Travels

This week my friend Lindsay came to visit. We spent last weekend in Livingstone in search of wild animals and a glimpse of one of the 7 natural wonders of the world, Victoria Falls. The Falls had been reduced to more of a trickle (because we are at the end of the dry season), but it was still amazing. We were able to walk along the edge of the rocky cliff, at the same spot where (in a few months) rushing water will soon be crashing over the ledge into the gorge below. It was a spectacular view, even if only a trickle.

At sunset we took a river safari down the Zambezi River. Perhaps jealous that our eyes were glued to the banks of the river in search of wildlife, the sunset put forth it’s best effort to distract us, spraying pink, yellow and orange across the sky before finally surrendering beneath the waters of the Zambezi. The hippos were the first to come out to play. Much too proud to humor a boat full of gawking tourists with a close up picture, they kept their distance, exposing their heads only enough to keep an eye on our boat. Occasionally they would open their massive jowls in a wide yawn, maybe to remind us why the hippo is most feared animal by safari guides (even before the lion), and also to let us know how unimpressive our little boat was. The crocodile was our next diversion. It slept lazily on the shore until we drifted closer and it slid into the water and out of view. Just as the last rays of pink were fading from the sky, the elephants emerged out of the bush for an evening drink.

The next day Lindsay and I went on an elephant-back safari. We rode on a young mother who was beautiful and gentle. Her young daughter followed close behind, often trying to walk underneath her mother, threatening to trip her and send us flying. It was a great ride….and afterwards I got to feed my elephant.

The rest of the week was spent back in Kaombe at the Mango Tree.
On Wednesday we had a team from the hospital come and set up a health clinic at the Mango Treefor children under 5 years old. Lindsay and I helped with weighing the babies (to see if they are a healthy weight) and the nurses handed out Vitamin A and medicine for worms and gave vaccine shots.

We ended our work with a delicious meal prepared by the cooks of the Mango Tree. Unknown to us at the time, a snake was hanging from the rafters above us as we ate our meal. Only after we finished did Francis notice the intruder and proceed to beat the living daylights out of it with a large stick. Snakes are a very normal part of life here, so everyone was amused by my horrified face and full-body shudder as I looked at the dead snake. "Was it poisonous?" I ask Francis. "Yes, of course," Francis replies. Man oh man, I hope that is the last snake I see in Africa.

Caterpillar Season

It’s caterpillar season here in Zambia. Everyone is heading out into the bush to fill their buckets with these fat, green slugs. People here are crazy about caterpillars…..life in the village pretty much comes to a standstill for the three-week caterpillar harvest. I have been trying to set up a youth-adult mentorship program at the Mango Tree but I’ve been informed that attendance will be very poor until the caterpillar season is over. Apparently, caterpillars are a delicacy only available here in the Northern Province of Zambia. So, it is a financial boost for many because people come from all the other provinces of Zambia to buy these coveted slugs. I knew it was just a matter of time before I had to try one. Everyone is incredulous when I tell them that yes, we do have caterpillars in the States, but no, we do not eat them. A few mornings ago, Foster knocked on my door and chirped her cheery greeting, as she does every day at the crack of dawn. But on this day, her usual “Good morning Eleezabet!” was replaced with “Eleezabet, you like Ifishimu??” Here we go, I thought. Yet another gastronomic adventure. I entered the kitchen to see Foster hovering over a frying pan filled with caterpillars ("Ifishimu" in Bemba).In the crackling heat of the pan, their normal lime-green hue had faded to a yellow-brown shade. I explained to Foster that I only wanted to try one caterpillar, and because these little slugs are as precious to her as dark chocolate is to me, she didn’t protest. She was so delighted to be witnessing my first partaking of Ifishimu that she insisted on documenting the occasion. As such, I have a close-up picture of the poor little caterpillar as I crunched into its shriveled body.