Pandas in Africa: Day 21: 5/5/2011 - Nanzhila Plains, Kafue National Park

We had a good night’s sleep and I woke up in a much better frame of mind. It turns out, 10m out of the hyena’s hide hole are beautiful plains, with water lilies and bull rushes.

We spent the morning sorting out camping equipment, now that ‘hurricane Hilda’ is back in Joburg. We packed away things no longer needed, sorted out what was and repacked. During this exercise we discovered that with all the sand roads and rain, mud had formed at the bottom of the trailer, so everything had to be unpacked and cleaned. I unpacked all the food boxes and duct taped all the little holes, so they are now secure from little creepy crawlies. We sorted out the car and finally Gray did the washing. This was because he lost the bet as to who had been the most organised – this is a turn for the books and I won’t let him forget it in a hurry.

A stunning guy, Steady, the camp assistant, arrived and offered to help with anything and everything. He boiled a bucket of water for us (it turns out there is a tap at the camp site, but only to be used for washing) and soon I was having a hot shower out of the bucket in the tree. Nothing makes me feel better than a good shower and a hair wash (as Tony and Gray well know). Robs you will be proud of me, I showered and washed my hair using only ½ a bucket of water.

I then ‘cooked’ lunch, tuna pasta – well 2 minute noodles, with chopped onion, peppers and tuna. Cooking 2 minute noodles over a camp fire takes a good 22 minutes, at least, to cook.

We then went for a drive around the area. It is difficult to see animals as the grass is so high but we saw some stunning birds, including a flock of ground hornbills and a pair of wattled cranes (they are on the vulnerable species list).

It is not often we do game drives with the windows closed but if you dare to open them, the tsetse flies swarm in and nip you. It had to be a really good shot before we opened our windows for a pic. I once opened my window to let a tsetse out and 6 flew in, so it was no more Mr nice guy after that.

Gray had read somewhere that we would be bothered by these little buggers and there were 3 methods of ‘avoiding’ them: a) Avon body lotion, b) diesel oil and c) get the smelliest person you can find to put in the car and the flies will go for them instead. I opted for option (a) and eventually found an Avon rep the day before our departure and bought out her whole stock of ‘Smooth like Silk’. I have replaced my Revlon lotion with Avon and so far I have had fewer nips than Gray.

On our return, Brad and Ruth arrived – they are the managers of Nanzhila Plains – and invited us up to their lodge area for drinks. They were extremely hospitable and gave us advice on the road ahead and where to stay. The sunset over the plains was, as sunsets are out here, beautiful. We eventually, walked home in the dark, along the side of plains (probably a little silly in a National Park, with 4 of the big 5) but the moon was coming up and it was so peaceful and beautiful.

I feel a little guilty about yesterday’s blog but hey, we all have our days.

PS. While chatting to Brad & Ruth, they were moaning about some ‘boneheads’ who had stayed here recently and how rude they had been, particularly to Steady , threatening him in the same way Jackson had been spoken to at Namushasha. I had taken the number plates of our ‘friends’ and they were on the guest register here and guess what, they were the same group of obnoxious caravaners.