Sundays in Zambia - South Luangwa

This post originally appeared in January 2010

Last week I mentioned that in May we took a trip to the South Luangwa National Park in the Eastern Province of Zambia. When I wrote home about the experience, this is what I said:

Sometimes the majesty of Africa overwhelms me. I was awed today by God's creation: The grace and beauty of giraffe, the cumbersome dignity of elephants, the absolute elegance of zebra.

Tonight while we rode into what seemed like darkest Africa I could feel the vibration of a million living things. Every tree we passed was pregnant with life; the rustling grass hid lions & tigers & bears – oh my! Once we passed a baobob tree and the sound of the landrover echoed against it – it sounded like a waterfall was trapped inside the tree.

I tried to be very blasé, as if game viewing was something I did every day, but the sight of my first giraffe and a baby elephant and a zebra shining in the African sun and the baby hippo climbing out of the water with its mother – ah, how could I not be moved!

I very much enjoyed being a tourist – even though we had to get up VERY early to explore. Here I am in all of my 6 am glory.

I was quite fascinated with the "sausage" tree.

Here are a couple of pictures where you may or may not be able to see animals. Apparently my camera's zoom feature left a bit to be desired LOL.

The elephants were funny - & slightly terrifying. One of them was very interested in the landrover. Thank goodness it ultimately decided that we weren't really all that interesting!

Looking back at my documentation of this trip is when I really wish I'd had a good digital camera (something that probably didn't exist in 1987 – or if it did was prohibitively expensive). Or, you know, a good regular camera* that I knew how to operate. Who knew? I was going to do mission work, not take pictures. Sigh.


*Please note that the camera I took to Africa was a really good point & shoot camera of its type given to me by my church. I was thrilled with it - & it took great basic pictures. It just needed a better zoom feature. And an owner who actually read the manual.