Lake Tangenika Christmas

Me and six other volunteers went up to Lake Tangenika in the northern part of our province. I think it is the second deepest fresh water lake in the world. It is so big that when you look out from the shore you can see water all the way to the horizon. Check it out on a map. It is hard to miss. We found a nice place to stay on the south shore in Mpulungu, which is Zambia's only port town. On the first day me and a few other volunteers decided to go swimming near where we were staying. We had heard rumors of Crocadiles in the lake, but as we looked up and down the shore people seamed to be playing and enjoying themselves in the water. I decided if it was safe enough for the Zambians, it was safe enough for me. After I had been in the water for some time a Zambian swam out to where I was and I asked him about the Crocs. He told me he didn't know if there was Crocs there or not because he was not from the area. In fact, he was waiting for some other idiot to jump in and test the water before he got in. After pooing my pants in fear I decided to exit the water. Later that night we visited the same beach to watch the sunset. Sure enough, what did I see but Mr. Crocadile. It was only a small one, but I'm sure its mother was close by.

On Christmas it rained so we didn't do much, but the day after Christmas we decided to take a boat ride to a beach without Crocadiles. We went down to the beach at the scheduled time and our boat and two man crew was awaiting us. We shoved off and immediately our boat began filling with water. Never to fear, however, because this boat came equipped with not one, but two buckets for bailing water. Two of us bailed water while three of us paddled using sticks that kind of resembled ores. We made it to the Crocadile free beach, and enjoyed ourselves while our crew sat off shore and bailed water for five hours. Wouldn't it be easier to fix the hole in the boat? I guess when there are holes all over the bottom of the boat there is really no point.

All and all it was a good Christmas. The only thing that puzzled me was that the children in town kept saying "Give me Christmas." I wasn't really sure how to respond, so I just said "Merry Christmas." I guess that is giving someone Christmas, because they seamed to leave us alone after that.

Happy New Year. I am off to the bush tomorrow.