South Luangwa Bush camping

Ok its  high time for another post,

I have been super busy, loading images to two stock photo image banks, in an attempt to have a constructive outlet for some of my stuff. Its been interesting, you definitely have to have a thick skin and I think ill be lucky if the earnings mount up to much more than a meal out after a couple of months, but im a published artist at least!

Going back now to June and my trip to Zambia and Malawi. South Luangwa National park is the home of the walking safari in Africa. What an experience. We went bush camping for 1 night, most people would do 2 or 3. Our guide has been out in the bush for 17 years and one of Africas top guides. She'd kill me if she saw her mug published to the web, but my following is so small I think I can get away with it. This was a really beautiful experience and a new way to see wildlife. Peering at elephants through the long grass, being observed by curious giraffe, and best of all listening to stories of the wild around a camp fire. I dont think I have ever been as alert as when i was laying on my swag in my tent at night listening to the night sounds. I wasnt afraid, I think I almost wanted something exciting to happen, but I might have turned to mush if it really did.

We heard a beautiful story of one night when a monther and baby elephant came through camp and while mother was browsing, baby found a warm spot next to a small girl asleep in her tent, and the baby snuggled up on the other side of the canvas to wait for its mum. Cute!

HOT Property #1 - Pumulani

For those of us that get sweaty palms at a swankily lush property and a bit of tasteful (or sometimes not so tasteful) design. Heres the first in what will be an on and off series of  posts, sharing some of the spots I have had a chance to check out. Feel free to share your own.

Pumulani is on the shores of Lake Malawi in Southern Africa. I was here last week at the end of a Zambia and Malawi safari trip. Impossibly huge rooms, almost too big, cleverly blending into the forested hills clinging to the Lake shore.

Apart from doing very little, you can do sunset dhow trips, bird walks and village visits amongst other things.

The View from the Loo

My Room - all 95 feet of it

Check it out

The Selous Game Reserve

Following on from Zanzibar, we took a light aircraft down to the Selous Game reserve in Southern Tanzania. The Selous is one of the largest reserves in all of Africa, although the northern section is the only part open to safari traffic. While the Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater in the North draw the largest crowds,  the Selous has a magic of its own. Wild and untamed, with areas that you can visit and not see another soul and with two large rivers snaking through. Safari experiences here tend to be both land and water based.

I found some of the game quite skittish and timid,  I suspect due to historical hunting further south. But at the same time, it felt wild and the scenery beautiful and very varied. Further North around Lake Manze the game is more concentrated (as well as the people), and we finally found our lions, who were more than happy to sprawl in the sun and be photographed. On the way back we had to wait for a herd of buffalo 300 strong to pass, hoofing up great clouds of dust. It was like something out of the wild west

I stayed at two wonderfully luxurious Serena properties,  Selous Luxury Camp and Mivomo River Lodge. Selous Luxury Camp falls in the category of what i like to call Pretend camping. This is popular in Africa - basically all mod cons, in this case down to rolltop baths and chandeliers and a hint of Out of Africa colonial charm - but with canvas walls for atmosphere. I did hear a very vocal hippo through my own set of canvasses.  Mivomo river lodge is perched dramatically on the river banks - alltogether less of a bush camp experience, huge suites with aircon, private terraces with plunge pools and outdoor showers overlooking the river.  Whilst enjoying a gourmet lunch we saw 30 or so elephants come down to drink on a distant shore.

Zanzibar

Zanzibar.. The Spice Islands.  The names themselves conjur up exotic travel, Dhows carrying exotic goods from the East blown by the trade winds, Sultans and harems. Zanzibar became the capital of the Omani empire in 1698 and has a rich history with a unique blend of Arab and Swahili cultures. On a darker note it was formaly the centre of the slave trade to the East until Livingstone had a hand in bringing about its abolition.

The capital, Stone Town has a certain faded charm, with crumbling merchants houses and palaces with intricately carved wooden doors and snaking alleyways.

The meat and fish markets make for a colourful and vibrant experience, though not for the faint hearted vegan.












Away from the capital are a host of gorgeous beaches, spice plantations to visit and the Jozani forest with an uber cute troop of Colubus monkeys. These days its a great add on to a Tanzanian Safari to the Selous or the Serengeti reserve 

I first went to Zanzibar for the Millenium, and was lucky enough to pop back on a flying visit hosted  by Serena hotels en route to the Selous Game reserve last September. As the sun has come out in London, I thought it might be time to share these sunny shots of East Africa.