Mike Waterland -- A Land Rover Safari, "Off Roaaad!"

As always, we are meeting many unique and interesting travelers here in Africa. Earlier in the week we had the pleasure of meeting Mick, an intrepid traveler who is also an English university level sports instructor and referee with a zoology degree. We spend several nights learning about his extensive travels, and had lots of laughs.

Mick's tent was near ours, and day before yesterday another tenter joined us, this one arriving in his very own Land Rover Defender.

Pictured below are, L to R, Mick, Mike, Laura


Mike Waterland has been working in Malawi with Born Free, a conservation organization founded by actors from the famous movie. This was Mike's third trip to the South Luangwa National Park area, and he said at this time of the year he could make the drive from the capital of Malawi where he has been living in 5 or 6 hours!

Mike had stayed at another lodge on his first trip, but this time he returned to Flatdogs where he had stayed with his girlfriend Lillian back in the rainy season. We met Mike at the bar and jokingly said we would be glad to be his road crew on his safari game drives into the park in case he got stuck, and since we did not have a vehicle and we loved to go off road in our own Global Warmer II. Next day we did not see much of Mike since he went on the Flatdog's early morning and night game drives. He did give Robert a lift into town to get some kerosene, called parafin, for our stove.

Next morning the camp workers reported seeing lions right on the 100 yard or so "ramp" that leaves from the main road into Flatdogs Camp. Flatdogs and Mfuwe are surrounded by a Game Management Area just across the Luangwa river from South Luangwa River National Park. Mike had not seen lions on any of his many safari's into SLNP, and he wanted to drive out to look for them. He offered for us to join him, and thus began a real adventure for us, riding with Mike in his personal Land Rover Defender!

Mike is considering adding Safari Guide to his resume, and he discussed with us considerations as if we were his clients. In three game drives with him we saw many amazing sights, and had lots of laughs. Great fun to go with someone with so many safari's under his belt in numerous countries.

We would rec him to anyone who wants a guide!

More Flatdogs Fun, Mfuwe Market

More Flatdogs Fun, Mfuwe Market



Our adventure continues as we have fun here at Flatdogs. We have been able to keep ourselves in provisions by checking at reception to find out if they are making a shopping run to the village of Mfwue. They will let you ride along and do your shopping which is quite nice. There is an area with several vegetable stands selling what is fresh at the moment. We have been able to find delicious tomatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, cabbage, green bell pepper, green beans, large pumpkin squash, potatoes and eggplant. They also sell different kinds of beans which we did cook up a big pot of that were quite delicious.

There are other markets where you can find a few canned meats, and canned baked beans. There is a frozen meat store where we have found chicken thighs(which are really some thigh and back), chicken legs(which are leg and thigh), tilapia, steak, sausage, ground meat (called mince) and ribs. They have been out of chicken breasts since we have been here. The distance the refrigerated truck has to come to reach this village, I am glad to see what they have. At this store they also sell apples. Occasionally, they have cheese here also.

There are several places that sell eggs, and there is a bread stand with two types of fresh baked bread that is delicious toasted! We have also tried out some of the peri peri sauce which is very spicy, and Robert found two different kinds of chutney to season things. He also found rice, milk, and cooking oil so we are able to come up with some varied meals.

Just being inside the Flatdogs perimeter, you see quite a few different animals. Robert did get to see a giraffe out on the road from Flatdogs when he went into town with Johan to pick up some supplies. When he rode in with Mike, they went and visited with the people that sell solar cookers there in the village. They say you can even cook beans with them! We had some varied adventures with the elephants in the campground and Robert was tracking the elephants that had come up near our tent and saw some puka out near one of the Flatdog tents. Of course we are constantly entertained by the hippos in the background and carrying on down in the river.

There is always an interesting group at the bar. We spent a great deal of time visiting with Johan and Nancy about their life and experiences in Afghanistan. We also met two English girls, Charlie and Becks that had been doing a medical internship in a remote village in Zambia that had some interesting experiences to share. There is a room with a wide screen TV that draws the sports fans to watch various events. Whether you know what team is playing you can always join in the fun!

We also have met a couple that have been Baptist missionaries in Zambia for 20 years and their daughter and her husband. Small world, Mike grew up in Lake Jackson, and when Lindy was young her father was a minister at a church near Llano! There son in law is working for the National Fish and Wildlife Service and is in charge of the manatee research at one of the national parks in Florida.

They invited us over to their campsite one evening for peach cobbler cooked in a Dutch oven over the coals in the fire! They asked us if we had any Bluebell ice cream to go along. The next day they were out on a self-drive safari and the baboons managed to break into their locked cooler and when they arrived back at their campsite, the baboons were sitting at their table eating the peach cobbler. Some of the items that were in the cooler had thawed, they didn't want to take with them and so gave us some of these. Imagine our surprise and delight at finding in one of the containers the making for a frito pie. Comfort food at its best!

Baby Hippo Heaven: Luangwa River, Zambia

Hippo Heaven: Luangwa River, Zambia

On one of the mornings when we went down to the bluff to enjoy our coffee, breakfast, and wildlife viewing we were lucky enough to see a baby hippo and it's mother across the river. The baby was about the size of the mothers head and was quite entertaining to watch as it walked about. We are not sure how old it was but it was so very small in comparison to its mother. He walked around a bit sticking his head into various holes made by the hippos as they had walked about the shore.

He did this for time and then wandered over near the water. He seemed to hesitate and then-----splash into the water. The mother also got into the water and stayed nearby. He did not venture far from the shore and then you could see where the mother and the baby were resting near the shore. We have not seen the baby since that first morning and so are not quite sure where the mother and baby went.

Birding South Luangwa National Park : Sacred Ibis, Yellow billed Storks

Birding South Luangwa National Park : Sacred Ibis, Yellow billed Storks

Our early morning routine has been to fix a pot of coffee and then go sit on the river bluff and watch what wildlife is about. We have had two good mornings enjoying the antics of a yellow-billed stork. He wades through the water and appears to be fishing. He does some amazing acrobatics almost--balancing on one leg and lifting one wing as if for balance. We were able to watch him through the spotting scope and his colors are quite nice. His back has a pale pastel pink color to it and the feathers look scalloped and fluffy. We noticed there was pale turquoise on the end of his tail feathers. Up close his face is very vivid colors, red stripe, orange then the yellow bill. His eye is orange or so it appears. He does not seem to be frightened of people as he got quite close to us. In flight they are very beautiful to watch as well.


Another bird we have enjoyed watching is the sacred ibis. His colors are black and white feathers with a black head and beak. They are very graceful as they move about the area searching for food. When they fly they are so very graceful looking and make flying seem so effortless.