Gypsy Journeys

At first I see only a small pair of grey ears floating on the water. Then slowly, I recognize others twitching.

Cavernous nostrils surface, followed by heavy heads while bubbles gurgle up and softly “pop”, leaving little wet memories on the black face of the river.

Big grey backs break surface and create small tsunamis that move towards the shore. And suddenly, I “get” it. We have come upon a group of hippos submerged in the river.
I am close enough to touch if I simply reach out. But I don’t.

I am immersed in an evening delight of “Zim-Zam”, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Out for an African sunset cruise on the mighty Zambezi River, I am straddling two countries, as I realize I am truly in AFRICA!

I am on the “Shongololo Express ", a train famed for its offer of an African adventure safari by rail. A full two weeks of African bliss and explorations are her schedule and I am besotted to be making this passage aboard her.

Mid morning I spend walking the banks of the mighty Victoria Falls, which the local Kololo call “mosi-au-tunya” the “smoke that thunders”.

My journey aboard this grand lady, who offers a comfortable old world style of adventure travel, is a magnificent run from Victoria Falls to Johannesburg with visits to Zambia, Botswana, Mozambique, and Swaziland.

Sleeping cars carry names of “Lalaphanzi”, “Chimukute” and “Sandawana” adding to the Shongololo charm. A few flat decks carry mini vans to be off-loaded for day safaris. Camaraderie abounds.

With curiosity, I look up the car the names: “Lalaphanzi” - lala - "to lie" and panzi - "down”.“Chimukute” - chuma, beads; chimukute, precious stones. “Sandawana” –a kind of small mouse. Sandawana quickly loses its appeal and I spend a few moments amusing myself enunciating each car name with my best African accent.

The Shongololo has bestowed an incredible first day upon us, with a mix of authentic African experience,romance of the rails, and adventure.

I dream of what the next two weeks adventures may be as I wend my way through multiple sleeping cars to my cabin, through the millipede’s belly as she wends her way through the belly of Africa.

The iron lady rocks and rolls down the track into the darkness of unknown plains.

Shongololo … the iron millipede whose smoke that thunders too.