Africa, eyeball to eyeball - June 2004

By Bridget Wijnberg

Africa, eyeball to eyeball - June 2004 By Bridget Wijnberg The bush is infested with lion at the moment. The most recent excitement was just upstream from the lodge. Two male lion pulled down a buffalo, only to be chased off by two bigger and blacker maned males who strode purposefully towards the river, swam across with total disdain for the crocodiles and chased the youngsters off.

It was quite a sight seeing four male lions around a kill. So much for the theory that females do the killing! The most dominant male seemed to be keeping the other three at bay and was sleeping off his full stomach in the shade whilst the others had to wait their turn. They didn't look too impressed, glaring at us with their piercing yellow eyes.

I've just had four glorious days off and headed straight for our Island Bushcamp as soon as I could, adding more dramatic lion tales to my diary and confirming that I am definitely a bushcamp addict.

The drive down was beautiful and took us ages as we dawdled along. We arrived on the banks of the Luangwa just before sunset. The staff weren't expecting us and I practically shouted myself hoarse trying to raise their attention across the 500m of water. I gather that they had heard the car hooter and something high pitched like a bird (my shouting) - but agreed amongst themselves that is was baboons playing on the other vehicle!! Charming!

They finally collected us from the "harbour" in the banana boat and poled us across whilst we watched the most perfect sunset. Glassy water, pods of hippo snorting beside us and a golden sun slipping behind the Muchinga escarpment. Definitely a scene out of some dreamy African movie set. I even had my dashing safari guide, all that was missing was the gin and tonic.

The changing light on the escarpment had me immersed in my watercolours most of the day. By night, without fail, I lay in bed listening to the lion calling on the opposite bank. The first night they were preceded by prolonged squealing, which, we guessed, was a bushpig meeting its demise. A whole orchestra of prides called in unison from every direction on the second night.

The finale really outdid them all though. There was a single young male who must have been either on a sandbank in the river, or perched right on the edge, bellowing into the riverbed and deafening us with an impressive show of his power. His roar seemed to be amplified across the still water and ricocheted off the sand cliffs. It felt as though he was sitting there breathing fire and brimstone into my ears. Clichéd, I know, but he was so loud I could almost smell his breath. An incredible sound, right from the deepest caverns of his enormous lungs, vibrating against his vocal chords before deafening the night.

Even though I knew he was a good 500m away, I found myself tiptoeing to the bathroom just in case he really was right outside the chalet, my heart doing the "I'm working just fine" bit! We'd seen him in the early afternoon on the edge of the river just upstream, looking very much the cute kitty with his paws dangling over the bank.

Back at the lodge my fascination with elephant left me a little too close for comfort even though I was behind the safety of my mosquito gauze windows. I did a good impersonation of an inanimate object as a young bull elephant walked within a metre of my bedroom window. I froze and turned a shade of white as I held my breath hoping that all signs of life would disappear and he wouldn't see me. Wishful thinking though, I don't think elephant are quite that short sighted! As his enormous eyeball passed by, his grey wrinkled body acknowledged my presence with a slick swerve away from me. I was so scared I didn't dare meet his gaze!! What I did succeed in doing however was reinforcing my addictive fascination with the huge pachyderms.

That's all from me. Next time I think it must be Greg's version of his first trip to North Luangwa. The great beyond. Even wilder lion and buffalo country.

© Bridget Wijnberg 2004

Kafunta Safaris Kafunta River Lodge and Island Bush Camp South
Luangwa National Park
Box 83, Mfuwe, Zambia
kafunta@luangwa.com
Phone 00260 6 246046 or
Satellite Phone 00871 762068427
(office hours 0700- 1600)
For more info and Safari packages visit: www.luangwa.com