Lower Zambezi

After getting a bus to Chirundu, I found a lift to take me to Zambezi Breezers which has a great little spot to camp overlooking the Zambezi river. It’s outside the protected park and there isn’t much game to be seen so I really wanted to head further downriver. Unfortunately there is no public transport and all the lodges are set up for high end tourism. I was told that the only way to get there is by boat and it costs about 450 dollars for a pick up! I thought about trying to find a supply boat to take me when I heard that some guys from Zimbabwe were going to head down river to see a new lodge that they were having built. I gave them a call and they were happy to take me and drop me off at Mvuu lodge which is a super high end place but which also has a campsite. I have no idea how i’m going to get back out but i’ll worry about that later!

Mvuu is in a fab spot right on the riverbank and set in the midst of all the wildlife. I pitched my tent and set about cooking lunch. Beans on toast should be easy enough, or so I thought. I took the bread out of my bag and put it on the table. In the time it took to bend down to get the beans a monkey had snatched the loaf and was halfway up a tree before I managed to hit him with a stone and recover half my lunch. I started cooking and all was going well until I opened the bottle of ketchup. The pressure must have built up under the heat of the sun and the whole thing exploded all over my shorts and t-shirt. I sat there eating my lunch looking like I had a serious case of chicken pox. Beans on toast shouldn’t be that hard! I’m rethinking attempting lasagne later.

I love camping. Its definately the best way to experience the wildlife and its easy enough to do in a country where is hasn’t rained for 6 months. I may be here for 2 days or 2 weeks depending on whether I can bag a lift out of the park….