My memory of elephants is exstensive from the giant lone bulls in full musk in Zambia where elephant damage is a real thing and crops are protected with chilli plants because the elephant solution to electric fencing is to push the smallest Ellie through the fencing and then walk in. The chillis irritate the the elephants nose and a thick boarder is the local solution to saving banana crops. To Pygmy Ellie's in Tanzania each country seems to have its own style and temptememt.
My scariest elephant experience was just after a boarder crossing using the ferry into Zambia. The ferry crossing I managed safely, it had recently sunk which is a relief because the odds where then better in my favour. It have recently been overhauled. Always a plus when u drive your car onto a floating boat with barrels underneath it. Although I had crossed early the boarder had taken hours and the day was winding down by the time I had finished and cleared into the country. Zambia is very much about correct process. There is a line for everything. There is a proceedure for every line. Get an agent is my advice follow one of the truck drivers with an expensive looking load if you are stuck.
The parking lot was packed by the time I was done I had had no change for 100 dollars when I arrived so that's what I had given the parking guy for the day. Fate has a funny system. I now tip every boarder parking lot attendant well. On reversing my car I scraped a black government sedan with .gov license disks. It was a tiny scrap but I was terrified.
Before I could leap out the parking attendant was at my side. He just grinned, winked and me and said 'I saw someone else do it madam I know it wasn't you.' On which I gave him 500 Kwatchas (I had changed money it's the equivalent of 100 dollars) and left.
To leave you need to go through four security check points before the lodge that was my final destination. I drove like a woman possessed by a law abiding demon. Exactly as fast as the speed limit would allow. By the second check point I was feeling a little happier about not being arrested for the hit and run and starting to enjoy the bush.
I saw the sign for the lodge and turned onto the gravel path. I hadn't gone 100m when the bush infront of me exploded and out stormed the most enormous bull elephant in full musk. He was pissed. You could see the sent glands leaking, the identified lines on the ears that signal this guy was in mating mode, watch out world.
I was frozen for the briefest time. Having escaped 'prison' to be killed by an elephant wasn't how my story was meant to go. I slammed the car into reverse and left backwards. I managed to find a gap to pull off the road and wait it out when the mad bull from before came thundering past.
I reached camp slightly frazzled that eve. I know I was very greatful for the beautiful banks of the Zambizi and a well earned beer.
The end of the trip saw the culmination of six months of camping in a tiny tent with a blow up mattress that hadn't been deflated in months. The car had become a living space that held all the comforts we could carry. Winding back down africa our path back to South Africa was through the tet corridor in Mozambique. To reach the crossing from Malawi we spent the last night in an elephant park.
I think it's important to note everything is very relaxed in Malawi even the hippos seem to prefer peace like the people do.
Since my trip the elephants have been relocated. The actual relocation was a feat in that location was over 350km of African roads through African boarders. Now with the last bull safely in a new home the project was a huge success. malawi's elephant relocation
We entered the park at about 2pm. There are many different types of thorn bush in Malawi, it's the lack of thorn bush that set off alarms bells on entry. Very few trees stood upright in along the beautiful shai shai river. Even the baobabs where uprooted and on their side. An indication you are really amongst elephants and they are eating everything there is a huge problem.
The lodge was as fancy as Malawi gets with its total mask of access to purchase product. The afternoon advertisement for the game drive was expensive but it was our last night in this beautiful country so we opted for another night in a tent so we could enjoy a game drive at 4pm.
The camp site was on the side of the hill overlooking the river. Very pretty. It was the end of winter and the bush was brown and dry. The landscape a little dusty in its hurry to end the day. Our tenting skills Ment set up took litterally 10 minutes and we enjoyed a sundower before our 100 dollar game drive.
During our sundowners the guard made his way past our camp introducing himslef and offering us his gun and protection at a price for the night. The gun was ancient. He proudly present three very smooth well handled bullets as proof that he could do the job. I secretly hoped he didn't try to shoot an elephant with that gun I can imagine the elephant being really pissed off by the shot and in no way could I see that tiny well held bullet doing anything as far as protection went. We paid him the expected tip and had a giggle about African logic.
The drive was epic. The old Landi was filled to capacity with excited tourists bumbled and rolled in the back under the African dusk. The driver explained that the over population of the reserve meant that the bush had been destroyed. He remarked that the fact the baobab trees were being uprooted was a sign the elephant population had reached capacity.
We drove for a few minutes and rounded a corner to enter a plain. I have never seen anything like that again. Infront of us were 60 elephants. 40 mature enormous moms and dads and 20 youngsters. They are quite incredible to watch. We sat in scilence as life on the African river bank literally captivated all of us. We were 50m from the closest elephant.
Times lapse only recognizable by the level of the sun in the sky. As night began to fall the driver tried to restart the Landi. Nothing. Again. Again nothing happened. There is a fear you don't know you have until you have it. It's not planned. At this point the 20 youngsters were starting to investigate the noise the old Landi was trying to make. Mother elephants are quite strict about what their babies should be involved in and were also moving towards us to supervise the youngsters. Daddy elephants like to know what their wives are up too so the big bulls from the back joined the herds descent on the immobile Landi.
Americans panic more easily than South Africans in these situations and the lady from Kansas was positively elephant grey by this point. The driver was sounding less jovial to be fair. The Landi sprung to life at the last second. Total relief as we trundled back to camp. Followed by 60 elephants who graduated like the humans towards the idea of camp.
We built a fire and had a relaxed evening going to bed after a simple dinner. The fire was out and the night was still. At about 3am I awoke feeling watched. I got up to visit the loo and crawled out the tent with a tourch. I remember opening the tent flap to a sea of eyes looking straight back at me. The herd had moved up the hill and was happily munching around the tent.
Right. This I feel was a definining moment. The option of panic surged through me. Then the reality followed its path leaving me in hysterics. My husband was at this point out of the tent sourcing we very bit of leaf or twig to restart the fire. The elephants watched him. I have to say they felt bemused because I found it really funny. He would gather arms fulls of leaves to drop on the embers of the fire. The fire would roar to life exposing 20 elephants in its glow and then fizzle out to nothing. The elephants munched happily the entire time. It was like a TV game for them. Total entertainment for giant mammals in the fear their nighttime visit to us humans they had created their own circus.
My ex husband was brilliant he was efficient and creative in what he found to fuel the fire. His panick was ridiculous to watch yet so entertaining. I wondered if our paid night guard would appear with the weapon he was brandishing earlier but he didn't. I went back to sleep leaving occasional roaring flames outside in my ex's care.
The next morning the entire camp showed evidence of our night time party. The bushes where either flattened or burnt. As we left the park to head for one on the most lonely boarder posts on the plannet I did smile at Malawi's final experience in my memory. A whole heard of elephants had come to say goodbye to our time in Africa.
