Michael K Malunga of the Zambia Wildlife
Authority writes of an amazing scenario in the Zambezi Valley.
It was a hot day along the Zambezi River
near Kulefu Camp. As we sat the shade of an acacia tortoise tree, taking
respite from the scorching sun during our day patrol, a female elephant
suddenly appeared with its infant. After drinking at the water’s edge and
bathing in the sun, the pair started their way across the channel. At this
point a crocodile, which had been lurking in the area earlier, rose from the
depths and latched onto the baby elephant, much to everyone’s surprise.
Lower
Zambezi National Park Zambia
The mother plunged straight into the water,
searching with its trunk for the culprit. Fortunately enough she caught the
crocodile by its tail and immediately lifted it up out of the water and into
the air. Incredibly, she then started hitting it against a large tree! She left
the croc lying flat in a pool of blood, before searching for her badly injured
infant.
Zanzibar, Tanzania
Lorna Handley describes an idyllic
return to an island she first visited nearly 20 years ago.
What are the requirements for my perfect
wedding? I'd love a quiet, secluded beach, with clear blue water lapping at the
shore; a hassle-free town nearby, packed with history; friendly locals; good
food and beer; the sun, of course; and... Oh, and a husband-to-be.
Zanzibar
is a hot spot for honeymoons, so why not for weddings too?
Phil and I first set foot in Africa
together back ill 1993. He had been travelling for six months when I flew out
to meet him in Nairobi. We quickly fell in love with East Africa, particularly
the coast, though strangely Zanzibar didn't quite grab us as we thought it
would.
It was partly with this in mind that, as we
searched for a suitable venue to 'Elope' to, we settled on Unguja, and dared it
to prove us wrong.
We booked into Mbweni Ruins Hotel (www.
mbweni.com), which sits 7km south of Stone Town. Giving them just four weeks’
notice that we wanted to get married there, we filled out a couple of forms and
left the rest to the Boniface, the hotel's assistant manager. We hardly had to
lift a finger.
On arriving at Mbweni we were invited to
stroll around the grounds and pick a spot for the ceremony. We opted for the
end of the wooden jetty that juts about 30m out into the Indian Ocean. Perfect.
The next day we ventured into the maze of
Stone Town's narrow streets, dodging mopeds, bicycles, kids rolling tyres,
low-hanging wiring, the inevitable spice vendors and guys selling Tanzania
football shirts out of a bag. The enticing historical sites that were crying
out to be explored would have to wait. We were on a quest to find Phil some
wedding shoes.
kids
rolling tyres
We were beginning to give up hope when we
stumbled upon Pravin, a man whose family had been in the shoe business for
generations.
"It is all in the mind," Pravin
declared on being asked how long it had taken him to learn the art of
shoemaking. "I was born to it"
His shop was packed with all types of
shoes, and his boys were at work in the back, hammering and stitching away. A
pair of leather hand-stitched flip flops was duly purchased. Now we could
relax.
The following day we took up residence on the
beach, relaxing in the sun and watching as three ladies painstakingly wound
huge palm fronds together to create a beautiful archway, through which we would
pass as we walked up the 'aisle' for the ceremony.
The
scene at sunset along the harbor at Stone TOwn in Zanzibar off Tanzania's coast
The service itself was a very laid-back
affair, with the smiliest registrar in the world. And as we promised to listen
to each other and to create a beautiful home (certainly beats 'love, honour and
obey'), the sun slowly set.
Zanzibar, you were well worth returning to.
