Village kids

We visited a small village about 45 minutes away from our Royal Zambezi Lodge by boat and were shown all around. The kids came running from everywhere and soon they were posing for pictures and giggling when shown the digital photo on the camera. It was really difficult to choose one photo, but this shows a bit of the village and a typical group- it started with 2 little boys and they kept coming in to pose. The littlest one ran from afar to be in this picture. Then everyone in our group had a kid on one hand or other. "My" little boy needed 2 hands so he could swing - just like Fiona does -1, 2, 3, go! feet up! We visited the school that we brought some supplies and $ for- it is a small hot building with maybe 80 kids jammed into benches behind desks in each room. It serves 520 kids from a larger area and employs 9 teachers! The days are split in 2 sessions from 8:00-5:00. Hard to believe...2 of our safari guides came from this village and went to this school - they were delightful and so good at what they do...
Then there is a cultural traditional village alongside with some dancing , a museum explaining how it began with 3 tribes joining together, the old tools and crops, demonstration of making flour from grain, and a medicine ritual, and some local crafts for sale ...
We came to Africa to see the wildlife, but seeing this village was very powerful too ( even if we northwesterners were dying in the 110 degree heat. Oh those hot classrooms! ). Now we are thinking about how we might help get them a new well.....

And now after 2 flights, one to Lusaka and then to Johannesburg where it is blissfully cool!! (maybe 70?) we will have our farewell dinner together at the same crazy Las Vegas hotel we stayed in at the beginning. Tomorrow we will tour some museums in Soweto before getting on a flight to Dubai in the evening and then to Seattle. NOT looking forward to the gruesome length of this travel- :-). and might not have any more Internet along the way as well - rest assured I'll be back -maybe wed or thurs....with a recap of this once in a lifetime fabulous trip!