We finally made it to ‘Babwe. The scene of the event we’ve been waiting for, the wedding of Scott and Katherine. A country of such generous people that not only was I offered an exchange rate of ZIM$250 billion to US$2, I was quickly given twice as good a rate just because it was my “lucky day”! From a stranger who was now “my friend”! A land of GIfts, Fortunes, Beautys and lovely Memorys…and those are just peoples’ names.

But before the wedding we had 2 nights down in Hwange National Park.  If we could plan it all again, we probably would have started the trip with the wedding, as adding 8 days of all inclusive food and open bars into a suit already bought 7kg’s ago wasn’t a great idea. We were lucky enough to share the camp with fellow wedding attendees and even true honeymooners, Dave and Sally. I hope they would also say they were lucky to share their honeymoon with us.  To be on safari with fellow Perthites was truly bizarre…

Hwange was beautiful, but not quite as bountiful as Botswana. We spent a number of drives just looking at birds. And by now we’d seen enough of all these flocking birds everywhere. Having said that, we did get extremely lucky on our first afternoon drive when we managed to see two lionesses with cubs just as we got back to camp. Then, on the late night drive, we went looking for the male we could hear in the background. He was Jericho, who previously had an alliance with Cecil. We didn’t find him, instead we saw that the lionesses had left their cubs alone…and then our car proceeded to break down, including loss of radio comms, between where they were and where he was…with a guide who’d previously said she managed to get lost, without water or petrol in the Kalahari…queue an hour of hysterical, petrified giggling from 6 pickled Australians as we waited for rescue in the pitch black jungle.

We did manage to see Jericho on our final night drive, and it was worth it. Majestic, beautiful, intimidating with just a touch of cuddliness. He gave us a mighty roar and if we never see lions again, we’ve done pretty well. There was also an incredible experience with a cheetah who likes to hang out next to the camp. We watched him watching us watching him from only 10m away.  Apparently not a threat to humans due to their meagre 30kg being no match for our…kg.

It was in Hwange, getting attacked by mozzies, that we realised the problem…. The more repellent you put on, the more disgusting you feel, and the more likely you are to rub it all off when someone hands you to a cold, wet towel with tongs…which is like every 5 minutes.

After Hwange, it was a case of farewell Liam Sutherland and welcome James Stewart as we checked in once again at the grand old lady, the Vic Falls Hotel. Having previously (in 2010!) confirmed there’s nothing more confusing to an African than an unmarried girl booking a hotel room under her own name, it was nice to finally be James rather than Liam.

The falls were in full roar, the hotel was immaculate, and the wedding setting spectacular. The bride and groom were beaming and gorgeous as always. It was their day so I won’t spoil it by publishing any details or too many photos. However, we thank them from the bottom of our hearts for including us and giving us the chance to be back on this amazing continent. Having organised a wedding in Tassie from a distance, and having tried to order G&Ts from the staff in the bar at VFH, we have the utmost respect for what they put together.

The wedding weekend also included a luxury “all inclusive” sunset cruise on the Zambezi, where for some reason, all the groomsmen dressed up like they were being interviewed for a vacant position in the Jo’berg airport newsagency.  This was followed by a feast for the tastebuds and ears as we dined at the Boma in an attempt to keep the local warthog population down.  Our final night with friends in Zim was spent watching an African sunset with elephants (that either coincidentally or suspected appeared on queue) and a sunset cocktail, which ironically turned up closer to sunrise. TIA.

With B to Z complete, it’s now off to Z….Zambia, to hear why the falls are better viewed from their side.

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It’s with an extremely heavy heart I write this, the other grand old lady to whom I refer in the header is my grandmother, my father’s mother, Mrs Marion (Doddie) Stewart. This incredible journey we’re on was put into greater perspective as we learned of her ill health and subsequent passing while staying in the Victoria Falls Hotel.

She taught me everything I know about: cupcakes, custard, butter, cinnamon soldiers, marmite soldiers, mahjong, rummy, patience, cats, magpies (the birds…she was a fervent Essendon girl), mini golf and hankies. She was a tough lady, born into a world war, a child through the depression, married as another world war broke out, was widowed far too young and stayed as such for more than half of her life.

She was a lioness of a mother, a devoted grandmother and great-grandmother. I’m not sad for her, she’s where she wants to be. I am, however, so desperately sad and sorry not to be with and supporting my family at this time. We wIll continue on our adventure with a renewed appreciation of these incredible experiences that she, and most others, never had the chance to do, despite over 98 years on earth.

RIP Mrs. M M Stewart (Doddie), 1918-2016