Lion Alert Livingstone

Having heard about this charity from a friend and having read on their offer to "Walk with the Kings", it was something that was on my radar while in Livingstone. I am normally a little skeptical about these type of animal "encounters" as sometimes the animals are being mistreated or exploited for the tourist's benefit. However having read through the Lion Alert website and having talked to people who have visited I decided to go and see (and potentially get some REALLY cool pictures). And so I booked the encounter with my hostel and was picked up the following afternoon at 2pm.

Lion Alert's main aim is to replenish the lion population in Africa. Our guide was more than willing to answer any questions we had and we watched an informational video before our walk. The lion population in Africa is in decline, for example it is believed that there are around 25 lions in Malawi while parts of Zambia are believed to only contain 50 lions. Read more about the threats to lions on the Lion Alert threat page but as with most animals that are under threat it is normally interaction with humans (both direct, from humas killing lions that have attacked livestock, and indirect, from a loss of their living environment as the human population of an area expands) that is the main problem.

Lion Alert's aim is to replenish the lion population throughout Africa. How they hope to achieve this is by breeding lions and releasing them into national parks around Africa. In the Livingstone branch they are 4 years into their programme. The programme consists of 3 steps. Firstly the bought 2 lions from South Africa which had been raised in captivity and used them for breeding. The idea is that the cubs from these 2 original lions are the ones that you can walk with. They are brought out every morning and evening and during the day are kept in a large enclosure. Once they reach approx 18 months they can no longer be brought out walking and they are released into a 500 acre area where they form their own prides and have cubs themselves. These bubs will have no human interaction and will effectively be wild animals and these are the animals that will be used to repopulate parks around Africa.

The experience was definitely not something I will forget easily and it is reassuring that the money spent will go back to preserving these beautiful animals. 

Mosi-Ou-Tunya "The Smoke That Thunders"

Anyone who knows me well knows my love of water. Whether it is swimming in it, diving to it's depths or simply sitting beside it listening to the sounds of water trickling or crashing over rocks. As such it is no surprise that I LOVE waterfalls. I think they are wonderful. Having visited Iguazu Falls on my first backpacking trip, I was eager to see, and hear, the smoke that thunders.

For those of you who don't know Victoria Falls are on the Zambian-Zimbabwean border and is fed by the Zambezi river. On the Zambian side is the town of Livingstone and on the Zimbabwean side the town is aptly named Victoria Falls. The falls were named by Sir David Livingstone who is said to have been the first European to set eyes on the falls and named them for the Queen at the time- Victoria. The indigenous name is Mosi-Ou-Tunya meaning the Smoke that Thunders. Visiting during the dry or the wet season offer completely different views and experiences. I was lucky enough to visit in the shoulder season so while the rains had started (and were uncharacteristically heavy according to some locals) I was still able to see that falls. During the rainy season they are said to be cloaked in spray and that it is difficult to even see them through the dense spray. 

I took a nice 9 hour bus ride from Lusaka (air-con = a nice change from Malawian buses) and based myself at Jollyboys Backpackers right in the centre of Livingstone. I was lucky in that 2 friends I had met in Malawi at Butterfly were there also. I set up my tent, in what I considered a prime position (in the shade) and settled into read the various activities I could partake in from throwing myself off a bridge to walking along the top of the falls and sunset booze cruises on the Zambezi. Livingstone offers it all. The choice was overwhelming so when Heather and Lindsey suggested a trip to the Royal Livingstone hotel for a sundowner. 

The Royal Livingstone is the type of place I could only ever afford to stay in if I won the lotto. However as the hotel nearest the edge of the falls, it offers an amazing view as the sun sets behind the spray of the falls. It is well worth splashing out on a cool glass of white wine and sitting with some new friends while watching the sky and water turn from pink to orange as the sun sinks towards the falls edge. We all fell silent as the view captured us. Plus the hotel has zebra and giraffe that roam the grounds as it is technically in Mosi Ou Tunya National Park.

