The Morula Lodge

Here I am sitting beneath a mosquito net in the middle of a game park here in South Luangwa, Zambia. Dr. Verna Peduche (an Ob/Gyn), her husband Gemini, her two kids Beth and “B-boy,” Chipo (our fearless driver), Todd, and I made the decision to venture forth to the game park despite the fact that we are in Rainy Season. Chipo is from the Luangwa area, so we visited his grandmother earlier today on the way to the game park.

The first half of the way from Chipata to Luangwa was smooth sailing – the dirt roads were graded so we were literally flying down the road. The second half of the trip was another story althogether. We encountered even more potholes here than in Mwami! Fortunately it had not rained all day, so the roads were not completely flooded. About 1 km from our lodge, however, we encountered a “lake” crossing our path. “No, No! NO!” counseled Todd nervously, “We can NOT go through there.” At that moment on the right side of the road there was a sign pointing down another path that read out as if in warning, “Crocodile Lake.” The road was low-lying, and the surrounding water from the Luangwa River had literally flooded over the road. About a good 10 meter stretch was completely underwater, and there was no way to know how deep the water was or how muddy the underlying dirt would be. If we got stuck, there was a possibility that we could end up as bait for the crocodiles or even the hippopotamuses (or is it “hippopotami”?) that like to congregate in these waters. Chipo bravely forged ahead in our Eye Centre Landcruiser. We almost got stuck, but by the grace of God we arrived safely at the Morula Lodge. “Only in Africa.”

At the Lodge, we were delighted to encounter about a dozen monkeys just lounging around or playfully jumping atop one another. The Luangwa River flows right beside our site, and hippos can be spotted frequently from shore. There are about 8 to 10 chalets scattered around the campus. It is a beautiful, serene spot in the middle of the heart of Africa (locals often say that Zambia is the “real Africa”). The best part about this is that we are getting a huge discount on the lodge (since we’re with a local Zambian and also because it is Rainy Season when business is really low) – it only costs about 25,000 kwacha per person per night (about $6/night). That sure beats the exorbitant prices tourist-loving luxurious lodges like the Chichele Lodge, which can cost $500 for a one night stay.
As soon as we arrived at the Morula Lodge, we immediately prepared food and sat down to a surprisingly exquisite candlelight dinner under a wooden gazebo-like outdoor dining area. Afterwards, we gathered in my room for a short evening worship. The Peduche family is staying in one chalet, and Todd, Chipo, and I are in another. Our chalet has two rooms, so I get one room all to myself since I am the only girl. What a wonderful experience this is going to be. This is the first real safari of my life, and I am excited to see some amazing wildlife tomorrow.