The Elephant Parade

When you are going to camp in Africa, it is important to pack properly. Marcelle recommends a designated packing room and a good packing system. Her packing room has luggage of various sizes, as well as “his” and “her” packing tables where items can be collected in the weeks before a trip. 

The packing system that works for Marcelle is as follows:

• Ian does all the research on what needs to be packed (usually while Marcelle takes a nap).

• Ian makes a list.

• Ian reads aloud one item on the list, and simultaneously puts the item in his suitcase.

• Marcelle puts her version of the item into her suitcase and says, “Check.” 

• Ian crosses the item off the list. 

“Snake bite kit,” says Ian.

“Check,” says Marcelle.

“Miner’s light,” says Ian.

“No check! No check! What’s a miner’s light and why don’t I have one?”

With a delighted grin, Ian places a small lamp on his forehead above his glasses. Then he stretches some elastic bands over his skinny skull to hold the lamp in place. 

“That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” says Marcelle. “You look like you’re wearing a thong on your head.” 

“I think it will be very useful,” says Ian, tucking the miner’s light into his bag. 

“Well, I don’t need one. That’s one of those things you pack but never use.” 

“We’re finished,” says Ian. “That’s everything on the list.” 

“You didn’t say ‘safari hat with mosquito netting’.” Marcelle pulls a hat over her spiky red hair, and a veil of black netting falls from the brim to her shoulders. 

“That’s not on the list,” says Ian.

“It should be. What about the tsetse flies?” 

“There aren’t any tsetse flies where we’re going.” 

“Better safe than sorry,” says Marcelle, and puts the hat in her luggage.

From Ian and Marcelle’s house in Los Angeles, traveling deep into the African bush takes a long time:

1.     Take a jumbo jet to Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe.

2.     Take a smaller jet to the smaller city of Kariba. 

3.     Take a mini bus to Lake Kariba and board a float plane, which uses the water like a runway.  (Watch out for crocodiles!) 

4.     Fly through a gorge with a crazy pilot who dives for a view of a hippo, then tips sideways to see a croc.  Keep doing this until you are green and feel like you are going to throw up. 

5.     Land on the Zambezi River and climb into a speed boat that goes into Mana Pools National Park. 

6.     Ride in a jeep over bumpy roads to Ruckomechi Camp.

To be clear, being in the African bush does not mean sitting under a shrub somewhere Sub-Saharan. The “bush” is the name for the areas of Africa where wild animals roam.

“You must not walk through camp unless you have a guide with you,” says the guide, as she walks Ian and Marcelle to their hut.

“Why?” asks Marcelle.

“Because the animals come into camp.  There are no fences to keep them out.” 

“What kinds of animals?”  

“Hippos, elephants.  Last month we had a leopard chase an impala into camp, but that’s unusual.”

“No lions?” Marcelle asks. Her biggest fear in coming to Africa is that she may be eaten by a lion. 

“Not yet,” says the guide, leading them across a stretch of grass, where a couple of monkeys watch from the trees.  The guide opens the door to a hut made of branches. The interior has electric lights, a bed under white mosquito netting, a flushing toilet and a shower.  “If you need help in the middle of the night, there’s a whistle by your bed.”

Marcelle looks at the walls of the hut.  The gaps between the branches look big enough for a snake to crawl through. She looks at Ian: “Can I have the whistle by my side of the bed?” 

“If I can shower first.”

“Deal ... and our miner’s light?”

“Our miner’s light? Our miner’s light? What happened to my miner's light being ridiculous and unnecessary?” 

“It could prove useful walking to the bathroom in the middle of the night … to avoid stepping on anything poisonous.”

Ian hands her the miner’s light and grabs his toiletries kit. "I hope there’s plenty of hot water,” he says , disappearing into the bathroom.  He is particular about his showers — he likes the water strong and hot (like his tea).

Now she has finally arrived in the bush after two days of travelling, Marcelle feels dirty, hungry and tired. She wants a shower, lunch and a nap.  As she unpacks, she sees a flicker of movement through the gaps in the wall. She freezes. Something big … something REALLY big is moving just the other side of the hut. 

Marcelle creeps to the screen window and peeks out.  An elephant passes so close that she can see only a body with legs. There are coarse black hairs on its wrinkled, gray hide.  It lumbers past, followed by another elephant, and another!  A whole string of elephants — an elephant parade! She can barely breathe. She wants to yell to Ian to get out of the shower and come see, but she doesn’t want to alert the elephants to her presence. 

The last elephant in line stops in front of the window and lifts the tip of its trunk toward Marcelle like a periscope.  The two nostrils at the end of the trunk twitch, taking in her smell. Then the giant head swings down into her line of sight and the elephant peers at her with a curious gray eye.  

For the moment that she and the elephant stare at each other, Marcelle is not hungry. She is not tired. She is thrillingly alive. Then the elephant lifts its head and ambles after the others. 

MORE AFRICA STORIES: