Dispatch 43 - Kwando / Kafue Expedition Split

When we last heard from the Boundless Southern Africa Expedition they' d reached the stunning Sioma-Ngonye Falls caused by a basalt dyke that cuts across the Kalahari sand to form one of the most beautiful places on the Zambezi River. As always it' s a story best told in Kingsley Holgate' s words&

We're a bit worried, our team had split up so as to cover the distance and do all the good stuff we have to do - I' d gone down to the Kwando with most of the expedition so that we could get a feel of Sioma-Ngwezi Park and the importance of Transfrontier Conservation across into Angola. The rest of the gang, a team of volunteers supported by British American Tobacco in Stellenbosch and led by adventurer/conservationist Hugh Roe, had gone off on a back road to Kafue National Park and then on to follow the river before making their way back through Barotseland. They' re due back today. As always one worries a bit when an expedition splits up - there' d been no comms and the agreed Plan B was if we did not find them at Ngonye Falls we' d move down stream to Maziba Bay. It' s one of the greatest spots on the Zambezi River, squeaking white sand, the sunsets - it brought back so many memories of a previous expedition where we' d set out to cross the continent from the mouth of the Zambezi to the mouth of the Congo, and this beautiful place had formed one of our base camps.

So once again, bare feet in the sand around a Mopani fire, we agree that if Hugh' s team is not back with us by midnight, we' ll send a vehicle up to the old ferry crossing at Senanga just in case they' re stuck on the other side. I just hope they hadn' t had a breakdown or malaria or God forbid, an accident. " Don' t worry," says Mashozi, " Hugh' s well travelled in Africa - he knows how to make a plan." And then, as if on cue, a bit of static on the radio. Ross races to the closest Landy - he comes back with a big grin on his face. " They' re just a few kilometres away," he says, " will be here any moment." We hear the two old Landy Defenders from a distance, and soon the occupants collapse in the sand. An enamel mug of Captain each gets them going - it' s always great when an expedition team reunites - so many stories. Dave Pusey, the naturalist, looks as rough as a goat' s kneecap and they' re treating him for malaria. " The first part was a road from hell," says Hugh, " lost our diesel off the roof, ratchet strap broke, but sorted it out - camped in the bush." " Wildlife all around," says Rob, " Was wonderful," says Marietjie. Tessa, Hugh' s wife, is beaming. " The beauty of the Kafue," she says, " and the friendliness of the people we met, there was so much excitement for the expedition and the link to nature, culture and community." " And did you record the game sightings?" I ask. " It was wonderful," says Dave. " Herds of Lichtenstein' s Hartebeest and Defassa Waterbuck, loads of hippo and Puku - great birdlife." They all agree that Kafue and the journey back through Barotseland is an adventurer' s must see, especially in terms of the expedition' s objective to link at least 30 nature and game reserves close to or within Transfrontier Conservation Areas. It' s great to have them back safely and wonderful when an expedition plan comes together.

Next day the sun beats down and we slap at the Mopani flies. We' re with Springbok rugby player Gavin Johnson and his wife Penny who are hosting an expedition community day at Kalobolelwa near their lodge at Mutemwa. The Boundless Soccer Challenge kicks off, there' s a Grindrod trophy, a man-of-the-match competition, Flip Nel from Peace Parks and Sioma Park manager Moses Mufaya help with the wildlife quiz with school children in which we use a poster to identify the animals of the park. The enthusiasm is wonderful - it' s all about linking nature, culture and community for which Gavin Johnston is a wonderful ambassador. The school headmaster Mr Charles Mandandi adds these words to the Boundless Southern Africa Expedition Scroll we are carrying across Africa:

"On behalf of the community of Kalobolelwa, I wish to register our sincere gratitude for your visit, the donations to the winning team and the school, the library books, sporting equipment, goal posts and nets, and the football cap. This indeed will help us treasure nature conservation and to live in harmony with nature."

The winning soccer team add their signatures, there are already thousands of messages. Peace Parks facilitator Flip Nel scribbles these words:

"To Kingsley and the team of Boundless Expedition, Thank you so much for your visit to Sioma Ngwezi and Ngonye Falls National Park, and the message of goodwill and hope you have brought to the people of the area. With contributions and efforts like this the area will also soon be on the  map' as part of the Great Kaza Transfrontier Conservation Area.  Wild' Africa is in our blood and we all want to save it for generations to come. Good luck for the rest of your trip of Peace and Goodwill." Gavin and Penny Johnson sponsor us a night at Mutemwa, their well-established fishing and safari lodge set amongst beautiful trees on the Zambezi - they' re such great people. In the pub are pictures of Gavin and his 1995 Springbok team mates who under Francois Pienaar' s captaincy won the World Cup - the day that Madiba united South Africa by wearing a Sprinkbok jersey and a day that South Africa will always remember. Gavin also runs fishing safari' s into Barotseland where the tiger fish are plentiful. With his close links to the Barotse Royal establishment Gavin is able to organise an annual visit, it happens around the end of February, to the famous Kuomboka traditional ceremony, during which the Lozi people, dressed in ceremonial dress and led by their King or Litunga, leave their dry season grazing areas and move to higher ground. The royal Maoma drums announce the spectacular exodus as hundreds of dugout canoes accompany the black and white zebra stripped barge called the Nalikwanda, powered by 100 royal paddlers dressed in leopard skins and lion manes, that carries the King to his summer palace. I look at the close-knit Johnson family who' ve left behind their city lives and celebrity status to live in this remote but beautiful wilderness where they home-school their little girls Shan, Cayla and little Tammy, do great community work and have the King of Barotseland as their partner in community tourism. If there was an award for a little South African family who do great things in Africa, they would win it.

And so our long line of expedition Land Rovers head South, still following the Zambezi, to cross the border into Namibia' s Caprivi strip. Zambia as always has proved a great adventure.