On to our new location - WITH PHOTOS

Saturday, September 17, 2022

Continental breakfast and departure immediately after!  We've left our big bags on our beds and brought our little ones with us.  We mount up on two of the safari vehicles for the first two and a half hours of the journey, taking grab shots along the way and arrive at The Kingdom Resort for a bathroom break and to change vehicles.  Our lodge vehicles and drivers will go home and we'll continue on with all of us in one bus. While we're there, though, I get to dance with one of the girls and it's a blast!  Marilyn chats with her and the musician who plays a thumb piano and we learn that they love for people to dance with them.  In fact, it is an insult to just pass by with joining in!  Who knew! I just couldn't help myself! Along the way we stop at an ATM because the rhino walk requires cash.  My card won't play nice but Marilyn's does.  It's always good to travel with a buddy!

such interesting construction

This is under the shower to prevent erosion.

night light along the trail

convenient restroom

lots of people walking along the road

plastic buckets are used for everything

solar panels

baobob tree

flame trees

The Kingdom Resort

Not Victoria Falls!

constant maintenance

bush willow - see the bee?

puzzle pic - can you find the giraffe?

sausage tree - for obvious reasons! Used for skin cancer and male enhancement

cape buffalo - these are females because they don't have the huge "cape" on their foreheads

harder to see when they are buried in the bush!

You really need four-wheel drive!

The bus can only go so far, and we are met by two 4x4's that will take us to the boat that will take us to the island! But it's more than just a means to get to the boat.  Along the way we see giraffes! And learn about the bush willow or brush tree because the flowers look like shaving brushes.  And we see a kudu and a baboon! And we get our first view of the Kalahari Desert!

We get to the Zambeze River and see our other vehicle stopped by the water's edge.  There's an elephant! They leave and it's our turn to gawk and admire as he drinks and then takes a mud bath.  But he notices us and trumpets and advances toward us!!  We leave, as one does!!  (Video when there's real wifi, in the meantime this one from my phone will have to do!)

Oops!   He's notices us!

What is he doing?? Doesn't look good!

Triumphant!

Next we climb into a boat to cross the river to our own private island!  We are staying at the Tsowa Island Resort and it is another glamping experience!! There are welcome drinks and an orientation, with an introduction to our chef who checks on people's dietary restrictions so as to accommodate everyone.

Then lunch is served! Eggs Benedict, toast,  tossed salad, fruit salad, tomato and cucumber salad with feta, and mini pain au chocolate!! And a lovely ros`e, selected by the chef to accompany the meal!

This outdoor shower is such fun to use!

for more conventional campers - or when it's cold!

I love the toilet-paper holder!

all the comforts of home!

and a view to die for!

You have to always keep the zippers zipped so the baboons can't get their fingers inside,
open your tent, and destroy the place!

tea time, because no one should go more than three hours without eating!!

We settle into our rooms, checking everything out and setting up all the electronics and have a small break before returning to the common area for our sunset cruise on the river.  We stressed a bit about having a plug for Marilyn's C-Pap but we think we've got that licked. But first there's afternoon tea!! 

We've all received aa book with all the possible animals we might see, and we begin checking them off.  But it's hard to photograph and check, so Marilyn and I both give that up and just shoot.  We see hippos in the river!! And lots of birds.  Sisa knows them all! As the sun begins to set we see our resort staff on the river bank!  They have set up our sundowner treats!  Wine and beer and Amarula and dried pears and meatballs and peanuts...and a gorgeous sunset!!

mangroves, just like home!

Red Crested Bustard

unexpected sight!

reinforcements!

We take a leisurely ride back to the resort and it seems like only minutes pass before OMG it's time for dinner!  Actually, though, there is a little time to sit in the common area and use the wifi, or sit and chat around the fire pit. The wifi is a bit sluggish and I doubt I'll be able to add much in the way of photos.  We'll see!

People had made their selections before we set sail and now we just have to figure out how to find room for more food!  I've ordered potato and leeks soup, stuffed squash, and Amarula panna cotta.  The chef has selected a chenin blanc and a merlot to go with.  

It's time to take our stuffed and exhausted bodies back to our "tent"s since we'll be leaving at 6:30 in the morning to go to the national park!

We get to our tent (it really has fabric sides and roof; but indoor plumbing and a real floor) by following the raised walkway so that when the river crests you can still get there.  Housekeeping has dropped our mosquito netting and closed up all the window flaps.  It's really hot, so we open everything back up and hope for a breeze. I think we're okay when Marilyn screams!  I hear "Tiger" but what she said was "Spider"!!  I catch him in a glass and take him outside.

I'm taking my computer back to the common area to write this and she's going to bed. Housekeeping found a much better solution to her C-Pap problem!  I'm the only person left out here in the dark, working by the light of an oil lamp!  I'm done!!  Good night!