camp by 9 to be ready for our 9:50 boat departure to Royal Airstrip. It was a fast bumpy ride and didn't find the lion. But we did get to see Jeki, where Roeloff and guys from Old Mondoro had been grading the airstrip so that it would soon be usable. It is much more convenient to Old Mondoro than Royal and should be open soon.....although too late for us to use. According to Roeloff the National Park is supposed to maintain it, but doesn't.
Saw many warthogs running with their tails straight up in the air. Also large herds of impala jumping and leaping high in the air. They are so graceful to watch.
Arrived back at camp and departed on time by boat to Chiawa (1 hr. fast boat ride) where we switched to Chiawa's boat for about a 30 min. trip to Zambia Conservancy area, then landrover ride for the final 30 min. to Royal airstrip.
So would have been much more convenient if Jeki airstrip had been open.
When we arrived at Chiawa, we were met by Barbara, Joe, Craig, and Dave Cummings, owner of Chiawa and Old Mondoro, who lives in Lusaka with his wife Jenny (who I had been exchanging emails with in preparation for our trip)
Our luggage was transferred to the Chiawa boat and we quickly took off on the 2nd leg of our trip to Royal.
We also added another passenger...Bill the college professor from Penn. was leaving Chiawa for S. Luangwa, so joined us on the flight from Royal to Lusaka where he and Sharon would go on to Mfuwe Airport.
The flight from Royal to Lusaka was smooth and scenic.
When we arrived in Lusaka it was time to say goodbye to Sharon (cooncat). We had been communicating for several months on Fodor's and by email and I enjoyed spending our safari time together in Zambia.
So our homeward journey continued from leaving Old Mondoro and flying from Royal to Lusaka, to Johannesburg, to London, to Chicago and then finally to Peoria.
It was a wonderful trip that we won't forget.

matnikstym

Well done Star! Again, loved your report and pictures! Thanks again for sharing and am so happy you enjoyed your trip to Zambia!
Aloha,
Dennis

cybor

Tigerpaw,
I'm so confused - Sharon, Sharon, Richard, Richard ..... and not sure who Star is.


No really, I enjoyed your report very much especially after previously seeing your wonderful pictures. Sounds like a trip of a lifetime.
Thanks for sharing;
Sherry

Kavey

I too had a hard time keeping the Sharons and Richards straight but enjoyed the report! Thanks for sharing!!

stamiya

Hi, Star - thanks for putting all these together! I was finally able to see all of your pictures. You got some great ones! I spent part of yesterday and today going through the thousands we came back with (what possessed us to keep pushing that button!) and I'm finally getting them winnowed down to the point where I can probably post them soon. I'm working on the trip reports, although you've covered most of it for us ;D One of the benefits of traveling together. Well, its a benefit if you're not the first one home... Dick and I have really enjoyed reading your reports and looking at your photos. Definitely whets our appetite for a repeat performance...

tigerpaw

Sorry about any confusion with the Sharons and the Richards. I see that I should have just kept my report more in general terms and not so much detail.

Sharon T. and Sharon L.---
I know both of your reports will be better written than mine. I'm just not a "writer" and both of you do a great job!! So we are all looking forward to reading them!
Stefanie (esmeralda) also had a very well written report and wonderful pictures......as are Sharon's (cooncat)
pictures.

matnikstym

Star~there was nothing wrong with your report! It was fun trying to figure out the Richards and the Sharons! Your writing was great and if Sharon or Sharon EVER write their reports, they'll be as unique as yours!

Kavey

He he, nope, loved your report just as it was, confusion (at my end) and all! Much appreciate your taking the time to write and share it.

cybor

Hello Star,
My apologies.
I do actually like the details you included, as it kind of helps to make one feel as though they were right there in the bush with you.

I did indeed enjoy your report and would love to hear more from you. Please don't change your writing style, it's perfect as is and very personable.
Peace;
Sherry

cooncat3

Well... I wsn't confused at all!
Thanks for a great report, Sharon! Er, I mean Star! ;-)

tigerpaw

Thanks everyone.....no apologies needed. Before I started my report, I was trying to decide whether to just keep it to the basic information because I know that I tend to get too detailed and thought "will most people really care about all that anyway or just be bored?" But in the end, those details got in anyway!!
And Sharon and Sharon aren't off the hook!!
Thanks,
Star

Kavey

I love details - with the exception of reports that include a minute by minute account that even details comfort breaks - the more the better!

Mediatorr

Your post was wonderful as were your photos. As I finished looking at the last set, I realized I have a question which I haven't seen discussed here. The food pictures were beautiful -- but, is it safe to eat the raw vegetables and fruits, especially in all those enticing salads? (We'll be in Botswana, South Africa and Zambia--just at Vic Falls)

tigerpaw

I did not hear of any problems with eating the fresh fruits and salads at any of the camps where we stayed. Any comments from others experiences?

cooncat3

In Zambia, I ate everything (except the meat!) and never had any problems whatsoever with the food. (Other than there being too much of it!)

matnikstym

same here. I ate everything in sight at all the camps, fruit, veggies, salad, meat, breads, whatever didn't move I ate and except for swallowing water in the shower when an elephant popped his head over the wall, I never got sick from the food....it's all sooo good!

Roccco

I have never had problems with the food in Zambia. Many lodges actually grow their own produce. Right in Mfuwe there are a number of crops growing to supply the lodges.

Some lodges even own their own butcher shops! (Luangwa River Lodge) Needless to say, their food is fantastic at Luangwa River Lodge, as a result.

bat

Star:
I just had a chance to read your report and I enjoyed it very much. Now on to the pictures. Thanks for posting.

atravelynn

There are calm trips that just allow you to enjoy the beauty of the surroundings. They are a pleasant outing with some refreshments and a maybe view of the sunset. That is the kind of river raft trip that I took but I couldn't even consider it “white water.” It was a float trip.

You are right that the Class 1 and 2 rapids are no place for a 10-year old old and probably not for a 74 year old.

Here are some comments on providers. You could book a trip with your agent to guarantee a trip or when you arrive with the hotel.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34945189

atravelynn

Oops, I was looking at Tigerpaw's report and posted here by mistake.