It’s Monday 2nd January 2012 and the beauty of Liuwa
Nkwali said goodbye to 2011 in the best way possible... by sitting around the fire and telling stories of what 2011 bought to all our camps. Tales of new life, the loss of life, adventure and everything in between were all shared between guides and guests.
After being in the valley for eight months the time has come when I will be hanging up my catering boots and hopping onto a plane and heading home. My time here at RPS in 2011 has been an amazing roller-coaster ride I will never forget. Tena Tena, Mobiles, Nsefu, Luangwa House, Film Crew Camp and Nkwali... I was given the opportunity to work at all these camps, but the most amazing place I was given was Liuwa Plain. The most beautiful place I have ever been to. Here is an insight to my time there.
For the last two years I have heard stories about an amazing and all most unheard of National Park in Zambia called Liuwa Plain. I have sat and listened, totally captivated at what I was being told. Lush green plains. Masses of birds everywhere you look. Ant-like formations of wildebeest dotting the open landscape and the rather miraculous story of Lady Liuwa, the last lioness of Liuwa Plain. It sounded almost too good to be true and I was wondering if there was a slight exaggeration in what people where telling me.
In January, Emily asked me if I was free in May to do the catering for the safaris in Liuwa. Always the professional I had a girly scream of happiness, whilst jumping up and down on my bed, finally containing myself I said ''yes, absolutely, most definitely'' !
So, after waiting impatiently for five months, the day had finally come where I headed off to Liuwa. All the journeys I have taken in Africa have all been the same. Unpredictable, eye opening and no matter how smooth or chaotic the journey is, I always seem to have a smile on my face when arriving at my destination. This one was no different. Taking four days and using five modes of transport, I slowly made my way from Lusaka to the Western Province, stopping off at Mongu where lies, probably, one of the most beautiful views I have ever seen. As you make your way through Mongu, a regular thriving dusty African town, like magic the buildings disappear and spreading out before you as far as the eye can see is an unbroken shade of green which is the Zambezi flood plain. My thoughts were "This epic view was totally worth the eight hour bus ride with blaring gospel music". Carrying on to Kalabo by boat, through crystal clear waterways teaming with birds, crossing the mighty Zambezi, passing trader boats heading up to Angola to sell their wares and lastly driving the vehicles onto a barge which then crossed the Luanginga River finally got me to Liuwa National Park. Was there a smile on my face? You bet!
My first day in Liuwa was truly a gift to the eyes. Oohing and aaahing non stop, I'm sure Jason and the rest of the staff had had enough of me by the end of the day. Clearly, this is nothing like the Luangwa Valley. There are no massive trees, gullies, gravel roads, sign posts or even other safari vehicles. Just plains, stretching all the way to the horizon. Short green ones that look like putting greens. Long wheat coloured ones that sway in the wind. There are even plains that are bejewelled with tiny wildflowers making them appear pink when seen in the distance. Don't get me started on the sky. Powder blue and so big that you can see the curvature of the earth, it left me feeling rather insignificant. Shockingly, for someone who always has something to say, the extraordinary beauty I witnessed that day left me speechless.
With such an array of unique wildlife a safari in Liuwa is like no other. Flocks of pratincols smoke the distant horizon. Herds of grumpy looking wildebeest roam the plains grazing. Shy red lechwe the colour of Liuwa's sunset wade in the lagoons. Mongooses move in flashes of double quick time through the long grass. Protective terns cascade overhead keeping a watchful eye on their nests. Fluffy coated hyenas cool off in pools of mud. Wild dogs relax in the grass by a lagoon. Their earthly painted coats glow in the afternoon sun. With two such passionate and knowledgeable guides, going on a game drive with Robin and Jason is so refreshingly different and no matter what you see, great or small, you always manage to come away with a better appreciation and understanding.
Of course a safari is never complete without a sunset and having had the pleasure of experiencing more than a few, I have to say that watching the day slowly surrender itself to dusk in Liuwa is like being given front row seats to the most spectacular light show on earth. Everything is still and quiet as if all is watching. The sky turns into a forever changing kaleidoscope of coppery tones and just when everything is in silhouette an impressive flotilla made up hundreds of pelicans take to the sky and fly overhead to another lagoon. Truly a magical sight leaving you wondering if heaven is like this. Then the coppery toned sky turns into a giant ebony canvas littered with thousands of stars leaving you wishing this was heaven.
With Liuwa's vibrant wilderness and forever changing beauty I have to say my words will inevitably fail to describe just how majestic it is. You can read about many places in the world and believe you have an understanding for them. Liuwa is definitely not one of these places. It stands alone from the rest, marching to its own drum and needs to be seen to be believed.
Every good wish for the New Year
Claire
