Game Drive/Rhino Walk

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Clive met us this morning with a jeep and Patrick, our guide.  With all the different combinations of safaris and rhino walks, we chose a drive safari with a short walk to see the rhinos at the end.  It turned into a pretty successful day.

The Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park is the second smallest park in Zambia  You could say that this was Safari Lite.  No cats so no need to go searching for them.  Patrick is very knowledgeable in all the flora and fauna as well as birds.  We saw a few we hadn't seen before and learned about some of the trees of Zambia. The Mopane and Baobab trees are both used for medicinal purposes. The Baobab tree is sometimes called Livingstone's tree. Elephants also like to eat the bark for healing.  The Combretum imbebe tree has a four or six sided fruit that when dried is used as a substitute for coffee or tea - no caffeine but a similar smell.

We stopped along the Zambezi River and spotted a few hippos across the way.  Had a drink and

Patrick contacted the rhino folks to find out where the rhinos were hanging.  A mother daughter duo joined us on our little walk.  Met up with two park rangers who led us, single file, to see the rhinos.  These big guys were very happily lazing under a tree. Took our pictures and walked back.  Geoff and I were both happy we didn't choose the rhino walk.  It was blistering hot.

On the drive out of the park we saw a water buck and a sleeping wart hog, and a female and male bush buck - which we hadn't seen before.  In the park, we passed a small cemetery where they buried malaria victims.  It is said that this was the first place that Livingstone came when he arrived in Zambia. The people took him to the cemetery to show him what malaria was doing to their Then he went on to what is now Livingstone Island. So all in all, we had a pretty good morning and it was interesting talking to both Clive and Patrick.

Before going back to the hotel, Patrick drove us over to the Jewish Museum, which is also housed with the Railway Museum.  A very nice man led us through the museum and told us a bit about the history of Jews in Zambia.  Who knew?

European Jews first came to Zambia at the end of the 19th century while it was still Northern Rhodesia, many settling in its then capital Livingstone. Early arrivals were pioneers looking for better economic opportunities; later they came as refugees fleeing Nazi persecution, mainly from Germany, Lithuania and Latvia.

Zambia was one of the few countries that welcomed them. However, when the country gained independence in 1964 there was an exodus of many who had settled there, including from the Jewish community.

The city’s Jewish Museum, a national monument, tells the story of the Jewish people who settled in and around Livingstone. Although the community was relatively small, it included significant figures in the country’s economical and political life.

The bulk of the funding for the project comes from a bequest by the late David Susman, a distinguished businessman and philanthropist whose father, Elie, and uncles were leading figures in the pioneering of the Zambian economy in the early decades of the last century.

Back at the pool.  At four we took one more walk down to the falls.  Discovered some paths we hadn't walked before and took some parting shots before leaving in the morning. I means how could I not!  We had one inquiry about the camera I use.  It is a small point and shoot Canon SX740  - nothing to special but it does have a 40x zoom.

Brillan took us to the Golden Leaf for Indian food. It was absolutely
delicious.  Great for our last night in Zambia.  When we returned the zebras were taking in the evening entertainment.

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Next time... Driving to Botswana