So it’s mid -January and I realise that I haven’t made any New Year resolutions. Not to indicate that I have ever kept any….usually my resolutions involve things that sound great in practice “lose weight” or “exercise more”, however by the end of the first week (and that’s a generous time frame) I’ve realised that January in the UK calls for staying inside when it’s cold, grey and raining and for the comforts of carbohydrates (and besides I’ve finally admitted to myself that the pleasures of eating pasta and HOT bread and butter will never be topped by an avocado).

So, the point is, I’m not going to make any resolutions that I stand no chance of keeping, instead here are some things …aspirations if you like that I would like to fulfil in 2018 that would make the year extra awesome. Things like “Travel to New Places”, ok now I’m feeling smug as I’ve already got 2 trips booked, one to Mozambique and one to Crete, but still it’s pretty cool to visit somewhere that you’ve never been before. Ok, next is to “Try New Things”, whether it be sailing on a Dhow in the Indian Ocean or improving my Setswana vocabulary (according to one of my junior chefs, Setswana is very easy to lean as pillow talk….) Then to “visit more places in Botswana” is definitely on the list, I can’t possibly be in the country for 2 years and only see the bright lights of Maun. Then the last one I can think of at the minute is “to go on a Mokoro”. I am rather embarrassed to say that in my first year of being in the Okavango, I haven’t yet been on a Mokoro. I have done it on holiday when I was in Botswana 5 years ago, but to have them 20 minutes from camp and still not have done it is pretty lame. So that’s it…..watch out 2018!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

16.01.18

As the year grew slowly to a close and we celebrated Christmas and the New Year, it dawned on me that it was over a year since we had been in Maun applying for work permits. Whilst New Year’s Eve arrived and many people rejoiced at good-riddance to a horrid year, I marvelled at how great the year had been to me. 2017 had not only given me a new job, but a new life in a new country surrounded by a new family. It gave me new experiences and created so many memories, from seeing my first penguin to cooking for the 43^rd President of America. It bought the end to a relationship but then unexpectedly opened the doors to another. I can’t say it has been an easy year, learning the ropes of a new job, in a different culture has been an experience. It definitely seemed at times that the forces that be, wait for you to be the furthest from your comfort zone before they put you to the test – hurtling as many obstacles at you as possible and waiting to see whether you will come out the other side. It has been hard work and at many times gruelling, but it has been amazing and I’m sure it’s only going to get better.

31.12.17

So Thursday rolled around once more and that meant freight day. Our driver (KB) and I packed ourselves into the utility vehicle and headed down the bouncy road in a north westerly direction to our airstrip, known in Setswana as Lebala.

The journey takes about 40 minutes and the track is mostly sandy, weaving through grassy flats and wooded groves, filled with green leafy fever berry trees. (We were yet to experience the side effects of these trees, but apparently they have a reputation to send people into fits of sneezing and fever when the worms start to eat the leaves). When we approached the gravel airstrip we could see a mass of brown across the runway. Drawing closer revealed them to be wildebeest that soon dispersed with the sound of our rattling vehicle. Then KB noticed a sandy brown bob to the far left in front of us, lion he laughed, but then dismissed himself. We drove closer and could soon see the tell-tale flick of a tale, there was not one but two male lions sleeping at the side of the runway. We took the airstrip radio from its box and called the pilot who had just looped above us.

“Golf Uniform November, come in for Lebala”

“Good morning go ahead”

Mona tau, mona tau on the airstrip, you copy?”

The pilot had circled the airstrip and now descended in line with the runway beneath him. Nearly 10 meters off the ground and at what seemed to be the last minute the plane pulled up again into the sky. The lions who had been watching the landing plane intently jumped up, looking peeved that their nap had been disrupted. They flopped down again barely a meter from where they had been originally. After another loop of the sky above the pilot made another attempt to clear them having a little more luck with the second go. Would it be third time lucky?

This time the pilot decided to land from the other end of the airstrip which gave him enough time to land before he would reach the lions. Upon landing the fast moving wheels of the plane on the gravel was enough to budge the persistent lions who ducked for cover behind a grassy mound.

The plane made its way to the end of the runway and at last we were able to start unpacking our fresh delivery. Now you don’t get that at Tesco’s!

20.02.17

Valentines was fast approaching and under pressure from soppy colleagues to do something a little romantic I put my thinking cap on. Something classy and sophisticated yet with a humorous edge.

It was upon tidying the kitchen store that I came across an abandoned bucket. And then I had a brilliant idea! I sent Nuno out to find some fallen branches and KB to bring sand. Of course deep down all chefs are florists at heart – so I spent the afternoon pruning and arranging branches in the bucket to make a tree that we would hang cookies on. Another bite sized treat were mini red velvet cakes with chocolate hearts and rosé berry sangria. A perfect spread for high tea and what better location than tucked away in the bush – ready to surprise our guests.

