I dreamed of Africa!
Have you
ever read the book ‘I dreamed of Africa’?
It had a deep and wonderful impression on me when I was young and I
always dreamed of travelling up to deepest and darkest Africa. We never had the opportunity in our youth
but now that we are nearing retirement the doors have opened.
We have been
invited to a fishing lodge on the great Zambezi quite close to Victoria Falls.
What a wonderful experience this has been!
After three
days of travel through South Africa, up Botswana into Zimbabwe at Panamatenga
and across the Matetsi Reserve we eventually arrived at Msuna Fishing Resort.
To say that
we were in the thick of the bush would be to put it mildly. The people living
in the Zambezi valley live very simple uncomplicated lives. They
have very little access to shops so live off the river and grow their
vegetables on the flood plains which are very fertile. We had to bring everything in with us even
water to drink.
The friends
with us are all likeminded and love the bush.
They enjoy fishing and are great to be with. Such fun and much laughter.
We wake to
the sounds of the Heuglin’s Robin which can repeat it’s call up to 16
times! The fish eagle is our constant
friend and the sound of the hippos chatting goes on right through the days and
nights. It is wonderful to get right
back to nature and relax
Zimbabwe is
in turmoil again as the people have not been paid by the government for months
and the drought and cost of goods escalate.
Cross border traders are being hampered by government legislation and
the poor get poorer while the rich stow their money in other countries. Yet the people are peaceful, kind and their
laughter rings over the valley as they go about looking after the herds of
cattle and goats or fish in the river for their supper. It is a very simple hard life yet they
sustain themselves.
All along
the road here we saw many churches and mission schools. The children are being educated and they
are enthusiastic about their education yet there is no prospect of doing
anything with it after they get their M levels.
We visited a
crocodile farm run by the previous manager of Msuna Fishing Resort. He has leased a piece of land in the valley
and is laying the foundation for a very profitable crocodile farm. Apparently there is a great demand for
crocodile skin products in America and Europe.
Handbags, shoes, belts, luggage, shoes, wallets. You name it and they want it!
He has also
introduced a wonderful water recycling system that will fully sustain his venture
in years to come. He draws water from
the Zambezi at the moment but that water has to continually move to keep the
crocs healthy so he takes the used water off into various ponds that have
filtering plants and by the time the water goes through each pond it is ready
for use again in the crocodile pens.
He has also planted an orchard and a vegetable garden which he waters
with the filtered water. He uses solar
power to charge batteries for electricity in his home and is fully off the grid. He lives alone as his wife is in Australia
but he reckons he loves the life. I am
not sure I could live such a lonely life but hats off to him. He is generating employment for the locals
and income for himself eventually.
The life
here is very colonial still. All the
houses have outside kitchens where men cooks are in charge. The food is taken out at the beginning of
the day and a menu drawn up. I am enjoying not having to do the housework and
the cooking and am taking advantage of the time off to do my writing.
Africa is
deep in my blood and although Ireland and Scotland and Wales are still on my
bucket list I first want to explore my country. I pray for Africa as it has seen so much
destruction. People have exploited her
resources and plundered her minerals for their greed. They have left empty mine shafts and
crumbling old buildings and equipment in their wake. Others are trying so hard to uplift the
people and make it a better place for everybody to live. There are schools and missions, clinics and
hospitals. If only they would work
properly!!!
China has
her eye firmly placed on Africa and there is evidence of them building roads in
Botswana in a big way. I only hope it
is to the benefit of Africans!
God bless
Africa, Guide her leaders, Guard her children and may Peace be with her
eventually.
