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-----Original Message-----
From: gail.diers12@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 3 Jul 2013 07:34:27
To: Basil Henderson<tbasilh.zimp@blogger.com>
Reply-To: gail.diers12@gmail.com
Subject: IMG-20130701-00300.jpg

Transport the local way
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Gonarezhou ..Chipinda Pools,Chinguli and Chilojo Hills campsites

One definitely comes to Gonerazhou for the scenery. Chipinda Pools the first night on the edge of the Runde River with hippo and crocs. They have two ablution blocks with running water and hot showers . Very pleasant.










On to Chinguli campsite which is also on the Runde river looking towards the cliffs. The reflections of the Chilijo Cliffs in the water is very beautiful.

We were again spoilt with hot showers. Our in house comedian, Hennie kept us in hysterics around our camp fire once again last night !!

We took a drive around and saw  a herd of Kudu, Wildebeest a lone Buffalo a couple of elephant and a Hyena out in the late morning.












The highlight of the day was our drive to the top of the Chilijo Cliffs. The view from there is magnificent. Two Black Eagles were gliding around us scanning the edges of the cliffs for quite some time..what a treat.


















Arrived at Chilojo Cliffs campsite which is a bush camp with one long drop toilet!!!
We are now sitting on the edge of the river looking straight across at the cliffs enjoying sundowners...what a view.










On to Fishan camp which also only has the luxury of a long drop. We are on the bank of the Runde river once again with many crocs and at least 100 Egyptian geese...you can imagine the noise...thought we were back home !!

Took a game drive and stopped in the causeway to wash our cars which were in bad need of it. They have done a lot of work on the roads in the Park so other than an odd patch here and there they are in very good condition.

Everyone except Rita &Gavin, Gail &Garth and Bail and I , left for home today.
Sat 6th Rita & Gavin have set off for home and we are heading for Mozambique today.



















Saw more game driving out the Reserve this morning than the previous few days. .the highlight being 2 Wild Dogs (Painted Dogs) as they now seem to refer to them as in Zim. As we crossed the last causeway a hippo popped his head out of the water about 5m away from our car !! The bridge crossing the Runde River was washed away in 2000 and has still not been repaired.

Will drive until about 4pm today (+-9 hrs) so it will be a long day..not sure where we will spend the night!

Antelope Park Gweru to Gonarezhou

Very pleasant facilities with chalets and camping.Had a good meal at the lodge followed by good stories around their pit bouma. They breed lions so heard them roaring all night.
There are many police stops along the way  but apparently they have been told not to harass tourists so get waived through most..except poor Jakes who got a US$10 fine for not carrying a fire hydrant.
A lot of repairs and maintenance is being done to the roads with a result they now have a few tol roads manned by one person for both directions of traffic!! A policeman is at hand to check that each driver is given a receipt and another sitting on the side of the road with a machine gun!!! We assume that is for non payers !!!

Quite a  few garages are still without fuel but it has not affected us as we have always been able to get from some where. Prices for diesel range anywhere from $1.31 to $1.47 per Lt.

We arrived at the gate at Gonarezhou only to have an hour delay in checking us in as there appeared to be problems with their booking system . This we thought was resolved with great inefficiency !! only to arrive at out site at Chipinda Pools to find other people on our site!!
We sorted ourselves out in the end.
The site was good on the edge of the Runde River with running water and hot showers.

Unfortunately there isn't much game ..the little we have seen are very skittish ..we think as a result of hunting and poaching in the past . The scenery is very pretty varying from large river beds, lovely cliffs and a variety of big trees .

News from the team is that all is well. They had no data service in
Gonarezhou but have left there and Basil & Helen and Garth & Gail are
now on their way to Mozambique via Sango border to Muzamane Machaila
Chigubo Tesenane. They're not sure where to after that but will try and
post on Sun if able.

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Many hands make gas stove work
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Mana Pools 29 June

Jannie and Tjeerd joined the team yesterday..we now have 6 Toyota's and 1 Land Rover.
No water yesterday due to a burst pipe ..but was fixed by today..quite amazing..so we are back to having lovely hot showers.
Had another lovely camp fire last night - wood is fantastic hard dark mapani  which burns slowly. Only problem is it costs $5 a bundle and we burn 2 to 3 a night.. but it's baie lekker as Jakes says !!

