An African Adventure

The adventure begins The trip to Zambia was a “lifetime opportunity”. From landing in Lusaka to living in a sugarcane farm, standing precipitously close to the thundering falls, walking with the lions, lounging with the cheetahs, and living in a game park in the midst of wild animals ... The images depicted here are raw, real, and taken by my son, Advait. Once you go on an African safari even the best stocked zoo will turn you off. We journeyed to two game parks in a tiny plane, stayed in one for three nights, and saw the last of the rhinos in another. Elephants and other wild animals frequent the reception areas of the game park, Mfuwe Lodge. Our chalets, steps away from the main building, were guarded by alligators and other wild animals. At night a guard took every guest to their chalet with the warning not to step out till morning. I talked to one of the staff who had seen lions lounging outside the chalets in the morning. I saw the photograph of a lioness sunning herself outside the chalet my wife and her sister stayed! The dream of every ardent safari-goer is to see the BIG 5. Elephant, lion, wild buffalo, rhino, and the reclusive leopard. Luckily we saw all of them. The leopard, just a glimpse. I’m not sure if I actually saw the leopard. Or, was my intense wish playing tricks? My wife and son claim they saw it. As Peter Zulu, our guide, said, one has to always leave behind a wish so one can come back to fulfil it.

- Madhav