It's a small world!

So another holiday weekend here in Malawi, but plans for an overnight stay at Majete wildlife reserve were thwarted due the lodge undergoing maintenance work and being shut. Frustrating for us but I think they are concentrating on being ready for the high season for game watching which, I think starts about July when the grasses have died back and viewing is easier.

However, being typically English people my fellow consultants and I decided that we would not be deterred and planned a day trip. Inevitably it meant being out in the midday sun, and Noel Coward was absolutely right, as we were the only people out in Majete during the day.

We booked a game drive, in a 4 wheel drive vehicle with raised seating, complete with driver and scout, who was incidentally the same guy who had scouted for us one month earlier and set off to spot game. After a slow start to proceedings we started to come across the usual array of antelopes, although the Impala were fewer than when we visited before. We discussed whether the planned introduction of lions and leopards had been brought forward, causing this demise. However, we were assured it was just too hot.

We soon spotted a herd of Zebra in the bush, quite difficult to see as they are superbly camouflaged against the various branches and leaves of the bush. An excellent example of how something seemingly so striking just seems to vanish. Nature at it's finest! I was able to get a few photos to prove we had seen them but it was a challenge that the automatic focus on the lens was only just able to cope with.

 I think this illustrates the point fairly well!

One of the certainties at Majete is viewing hippos, as they tend to just lounge around in the river all day. We arrived at the viewing area on the river bank and there were, indeed, about 15- 20 hippos in the water. Much closer to the bank we were on, was a solitary hippo who had obviously been sent to Coventry, as most of the other's had turned their backs on him. He did not seem to worry, but did take a keen interest in a bunch of Mazungu, [white European] tourists interrupting his wallowing. After much blowing of bubbles and splashing of the water, by the hippo not me you understand, we decided to move off. Just as we turned away, I caught him starting to move, quickly turned back and was rewarded with this classic hippo shot.

Definitely one for the family album.

So we traveled onwards, and visited a viewpoint looking over the mountains of neighbouring Mozambique, and to the eponymous Mt. Majete. We then returned to the main gate, feeling we had already seen a pretty good variety of game considering the time of day. However, one last surprise was in store for us. John, our scout, suddenly spotted an elephant about 40 or 50 feet away, busy defoliating a tree. We stopped and watched for a while, and once full, the elephant turned, flapped an impressive set of ears and departed back in to the bush. A great way to end the trip and we then made our own departure having had a great day in the sun.

As you may have noted, the title of this blog has nothing to do with the content. However, I could not pass this sign, near Blantyre, without taking a picture.

So you see, it is a small world!