Me and 12 colleagues decided to spend a long weekend in Zambia. We´ve rented 3 vehicles 4x4´s and left home around 3:30am - we were very excited but also very sleepy. The plan was to arrive at the Border before 6 am. Its about 3 hours to get there and we fortunately arrived safe and ready to cross the border. We took more than 2 hours at the Zambia side border cause the service there was like 10 stars or more. It wasn´t good at all and I hope it gets better when I go back next time. I think the big problem was because they are not used to see so many people crossing the border at the same time specially early in the morning? We were a team of 13 people but there were other colleagues also going to Zambia but staying in different Lodges in the park. The road is ok but before getting to the park we found a 200 km or more of really bad road. You take hours to get into the park and you have to prepare yourself for the very bad road. You can´t sleep, you don´t feel confortable in the car and you arrive completely broke. Take a look at the bad road picture , however with a beautiful view. We were close to the park and found another beautiful view - it was a huge river. You start feeling better and excited. Five minutes later we were in the South Luangwa Park. Uf, that was the best part - getting there.
The Lodge was EXPENSIVE but definitelly we did not expect a 5 stars service like that in everything. Ups, no, except the food. Oh dear, the food wasn´t good - completely different from our cultures. In our group we had two Mozambicans, Brazilians, one Portuguese and one colombian. We all didn´t like the food at all but we had to survise with that for 3 long days. They have a SPA at the Lodge so I guess that food is for people who stay in the park to lose weight or something? And you cant even take your food from home cause you don´t have a fridge in your room. Oh by the way, there are no aircons but you´ll not even think about it cause the wether is nice.
See the Welcome bellow - that´s my best picture from this adventure I think. The Impalas are what they most have in the Park. Everywere in the park or before getting there you can see lots of them. I just loved them and took lots of pictures. My friends laughed so much because I took so many pictures of them and they were always saying: aren´t you tired to take so many pics of the Impalas :-)?
Unfortunately life is not just fun and relaxing for the animals there. No rules between some animals I guess. During the safari we saw a dead Zebra on the floor and the Lions eating her meat. Its something we didn´t expect to see ever. It´s also something we will never forget. It was to sad to see that view.
The safari continued and more animals on the way posing for the pictures. Zebras, lions, hipos, thousands of monkeys, etc, we could see all of them.
Funny when I was young my colleages used to call me girafe so that was my chance to take a picture with my friend girafe :-). They are so pretty.
The feeling changes when is about to smile and take a picture in fornt of lions. We were driving around when we saw 6 or more leos relaxing in the middle of the road. They looked tired and full, probably from eating the Zebra last night. It was so scary the guy from the Lodge stopped the car for very long time and we couldn´t even move or talk loud. It was scary but somehow very interesting to see it. I was born in July 23rd, so I am Leo and was quite a pleasure to see a Leo in front of me.
Good bye Zebras :). They are so elegant - both walking around toguether.
Oh, I can´t forget to tell you what we found when driving back home. A group of muslim guys praying at the border. Why will they pray at the border? We don't know - we couldn´t ask them. What we know is that more than 20% of the population in zambia is muslim and the rest are catholic or belongs to african religions.
