Ellie left the country to attend a wedding (more on that soon) which left me, Johno, all alone in Zimbabwe. Well, alone except for my parents, the people we live with, the 10+ folks who came’round for dinner on Thursday and various other friends… 🙂 Luckily for me, a couple of friends were going to Hippo Pools and invited me along. Situated in Umfurudzi park, ~150km from Harare, Hippo Pools is a wonderful spot to enjoy the bush and see some epic birds!
We arrived mid-morning, met the staff and got some intel on where to find the ‘specials’ – African Finfoot, Livingstone’s Flycatchers, Twinspots and so on. Then we wandered down the riverside path to a weir, enjoying the beautiful trees and scanning the river margins for signs of movement.
It was hot and humid, but we punctuated every activity with a dip in the pool and a rest in the cool, green shade of the campsite. I was the ‘Duracell bunny’ of the group, taking the opportunity to search for birds whenever my companions took a break. We’re having a competition after all 🙂
The campsite is surrounded by a mix of riverine vegetation and miombo woodland, with some open areas dominated by mopane trees. A few km from camp are some rocky hills where Crowned Eagles are rumoured to nest. We scoffed some bacon rolls and went for a walk, hoping to locate said regal feathered bipeds. No luck, but 7kms of good bush left us happy and tired and not at all feeling like we had missed out!
Back at camp, we relaxed by the pool and waited for a scrumptious supper of pulled pork in the restaurant. This is the view from the pool:
I went on a little night walk, looking for owls and listening intently in case I came across any grazing hippos. Imagine a path, with trees so close they form an arch overhead. The air is still, and the only sounds are the burbles of the river and the crunch of your footsteps. The floor is a glittering field of stars, each pinprick of blue or green light the eye-shine of a spider or moth. Rustling in the distance could be the night-apes we saw earlier, but my torch spins to point in the direction of the sound, senses alert in case it’s something more dangerous. I like night walks!
The trip was a great success. Much fun was had. Many birds were seen. We found the elusive finfoot and escaped being eaten by the hippos or crocodiles. We had some deep chats, saw some great sights and enjoyed a break from the city in the midst of God’s incredible creation. What a blessing.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does. – Psalm 1:2-3
Johno and Ellie's Adventures 
What a wonderful fulfilling stay away.
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