Happy Happy Easter

The Easter Bunny somehow managed to find me here in paradise. I am in Mvuu Lodge in Liwonde National Park, staying in a chalet on the bank of the Shire River and I couldn’t think of anywhere I’d rather be. As I walked out of my chalet at 6am this morning, I stepped over an easter egg delivered to my door step. I walked around the camp and watched the brilliant green blue-cheeked bee eaters catching their breakfast of butterflies and insects. I saw the brown-headed parrots flying overhead, and the Tropical Boubou looking for breakfast in the undergrowth. After a hearty breakfast of muffins, custom made omelet and chocolate (it is Easter Sunday after all), we headed out on a river boat ride. Two other consultants that are here for the same project joined me here yesterday, and it’s nice to have their company. I think every game viewing trip has it’s own adventures. Today we saw lots of birds and hippo in the river and then watched crocodile devour a dead hippo. (He died in a hippo fight which would have been awesome to see). Yesterday we watched an elephant approach the river bank and then swim across the river to enjoy the lush grass on the other bank. There is no other word to describe this than paradise.

I’m here for four days to make the most of the Easter weekend. They have a four day weekend here in Malawi, and of course, I only have off on Sunday (today), but I thought I would pick a new and spectacular environment to work in while I had the chance. I arrived on my own on Friday and befriended two older Dutch couples. One of the men had worked for the World Bank in Washington for 20 years. When I asked if he new of Caroline and Alan Gelb (old family friends who live in Washington), he told me that he hired Caroline to work at the bank in 1971! What a small world.

My days have been filled with boat rides, game drives, sipping sundowners on the river shore, and of course birdwatching. My guide, Jim, has a gift not only for spotting and identifying game and especially birds, but also with people. He’s from a small village 5km from the park, but he is one of those rare people that has transcended the village without leaving it. He has a solid grasp of the issues of development and an insightful understanding of the perspective of foreigners which makes him the best guide that I have ever had and just good fun to be around.

All in all, I think I can sum up my weekend as pure bliss.