Even zebras get to enjoy 5 star hotels

After my first glimpse of the spray, I could not wait to see the falls close up and I decided to splash out on a trip to Livingstone Island. Unfortunately Devils Pools were closed early this year due to the unseasonably high rainfall in December, however Angels Pools was opened which was still no more than 5m from the edge of the falls. After a 5min speedboat ride from the Royal Livingstone, we reached Livingstone Island which is protected as a World Heritage Site. After a mini tour of the island and a glimpse over the edge of the falls it was time to strip down and swim at the top of the world's widest falls. A swim, a mini massage from a rapid and a photo shoot later and it was breakfast time. We were treated to delightful Eggs Benedict while being able to hear the roar of the falls before boarding our speedboat back to the main land.

After managing to blag a ride on the free hotel shuttle (they thought I was a guest!) I arrived at the National Park Gates, dodged the curio sellers with a "I'll look when I come out" and set off to spend some quality time with some waterfalls. I came up against one major disadvantage to making the trip to Livingstone Island on the morning that I was going to visit the falls: I missed the hostel shuttle which means I missed having a group of people who could take my picture. Now, I have absolutely no problem in wandering around in my own company, often I quite like it, being left to my own thoughts and doing things in my own time but often it results in quite awkward 'selfie' shots as I try to get both me AND the attraction in at the same time.

Case in point- awkward selfie

But I digress, back to my trip to the falls. As I rode the hotel shuttle (a golf caddy), I could hear the sound of the falls, It truly was thunderous and it made me wonder how loud it would be in a month when it is in full swing. It is no wonder the Tonga of Zambia named it the Smoke that Thunders. Now some people think a waterfall is a waterfall is a waterfall and if you have seen one you have seen them all. That is NOT my view (see first paragraph). I was awestruck. Seeing the line of cataracts rushing towards the base of the falls, catching a glimpse of the elusive double rainbow, feeling the spray on your face (and on your body and inside your clothes at some points) this was different. From standing at the top of the falls that morning to seeing the extent of this natural wonder was something I will not forget easily. 

There are trails leading you in front of the falls towards the knife point bridge (where you will get SOAKED) and towards the rather nerve-racking Danger Point. Here you are about half way along the width of the falls and are coming towards the end of the Zambian side of the falls.

After crossing knife point bridge and getting soaked

Double rainbow

Standing at Danger Point

 Then there is the "Photography Trail" that gives you a more panoramic view of the falls. You really get a sense of the green surroundings and the falls as a natural wonder (as opposed to trying not to get soaked to the skin while closer to the falls).





















The trek downhill to the Boiling pot is full of baboons so be sure to hide any food that you may have. Apparently these crafty monkeys have learnt to recognise Shoprite bags and realise that it means food. Be warned that if you take this trail at 1pm (like I did) that it is HOT. You pass through some shade but a lot of the time you are in the open sun. It is all worth in when you arrive at the end of the trail and see the swirling water that only moments before was crashing over the lip of the falls. I was extremely lucky and had the area to myself for the most part. I spent a glorious 30mins just contemplating life and watching some crazy people throw themselves off the Victoria Falls bridge. As I said before the sound of water soothes me and I could have spent hours sitting listening to the gurgling water, maybe reading a book and have been completely content in my own little world. As I scrambled over rocks in an attempt to be able to see the Boiling Pot and the falls simultaneously, I marveled at how this natural phenomenon can attract thousands of visitors every year. How that when you talk about Zambia, people instantly think of Victoria Falls and I was fortunate enough to be here, enjoying it. 

Finally there is the Upstream trail which I just noticed as I was about to exit. Not one to leave a trial unexplored, I headed off up stream where the path took me close to the lip of the falls. From the boiling point at the bottom to the upstream trail, I had walked all of Victoria Falls on the Zambian side. 

 

South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

Often said to be one of the best safari experiences in Africa,South Luangwa was high on my list of places to visit. It is also quite easy to get to as an independant traveller and as a result can be done on a relatively tight budget. It's relative closeness to the Malawi border makes it a popular choice for weekend trips from Lilongwe and this is evident by the amount of Lilongwe based safari companies who offer trips here.

