June 7 – 9, 2016

I am on location for National Geographic…or at least this is how I imagine it would be. The area of Chobe that I visited was amazing, however it was for day trips. Hwange is full immersion. It is the largest game reserve in Zimbabwe and gained international attention in 2015 when Cecil the Lion was shot and killed by an American dentist.

Note: Settle in.  This will be a long read.  To arrive at our “rustic” game lodge deep in the Hwange National Forest, we had a 2 hr car transfer and then boarded the Elephant Express. It is an open air, 20 passenger train powered by 2 Toyota Landcruiser engines, which took us 2 hours deep into heart of the national forest. Finally, we were picked up by an open air safari Range Rover and driven down a dirt road to our lodge.

The setting was just as you would imagine or have seen in any National Geographic. Light breeze, billowy clouds contrasted against a perfect blue sky.

Our train conductor, a jovial late 60’s fella named Enoch, explained to us that the train ride would be approximately 2 hours but could be longer if we saw wildlife and wished to stop. We were the only passengers on the train so it was at our discretion. I was skeptical at first, because why would wild animals who had the vast openness of the national park, be anywhere near human interaction (ie. train tracks)? Within the first 30 minutes, my skepticism was dismissed, emphatically.

Chugging along in an open air train through Hwange National Park is surreal and relaxing…until Enoch locks up the brakes. “Spotted jackal pups on the tracks! I will try to get closer to get a better view.” When we got within 10 meters, it became clear that these were not spotted jackal at all. “CHEETAH CUBS!!!” yelled Enoch. I could not believe it. There on the tracks were 5 cheetah cubs. We all just sat there looking at them in complete disbelief for about 5 minutes. We started to wonder where the mother was? In a flash, one of the staff spun around to the back of the train and yelled “CHEETAH!!!” I immediately pivoted to the rear but all I saw was a cloud of dust on the tracks (because cheetahs are fast). The mother had taken down an impala into the bush. I turned back to the see the cubs had bolted into the bush as well to reunite with their mother for a meal. And just like that, I knew I was in the wild.

As we proceeded again toward our camp, I barely sat down for the next 45 minutes. On either side of and crossing the tracks we saw giraffe, impala, kudu, zebra, wildebeest, hippo, and of course…elephant. It was like casually strolling through the largest zoo you can imagine only we were in their space and they were looking at us. I was torn between taking photographs or simply watching in awe. Oh yeah…remember that time I was riding my bicycle along the train tracks through a national park in Zambia last week? Ah…good times, good times.

After nearly 3 hours on the Elephant Express, we were picked up by a Range Rover and driven to our lodge. We were told that it was a tent lodge. Technically that is correct, however our “tent” had tile floors, a flushing toilet, a shower and separate tub, both with hot water, and views that looked out over the bush. There was even wifi. We were given face towels, cold beers, and invited to “sundowners” (happy hour with wine, beer, or gin and tonic). After dinner in the main lodge, we were escorted to our tent by one of the guides who is carrying Winchester rifle. We were told not to leave our tents after dark because it is too dangerous. As the sun is setting on my first night in the African bush, the air is still. The brightest stars I have seen come alive without any hindrance of clouds or light pollution. Birds and the rustle of game in the near bush is all I can hear. I am remote. I am wild. I am in Africa. I’ve been told I’m great at “doing” but terrible at “being”. There is nothing to do except “be”.

Throughout the night, we are constantly reminded that we are in a wild place. Elephants, birds, and hyenas tell us that we are not alone. The next morning, we are awakened at 5:45am by Lovemore (yes, that is his name although not sure exactly how it was spelled) with a gentle knock on the door, “Good morning, good morning! he whispers in his thick Zimbabwe accent. I have hot water for tea or coffee outside your door.” It is winter in Zimbabwe and while it is in the 70’s during the day, it is in the upper 30’s overnight. We get dressed and walk the path down to the main lodge. The sun is cresting the horizon bringing with it new life for the day. The air is crisp, yet calm and there is a large camp fire where we have breakfast and tea before setting out on our drive. It’s as if we’re camping but we’re far from roughing it.

We piled into the Range Rover at 630am with a family of 3 from Alaska and set out into the bush. All of the familiar cast that we met the day prior come out. Half way through the day, we stopped at the local watering hole to observe several bull elephants. One of them was “in musk” as Ndaba, our guide, told us, which meant he was very actively looking for a mate and was brimming with testosterone…and we all know what testosterone can do. When he saw our vehicle parked behind him, then heard another vehicle pull up nearby, he turned and did a “mock charge”, then stood his ground. It was startling, but nobody in our vehicle flinched. Eventually, he realized we were not a threat and the stand off ended.

We lumbered back toward our lodge as the sun was setting. The only thing better than an African sunrise, is an African sunset. It seemed to last for an hour. All the colors of the rainbow were prominent in the sky. It was truly magical. Just when you relax and forget how wild of a place you are in, you roll by a wildebeest skeleton that provided a meal for lions, hyenas, and vultures and you are reminded that you are in Africa. After dinner, we were again escorted back to our “tent” and fell fast asleep in the anticipation of the 545am wake up call the next day from Lovemore.

The following morning, we again go on a brief game drive but the real focus is visiting the local village and primary school. Poverty and disease are very real issues in Africa. Estimates have shown that 20% of the population in Zambia and Zimbabwe has AIDS and as a result, 1/3 of the children are orphans. It is such a real issue that AIDS awareness is taught even at the primary school level. For a child to attend school, they must pay $10 per term for the 3 terms annually. This particular school has 300 students ranging from K-7. Only 40% can actually pay. Originally I was quite embarrassed because the entire encounter felt so contrived. The children came out from their class rooms, sang native songs and even danced for us while we were encouraged to take photos. Following that, they were given a fixed 5 minutes of “interaction” time with us. It was awkward to put it gently. However, when I took a step back, I realized they genuinely loved performing and showing their heritage. Their songs and dances were truly beautiful, as were the genuine smiles on their faces. These children existed on incredibly meager means and this was their way of showing us their world. It is a good eye opener for tourists to be shown another perspective and bring awareness so it isn’t just about seeing elephants and giraffe. People actually live here.