Well, hello there. I hope that you are well and have had a wonderful weekend. Here in the Luangwa, we are in full camp building mode with teams up at Tena Tena and Nsefu plus the tractor is busy doing the roads whilst dodging the very heavy but very isolated rainstorms. Fourways crossing is no longer a teeny tiny gully that takes 4 sandbags to cross but has now become a full-on stream/river and the guys whilst busy digging the access ramps for the vehicles to go up and down haven’t quite figured out the 2m deep water and how we will drive across that… But not to worry as we always say here, we will make a plan.
Despite all the frenetic preparations up in the Nsefu Sector the camps in the main area have been very busy either with guests and incredible wildlife sightings or some chef training. Cath who spent a few weeks with us last year is back again and is putting the chefs through their paces and the guests are getting to sample all the new treats that they are coming up with. I must admit that I couldn’t help but sneak in to try a slice of Mike’s amazing Focaccia just as he pulled it out the oven. We have a selection of chefs from all our camps and the smells and laughter coming from the kitchen are just wonderful.
In camp news, Luangwa River Camp opened for its new season with a heavy downpour the first night the guests arrived, but I told Sarel that surely that was good luck, and he is in for a fantastic season. Turns out I was not wrong.
The guests have been enjoying some fabulous hospitality in camp and Julius has been regaling them with stories and sightings out in the bush.
Most guests in the last couple of weeks have had daily sightings of leopard and lions as well as a few glimpses of a pack of 7 wild dogs between the river and slightly further inland. Then of course we have had heaps and heaps of zebra and elephants which seem to be everywhere we look at the moment.
We have had some very keen birders through as well who were thrilled to see skimmers along the beach where we boat across and the Crowned Eagle chick that is fledging probably because it is growing so quickly and so hungry so must go out hunting for itself. One of its kills was just a little closer to home than everyone had imagined. Halfway through siesta a couple of days ago guests heard a lot of commotion and a panicked screaming noise during siesta. Everyone looked around but each person in camp was present and correct and it was then the vervet monkeys made us all aware of what had happened.
The Crowned Eagle had come over and managed to grab a vervet monkey for its afternoon tea! It spent that afternoon and the following morning feeding on the poor beast before leaving the premises and the carcass was then completely removed by a colony of red ants.
So, as you can see, we have all sorts of things happening and there is not a dull moment for us that is for sure. For now, though I shall bid you a very fond farewell for this week as the car is packed with water, binoculars and cameras and we are about to head up to Nsefu and Tena Tena to check on everyone there.
So, for now, have a fantastic week with plenty of smiles and laughter and don’t forget to look after one another.