I am happy to say that South Luangwa did not disappoint.

I left Lilongwe on a mini bus to the border (Michinji) and from there I took a taxi to Chipata. There is now a regular time tabled bus that goes from Chipata to Mufwe at 2:00pm making it much easier to visit independently. The bus even dropped me to my camp, Croc Valley Campsite, which is located just outside the park gates and right on the Luangwa river. This means the sounds of hippos lulled me to sleep every night. I set up my tent and decided to explore options for game drives. Croc valley run game drives twice a day, at 6am and 4pm. A morning game drive is prime time to see noctornal predators such as leopards and lions after they have been hunting and before it gets too hot for them. The evening game drive continues once the sun goes down, with a huge torch, to see a different perspective of life in the wild. There are also the options of game walks during dry season.

The morning after I arrived there were people scheduled to go on a game drive and I decided to join in. Before even entering the park, we could spot elephants just outside the campsite. After entering the park and paying the park fee, we happened on a herd of zebra (my favourite animal) complete with a baby zebra. Turning the corner we encountered a group of giraffes having a morning drink. About 5 minutes drive away we came across a leopard just chilling on a tree watching some kudu (no doubt contemplating breakfast). As with most encounters, the pictures are worth a thousand words. The night drive was something I had not done before and it was interesting to see hippos out of the water (man but they are HUGE). One of my favourite things was that, for the majority of the time, our car was alone. In comparison to the safari I did in the Serengeti this time last year, where sometimes there can be 30 cars crowded around one lion or leopard, it was amazing, a real sense of adventure and you feel closer to the animals.

"You are between me and my breakfast"

Zebra bum

This is a photo without using any zoom. The elephant was less than 5m from the car!

I was there during the rainy season (or the green season) which had both pros and cons. Pros included a quiet campsite, less vehicles while doing game drives and discounted accommodation. Cons include, higher grass which means more difficult to spot wildlife and of course the rain.


Would I recommend South Luangwa? Definitely, it really deserves it's reputation as one of the premiere parks in Africa with the added benefit of being one of the cheapest.

Logistics:
Minibus Lilongwe to border: MK2,000
Taxi from border to Chipata: ZK 70 (normally 20 in a shared taxi but I was rushing to catch a bus)
Bus from Chipata to Mufwe: ZK 70
Game Drive at Croc Valley: First drive ZK208 Second drive ZK182
Park entry fee to South Luangwa ZK182
Camping at Croc Valley: ZK57

*NOTE* Croc Valley add 16% tax and 10# service charge on top of these quoted prices

