Finally, Some riding

At last, we have got to Mana Pools. What a stunning place.  It really is worth the trip. Our campsite is set on the Zambezi with the most stunning view across the river onto Lower Zambezi National Park in Zambia. It is the first time in a few days that we are settled in time to have a gin and tonic and watch the sun set. 

We met our traveling companions for the first time this morning and have a lot to talk about. Our permit to ride through the park only came through during the last week and we can now focus on the ride. 

The next day we have a rest day and try to find out a bit about the tracks and no one can really give much information other than to  tell us that we are either very brave or crazy. Our permit states that we must have an armed guard for a section, but this is not practical and we arranged to meet the area manager the next morning. We also hear stories of how a lion tore open someone's tent recently and tore his pillow. This is getting more interesting. 

We had an interesting afternoon having a few beers with Peter Blinstone of Painted Dog Conservation and his wife Catherine. It was fascinating listening how interference by humans in some of the parks has created a population explosion of elephants because water is being pumped, making life easier and breading has increased over the years.  The vegetation can no longer cope with the population. 

After a night of hearing hyenas in the camp and some lion in the early morning, we are keen and ready to get going. After our meeting it is agreed we  have to take a guard to the Mana Pools border but can do the other areas without one. Off we go with a really pleasant chap accompanying Beth. At least she learnt what to do if a lion chased us. The area is full of spoor and we ride in anticipation of bumping into something interesting. We got to the boundary without any problems and take the guard back. It was fascinating listening to him and we decide the when in Mana Pools again we hire Shadrack. 

When we get back to the others there is no rush because today is just a cruise - or so we thought. My GPS only shows me the direct distance and we just don't seem to make much progress.  The Zambezi river is stunning and commands our attention. The track is windy and bumpy so we cant look around too much whilst riding. As the day unfolds we realize the we are doing 50% more than the direct distance. We also realize that we are running out of daylight.  We make a rookie error and split with one vehicle going ahead so Jeremy and Emma's kids can have a break from the car. Jeremy is taking strain and our average speed is dropping whike day light runs out. After about 85kms we eventually get to our camp as it starts to get dark. What a pity. Chewore is an absolutely stunning spot on the banks of the Zambezi.  With a beautiful sunset while we are trying to get set up, we miss out. This is just another spot we will have to come back to. We start to plan for the next day. 

We have heard it is about 120 to Mkanga Bridge and then a few more to where we will meet Dick Pitman who has kindly allowed us to share his bush camp for the night. As Emma and the kids are nit keen on an early morning, we agree the Jeremy and I will start as soon as it is light and Beth will accompany us in the Landy. 

In the morning we head off as planned and get a good speed going. The bush is quite thick and there are lots of spoor from the previous night. I had given directions to Emma to go parallel to the Chewore river and if she gets to the T junction after us to go left. After a few hours we wander where she is but there is nothing much we can do. We stick to our schedule and realize there is no time to wait. When she eventually catches us, we find out that the man at the lodge confused her and told her to cross a dry sandy river we had crossed the previous day. She got stuck and after a few attempts with a Cruiser they had to call a tractor from the nearby bush camp. We make the camp with some time to spare. It is a secret camp do I can't share any details but it was great to get a little bit of water from an elephant pool to have a wash. We were exhausted so turned in after an early supper and some really great Painted Wolf Rose called Rosalind.    

Tomorrow is our biggest day. We will have to do something between 120 and 140 km with the escarpment at about 100kms.  Its going to be a great challenge.