~ AFRICA ~ Chikwenya Lodge on the Zambezi River

Driving our way to Chikwenya

This is where we stopped and had breakfast. The timbers here are to be adored.The water bags keep the flies away.

Paying our fees to enter the park that takes us to the camp.

Driving long distances can be boring and torturous for some.

I like it a lot. My eyes never rest.

Give me room to grow~

 A tree frog found it's way into our room.

Wild game is abundant

A day in paradise where the wild animals run free and wild. 

Kudu with mud on his horns.

 Mommas and babies dotted the river banks. Her gentle trunk would help the baby
along.

 Tammy's Mom was with us fishing and she too caught her biggest tiger fish yet. Well done Val!

 Our time fishing together will be time I will treasure forever my friend.

 The bite I've been waiting for.

The very thought of going to Chikwenya I get a little high on color, smells, tiger fishing and vitamin D.

Ken puts up with a lot of tireless, wild questioning from me. He’s my sweetheart to put up with me but this is one particular place where I feel full of energy. Perhaps it’s the direct sunlight or the very thought of fishing. But I think it’s the spirit of the place filling me up, winding me up and setting me free. I stretch my wings. I glide and glint in the sun.  Then I get intensely greedy for catching more tiger fish

 So I do try and I get very happy!

 When we came off the water waiting for us in the bush were these two lions. The moment was brief and the impression will last forever.

 They are very fast and swim at lightning speed..

 I'm not bragging.. Well maybe I am. My first cast. 8 pounds, next cast, 9, next cast, another 8..

 Ken was determined to catch on his Vibrax Spinner. But a Barbel? He caught Tigers too.

 You Mr. Hippo are the center of attention.

 Peaceful thoughts..

 Termite mounds. They always point to the north.

 The grunting sounds they make. They are giants in the water. We would even catch them on occasion with our lures. They would duck and dart beneath the boat. 

 Giant African Kingfisher.

 When I see the sky here and watch the river wind I feel the eternal part of me perch like a fish eagle sitting in a tree. Two birds sitting in this tree.

 Ken caught this guy on his spinner. He had over 30 strikes and caught 3 and jumped off 3 more.

 Ele's everywhere.

 Bream and frog in the pool at the lodge.

 Think there are any elephants near the lodge?

 Crocs too.

There were:

Honest moments, silent moments, laughing moments, learning moments, vulnerable moments, moments of appreciation and wonder, moments of excitement, moments of elation….

Stepping back from it all, and reflecting on the time I spent with this woman, I cannot help but feel richer because of our friendship.

  Birds of a feather flock together, and we make a feathered pair like no other.

 The elephant hair that hangs off his tail is what the bracelets are made from.

 24 cart gold.

 Food comes in all shapes and sizes.

Where our hearts wander, our feet follow close behind.

 Looking off the deck at Chikwenya.

 It's going to be a very good day! The sun and river said so~

 I don't want to see your butt!

 We saw canoes the first day out and this was where they set up camp. 

 This is the Chessa which is the fish we used for bait.

 9 1/2 pounds. Nice one sweetie.

 

 One of the dogs had broken a leg and only hanging by sinew. It finally fell off. They figured a croc may have gotten him. He stayed with the young pups and when the wild hunters returned with food they fed the broken legged dog as well. A well oiled unit!

 Wild dogs. Here, we feast, but we never feast alone.

 Milk mouth.

 Nothing ever goes to waste in the bush.

 This is what I like most about Africa.  I look out on the land here and see it for exactly what it is:  thrumming with life, dry and blistering and bristling, thorny, wrinkled and rumpled, hard hearted and brilliant with beauty.
There are no games here. Everything eats daily!

 Sand bank with grass.

 We never missed a sunrise or a sunset.

 Nothing goes to waste in nature.
The land here is naked and vulnerable despite everything that bites, prickles, kills and stings.  I have never taken this for granted. It makes itself plain to the seeing eye — it’s a quality I appreciate.

 The wind blew so hard one day it stirred the sand up and away.

 Chikwenya Lodge on the Zambezi River. Where the  life giving Zambezi swallows you whole.

 Elephants and Zebras are in the background.

 Cold beer and snacks for our evening fishing.

 A herd of Cape Buffalo.

 Young bulls pushing each other around. Reminds me of elk back in OK.

 Are you the one that owes me money?

 The look of "I dare you"

 The big bull elephant they called Captain put on a show for us.

He is wild and very handsome. They figured her was 25-30 years old.

 

 Ox peckers helping out the eland.

 Water buck baby.

 On the lookout. Kudu on an ant hill with impala standing by.

 Wild game everywhere in Chikwenya. No hunting is allowed here. But boundaries aren't far away and the rules change. Animals are free to come and go as they please.

 This is the road I will take when I'm far far away from the Zambezi.

 Watching the sun disappear behind the Zambian Mountains.

 This giant baobab is 1000's of years old. You've left a mark in my heart~

 B E A U T I F U L ~The promise of an African sunset is written in the stars and draped along the river for all to enjoy~

This is the ONLY mammal that came to the predator call. A gennet cat.

The pods of this tree are one of the reasons all the animals congregate here.