Mana Pools, Zimbabve, Mana Pools Zimbabwe

 U dolini reke Zambezi na severu Zimbabvea  nalazi se Mana Pools jedno od najpoznatijih safari regija u Africi. Mana, broj četiri na jeziku (M)Šona plemena, označava 4 jezera( pools) koje formira reka Zambezi.

 

In the valley of Zambezi river in northern Zimbabwe there is Mana Pools one of the most famous game-viewing regions in Africa. Mana (means 4 in Shona tribe language) refers to four large permanent lakes which are formed by Zambezi.

Ulazak u ovu totalnu divljinu započinje na oko sto kilometara pre obale reke  na poslednjem punktu civilizacije gde se dobija odobrenje. Od tog mesta pa na dalje imate samo ono što se sa sobom poneli (vodu, hranu, struju…). Na obali reke može se boraviti u kampu ili u kolibama. I jedna I druga vrsta smeštaja nije zaštićena ničim pa ste u potpunom kontaktu sa divljinom.

Entrance to this total wilderness is about hundred kilometers before river bank. There is the last stop in civilization where one must get approval to get in. From that point on, you have only things that you have broth with you (water, food, electricity…). At the river bank you can stay in a camp or in lodges. There`s no fences at all so you are in a complete contact with wild life around you.

 Na obali reke može se boraviti u kampu ili u kolibama. I jedna I druga vrsta smeštaja nije zaštićena ničim pa ste u potpunom kontaktu sa divljinom.

“Na rukavcu Zambezija gde nam je koliba pecamo ribu. Lenji nilski konji vire iz vode i  povremeno  mrdaju ušima. Jedan učestalo zeva pokazujući velika usta i zube. Upozorava ostale da je ovaj rukavac njegov. Ubrzo ulazi u okršaj sa jednom od petnaestak grdosija  I ta borba odvija se pred našim očima… 

“ At  Zambezi creek, where our lodge is, we are fishing. Lazy hippos are peering from the water and shake their small ears occasionally. One of them is yawning often showing us big mouth and teeth. He warns others that this creek is his. Soon he starts fight with one of fifteen other giants present in the water and that fight is happening right there, for our eyes only…

 Posle su došli slonovi. Tri gorostasa kupala su se baš pred nama. Prskali su  jedni druge, potapali se i izranjali dok su im masivna tela sijala na afričkom suncu. Na suprotnoj obali pospani bivo zalegao u travi sporo je preživao i gledao pridošlice. I čudno, niko nas ljude nije ni pogledao. 

Later, elephants came. Three of them were bathing in front of us. They were spraying each other, plunging and emerging while their massive wet bodies were shining in the African Sun. On the other side of the creek, sleepy buffalo, is lying in the grass and slowly ruminating and observing newcomers. Odd, but nobody looked at us, people. 

Uveče u mrklom mraku okačili smo lampu na ekser zaboden u džinovsko mahagoni drvo i prikačili je na akumulator Land Rovera. Pekli smo ribu I uživali u toploj Afričkoj noći. Na nekoliko metara dalje u travi šuškao je HIpo. Pitala sam: “Šta ako dođe ovamo?”, i čula odgovor da neće jer je krug ispod drveta bez trave a on izlazi noću iz Zambezija da bi jeo. Hm… Onda se sa druge strane pojavio ogroman slon. Postavila sam isto pitanje pa smo ovog puta pomerili sto par metara dalje za slučaj da ovaj džin odluči da prodje baš tuda. Da mu ne smetamo! I tako smo u divljini bez puške, goloruke, živele nas četiri žene (ja totalni početnik I njih tri – veterani safarija), poštujući divljinu koja nas je od svuda skoro dodirivala i ogromno iskustvo ove tri neverovatne žene. Verovala sam im ali misao… gde li su lavovi… nikako me nije napuštala.

 
At night we put a lamp on a nail screwed into giant Mahogany tree and connected it with Land Rover battery. We grilled fish and enjoyed in a warm African night. Couple of meters away a hippo was rustling in the grass. I asked: “What if it comes here?” and I got the answer that it would not come to us because the area under the tree has no grass and hippos come out from Zambezi during night to eat. Hmm…  Than a massive elephant turned up on the other side. This time we moved table few meters away just in case he decides to pass here. Just not to disturb him. And so, there in wilderness with no guns, bear handed lived four women (me total beginner and three of them who were safari veterans).We respected wilderness that was nearly touching us and huge experience of those three women. I trusted them but the question... Where are the lions... wasn`t leaving me at all.   

Tokom dana vozili smo se okolo I odlučili da pšrošetamo pored Zambezija (punog krokodila). 

During a day we drove around and decided to take a walk by Zambezi (full of crocodiles).

Tad sam morala da pitam šta ako se pojave lavovi. Onda mi je mama moje drugarice, koja je provela ceo život posmatrajući životinje u divljini, dala kratko uputstvo: Kao prvo, verovatno su negde dalje od reke jer je kišna sezona pa vode ima svugde. Kao drugo, sve divlje životinje se boje ljudi pa I lavovi. Kao treće, šta god da se dešava ne smeš da bežiš jer sve što počne da se kreće postaje plen! I kao četvrto, drži se grupe! Koje grupe,  pomislila sam. Nas četiri! Ha … Lavovi će dobro razmisliti dal da udare na nas! Nisam znala za koji od ovih argumenata da se pre uhvatim kako bih sebi objasnila da to što izlazimo iz džipa bez oružja I pratnje ima bilo kakvog smisla al ipak sam pošla. Ni danas ne znam da li sam bila nenormalana ili toliko sigurna u njihovo znanje ili me je draž opasnosti omamila tek… preživela sam.  

At that point I had to ask: What if lions turn up? Than my friend`s mother, who spent all her life game watching,  gave me instructions: First of all, lions are probably away from the river because it`s wet season so there is a lot of water everywhere inland. Second, all wild animals are afraid of people so lions are too. Third, whatever happens I must not run away because object that starts moving becomes the pray. And fourth, stick to the group! Which group, I was thinking, four of us! Hm… lions will think twice before they attack us! I didn`t know which of these advices I should take to explain myself that going out of the Land Rover with no weapons and escort is a good idea but yet I went for that walk. Even today I don`t know was I insane, or too sure in their knowledge or it was hypnotizing attraction of danger but… I survived!
  

 





Divljina je veličanstvena i moćna.  Priklonili smo se njenim nepisanim pravilima kako smo najbolje znali I umeli…valjda… pa nas je ona izgleda zato i pustila da se neometano malo šepurimo po njoj, (ovog puta) puna razumevanja za to suludo, nadmeno stvorenje što se zove Čovek!”

Wilderness is magnificent and powerful. We followed its unwritten rules the best we new… so probably for that reason it let us (this time) to swagger with our courage, full of understanding for that crazy arrogant creature called Man!

                  
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