KAZA Park

The Falls Resort is now in the centre of the largest Conservation Area in the world. The Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA) became a reality in March this year. All the five governments of Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and Angola signed their agreement.

The conservation area includes parts of all five countries – Chobe National Park in Botswana, Bwabwata National Park in Namibia, Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, Luiana Protected Area in Angola and Kafue National Park in Zambia. Altogether there are over 20 parks or protected areas included in KAZA. It is an area of almost 280,000 sq km, and nearly the same size as Nevada State.

It is an enormous commitment by the five countries and shows their care for the environment. We are all very excited about it. The final plan will be to allow free movement of animals throughout the region and eventually people too. The hope is that when visiting the Falls Resort visitors will be allowed to travel to any park within the area without needing to pass through border controls. What an amazing concept, if this were to become a reality!

Although there is a long way to go to before this happens, we are taking it one step at a time. The Peace Parks Foundation which is overseeing the project is sending experts to the Chiefs in the area and helping them to set up conservancies of their own. In this way the animals will be free to move from one park to another; the conservancies will form corridors.

The villagers, of course, are used to farming much of the land and it is important that they do not lose their livelihoods by leaving their farms. Peace Parks has come up with ways of utilizing the land in a sustainable way, by harvesting medicines; erecting beehives for honey and earning an income from tourism. Some villages which are being harassed by elephants are even being fenced to keep the people safe.

Elephants are one of the animals which will benefit most from KAZA. In Botswana and Zimbabwe the populations are too high and there have been discussions about culling some. Although we all love elephants they can be destructive; they have huge appetites. By allowing them to move to Angola, Zambia and Namibia the pressure will be off the other parks.

It will be many years before Peace Parks fulfills the dreams for KAZA but with government support it has made a major step forward.

Kubu Shop

Kubu Crafts is a small factory in Livingstone. They specialise in making hand-made furniture from indigenous hard woods – Zambezi teak and rosewood. This timber is special to our region.

In the early 1900s a company set itself up to cut teak and rosewood close to Livingstone. In those days it was the railway which was the method of transport using steam locomotives. The company, called Zambezi Sawmills, felled many of the trees close to Livingstone and then set its sights on the enormous resources to the northwest of Livingstone, near a town called Mulobezi.

They constructed a railway track to Mulobezi which was a huge task through thick sand and over rivers. They laid temporary tracks into the forest to haul the felled timber out and bring it to Livingstone. It was, in its time, one of the biggest industries in Zambia. The railway was the longest privately-owned line in the world. The timber was widely used as railway sleepers in Africa because the wood is so strong and resistant to insect attack. It was also used as parquet flooring which was sent to England and used in stately homes.

Back in the 1900s the forest resources seemed infinite; Zambia had hardly been touched by any development. Today, though, things are much different. The timber is cut from the forests but it has to be of a certain size, the smaller trees being left to grow. Each log has to be inspected and stamped. When bringing the logs from the forests to town the transporter has to have a permit. It is all strictly controlled.

When Kubu Crafts receives a log from the forest it is marked for cutting, maximizing the large pieces to make beds and tables. The medium-sized pieces are used to make side tables and chairs. The small pieces are used to make lamp stands, candlesticks and business card boxes. Very little of the wood is wasted – it is a precious resource.

At the Activity Centre located at Sun International Zambia’s Falls Resort, Kubu Crafts has a shop. Little of their furniture is displayed; we are aware that our guests cannot carry a table back to America or Europe! But they have smaller pieces like lamp stands and candlesticks which show up the wonderful grain of the timber. Other local crafts are available at their shop but look out for their own timber products: they are heirlooms which will last for generations.

Earth hour

Earth Hour is recognised all around the world. It is one hour of the year when many people in the world think about the health of the planet. We switch off all the lights and sit in darkness for an hour. The Falls Resort decided that it would take part in the event this year but it was going to be a bit tricky.

Already at the Falls Resort we have an SOS Policy. Throughout the hotel there are signs in the offices which state SOS and all the staff know what it means – Switch Off Something! For Earth Hour we were going to have to make a much bigger effort – it was not a case of Switch Off Something we had to Switch Off Nearly Everything. We knew that we could not switch off all the lights because we had to make sure all our guests were safe – we couldn’t have them losing their way and ending up in one of our crocodile ponds or bumping into a giraffe.

