On the Road Again - Adventures from an Empty Nest

It’s taken me the longest time to write about our adventures in Zambia, the fifth country of our safari trip. One reason is that life has sped up since our return, making our African sojourn seem impossibly long ago and far away. Another is that we had an amazing time there, and I’ve been struggling to carve out the time to do it justice. But at last, here is the fourth – and last – installation of the Szakos on the Road Southern Africa blog. The Lower Zambezi  The only way to get to the Royal Zambezi Lodge is by private plane or boat. We flew on a commercial flight from Livingstone, Zambia, to the capital Lusaka, where our little charter plane was waiting for us. At the other end, we flew in circles while safari vehicles raced down the landing strip, making sure no wildlife were in the way of the plane. What a greeting!  A ten-minute drive through the bush, along the edge of the Lower Zambezi National Park, and we were at the lodge, where each family was guid...

Post 3: Botswana and Namibia On day seven of our adventure, after visiting the Chinotimba Primary School in Victoria Falls, we headed on to Kasane, Botswana, a two-hour drive away. Kasane is just outside Chobe National Park, Botswana's first game reserve and home to the largest herd of elephants in the country, as well as the lions who eat them. During our three days there, we spent most of our time in the park, either in open-sided safari vehicles or in a boat.  There is only one lodge inside the park, so we stayed at the Chobe Marina Lodge, just down the Chobe River. The wildlife experience starts at the lodge, where monkeys call out from the trees and wart hogs stroll companionably down the walkways. An avid birdwatcher could sit on the porch outside the rooms and fill out a great list without leaving the chair. Our game drives started at 6 am, while it was still dark, and began with a high-speed drive through 40° winter mornings, wrapped in blankets against the c...