Zeb the Duck Remembers Africa

I, Zeb the Duck, really loved my summer in Southern Africa.   I wanted to show you some of my favorite memories, but there were so many.   Remember this trip started with us volunteering for a couple weeks with Ripple Africa in Malawi.

Ripple Africa

Ripple Africa

The students were so friendly and eager to learn.

Students

Students

We saw this all over Southern Africa.   Living on the shore of Lake Malawi, we appreciated the sunny days and the evenings watching the moon rise over the lake.

Moon rising over Lake Malawi

Moon rising over Lake Malawi

We saw people everywhere carrying items on their heads.

Great posture and great balance as they carry heavy loads

Great posture and great balance as they carry heavy loads

The humans walk so gracefully and have beautiful posture.   These changu changu moto stoves save so much wood and requires so much less work to use.

Changu changu moto wood burning stove

Changu changu moto wood burning stove

They are a huge improvement over the traditional three stone stove.   Men stack wood on frames on their bicycles.

Loading firewood on bicycle

Loading firewood on bicycle

Seeing them ride with all the wood was fascinating.   We smiled at this sign, but it was true.

The monkeys do take things

The monkeys do take things

The monkeys will pick up most items and the items may be gone forever.   Victoria Falls is so big and so powerful.   It really is a sight for all to see.

Rainbow Falls at Victoria Falls, Zambia

Rainbow Falls at Victoria Falls, Zambia

This is Rainbow Falls on the Zambian side.   The rainbow seems to be there almost all the time. Male dancers and singers in the Kingdom of Swaziland entertained us.

Entertainers from Kingdom of Swaziland

Entertainers from Kingdom of Swaziland

Many humans think of large animals and safaris whenever Africa is mentioned.   We loved our safaris and the animals are so majestic, and in many cases, they were playful and entertaining. Impalas are so plentiful and also so delicate and graceful.

Impala

Impala

We never tired of seeing them.   We love the zebras.

Zebra

Zebra

The stripes are so exotic to me.   And the massive elephants, especially in groups always take your breath. And there is nothing like a baby elephant to soften your heart.

Elephants

Elephants

Cape Buffalo always make us smile.

Cape Buffalo

Cape Buffalo

The Swazi candles were some of our favorite souvenirs.   Packing them was a challenge!

Candle from Swazi Candles.

Candle from Swazi Candles.

This monkey candle is bigger than I am.   I loved seeing the Indian Ocean from Bonnie, our horse.  p1000388The money in Africa was very colorful.   We like each denomination a different color.    Makes things easier for humans.   Each country used a different currency, but US dollars were accepted most places.

Money from Malawi, Mozambique, and South Africa.

Money from Malawi, Mozambique, and South Africa.

Zimbabwe did not print their own paper money.   The official currency of Zimbabwe is the US Dollar.  We did bring a little local currency home, but most of the left over money is donated at airports to help the local people.   If everybody gives a little, that equals a lot of money and a lot of local help.   We did purchase many Visas, each time we entered a country, and flights between countries in Southern Africa were expensive and not always convenient.   But the experience was unforgettable.   The people–so friendly and helpful.   The land and animals are beautiful.  We were able to visit Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Kingdom of Swaziland, South Africa and Mozambique.    We hope you visit these countries soon.   You will never forget the experience.

Zeb Experiences a Botswana Game Drive and Dinner at Mama Africa Eating House

We are still in Botswana at Chobe Safari Lodge.   The river safari and lunch were fantastic.   We loved eating by the pool and the Chobe River.   On this safari, the humans agreed that they had seen enough birds, impalas and warthogs.   They were looking for zebras, giraffes and lions.   But they did want to stop to admire other large animals.   An early stop was to gaze at these rocks.

Large rocks? Not at all!

Large rocks? Not at all!

Oh, they are not rocks, they are resting hippos.   Hippos are so big, but they can run really fast. Remember the elephants we saw on the boat safari?   Well, here they are again.

Elephants, adult and young

Elephants, adult and young

Those two babies are so cute.    Mom was having a little problem getting them to move quickly enough, so mom’s tusks bumped into the youngster’s rumps if they got too slow.   That seemed very effective.   Cape buffalo are also very big.

Cape Buffalo at rest

Cape Buffalo at rest

The humans did say they wanted to stop for big animals.   Alright, this is a new animal for me, Zeb the Duck.

Zeb's first zebra

Zeb’s first zebra

This is my first wild zebra.   We saw a small herd of them, and what are these animals near them?

Giraffes.

Giraffes.

Wow.   These tall guys are giraffe.   My first wild giraffe also.   Oh look.

Giraffes with young on the right

Giraffes with young on the right

To the right, near the center of the photo, there is a young giraffe.   Shorter, but certainly not short.   I don’t believe I have seen this one before, either.

Kudu. See those horns?

Kudu. See those horns?

