Directly into the sun…

I’ve been practicing taking photos directly into the sun, mostly by hiding behind a tree or getting someone to hold a hat so a shadow shields on the lens.

This was taken fairly close to Binga Resort.

These two were taken on a pretty rough road near the air strip at Binga town. I had to clamber up a bank to get these shots (there are too many trees on the side of the road.) I came down the bank much faster than I went up!!!

To get this one, I climbed on the back of the truck. I usually love trees, but along this road, they were getting in the way of my pics!

I took this one (below) on a sand bank just slightly to the left of the one in the pic above…luckily for 4 wheel drive!!!

I LOVE the scraggly trees in the foreground!

 

 

 

Fish Eagle…

This fish eagle often sits in a tree directly opposite Mlibizi fishing camp, it’s nest just around the corner. One of a pair, they also feed a juvenile (brown coloured still,) and are probably laying eggs right now in their messy nest.

Our boatman threw a tiddler onto the water with a reed stuck through its gills. After following the bird carefully in its descent, I missed the shot! Luckily, the fish-eagle did too, on his first pass, and I got to record this magnificent bird change direction and swoop down directly towards me.

Wow, what power…

Swooping down…

This is where he had to turn in mid air!

I was told a story about a fish eagle at Mlibizi Hotel. (Pic in the previous post.)

Rescued as a chick, the fish eagle had been brought up at the hotel, probably fed with the scraps from fisherman. Fully grown, it sat in a tree above the pool, as fish eagle are wont to do.

One day, a guy with a bald patch, jumped into the pool and began swimming across! I’m guessing from the birds perspective, his bald patch looked awfully like lunch, shimmering under water!

The fish eagle swooped down and stuck his talons into his scalp! It made quite a mess, I’m told!

 

Mlibizi hotel…

I took this pic from the Mlibizi Hotel (a short distance from the resort where we were staying.)

Baobab Tree…

I took this photograph on a dust road running parallel to the Sebungwe River, fairly close to where it joins the Zambezi. 

It was a blistering hot day and I was thankful I was in an air-conditioned car, and not on that bicycle!

Trees in the Zambezi Valley…

This tree is at the hot spring in Binga

This one is also in Binga, the lake in the background.

This amazing tree is at the Mlibizi Hotel.

And the last one, directly opposite Mlibizi Resort

Mlibizi…

Is a fishing resort on the Zambezi, where the river becomes Lake Kariba. I’m guessing ‘back in the day’ it was pretty rough and ready, since men don’t really worry about creature comforts when it comes to fishing. But now its really civilised, with air-conditioning and two swimming pools! We stayed here when we worked in the area earlier this year, so to spend quality “off-time” at chalet no 16 (which belongs to my sister) was special.

This view (above) is from the jetty. Kariba is very low at the moment and the banks, protruding from the water mess up my photos! This one is taken looking into the sun, so you cant see them.

These are taken at the swimming pool at dawn.

The ferry leaves from Mlibizi. I’m told its a magic trip, with game viewing and excellent food, (on my to do list.) If you look carefully in the next pic, you can see the ramp you have to reverse your car up! Mlibizi resort is hidden in that clump of trees behind the ramp.

The sunsets (and sunrises) over the water are stunning. I love to just sit on the bank (far away from crocs!) and enjoy the silence and that Zambezi smell, that has to be experienced. I cant describe it. The first time we went out on the water, it was like glass. Totally still, no ripples disturbing the surface and it was hard to distinguish the sky from the reflection. That’s Zambia you are looking at in this pic (above.)

So if you want a fishing getaway for $25.00/day – ask for chalet 16!