Thursday, June 30, 2005
final straight
Right then, congratulations to whoever was the 10,000th visitor to the site. If you'd like to identify yourself then we'll arrange for you to receive a special RGJOM t-shirt as a prize. Or something like that. At any rate, 10,000 visitors is more than your average BBC Sport golf article gets..
Rounding the bend, we approach the final straight. From here it's off to sunny Namibia for 2 weeks tomorrow, then a few days in Cape Town, Bude, BotolphClaydon, before the triumphant homecoming in London on July 30th at the PBS boat party.
Rounding the bend, we approach the final straight. From here it's off to sunny Namibia for 2 weeks tomorrow, then a few days in Cape Town, Bude, BotolphClaydon, before the triumphant homecoming in London on July 30th at the PBS boat party.
down at the junction
Travelling in Africa seems to involve less mixing with the locals than in Asia - the backpacker lodges we've been staying in, in Zambia, seem to be mostly filled with Prince Harries as Pete charmingly calls them. So, being the worthy, non-bungee jumping types that we are, we were looking for an opportunity to get into a local village and see some 'real life'. Visiting Simonga (a community based tourism initiative in the pilot phase) for a day and night seemed perfect. Our lovely guide Astone (Villa) did a fantastic job showing us around the school, blacksmith and carpenter - we even squeezed in a football game; and the Head Lady treated us to some very satisfying local meals (corn meal 3 times a day! No wonder the backpacker lodges all serve burgers!).
After Simonga we knew we wanted some serious relaxation and the posters for Jungle Junction promised a uniquely laid-back experience in the middle of nowhere on the banks of the Zambezi River. We booked in for 5 nights.
Brett, the owner, picked us up in Livingstone - and first impressions that he was some sort of alcoholic hippy bushman didn't end up being far from wrong (and he had a penchant for wearing strangely likeable novelty hats)! Nevertheless his 'island paradise' delivered the goods. Our chalet turned out to have only 3 (of a potential 4) walls and looked out over a lovely stretch of the island's shore (although paranoia of a nighttime crocodile invasion did trouble us slightly, we were never visited). The bar was a serve yourself job where popcorn was on offer around sunset every night (free nosebag is definitely a plus for us in any lodging!).
We managed to do absolutely nothing for 3 days - reading (me), making lists and DJing on the ipod over the bar stereo (Pete), getting drunk with Brett and playing backgammon kept us happy. To break the lethargy we opted for a fishing trip in a local style dugout canoe on our 4th day - all the other guests had caught fish and our self-catering cupboard was looking a little empty.
Obviously fate was against me for teasing Pete thoroughly about his episode in the loo with the elephant. We were only in the canoe for 10 minutes before MissSlightlySmugCanadianOutdoorswoman (that's me) managed to fall head first into the river... 3 people standing up in a canoe, I ask you - it was bound to happen right? Anyway, I didn't get eaten by the crocs or washed away by the rapids on that occasion, but 20 minutes later we were seriously surprised by a second attempted dunking - this time by a hippo swimming beneath us. All that, and not a single fish to show for it. Apparently 2 firsts in the history of the island (no fish and falling in!).
(You'll be impressed to hear that, upon Courtney falling in the Zambezi, I managed to stop myself asking if she had the camera in her pocket... for all of 2 seconds until she had both hands on the side of the boat that is..)
We spent the rest of our time on dry land drinking Mosi, dancing around the empty bar and stuffing our faces with popcorn. Paradise.
After Simonga we knew we wanted some serious relaxation and the posters for Jungle Junction promised a uniquely laid-back experience in the middle of nowhere on the banks of the Zambezi River. We booked in for 5 nights.
Brett, the owner, picked us up in Livingstone - and first impressions that he was some sort of alcoholic hippy bushman didn't end up being far from wrong (and he had a penchant for wearing strangely likeable novelty hats)! Nevertheless his 'island paradise' delivered the goods. Our chalet turned out to have only 3 (of a potential 4) walls and looked out over a lovely stretch of the island's shore (although paranoia of a nighttime crocodile invasion did trouble us slightly, we were never visited). The bar was a serve yourself job where popcorn was on offer around sunset every night (free nosebag is definitely a plus for us in any lodging!).
We managed to do absolutely nothing for 3 days - reading (me), making lists and DJing on the ipod over the bar stereo (Pete), getting drunk with Brett and playing backgammon kept us happy. To break the lethargy we opted for a fishing trip in a local style dugout canoe on our 4th day - all the other guests had caught fish and our self-catering cupboard was looking a little empty.
Obviously fate was against me for teasing Pete thoroughly about his episode in the loo with the elephant. We were only in the canoe for 10 minutes before MissSlightlySmugCanadianOutdoorswoman (that's me) managed to fall head first into the river... 3 people standing up in a canoe, I ask you - it was bound to happen right? Anyway, I didn't get eaten by the crocs or washed away by the rapids on that occasion, but 20 minutes later we were seriously surprised by a second attempted dunking - this time by a hippo swimming beneath us. All that, and not a single fish to show for it. Apparently 2 firsts in the history of the island (no fish and falling in!).
(You'll be impressed to hear that, upon Courtney falling in the Zambezi, I managed to stop myself asking if she had the camera in her pocket... for all of 2 seconds until she had both hands on the side of the boat that is..)
We spent the rest of our time on dry land drinking Mosi, dancing around the empty bar and stuffing our faces with popcorn. Paradise.
the music sounds better if you sit in the middle of the bar 
