Well, hello there. I hope that you are fabulously well and having a great start to the year. Here in the Luangwa the water has risen dramatically and fallen dramatically. We have had a few very wet days followed by some very dry days which then really pumps up the humidity and creates the absolute perfect environment for mushrooms. And let me tell you, they are booming! Whilst I am in no position to give any information on different types of mushrooms, I can tell you we have all sorts of shapes and sizes so just a few pics to share with you before I start chatting about all the amazing wildlife sightings we have been having.
Out in the bush it has been non-stop, and the guests have been treated with such a wide variety of sightings from the small to the big. Starting with the small first, we have been inundated with bugs this year, personally I feel more than previous years. As a result, one must be rather careful where you step and also drive. Over the last week the dung beetles seem to have been out in force rolling their dung balls the males heroically battling along whilst the females hitch a lift. It’s also that time of the year when the bush is a vibrant green so coming across a deposited snakeskin in a bush can look somewhat ghostly.
Moving to the other end of the spectrum Bertram was out with his guests when he heard one heck of a noise from some elephants. As they got closer the herd was all milling around rumbling and generally being rather unsettled and from deep within a thicket a female gave birth. Moments later both mum and calf were seen coming out into the open, baby rather wobbly and unsure of this new reality, but it was soon stable enough on its feet to wander around with mum and get close enough to suckle.
We have had all sorts of fabulousness with lots and lots of plains game zebra, impala and giraffe showing us all just how wonderful they are, not just in their generality but also at letting us know what predators are around. On one occasion Yona parked at Twin Baobab in the shade to take in the scenery when suddenly the zebra and giraffe started to look all unsettled. They searched further and there were the Wild Dogs – 10 of them visible and it was not long before the hyenas came in to try to steal the kill. The guests having spent a lot of time in the past on safari had actually never seen wild dogs before so were extremely excited and enjoyed the sighting for quite some time. Not just the dogs but the interaction of the dogs with each other, the threat that the hyena posed and the reaction of the zebra and giraffe around the entire scene. Finally leaving everyone to it, the guests headed back to camp for dinner. The following morning the first port of call was where they had seen the dogs the previous evening and everyone was still there from the hyena to the zebra and not far off a large herd of buffalo which was the icing on the cake for a fabulous safari.
As the rain settles in for the day, we wave goodbye to the Luangwa Safari House guests and close the House for its annual shutdown, we look forward to re-opening it in March for what we are sure will be another fabulous season. Nkwali keeps on going and the team keep their smiles on their faces. It won’t be long before we start heading up to Nsefu by way of the river and embarking on our River Journeys which is always super exciting. Robin’s House is usually also open all year round, but we have closed it for a couple of months for some renovations and are super excited to share with you all the updates once it is all done.
For now, I am going to head out in my rather “unbush” worthy bright red raincoat and do my rounds for the morning. I shall bid you a very fond farewell and hope that you have a wonderful week ahead with plenty of smiles and laughter and I look forward to updating you again next week. So, between now and then keep smiling and don’t forget to look after one another.