So at last we were ready to fly into camp. We were now in the possession of two flimsy not so official looking (but at least stamped repeatedly in red thus it must be official) permits. After the longest, horrendously stressful nail biting morning that we endured to obtain these scraps of paper, they had now become our most treasured possessions. In our first week in Maun we were put through our paces with a first aid course, involving the likes of CPR, stethoscopes and to my horror – emergency childbirth. We also managed to open a bank account, that since took about 3 weeks and about 30 emails to even access. But I suppose we had to be grateful for the fact that we even had online access – and a bank manager that we could direct a torrent of emails at!

We finally made it to the airport for our flight, one final moment in “civilisation” for the next 3 months. A gentle take off lifted us off the tarmac and into the air. There was no going back now. As we flew out of Maun we gradually flew away from arid orangey brown farmland. The browns were replaced by splashes of blue, which grew into lakes that grew into rivers. The dry orange flora was replaced by lush vivid green papyrus and floating waterlily pontoons.  As we flew we could spot hippos, zebra, elephants and giraffe grazing peacefully below.

The Okavango delta is frequently described as the “jewel of the Kalahari”. Clichéd? Maybe. But whether you view the delta from the window of a light aircraft, or by passage on a handcrafted mokoro, it cannot be disputed that the sapphire waters and flourishing emerald flora are truly magnificent. Set amongst arid desert that is so prevalent across the rest of the country; the delta sparkles under the midday sun.

However clichéd, such metaphor conveys how precious water is in Botswana – the currency is Pula, Setswana for rain and the bright blue stands boldly on the nation’s flag. The delta provides for the existence of species that would otherwise be confined to the waterways of the Okavango and Chobe rivers. Buffalo and elephant congregate by the waterside sipping cool sun- downers before darkness sets in, a still lagoon conceals hippos wallowing beneath the surface; waiting out the intense heat for a late afternoon graze.

Navigating a maze of clear shallow channels we journey into the heart of the delta by wooden mokoro – a dugout canoe carved from a single log. For delta villagers poling is their livelihood, with the Poler’s Trust ensuring that they benefit directly from tourism. At 2,000 Pula a mokoro is a treasured possession, nurtured and nursed back to health with multiple rubber patches; when tell-tale leaks show signs of old age. Our poler is Allan who has lived all his life on the small island we are travelling to. He listens intently, picking out the calls of Shrike and Weaver birds from a medley of birdsong. Weaving a path through the waterlilies the African Jacana appears to walk on water, explaining its nick-name – the Jesus bird!

No sooner have we set foot on the island when Allan whisks us off for a wild walk in the bush. We meander through long grasses and clumps of wild sage – a natural mosquito repellent when brushed upon skin, and spot wandering zebra and giraffe and the spoors of impala and hippo. Allan shows us the Jackalberry and Sausage trees that mokoros are made from, being slightly stronger the latter is the preferred choice, the named coined from the bulbous sausage- like tubers suspended from branches which can weigh up to 4 kg. I am immediately glad that our tent is not in the vicinity of any Sausage trees!

Utterly isolated in this wilderness the absence of modern conveniences goes unnoticed. The only timings one needs is the rising and falling of the sun, any other timings seem irrelevant and it must be at least a week since I was aware of the day or date. African entertainment consists of singing and dancing around the campfire with our polers, sharing stories, or staring into the flames – mesmerised by the snap and crackle of wood being consumed by fire or the glowing amber embers. The black sky is crowded: thousands of stars, a translucent milky way and the full moon all jostle for attention.

You could be forgiven for thinking that the calm and tranquillity of day would extend into the night. The resident orchestra resumes its 21:00-5:00 slot; complete with hippo grunts on the bass, high pitched whoops from a distant hyena and the deep belly roars of assertive lions. We fall asleep to the constant percussion of croaking frogs, alternating between sounds to create a steady rhythmic beat. It seems as if we are in another world entirely. A world where time stands still.

As October drew to a close a few short and sweet rain showers gave us much needed respite from the scorching sun, a little teaser of the fast approaching climate to come. The first November dawn bought the departure of our last guests and the close of another season at Shenton Safaris.

It also signalled my departure from the valley.

It had been a pleasure to spend 2 years living in the unique wilderness that is South Luangwa NP. With hippos and elephants for neighbours and close encounters with friendly felines, the valley forever enchanted and surprised us. It would also be hard leaving behind the staff, who made it all the more like family; sharing laughs, banter, tears and tantrums.

Over the past 2 years I had lived a life that others can only dream of and personally achieved more than I ever thought I would. But it was time to move on to the next adventure, which meant moving south to the wilds of Botswana.But for now, tionana Zambia….until the next time.