Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Jet Lag, Bags and Lions...

Right, where to start...

First and foremost, we are in Africa!!!!

But our trip here has been interesting...

Our flight from Singapore to Johannesburg was delayed by 3 hours, which meant we missed our connecting flight from Joburg to Victoria Falls. We ended up on a British Airways flight that got us into Victoria Falls at 1.30pm instead of 9.30am. Sounds sweet right? Ummmm it gets better...Our bags never arrived in Victoria Falls, AND there was no rep from our tour group there to meet us. So we are sitting in the dinkiest little airport you have ever seen, in Zimbabwe, with no bags, and no idea where the hell we are! Lol! Ahhhh memories!

We got someone to ring our tour company and they came and picked us up and our bags are expected to arrive today! Yay coz we are both fairly manky...no toothbrush, soap etc etc and shops here are VERY grass roots!!

The drive from the airport to our lodge was very eye opening and humbling! Orangatangs walking down the road with their little babies, people living in grass/tin shacks on the sides of the road, beggers everywhere, big signs saying beware of elephants...Mind blowing!! We slept for 12 hours off and on and had to wake up at 5.30am this morning to go on our dum dum dum WALK WITH THE LIONS!!! We needed breakfast beforehand so decided it would be a good idea to walk down to the local 24 hour takeaway bar...in the dark :o/ Pam and Jane would you like paper bags? Getting there was fine, a few dodgy people hanging out, but on the way back all these monkeys came running out on to rooftops to stare at us, and then this rabid looking dog came running at us...good times! Possibly not the BEST idea to walk down the street at 6am with hamburgers with all the wildlife around here...

So we found a place where we could walk with the lions here on the boarder of Zimbabwe. The place basically strives to introduce lions back into the wild. There are 4 steps to the programme and we were a part of step one, which is mainly fundraising (what we pay) but also getting the lions used to being part of a pride. AMAZING!!!! Like, life changing stuff! There were 10 of us and 2 lions and basically we just walked around and hung out. They are cheeky and you have to watch out when they pull 'naughty' faces. We both walked with them, with our hands on their backs, and also sat with them while they were lying down. An experience neither one of us will forget in a hurry! For cubs they were pretty big! A fully grown one would be very intimidating.

It is far far more primative over here than either of us expected. And we are currently in a very touristy area. Our room for example, has 2 single beds, a set of drawers and that is it. Showers and toilets are shared and they are very grass roots. Lysh, you wouldn't use them! Lol!

This afternoon we are going to walk down to Victoria Falls as we haven't seen them yet, but you can hear them at night! And we start our tour in the morning.

We feel pretty safe here and it is hard to comprehend that the rest of Zimbabwe is not in such a good state. The poverty is asstounding, and makes you really glad for what we have back home. We have no bags but we are blissfully happy!!!

Until next time.

Love to everyone!!!!

xxx

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Read your blog out to Tom and Bryn - Bryn was soooooooo jealous of the lions, Tom said maybe the orangatans were just ugly people....LOTS AND LOTS OF LOVE TO YOU BOTH!!!MUMXXXXXXXXX

Anonymous said...

Great to hear from you, and what you are up too. Shame about your bags, you will both be hanging out for your things to arrive, I am sure. Can't have you going into the wilds too feral, the animals may take a liking you you.
Its great being able to keep up with what you are doing on the net, make a mother a bit more relaxed !!!
Look after yourselves, and each other. Lots of Love P

Anonymous said...

great call Pam!!

Well you are both certainly getting the "experience" you wanted. :) You sound like you're handling it all well. Hope you both have a great day.

Enjoy the warmth, it's 1 degree here. Does that make you feel toasty...

Love Pen

Anonymous said...

Wow, how surreal hearing you talk about all these experiences. Glad you handled the travel ok. How awesome. Love Kate

bryan said...

roooarrrghh (disclamer: I am not a lion)

Sorry, it's a wierd day at work :-D

bryan said...

Oh, and I hope yours bags turn up soon :-)

Anonymous said...

Pleeeeezzzzz let us know as soon as you get your bags - I had a dream before you left that you lost them.....typical me, an anal dream........

Anonymous said...

HEy monkeys!!!! Glad your having fun, shit happens on trips aye but you just gotta deal with it!! I am going to make you a book of allthe shit you are missing at work!!!hahaha LMFAO!!!

Love me and mandog.

PS it is SNOWING right now!!

alysha said...

hey guys

i only just realised u can put comments on here lol but u know me and computers hehe, hope u have yor bags now im sure u will have, am missing u heaps i keep going to call u lol like bry said that would be a very xpensive ph call. sounds like u guys are gona have an amazing time yay

look after you's

lots of love alysha and mya

Anonymous said...

Hi there, I hope things are going well for you and that you are having a great time. Everything fine here, went out to Kaiapoi and Rangiora on Sat, Your neighbour is doing his job well, I even had a chat to him as he stood at his front door - that plan is working well !!! Love to you both P.