This is a kudu.   Very impressive twisted horns.   Well, our game drive in Chobe National Park in Botswana has ended.   It was great, but we did not see the big cats.   No lions, no cheetahs, and no leopards.   But we did see so many magnificent animals.   I love safaris.   This was my first time in Africa, so my first safaris, but mom has been here a couple times and experienced safaris in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.   We both loved these safaris.   I have to tell you something amazing.   The other humans on our game drive were from Colorado and one couples lives less than 10 miles from our home in Colorado.   And we met on a safari in Botswana!   Mom and I are now in the car, entering Zimbabwe.    The other humans are staying in Zambia, so we are in separate cars.

Returning to Zimbabwe

Returning to Zimbabwe

Remember that the road from Botswana into Zimbabwe and then to Victoria Falls goes through a National Park.   These baboons are really wild and ran away.

Wild baboons along the road

Wild baboons along the road

Another day I will tell you about our encounter with another baboon; one that was not afraid of humans.   We are back in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and it is dinner time.   The gentleman in our hotel office recommended a restaurant.   Here we are at Mama Africa Eating House.

Mama Africa Eating House

Mama Africa Eating House

At our table we loved the colorful placemats.

Great placemat. And peanuts and popcorn

Great placemat. And peanuts and popcorn

The peanuts and popcorn were delicious for snacking while our food was being prepared.   We ordered Nuku Nedovil.   That is a Shona dish of chicken and peanut butter with rice.  Yum!  I love chicken and I love peanut butter.   When we arrived we admired the paintings on what we thought was a storage area.

Great door decoration

Great door decoration

We soon learned that the doors come off and this is the area for the band.

Preparing for live entertainment

Preparing for live entertainment

Live music is great during and after dinner.   The food was delicious and the people were so nice.   I really liked Mama Africa.   When we returned to our hotel we certainly thanked the gentleman for his wonderful recommendation.

River Safari in Botswana’s Chobe Park with Zeb the Duck

I, Zeb the Duck, am going on a safari in Botswana.   This is a one day trip from Victoria Falls, so we will be back with more about Victoria Falls in a few days.  We are going to Chobe National Park and first we will cruise on the Chobe River.   George picks us up early in the morning and we drive about 70 kilometers to the Botswana border.   We get passports stamped because we are leaving Zimbabwe; go to the Botswana immigration station, get passports stamped to enter Botswana.   Driving into Botswana, we drive slowly through water in the road.   This is to wash our ties.   We get out of the vehicle and walk through water to wash our shoes.   Then Leonardo meets us and we go to Chobe Safari Lodge.

Chobe Safari Lodge

Chobe Safari Lodge

The lodge is beautiful.   I was so happy to wash my feathers here.   Look at the birds in the sinks.

Decorative sink in ladies room

Decorative sink in ladies room

I love this place!  Of course, we love the pool.

Nice pool

Nice pool

We will return here for a lunch buffet.   Yum!  I am on the boat and ready to go.

Ready for boat safari

Ready for boat safari

There are some very nice ladies from Sydney, Australia on our boat safari also.    This colorful bird must be our mascot.

Mascot for our boat?

Mascot for our boat?

He stays with us, leaves for a few minutes, then returns to our boat.   He is small and beautiful.   These mongoose seem to like us.

Mongoose

Mongoose

I like warthogs.   We saw many of them in Liwonde National Park in Malawi also.

Warthog

Warthog

Isn’t he wonderful?   There are many birds here also.   We admire the gray heron.

Gray Heron

Gray Heron

And, we recognize the fish eagles.

Fish Eagle

Fish Eagle

This is a Nile crocodile.

Nile Crocodile

Nile Crocodile

He is big and more green than gray.   I love his color.   This cape buffalo looks like he combed and parted his hair, but those are his horns.

Cape Buffalo

Cape Buffalo

They can be vicious, if they feel threatened.   I, Zeb the Duck, would never threaten them.   We are visitors in his territory.   We are on the Chobe River and in this portion of the river, one side is Botswana and the other side is Namibia.   This island was claimed by each country.   Eventually Botswana got the island and this flag of Botswana, on Sedudu Island shows everyone that this island is Botswana.

Flag of Botswana on Sedudu Island

Flag of Botswana on Sedudu Island

In Namibia, the island is known as Kasikili Island.   Elephants are so big and so magnificent.   Here are elephants and a small baby elephant.

Elephants of all sizes

Elephants of all sizes

I, Zeb the Duck, and the humans loved these elephants.   Don’t you?  This beautiful bird is the Lilac-Breasted Roller, the unofficial national bird of Botswana.

Botswana's Lilac-Breasted Roller

Botswana’s Lilac-Breasted Roller

Just as a reminder, I am on this boat, but like before, it is difficult to get me in photos with the animals.    I might fall into the river.   But here I am, in front of an elephant.

I see the elephant

I see the elephant and maybe he sees me.

The country of Namibia has a huge desert, but this small part of Namibia has these same animals.   This is a safari lodge in Namibia.

Namibia Safari Lodge

Namibia Safari Lodge

Love the chalets on stilts.   Maybe next time…?  Time to go back to the Chobe Safari Lodge for lunch.   Next time I will show you what I saw on the afternoon game drive.