Africa Journal
September 23, 1995
Ray, could you bring me another Zambezi Beer, and make sure it is cold this time?
We fly to Hwange, and are greeted at the Chokamella lodge by Rob Clifford and his wife Shirley who manage the lodge. We heard many good things about Rob from guides in Victoria Falls and were very pleased to meet him.
We also meet Ray, who will be our guide for the game drives. I don't know if you can see it in these pictures, but Ray bears an uncanny resemblance to the CEO of a $5 billion dollar database software company we all know and love (If you need more hints, press here). Ray could be his little brother, it is really quite a remarkable. I am sure he wonders why I keep asking him to do menial tasks and then start chuckling.
Eye-Eye, An African Eagle Owl
We take an afternoon game drive with Ray, and after dinner a night drive with Rob. On the night drive we park near a waterhole and turn off all lights. It is a moonless night and very dark. We hear a crashing in the wood behind the jeep. The sound gets progressively louder and continues for about a minute. Suddenly a big bull elephant walks out of the woods and passes within 10 feet of the jeep on the way to the waterhole. We shine him with the spotlight as he drinks in the waterhole and Sigrid gets some great shots. A few minutes later, a hyena makes an appearance. We can smell the hyena before we see it.
Hyena & Elephant in the Spotlight
I am getting behind on the journal, just having too much fun.
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