They Do Exist!

Talked to Eric today for the last time before he comes back home! 

When I talked to him last time he left me saying that there is no wild life in Zambia (at least in their part). Well much to his surprise within a next couple days he and his colleagues where driving to a work site and out from the plains walks an elephant! this particular elephant, we'll call her Elle, stopped in the middle of the road and started to walk again, not off the road, but on it toward their vehicle opening up its big ears. They then started to realize that Elle was picking up speed, the driver started driving backwards as Elle kept coming toward them. Then the ranger that was with them fired the gun he had, with blanks, straight into the air and Elle stopped and just walked away. We are assuming that Elle reacted this way because on this particular reserve poachers still get on and kill the animals.

Next they went to lake tankinika where they saw hippos that came right up to the boat. Eric said he could touch one, but he didn't. So in conclusion animals do exist in north Zambia and Eric will be returning to me very soon! 

/ˈzæmbiə/

talk to eric last sunday... sorry it took so long again.

He is doing great but very exhausted! they get up at sunrise and dont stop moving until after they eat dinner at around 830pm. They have been mapping out the area in the north Zambia. He said that they have been walking through grass that is taller then him (in my opinion that is not grass at all but little skinny trees). Although they have not seen any snakes he is sure that they have come close to them (the only ones there are not friendly). So all though he is not near crocodiles or hippos he's got snake, yuk. 

they have also been having adventures while trying to take samples in the lakes. so far the main problem is people who own boats that dont know how to run them. Last week they tried to go out in to a lake and the "captain" flooded the engine. as they pushed off  3 men who were not with their group and just watching from the shore jumped on. since they couldnt get past the big waves on the beach, which were filling up the boat quickly with water, eric was concerned that he and his colleagues were going to have to save these other men if the boat tipped (they did not know how to swim) and get their equipment.

thats ill ive got from him, my poor tired man. 

Zamtastic continued....

I was able to talk to eric on sunday, on the phone! Sorry it has taken me so long to get on here and tell you how his life has been.

So far everything is going well. He said that there are no whiners on the trip, which makes room for lots of adventures in eating and walking around! this makes him really happy. They have still been enjoying lots of meat and whole fish at dinners and going to the market in the morning for their lunches for while they are in the field. They are moving north this week to start working on gravity and magnetic sampling of the sorts for the faults and rocks. I think that I may not have that completely right but Im not all sure what it means, ill pull some more stuff from him next time we talk. He is also working on sampling the rivers and lakes as well. Hes having fun bartering with the locals for taking boats out and being able to give them a little bit more money then what they were charging. so hes the generous white man :) thats my hubby.

they have been trying to enjoy the music of zambia but if the place is hopping with people and their drinkin the musicians dont come out for a couple hours after they are supposed to.... i think thats about it for now. ill be having another phone date this following sunday. only 2 1/2 weeks left! thanks for your prayers. ill put some stuff up about my adventures in cali after ive been here a couple days