Decision made

So many of you may already know but I have quitmy job at Mzuzu University and with the Brien Holden Vision Institute and am currently writing this post from the banks of the Luangwa river looking at South Luangwa National Park. Why did I quit? To be honest it was something that I had been considering for a few months and all of a sudden I cracked. Over the last few months I had felt that I was surplus to requirements and felt that a lot of the work I was given was secretarial based. I was losing my love for the job and as my heart was no longer in it, I was not giving it my all. I am Isomeone who firmly believes that if you are going to do a job then you should do it to the best of your abilities. This is even more the case when you are educating people. If I was not giving my all I would be doing a great disservice to my students. With all of this I began to question "Where am I going in life?", "What am I doing here?". I was becoming bitter and cynical and, if I am honest, a little depressed. What I needed was friends around me to remind me that indeed I was doing something worthwhile, that I was needed. Instead I found myself coming home from work in tears and staying in my What I house not socialising. It was a vicious circle. A place I had come to consider home, a job that a few months ago I had thoroughly enjoyed, these were things I could no longer stand, things that were making me unhappy. And then there was the dilemma of friends here. People I truly care about,people I cannot imagine not seeing again (let's be honest Malawi isn't the easiest of places to pop over for a few days), people,that if I left Malawi, I would very likely not see again. So all of this in combination meant many weeks deliberating and considering options. I spoke to my direct boss and the people involved in recruiting me both about my unhappiness and that I was considering leaving and they both promised to help, get me someone to talk to. I tried to make it work as leaving, in may eyes, was failing, was running oaway and was something I didn't want to do. However despite promises, nothing materialised and I once again found myself wondering what I was doing with my life. So what prompted the decision? After yet another incident where I was being blamed by someone for their mistake and had my intelligence insulted, I realised that I just could not work with someone who implied that did not know the difference between a soft contact lens and an RGP. Yes, I only have a bachelors degree but that is something any optometry student could.answer, never mind a qualified optom. Having spoken to my bosses in South Africa, and having had a previous conversation completely misrepresented, I realised that the situation was not going to get any better. They had a person who expressed interest in staying long term, who had lecturing experience and then there was me. So I quit. Almost instantly I felt better,like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I could breathe easier. It was a decision that was made suddenly but not lightly. It was a decision that was extremely difficult to make, I still wonder if I made the right decision but the change in my mood since then tells me I have. Maybe a long holiday would have helped, who knows but now the decision has been made What I really want to do is thank my friends who were so supportive when I made the decision. Many of them realised that I had changed from the happy, outgoing person I was and realised that this is what I needed. Unfortunately this was not the case in 100% of people and some people who I thought were my friends now isolated me and showed no regard for my well being. I sincerely hope that these people will realise that my decision was something I had to do for myself and come to terms with it. I then packed up the house and left with Puncque and Alice for Nkhata bay where I spent the holidays swimming, eating, drinking and in good company. All of this made it very difficult to leave. But leave I did and destination number one was Zambia and South Luangwa National park. So as I sit with a cold Mosi in hand, where to next? To Lusaka and then to see the "Smoke that thunders". Then hopefully to Botswana and Namibia and eventually to meet Edward in South Africa before returning to Malawi for at least a week in March. I fly home on the 31st of March just in time for a friend's wedding. Stay tuned for my Southern Africa adventures Quote for the day: "The time has come,The Walrus said, To talk of many things. Of shoes -and ships- and sealing wax, Of cabbages and Kings" - Lewis Carroll in Through the Looking Glass.

The transient life in Malawi

As I face yet another goodbye, it makes me think of all the people who have left Malawi and left a bit of a hole in my life. Goodbyes are never fun, or easy but when you live in Mzuzu, with a very small community, you grow close to people in a short time and saying goodbye is even harder. These people are an integral part of your daily life and to suddenly not have them there anymore is hard.

Somewhere like Malawi is peppered with people who are here on one or two year contracts (or even shorter) it feels like you are constantly saying goodbye. It's very hard to say goodbye to people you spend most weekends with, knowing that you may never see them again. When you come to a place knowing no one, you latch onto some people (sounds clingy but that's how it works) and those people become your pseudo-family. They are people who you celebrate and commiserate with. People who know your life in this country inside out, people you text constantly, people you laugh and get drunk with, people you cry and sit in silence with, people who have lived (or in Ross' case squatted) in my house. When you have to say goodbye it is harder than the goodbyes in Dublin airport. I know I'll always return to Ireland but when will I go to Kitchener, Spring Lake, Santa Clarita or Saint Catherine's?

So here's an ode to our departed friends. You guys made Mzuzu a place I was happy to be and I just wish you were still here. Let me extend an open invite to all to come visit me in Ireland/wherever in the world I may end up.

All of these photos are people who have left, and I miss terribly. There are many more who have left and I don't have photos of (or only photos in which I look hideous). Miss you guys

Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have friends at a distance; they make the latitudes and longitudes.  ~Henry David Thoreau

Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve

Shortly before semester started, I organised a weekend away to Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve, a place I had heard many good things about which, despite the fact it was easily accessible from Mzuzu, I had yet to visit. Vwaza is managed by the Nyika-Vwaza trust, and has an open border with North Luwanga in Zambia which means that the animals freely move between the parks. In comparison to most other parks in Africa, Vwaza is small, a mere 900sq kilometers and is dwarfed by it's neighbour Nyika. However, being so compact makes for great wildlife viewing and a highly accessible park, just 40km from the nearest town of Rumphi. And so I decided to organise a trip there for anyone who was interested.

