ZAMBEZI ELEPHANT WALK - WALKING THE ZAMBEZI RIVER - LIVINGSTONE DIDN'T MANAGE IT!

29th May, 2012

Latest update from the African Wanderer ... he has reached the town called "Zambezi" Andy is going to hopefully meet up with him in Mongu in about three weeks time with a fresh supply of rations, and a much needed camera! But good to know that all is still well and happy :)
by: David Lemon

4 May, 2012
http://zambianeye.com/?p=3318
British explorer walking the length of Zambezi appeals to Lubinda over Angola visa
zambianeye.com
BRITISH explorer David Lemon is now seeking the intervention of Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism Given Lubinda to help him convince the Angola authorities to grant him a visa to go...

At sixty seven, David Lemon has reached the age where he should be putting his feet up and enjoying a contented old age, but after a lifetime of adventure, he finds it difficult to settle down to what others would regard as a 'normal' lifestyle.

Brought up in some of the remoter parts of Southern and Central Africa, Lemon is hugely experienced in bush survival and over the past three decades, has tackled the wilder parts of Central Africa in a variety of ways. In his middle forties, he rowed the length of Lake Kariba in both directions, using a ten foot, open dinghy for the purpose. His book Hobo describes that adventure and in it he writes about being driven ashore on rocky islands, holing his boat in a number of places and facing the enormous storms that Kariba continually throws at its boatmen. He also had adventures with hippopotami, crocodile and elephant, while at one stage he was forced to operate on his big toe with a razor blade, following a bite from a night adder.

In his fifties, Lemon cycled alone from Nairobi to Cape Town, taking four and a half months over the journey and on the way he was arrested twice, beaten up by armed soldiery and suffered a severe attack of amoebic dysentery. He also had a number of accidents, but in his book Two Wheels and a Tokoloshe, Lemon cheerfully tells his readers that he had a wonderful time.

At the age of sixty one, David Lemon decided to walk around the southern shoreline of Lake Kariba, a distance of some 1200 kilometres (750 miles). Setting out in temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, he completed the journey in 76 days and on the way, was arrested again, this time for being in the area without a permit, had a number of close encounters with dangerous wild life, lost 20 kilograms (44 lbs) in body weight and was forced to stitch up his own leg when the calf was ripped open by a branch. The book resulting from this particular adventure was Blood Sweat and Lions - a truly riveting read.

In 2010, Lemon decided to kayak the perimeter of Lake Kariba but was prevented from doing so by the authorities, who refused to allow him into Zambian waters. Undaunted by this setback, he explored the lake in his 12 foot vessel and yet again, met up with a number of adventures that might well have killed a lesser man.

"Having done three books on my adventures, I decided not to write about that one," was his comment afterwards, although his blog account of the venture has been passed around the Internet for many months now.

But David Lemon feels that he has at least one major adventure left before he might - perhaps - be too old.

BLOG

David Lemon's last 'Blog' before he left for the start of his "ZAMBEZI ELEPHANT WALK": [You can see more at www.elephantlemon.com ]

"It always feels somewhat strange to be writing this without feeling a sense of righteous - perhaps - indignation at the state of the world. However, life for this crumpled scribbler has changed for the moment and all I can write is details of what concerns me now. Life without worrying about politics or the shenanigans of those in public life is inestimably easier, but I rather miss my Daily Rants. They were a wonderful way of letting off steam.

Anyway, back to the moment. I fly back to Joburg today after 10 days in the fleshpots of Natal. I have worked hard at times, but I have enjoyed the warmth and the seaside too. Now it is back to some real work. I arrive in Joeys this afternoon and have my first publicity meeting tomorrow morning at nine. Then another one at twelve, by which time I shall probably be fed up with the whole damned thing and anxious to get into the bush. I am anxious to start my walk in any case, but Johannesburg with its yuppy folk and sense of frantic urgency will doubtless exacerbate that.

Oh well, it has to be done. I have a responsibility to my sponsors now and also one to my new literary agent, Jean Gaiser, who has worked really hard on my behalf over the past week or so. Jean has a business background, so I am hopeful that our partnership will be a fruitful one. God knows but it is time I made the grade, so to speak as a scribbler. I have been writing long enough.

Oh well, this walk should put me on the map for once. I dislike the publicity and the incessant - and always the same - questions I am subject to at the moment, but having accepted and been grateful for my sponsorship packages, I have to just endure whatever it takes. Believe me, I reckon walking will be the easiest part of this particular venture.

I shall present a strange image at the airports today too. Little Sister Sue presented me with a pair of telescopic walking sticks, but I then had to borrow a bag to carry them in. The only one we could find was one belonging to my niece, Monique and it has her name emblazoned in large white letters on one side of the bag. A supposedly double-rugged adventurer by the name of Monique? It doesn't fit somehow.

Right, on with my day. If there are any of you still out there, remember that the web site for my walk is www.bondliteraryagents.co.za although I understand that it is to be changed to a dot, com address over the next few days, so as to make it more accessible world wide.

I will scribble again before my departure for Zambia and the start of my walk."

Posted @ 05:15:34 on 12 April 2012

Note: For more information on David, click on the photo.

