Yes I’m back on Malilangwe. I would like to say my trip was uneventful, but not really the case although it still wasn’t too bad.
Firstly while on the way up I got a call to say Tjololo, the leopard I had made several films about, was dying. He was infested with porcupine quills. A vet was called in to try and help him but it was too late. Just as I got to the border with Zimbabwe I got the call to say he had died.
Then while crossing on the bridge over the Limpopo River I had another experience that could be called a true African experience. I was driving across the bridge. No vehicles in front of me. It’s a narrow 2 lane bridge. The other lane, going in the opposite direction was backed up with trucks. But suddenly up ahead from in between the trucks this old Peugeot, really old and definitely shouldn’t have been on any road, swerved from behind a truck and came straight for me. I couldn’t believe what was going on. What was this guy’s problem? A suicide accident? I had absolutely nowhere to go and he rammed me from the front trashing the bumper on my vehicle. He had NO brakes! Luckily my vehicle was still mechanically sound, except for the lights that were now shining all over the place, and I was able to continue on my journey.
I obviously jumped out my vehicle, gave the guy a few thousand words and left. It was pointless trying to call the police and anyway this guy would never have been able to pay for anything. Also I was in ‘no-mans land’. So was it a South African or a Zimbabwean problem?
The elephant bulls took to the water a few days ago, even in the drizzle. The cows and calves drank but didn’t venture in to join them. Like beached whales the bulls sank and floated in the depths of Malilangwe dam for at least an hour. It looked like a synchronized swimming symphony. Well not much was in time.
Terrifying experience on Beit Bridge - glad that you were not hurt. Hope the vehicle repair is not too expensive. Bummer - no insurance from the perpetrator.
One of the worst accidents I once saw was outside the “Lion and Elephant” if that hotel is still around after many, many years.
Hi Kim,
Luckily the only damage has been done to the car, it must have been a strange experience.
I do not know if this is a truely African experience, it can happen everywhere. The worst accident I witnessed was in Belgium, a motorcycle got hit by a car and slided across the road (with the motordriver) against the tire of our car. I had to jump aside, otherwise I was hit by the motorcycle. We had stopped at a parking to eat something.
We first thought the driver was dead, but he was a little unconscious. His passenger had fallen on the road and slipped with his bottom over the surface. I will spare you further details. We had to arrange medical care, and we called the police. Luckily the injuries were not as bad as we first thought.
I am sorry to hear Tjololo has died, I saw the film “Stalking Leopards” on the National Geographic and was impressed by his hunting skills. Luckily he was born free and died free, not by the bullet of a stupid trophy hunter.
Kind regards,
Douwe