A Surprise Boat Trip

Sunday, 23rd February

Another day, another gorgeous morning run. But it is getting unbearably hot here as it hasn't rained in 12 days - very unusual for the rainy season. Zimbabwe has had so little rain this season (as little as 55% of what is normal) that there are acute droughts in a lot of areas and Lake Kariba has shrunk to sliver of its normal size. This of course has caused huge problem; communities are having to rely more on what little foreign aid is allowed into the country due to crop failure and big game are starting to die of thirst, especially up in the north by Victoria Falls as the grasses aren't growing enough to support them.

After Sunday church, Tom got a call from his friend Kevin who owns the neighbouring lodge saying that he was taking his boat out that afternoon and would I and the two other volunteer workers who had arrived recently like to join. Of course I jumped at the opportunity to go out on this great lake that I had been staring at from the shores for the past couple of weeks.

This boat turned out not to be any old boat but the biggest house boat in the southern hemisphere - The Southern Belle - a whopping 120 foot long with 21 rooms that were available to rent for just a touch more than my cosy tent in Kariba. Kevin was a very interesting man and after telling us about his childhood growing up in the Botswana bush, gave us a full tour. The entrance to the boat was so grand with a sweeping double-sided staircase, flanked by dark mahogany banisters gliding up either side, complimented by an old grand piano sitting in one corner patiently waiting to be played. We walked onto the main deck out the back where there were sofas, sun loungers and a well stocked bar. There was a large group who had booked out the boat for the afternoon, glammed up in high heels and chinos, making my dusty old flip flops feel very out of place. Suddenly someone flicked a switch on some huge speakers and the whole place came alive and the drinks started flowing. I made friends with a couple of local girls who were making the most of the beers on tap. Certainly the last place I had expected to find myself in Zambia was a modern-day Titanic playing African party music!

The views over the lake were stunning; I escaped to the front of the boat to admire them in peace. The boat passed by the Dam and Kariba Heights and I was reminded just how close we were to Zimbabwe, where I would soon be returning. On our way back, we were treated to a deep African sunset, an inky river of reds, golds and pinks flowing across the sky.