The rains have arrived!!!! For some the rains are met with mixed emotions. The busy season is over, and many of the camps close, there are a lot of good-byes as we bid farewell to many new friends that we have made over the last 6 months.
I however love the rains. The distinctive smell of the coming storms. The growing anticipation for the first drops of rain of the season. The dry cracked earth thirsty for the precious water and then the earth sizzles and sighs after its first true drench, the dry African soil has had its thirst finally quenched.
What was a dusty hazy horizon, becomes crystal clear, and the browns turn to the most amazing shades of green. The land rovers and land cruisers are put to test as we have fun navigating through the mud!!
Dora, Patsy and the guides as well as little Byron and Tara managed to escape to Malawi for a week for some well deserved R and R. Dora headed to the beautiful tea estates near Blantyre and came back well rested and refreshed. Patsy, the children and the
guides, headed to the lake to have fun in the sun. Sly and Andrew attempted to kayak, Byron tells me they did very well in the big waves. Phil was not too keen on getting more than his toes wet and stayed on the beach. The children came back to school with plenty of stories and Byron a true little fisherman came back with a few fishing tales.
Sightings this month have been fantastic as ever, and with all the new little babies around there are a lot of “ahhhhs that’s so cute” on the drives. One lucky group of clients watched a leopard stalk and kill a vervet monkey. They watched the whole drama unfold in front of them from start to finish. Definitely a “wow” moment and something the guide and clients will never forget.
Wonky tusk, a very well known elephant to all in the valley, has dropped her calf. It is yes you guessed it Sooo cute!!! This is the 3rd calf that we know she has had.
The rains this year have met me with mixed emotions, this is my final newsletter, as I finish my contract with wildlife camp at the end of the month. I will use the next 3 months to physically, mentally and emotionally prepare for my up coming Congo expedition, I plan to kayak the Congo river from its longest source the Chambeshi to Ocean. The trip is going to take around 6 months. I will attach my blog and trip plan to the Wildlife website, so if anyone is interested they can follow the journey. It will be an adventure of a life time and another exciting story for me to share.
I’d like this opportunity, to say a big thank you, to everyone I have had the pleasure of meeting and working with over the last 3 years. I have enjoyed getting to know you, sharing our adventures and hope to meet up again sometime in the future.
Wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas and a fantastic 2010
Take care
Kind regards
Colleen and the Wildlife team
Colleen just left us and is heading south for her first visit after years in her native country Zimbabwe. We will miss her – her great sense of responsibility for the business, her Love and enthusiasm for the bush and for the wildlife, her ability to always have a plan B and of course her smile. We wish her joy, love and great success for all her future steps and may the Congo River be friendly with her!
Dora, Herman and the Wildlife Team
