Well, hello there. I hope you are well and have had a fabulous weekend. Here in the Luangwa, it’s been a hot and sticky week, but we have at least had some rain which has been a very welcome relief. Although Luangwa Safari House thatching team did not necessarily share the same sentiment! Despite all of that though, the team have cracked on and have finally finished the main section and shall now be moving onto all the small and time-consuming parts. Moses the welder has been dragged from pillar to post whether it be creating supports for the upstairs decks, stairs down to the hide or modifying and making new frames for the doors and windows. Meanwhile the carpentry team finished the main deck (watch: Elephants come to inspect the new deck) and then moved on fixing all facias from the house to the patio and this week they will be redoing the upstairs deck and that’s before moving on to sanding down and varnishing all the furniture. Not to mention the building team who are busy putting in the floor to the metal room this week and redoing the patio out the front of the sand room. And everyone has been given very very strict instructions that they have this week and this week only to finish making a mess because after that Mrs Mop is in action and it is tidy up time.
Moving away from the business of building and sanding lets head out into the bush and breath in deep as we enjoy the wonders of the emerald season. This time of the year we are awash with all sorts of wonderful birds the Wydahs and Bishops are in their breeding plumage and the woolly necked storks litter the plains pecking at the soft earth to devour whatever goodies they find. The constant background chirp of the red chested cuckoo is a reminder that it is a rainy season and let me tell you when those guys get on a roll, I mean they really get on a roll!!! Then as you drive down the road there are glorious glimpses of all the other different types of cuckoos that we find this time of the year.
The stunning vibrancy of the Emerald cuckoo as its wings catch the light and shine so brightly one wonders how so often, they manage to stay hidden. The Jacobins often glimpsed on the drive into Nkwali can be seen flitting between bushes their telltale white dashes on the underside of their wings giving them away. The Klaas’s Cuckoo in any nicely bushy area with their distinctive green back and white underbelly are simply stunning if you have a chance to glimpse one. The list goes on and if you have the time and passion then the patience really pays off.
Lastly moving from teeny tiny birds lets hit the other end of the spectrum and take a moment for the elephants. We have been simply surrounded of late with a wonderful herd full of youngster and character. Whilst the adults go about their business basically just walking through their food and munching away, the kids are playing in the mud, sparring with each other and their favourite past time seems to be who is going to be the bravest with a car. Suddenly this funny little squeak explodes and ears and trunks are going all over the place as they take it in turn to see who is going to win the game and then when they realise that they have bitten a little more than they can chew they retreat into the bush backwards and kicking out at the poor bush as a show of “this is what I meant to do – I promise”.
On to one last little comment as I am sure you are aware, there has been a stop to all federal funding from the US which scuppers quite a few people’s projects and plans. One that is impacted and has a huge impact on us here in the Luangwa Valley is that of Conservation South Luangwa – they work tirelessly to protect the Park and its wildlife and are having to cut back considerably on their operations as a result. If you are interested in learning more about this and how you can help, please take a read of Rachel’s newsletter.
It is time for me to say goodbye for this week, I wish you a fabulous week ahead with plenty of smiles and laughter and don’t forget to look after one-another.