In 2012, Lemon intends to walk the entire length of the Zambezi, starting at the source near the Zambian settlement of Mwinilunga and ending where the river empties into the Indian Ocean in the tiny village of Chinde in Mozambique.

"I know the conditions well," he told a local newspaper recently. "I know how to survive in that sort of countryside and despite my advanced age - or perhaps because of it - I have both the experience and the knowledge to get me through such a walk."

His intention is to begin the journey toward the end of April, when the rains will be almost at an end and conditions will be cooler for the first few months of walking. By the time he reaches the Barotse plains, the waters of the Zambezi will hopefully be receding after the annual flood. He estimates that the entire journey will take him ten months, but as with any adventure of this nature, such timings are purely speculative and it could take a great deal longer.

He will travel alone and survive off what food he can carry, as well as living off the countryside and the river whenever possible. An experienced bush traveller, Lemon has no fears about living off the land, although he expects to lose a great deal of weight yet again.

Note: For more information on David Lemon, click on the photo

N.B. YOU CAN NOW FOLLOW DAVID'S WALK HERE: http://www.bondliteraryagents.co.za

The main dangers facing anyone who walks the Zambezi must always be crocodiles and mosquitoes. Crocodiles are numerous in all sections of the river and there are a number of different malarial mosquitoes throughout the region. Prophylactics will have to be taken and a wary eye kept for crocs when anywhere near the river itself.

There will also be the obvious dangers of the terrain, which in many cases is extremely rough and will necessitate steep, enervating climbs and precipitate descents, when falling could well prove fatal. In the Lower Zambezi Valley, there will be the problem of traversing very thick bush, with the attendant dangers of bumping into elephant, lion, buffalo, hippopotamus or other wild animals that could cause problems to the unwary.

In the summer months - October to March - the heat will be hugely oppressive, with daytime temperatures climbing well above 40 degrees Celsius and only falling slightly after dark. Heavy rain will add to the dangers and discomfort of traversing rough countryside and in the lower Zambezi region, tsetse flies and irritating mopani bees will add their depredations to the general discomfort of the walk.

Snakes abound in the Zambezi Valley and some of these, such as the mamba or the cobra are deadly, so once again, a wary eye will have to be kept on paths and the surrounding terrain.

In parts of Zambia, the walker will also be likely to encounter trigger-happy members of the Parks Department on anti poaching patrols and as these frequently shoot on sight at suspected poachers, they become a definite danger to the unwary. Even the buying of permits to enter these areas does not make the traveller safer. The same dangers might well apply in respect of armed bandits in both Mozambique and Angola.

But there will also be times when anyone passing along the river will enjoy some of the most incredible vistas in the world and the sheer freedom of being away from the frenetic pace of the twenty first century will make all the discomforts and dangers feel worthwhile.

Note: For more information on David Lemon and 'dangers', click on the photo.

Walking the entire length of the Zambezi has obvious dangers, such as wild life, however as previously mentioned the terrain too is a real danger and as seen in the picture in many cases it is extremely rough and will necessitate steep, enervating climbs and precipitate descents, when falling could well prove fatal.

When asked why he is doing the walk, Lemon's reply was that although it was being done mainly for himself to fulfil some deep inner need for challenge or danger, there is a secondary aim and that is to highlight the fact that elephants in the Zambezi Valley are in danger of being wiped out.

"The Valley is one of the last great strongholds of African wild life," He said, "and elephants are the figurehead for all our wonderful mammals. At the moment, they are under huge threat from poachers and if something is not done NOW, they will disappear from the entire area within a few years. That would be a tragedy for Mankind and in a series of talks and lectures after the walk, I intend to highlight the problem and try to put my finger on just what can be done to save these wonderful animals from extinction."

Note: For more information on David Lemon and 'elephants', click on the photo.

A note from David Lemon:

Hi Tony,

At long last, the holiday period is over and life can get back to some semblance of normality. I promised to tell you about my Kariba Elephant Fund, so this is how it goes.

Setting the fund up as a charity was just too much of a hassle, so it is run as a helping bank account if you like by myself, a Zimbabwean wild life artist and an accountant who has never seen an elephant or been to Africa. We also have a businesswoman in Latvia who drops the odd spot of cash in from time to time. Quite how she became involved, I have never been quite sure but every little helps.

What we do is supply diesel, spares and M99 (the tranquilising drug, etorphine hydrochloride) to the people working on the ground in the Kariba area. These good folk keep an eye out for snared elephants - or other animals for that matter - and when they spot one, call in someone qualified to dart wild life, together with a vet when possible. The animal is darted, the snare removed and the wound stitched up and disinfected. Then off the elephant goes, often to find itself in another snare. The people involved used to pay for everything themselves, but nowadays when Kariba folk have an operation on and need extra funds, they contact us and away the cash goes through a Zimbabwean organisation that can supply Zimbos with basically anything. The system works so I don't quibble.

I feel we are fighting a losing battle in the long run, but it makes us feel a little better about ourselves I suppose. We never ask for donations and raise money through my adventure books, Nic Lywood's paintings and my elephant talks. Quite how I can connect it all with my walk, I am still not sure, but perhaps you will have an idea.

Cheers for now,

David

Note: For more information on David Lemon and 'wildlife', click on the photo.