Margot’s writing April 2011
24/04 The Lion House, Leopard Hill Rd, Lusaka, Zambia
It was already dark as we arrived in Lusaka, Zambia. We had got caught up in the Zim-Zam border post, changing money, filling forms… The phone started singing its little song. “hello” answered dad. It was the parent of one of dad’s friend who lives in Lusaka. They offered us to come and stay at their house. We drove seventeen kms down a small track that was so chocked up with dust you could hardly see the road!
We arrived at the grand ranch gate and a friendly Zambian gate-guard opened it for us. “Splosh” we drove through a big dip filled with water. That gave our car a bit of a wash! Gynny and Oliver Irwin, the owners of the ranch met us outside their house. Mum and Dad chatted with them for a while then we continued down the dippy track to the guest house. We stopped in front of the huge palatial yellow concrete house. Davey, the housekeeper met us at the front door. “Welcome to the Lion House” he said politely. We started unpacking boxes of clothes and food. I picked up a bag of tomatoes and my dressing gown and walked towards the front door. I scanned the front wall of the house. Suddenly I caught sight of two sad shining eyes of an animal. Then it was gone. Davey opened the door and I nearly fell over but instead I dropped the bag of tomatoes onto my feet as I looked at a fully grown stuffed lion staring at me. I picked up the bag of squashed tomatoes just as the low pitch roar of a lion made me drop it again. For a moment, I thought it was a sound effect made to frighten you. “Oh, that’s just Winston, the lion. His cage is half in the house half out but he can’t get out” said Davey. This is definitely the freakiest house I have ever been to. We walked into the living room and tones of buck’s heads stuck out of the wall. “I didn’t expect it to be so much luxury” exclaimed Dad as we stepped into the bedroom where Mum and Dad where sleeping. Davey showed us to our room and luckily, there weren’t any traces of animal skins or scary heads sticking out of the wall. We were really tired so we just had green beans and toasts for dinner.
The next morning, I was desperate to see Winston (named after Winston Churchill). Dad told us to stay in our room so we knew there was something suspicious happening. “Do you know what day it is today?” he said as he opened the door of our room. “Easter Sunday!” squealed Zara. I stepped outside the bedroom. I didn’t see much of the house yesterday as it was too dark, but now I could see it all. Inside it was like a jungle: goldfish pond, plants, even a waterfall! I looked at all the animal’s heads sticking out of the wall and I felt sorry for most of them: lions, leopards, elands, kudu, Sable antelope, crocodiles… There were elephant tusks everywhere. Dad said that Oliver had shot all of them. As we got out of the room, Zara had immediately started looking for Easter eggs. They were hidden everywhere: in lion’s mouth, crocodile’s mouth, buck’s nostrils…
The Grand Finale was at Winston’s cage. He looked so sad in his tiny enclosure: the King of the Jungle in a zoo in Africa!
Now whenever we walk away from him he roars! Well, that’s the story of the Lion House, Leopard Hill Rd, Lusaka, Zambia.
Zara’s writing March-April 2011
22/04 Clever Termites
At Mana Pool camp site me and my dad went for a morning jog. We were going past the toilet block when we saw an elephant. We kept going and aventuly (eventually) got back to our camp site.
I had such a good idear (idea) when I saw the cars and a termite’s mount. Me and my sister playd (played) and playd until we had to start school. When we were playing I accedently (accidently) kicked a hole and an hour later the termites had filled up the holes.
24/04 The Easter Hunt
It was dreadfully dark and I was fast asleep. I fell into a deep sleep. The next morning it was Easter Sunday and I was walking around the scary dead stuffed animal’s heads house when I stopped to look at a sweet lying in a wooden bowl. I picked it up and realized that it was part of the treasure hunt. I got a bag and put it in. We found lots of sweets and we also found Easter eggs. At the end of the treasure hunt we went for breakfast at a friends house. We ate so much food. We walked one kilometer back to our lodge and here wer are writing away on this book.
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