NEW
TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Hopefully these lines will offer better communication links with
Tongabezi.
Please note these are in use with immediate effect.
Lodge +260 3 327450 • Fax +260 3 327483
Direct Reservations number +260 99 312766
UK Number 0871 4081258
Water levels at Tongabezi
Following events throughout February in the Luangwa Valley with high
waters and flooding, it is now unfortunately our turn here in
Livingstone to suffer from
unbelievably high water levels. We have been monitoring the levels
on a daily
basis in frequent contact with the river authorities and properties
upstream from Tongabezi in the area of Sesheke and I can advise that
the water levels are
currently 3 times higher than this time last year and almost higher
than the
all time high water levels in 1958. An all-time high!!!!!!!
Unfortunately we do have to make plans for worst case scenarios and
for this
I would like to apologise in advance. In some cases we might have to
move your guests to a different room than they may have originally
booked into. The main
rooms to be affected are the Tree House, Cottage 4 and 5 and the Dog
House.
We also however have Tangala House available so some guests have
been
moved there when arriving in a group.
The GM is monitoring the levels daily. It is hard to assess whether
this is a
temporary high peak or whether the water will continue to rise until
April / May
time when the river normally reaches its peaks. We suspect the
former but
will of course keep you up to date and send photos through.
If you do have queries about any of your guests staying with us then
do please
contact
reservations@tongabezi.com but I am
also sure they will be in contact
with you individually regarding this situation.
Thank you for your understanding during this time. We will be
letting
you know regularly what is happening.
Tongabezi 2007
by Rudy Boribon - GM
The kitchen brigade lead by Zuwi have called this year the Bond year
.....
If the bookings keep coming in like they have so far throughout Jan
and Feb on
roller skates ..then indeed we are .looking at yet another fantastic
year ahead.
And in order to maintain and improve our quality of service in all
areas , we have embarked on a challenging task of finding the best
in every field for training.
Already the river guides /safari guides & valets have spent weeks on
life saving techniques and other essentials which make an enormous
difference when in
trouble. Renown Executive chef will be joining the
Tongabezi/Sindabezi
team end March.....
We then have a qualified and experienced builder due to come
Beginning of June .
A qualified F& B Manageress will also arrive later in the year and
so on. It brings exciting times for all staff at Tongabezi.
The team loves this expose as they have never really had an
opportunity to
work / be trained in a prestigious hotel/lodge or academy.
The effects/rewards of the training programme are encouraging as
waiters/valets
ask to join the training programme during their off days
(and we know off days are sacred in our industry) and show real
motivation to learn and further enhance their skills.
We are also exploring options for exchanges with other lodges for
various staff so
they can really see what quality levels are expected from our guests
in this
industry and what other lodges offer.
We are therefore confident of a increasingly higher rate of positive
guests
comments this year and for that say THANK YOU to all
our readers and supporters.
Training &
Development - Kitchen
by Craig Higgins
I have had the most wonderful 7 years in the Okavango Delta working
and
training staff, now its time for a change and I am ready for a new
and exciting challenge, there are new avenues to explore and I have
the great privilege to return
to the camp which holds very special memories where I will be
spending time
with Zuwi and Kenneth in the kitchen of Tongabezi
Tongabezi was my introduction of life in Africa and it is there on
the beautiful
banks of the Zambezi where I started to work and explore the bush
kitchen.
We will begin to introduce new and delicious recipes which have now
been tried
and tested over the last few years and look to working with local
ingredients
which will highlight the dishes. The mango cake, the green chilli
chicken and
the sweet potato laksa will all be part of this fun menu.
We will also start a new training schedule and workshop where we can
spend time with the staff and together develop new systems which
will
allow us to grow as a new team.
We look forward to seeing you all joining us for dinner soon,
Happy Cooking, Craig!
T
U J
A
T
A
N
E
For the past few months, Tongabezi Trust School has been having
weekly HIV
aids awareness talks for the local community on Thursdays. Susan
Kekelwa
from m ZNP (which stands for Network of Zambian People Living with
HIV/AIDS)
gives a one hour talk at our school followed by questions and then
two half hour counseling sessions for anyone interested. On Thursday
22nd February we are organising an HIV/AIDS awareness day at the
local village, where there will be drumming, dancing, plays and
general talks and discussions for all the
community to get involved in.
We have also had a fun addition to our P.E lessons, where we had a
yoga
instructor visiting for a couple of weeks. She taught our grade 7
and grade 5
classes yoga. They loved their time with her and loved the
yoga.
Nicky
Nicky Stroebel has left Tongabezi to move to New Zealand to be with
her family
there. She has achieved an awful lot in the time she was with us and
we will
miss her and wish her lots of luck in her next adventures.
Thank you so much Nicky for all you have done at Tongabezi.
Take care and keep in touch.
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CONFERENCES
& MARKETING TRIPSSS
I will be in the US and Europe in March and April time and at Indaba
with Ben in May. If you would like me to come and see you,
please contact me
honour@tongabezi.com
SKYPEKYPE
SKYPE username is “Tongabezi”.
HIGH RES IMAGES
High Res images can be downloaded from our website by going to the
following link -
http://www.tongabezi.com/hires/hires.html
CHECKING ON-LINE AVAILABILITY
www.tongabezi.resrequest.com
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