Tea With the Tsetse Flies

One thing about life. Everything eats, and everything is eaten. Apparently, to the insects, I taste just like chicken!

Our morning game drive was disappointing. We saw some birds, the ever-present impala, and that was about it. The highlight was when the Land Cruiser got stuck in the mud. The guides and drivers had to get out, jack up individual wheels and put branches beneath them.

This does bring up a preference I've developed. The Land Rover is better suited for safaris over the Land Cruiser. The Land Rover is a lighter vehicle, and less prone to get stuck, and the Land Rover has a flip up bar in front of the grill, on which you can serve drinks. If I was buying one, I'd go for the Rover.

The tsetse flies were out in force today. They just smell your bug spray, and laugh. Tsetse make mosquitos feel like wannabes. We attempted to keep the flies away by burning dried elephant dung. Does it work? I don't really know. I was still being bit. Luckily, these tsetse do not carry sleeping sickness.

By the way, burning elephant dung smells like clove cigarettes. So those of you who smoke them, you might want to check your pack's blend.

Second drive found a few zebra and wildebeests. This camp has been disappointing. We believe they have opened it too early in the season. The number of animals is too low to make this worthwhile. Kafue National Park is famous for great safaris, so I think we've come at the wrong time.

Also, the rains keep washing out the dirt roads, which have made the rides real kidney-busters if you were sitting in the back row.

Tomorrow, is a day on the river. The Kafue and Lufupa are lazy rivers. My kidneys will be on vacation.