Last day in Mana Pools before we depart for Gonarezhou.
It is Gail's birthday today and we gave her a bottle of champagne wrapped in the Sandton news tired with foil cut from a wine casket !!
After a leisurely breakfast everyone set off to explore new parts of the park. We came across a kill which was covered with so many white backed vultures we could not see what it was nor was there any sign of animals with full tummy's. Stopped at water holes along the way but still no abundance of game other than a herd of about 150 Impala.

Weather is perfect, blue sky with not a single cloud and the evenings are warm and the stars are fantastic.

30th..just left Mana Pools camp and came across a herd of 8 Eland. Heading back up to Karoi to restock and refuel and will be spending the night in Gweru

Picture relating to previous posts.

We now have stronger signals so sending a few pictures from our previous post

Chitake

From this spot we saw lion, elephant and buffalo.

Trying to post photo

Mana Pools - Nyamepi Camp

We tried to take a scenic route to Nyamepi but could not cross the Sapi River - sand to deep and soft. Had to recover vehicles and deflate tyres and eventually did a u turn and went the main route so only got to camp at about 5pm. Our 1 hr trip turned into 7 hrs !!

Nyamepi camp is very big with quite a lot of people which we are not used to after having all previous camps to ourselves. We do have drinkable tap water, flushing toilets and a hot shower.









Sun sets over the Zambezi are beautiful and temperatures perfect reaching  31 at 4pm.

Hyenas and monkeys are a problem in camp. We must have had about 10 hyena scavenging  around us whilst having supper last night..an odd pebble tossed in their direction and large bonfire kept them at bay.








Have seen quite a lot of game but because there is still water inland the animals have not arrived in large herds as yet.

 The park has spectacular trees and lovely scenery especially along the river edge.

We have driven to Vundu Point which is very pretty with huge pods of hippo. The river is very wide here and you can see Zambia across the other side..quite a few lodges and moored boats .

Zebra are extra black and white

Looks like a golf course with all the large trees

Sun downer

Enjoying the camp fire

Large herd of inquisitive impala

Local ladies going fishing

Camp along the banks of the Zambezi

Anyone for tea or coffee?

Beautiful herd of Eland

 

Mana Pools - Chitake 1 - 24 June

The trip out from Matusadona was a bit quicker only 4.5 hrs. Gavin and Rita had a blow out probably caused by the rocks. Made it to Karoi and camped at the Twin Rivers Motel - they let us use the chalet bathrooms.

Gavin got a new tyre fitted early Monday morning and Nico, Marian, Hennie and Ronelle arrived and we set off.

Not a bad trip except for first 30 km into Mana which is quite badly corrugated. Went through 3 check points before arriving at our camp around 13.30 .




Park fees are US$15 per person per day and $10 per vehicle.












Before we could finish setting up camp a lion came strolling past us in the river bed so everyone scrambled for cover then cameras came out. A lone elephant followed shortly after then a buffalo. Animals were coming down for a night cap. A huge troop of baboons entertained us until they went to bed in the trees across the river bed.




We had so much activity around all night we got little sleep. Lion, hyena, elephant and baboons

Up early and collected water from the spring for our showers. There are no facilities at the campsite, just a beautiful massive Natal Mahogany tree. The little stream suddenly started to flow yesterday afternoon and is now trickling right past our camp.

















Baboons are up and there is a hive of activity must be about 100 of them providing us with great entertainment.

















Took a stroll up the river bed then drove around to see the avenue of old baobabs very impressive. Stopped for tea and watched a few buffalo come down to drink.

Heading back to our own camp which seems to be the best place for game viewing and enjoying a few ice cold beers.

Last night our camp was surrounded by 3 lion calling each other -  they sounded like they were in bed with us!!

Leave for Mana Pools this morning...have not been able to get data signals to send to the blog.. Will remove the pictures and try again.

This last picture(when they eventually come thru.) shows everyone trying to help Rita & Gavin put their shower cubicle  back in it's cover...I think you need a degree!!