It required quite a bit of planning but Dean and Simon, part of our Environmental Team, decided which lights could be off and still maintain safety standards for our guests. On Saturday, 30 March, our guests were encourage to participate in Earth Hour and advised that the Resort would be a little darker than usual between 8.30 and 9.30pm.

As the time approached on Saturday, Simon and Dean got themselves ready to rush round the light switches and plunge the Resort into darkness. Then at exactly 8.30pm the lights went out. Our guests were all sitting at the outside bar at the Zambezi Sun and in the bar and restaurant at the Royal Livingstone. Candles were their only light. It looked magical.

Zambia uses about 8 billion units of power; California uses 205 billion. It was not about saving power at the Falls Resort. We were making a statement about our planet and hoped that our guests would appreciate the gesture. And they did. Sitting by candlelight under Africa’s bright stars the conversation around the hotel was about Earth Hour, about the health of our planet and the ways that people were trying to make a difference. So, yes, we did save a bit of power but we made people think and talk about the future of our planet. And that is what Earth Hour is all about.

Gemstones

Citrine is golden in colour and known as the Merchant’s Stone as it is supposed to increase wealth – local lore tells us to put a citrine in the cash register and watch the money roll in! Red garnet will help you if your business is failing; you must just put a few red garnets on your desk and the problems will be solved. Amethyst is a purple stone which is said to keep a person of sober mind (the name comes from the Greek to mean ‘without drunkenness’). The blue aquamarine is said to protect you from gossip; with others saying that it helps you to relax on long journeys. Black tourmaline is for luck and happiness – the luck is enhanced when the stone is rubbed. A green emerald is the sacred stone of the goddess Venus and is thought to keep love alive in a relationship.

All these stones can be found in Zambia: amethyst from Mapatizya, emeralds from the Copperbelt, citrine and red garnets from Lundazi and aquamarines and black tourmalines from Itezhi-Tezhi. They are mined and brought to Lusaka, the capital, to be cut, polished and set in precious metals to make beautiful pieces of jewelry.

At Sun International Zambia’s resort, we have a shop located at the Activity Centre, which sells some of this jewelry. What makes this store even more special is that it is run by an association, Zambian Women in Mining. The association was set up in 2003, and brought together the women who were involved in the mining industry. Together they have grown their association to produce beautiful jewelry and to sell it in Zambia and abroad.

Some of the women own and excavate the gems, others work in the factory to produce the jewelry and even more women are employed in the shops to sell it. It is certainly an association which has empowered many women in our society. And, if that was not enough, the association also puts some of its proceeds aside for the care of vulnerable women and children, especially funding the children’s education.

When one of our guests goes home with a sparkling memento from this store, we know just how many people this purchase has benefited… and that it’s certainly not just ‘bling’!

The Smoke that Thunders

When the first European explorers came to our region to see the famous waterfalls, the first sight of them were the plumes of spray rising up into the air; it looked like smoke from a very large fire. The spray can be seen from the hills overlooking the valley through which the Zambezi River runs. As the explorers descended into the valley towards the falls they were surrounded by trees in the forest and the spray was lost from view.

The following thing they noticed as they walked through the forest was a roar like thunder – the sound of the water crashing into the chasm below the falls. Finally, on reaching the edge of the falls, the largest curtain of falling water in the world, many of them were completely awestruck. From accounts of their travels they stated that they were unable to describe the wonder of them.

In those days there were only a few villagers who lived near the falls and there was definitely no traffic as people arrived on foot. The sound could be heard from a long way away. Nowadays the sound is only heard when quite close but the spray can be seen for miles around.

It is not surprising that the local names for the falls are, in the Toka-Leya language, ‘Shungu Namutitima’ and, in the Lozi language, ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’, both of which translate to the ‘smoke that thunders’. Now they are widely known as the Victoria Falls but we still use all the names locally.

This time of year is the best time to see the ‘smoke that thunders’. The falls are at their fullest, the water plummeting over the lip of the falls into the gorge and then bouncing back up into the air creating the spray or ‘smoke’. Some of the spray will join the clouds above but most of it falls back to the ground covering onlookers with a fine mist. It can get very wet along the pathways by the falls. For this reason visitors find ponchos and raincoats for hire at the entrance to the Victoria Falls.