On the Saturday morning Sarah, Sanja and I set out from Mzuzu on a minibus to Rumphi (MK1600). We were keeping the trip as budget as possible, so Sarah had made her delicious veg chilli to bring with us for dinner that night. And I was tasked with breakfast. Once we arrived in Rumphi, I bought eggs, milk and bread. Then we started looking for transport to the park gate. We were approached by a minibus driver, however we looked at the minbus to find it completely empty. Now a tip about minibuses in Malawi, they will not leave the depot until they are full. Not full as in all the seats are taken but full as in 25 people in a 12 seater minibus. So an empty minibus could take hours to leave! After much negotiation with a local taxi driver, we got him to bring us to the camp AND collect us on the Sunday afternoon for the same price most were quoting just to take us there (MK18,000). So after about an hour on the dirt road we reached the park where, once again, I negotiated resident's rates (although in fairness they have a rate for "Non-Malawian residents".)

Our chalet

A short 5 min walk from the gate brings you to Kazuni camp, overlooking Lake Kazuni, home to hundreds of hippos who punctuated our stay with their constant grunting. Having brought tents and blankets (it gets cold here in winter), we found out that when there are 3 people, it works out cheaper to have a chalet. A chalet is MK6,600 with a double bed and a single, while camping is MK 2,750 per person. So we perched ourselves on our porch to have lunch while watching the hippos sun themselves about 20m from where we sat. Unfortunately as we had traveled here without our own car, we could not go on a game drive but the view of hippos, warthogs, baboons and impalas from our porch was more than enough for a few hours. That afternoon Sarah took an afternoon game walk (Sanja and I decided to wait for our morning one, 3 hours for $10). When she arrived back we had a few cheeky sundowners while watching the sun set over Lake Kazuni.

Girl's trip to Vwaza

After our delicious chilli and sweet potatoes we headed back to the chalet for a few more drinks. At about 7pm we were rewarded with the sight of 4 big bull elephants making their way slowly through the campsite. It was amazing. The elephants were framed by the trees, moon glistening on the lake behind them as they walked, no more than 10m from where we were sitting. We sat in silence and watched these amazing animals make their way through the camp before exclaiming like little children once they were out of view.

Sunrise before our game drive

The next morning we got up for our 7am game walk. Our guide (who had a big ass gun) was able to tell that the elephants who had walked through the camp the night before were male by their foot prints (to do with the amount of cracks on their feet). We walked past the hippo run, the path worn into the ground, surrounded by broken shrubbery. The hippos use the same path into and out of the water and you are not supposed to get between one and the water.And looking at the size of some of them, I reckon the sight of a hippo charging towards you would be enough to elicit some bowel movements. As we walked into the bush, my imagination ran wild. In my head, every branch that cracked under foot was a lion stalking us, any loud noise was an elephant about to charge. This was not helped by the fact that when we asked our guide when he last used his gun, his response "Not too long" and proceeded to tell us about a time when an elephant picked up a Norwegian tourist and THREW him. Luckily the guy was a gymnast and wasn't very badly hurt. However, the guide first shot the elephants leg, but he kept coming and eventually he had to shoot in the brain. The elephant stumbled off into the distance and was not seen again. Needless to say, I hoped we would have no use for the gun!

After three hours we had wandered through the beautiful reserve spotting many impalas and bushbucks, hearing the hippos constantly, spotting elephant and hippo tracks and dung! I look forward to going back to Vwaza, ideally with a car to go on game drives, hopefully to spot more elephants and ideally a lion! Who knows  but I did love sitting, watching the hippos, reading my book and generally enjoying the silence and break from city life.

Warthogs

The beautiful Lake Kazuni