The noise of the water is also at its loudest or most thunderous at present. Although visitors do not need earplugs the Victoria Falls is not the place for a conversation… and any comments about the Victoria Falls will have to be heard while relaxing on our sundeck, afterwards!

The Easter weekend for us at Sun International Zambia was a family affair. Our hotels were booked out with visitors of all ages who enjoyed our warm, dry weather at the end of the rainy season. Apart from a host of international visitors, the Falls Resort was the destination of choice for many Lusaka guests who travelled to Livingstone for a relaxing weekend away from the hustle and bustle of the capital.

The swimming pools were full of children laughing and playing; Kamp Kwena, our children’s playground, was busy with activities like Easter egg hunts, nature walks, face painting and scrumptious food. Meanwhile the mums and dads relaxed by in the grounds or were free to go off on activities of their own knowing that the children were in safe hands.

Mwale Sisters

The days and evenings were full of entertainment with visiting musicians and our own Los Comorados and Marimba Band. Our special guests for the weekend were the Mwale Sisters. Masauko and Tiko Mwale performed on our outside stage by the Zambezi Sun pool and wowed our guests with their energetic, fun-filled performances.

When the Mwale Sisters arrived on the stage the children gathered round and sat themselves on the floor in front of the stage. The music was electric and the children started to sway to the sounds. Eventually, though, the music and songs got to them and they started to dance. They were mostly trying to copy the moves of the Mwale Sisters. If the parents thought they were going to get away with relaxing, Masauko Mwale had other ideas and pulled them onto the dance floor too.

The Mwale Sisters have only recently returned to Zambia after working in Europe for many years. Home, though, beckoned and they are now very much on the Zambian music scene. Apart from earning a living during their concerts, they are committed to the improvement of society. Like many Zambian musicians, they support concerts which promote social issues. In March they participated in a concert to promote awareness of violence, especially in the home. I am sure that Masauko and Tiko had quite an impact on the minds of the people who watched them.

At the end of their performance at the Zambezi Sun, the children were all worn out and ready for their beds. I don’t think the parents had problems getting their children to sleep that night!

Bushbuck at The Falls Resort

In December we were very surprised to see a bushbuck on the grounds of the Falls Resort. Where on earth did he come from? We had no idea. Since December we have been trying hard to get a photograph of him for our ‘Rogues Gallery’ but all attempts failed until last week, when we managed to snap him grazing in the grounds.

Bushbucks are antelopes about the size of an impala. They are usually solitary and very shy. They have acute senses of sight and hearing; whenever they see or hear something unfamiliar they will dart into the bushes and hide. Their brown coats have some narrow white stripes and small spots which give them excellent camouflage. We still have no idea where he came from as the grounds are protected by an electric fence. He may have come through it somehow. I have been told that bushbucks will get through a fence by taking a mad rush and diving through the wires. Perhaps he did that or he just wandered in through the main entrance! Alternatively, as bushbucks are excellent swimmers, he may have decided to emigrate from Zimbabwe by swimming the river in November when the water is quite low. Or perhaps he just wandered in from our park, although bushbucks have not been seen in the area for a while. Whatever the case he has now found a home with lots to eat and friendly impala, zebra and giraffe for company.

Of course, our bushbuck’s visit was caused by natural instincts, and it is likely that he was looking for a mate. He is still young with small horns, but he will want a girlfriend soon. I expect we will have to find him one from a wildlife farm. We have several farmers in the southern region of Zambia who have put parts of their farm aside exclusively for use by wild animals. Let’s hope we can find our bushbuck a friend; we don’t want to lose him. He is far too special, and clearly loves the lush vegetation on the Falls Resort!

Helmeted Terrapin

There are many things that live in our rivers and lakes of Zambia.  Apart from fish, the Falls Resort have crocodiles, crabs, snakes, hippos and lots more.  We were not surprised the other day to find some terrapins in our lake near the Zambezi Sun. 

There are several species of terrapins and tortoises in Zambia.  Tortoises are often seen crossing the road or wandering through the forests, but the terrapins are never far from water where they spend most of their time.  They are even found in the gorges below the Victoria Falls. 

When we noticed the terrapins in the lake we decided we had to know which sort it was.  We could not identify it while it was swimming as we could only see the top of its shell.  We needed to catch it and have a proper look. 

Terrapins will often come out of the water in the early hours of the morning so we kept a lookout for them and one day our Facilities Manager managed to catch one.  Using a book for reference we flicked through the pages on terrapins and tortoises.  There were only four terrapins which live in this region so it really wasn’t too difficult to decide which one it was. 

We found out that it is a Helmeted Terrapin and we knew this because, when he pulls his head into his shell, it retracts sideways so that just one eye peers out from under the shell.  The book told us that he eats just about anything from water weeds, insects and frogs.  Some have even been known to ambush birds as they come down to the water to drink.  Our terrapin was only a young one; he would only be able to catch a bird for supper when he grew up. 

He was looking at us quite warily all hunched up in his shell.  I knew he didn’t like being held so we put him back on the path to let him get back to the water.  I knew that tortoises were slow and thought that terrapins would be the same.  I wanted to take some photos of him as he plodded back across the path and into the water.  I was really quite shocked because, as soon as he was gently put down, he belted across the path, dived into the water and was gone from sight in just a few seconds. 

Luckily we know , as shy as he is, he’ll be popping up now and then to  the delight of our guests on the nature trail!

Climate Investment Fund delegates

During the second week of March we hosted a conference on climate change. The conference brought together governments and organisations working with the Climate Investment Fund. The Climate Investment Fund is coordinating funds to help countries to be prepared for the effects of climate change. The delegates came from all over the world – Tajikistan, Jamaica, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Niger, Nepal, Bolivia and several others. They all brought their experiences of changes in weather from their place in the world.

We all know that the planet is warming and that climate patterns have become unpredictable – severe floods, hurricanes, tornados and droughts. It is important that governments, when making plans for the future, include climate change in their calculations.

All the delegates who attended the conference came from countries which have poverty; countries where most of the people live off the land, but they came from widely diverse environments. Jamaica is an island and worries about storms coming in from the ocean. Tajikistan is mountainous with snow on the peaks and landslides to worry about. Bangladesh is on the coast and concerned about floods from the sea. Niger is landlocked in an arid area of West Africa which suffers from droughts. All the delegates had their different stories to tell and how it was affecting their people.

The bottom line for all governments, though, is that it is the poor who suffer the most when the weather is extreme. The Climate Investment Fund personnel urged the delegates to compare their experiences and what they were doing to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Most of the funds are used on small projects like mini electricity grids – either solar, water or wind. Some projects are developing fuel-efficient stoves. But one of the most important aspects which came out of the meeting was the necessity of disseminating information. It does not matter if you are rich or poor, if you know that a tornado is on the way, you can get out of its way. How could developing countries collect the information and how could they get it out to their people? The message from the Climate Investment Fund was that the countries had to come up with ways and means to collect the information and to get it to their people before it was too late.

The Climate Investment Fund was there to help, and we were very proud to have them as our guests at the The Falls Resort!

International Women's Day March

Whenever we have a special day in Livingstone we hold a parade. So on International Women’s Day, 8 March, female members of Sun International staff donned their special outfits, put on some sensible shoes and went to join the march through the town.

The meeting place and time was Mukuni Park at 8am. Our staff were on time, joining others who were also on time. But because this is Zambia we also have what we call Zambian Time, so others arrived late. The time waiting for the march to get started was not wasted as the ladies compared their dresses. Some of the ladies had chosen to wear traditional African dress with brightly coloured chitenges while others had come in smart suits. And then there was the younger element who came in T-shirts and trainers.

Finally the Air Force Brass Band arrived and the policemen were in place at the front and rear of the marchers and the parade could begin. The police were in place to stop the traffic as the ladies marched past and none of the drivers seemed to mind even though the parade took half an hour to pass through the town. I think everyone was amazed at the number of women who were taking part and their beauty. All the passersby stopped to watch.

Finally the parade reached the Civic Centre and spread out on the lawns to take photographs and to wait for the speeches to start. It was a happy time but then, of course, there is always a serious side.

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day was: Connecting Girls, Inspiring Future, but most of the concerns from our women were typically African problems. Our society is still somewhat biased towards men. Women in politics are rare. There is still gender-based violence in homes; fewer girls get the chance of higher education. These are cultural things, and it is always hard to change a culture which is entrenched.

During the speeches most of these issues were raised and the women were told to continue to hold their heads up high and that things were changing; they had to be patient. They were told that their role in society was respected and the government was addressing their issues. The President’s wife is a much-respected doctor so we can be sure that she will work tirelessly to see that her husband fulfills his promises.