APRIL’S FOOL
April is my favourite month for fooling
around in Zambia ! Everything is VERY green, the Falls are VERY full
and the temperatures are VERY civilized. Although we have had an
extremely wet rainy season it looks like the water levels will not
be quite as high as they were last year – Tongabezi Lodge and
Sindabezi Island have been designed to be as much a part of Africa
as possible
… so we are breathing a sigh of relief! We are very excited about
completing the Nut house this month (following the inevitable delays
due to weather!) and have also been dreaming up new flavours and
activities to ease our guests into autumn.
IN OUR KITCHEN
LATEST comment?
Food was excellent –
some original ideas, well presented and exquisitely prepared –
The gardens are looking wonderful, lots of colour around for
Easter with the beautiful new geraniums and hibiscus lining the
walkways.
There are also the new sprinkler systems (thanks to Ronny!)
which are keeping everything watered and fresh.
In
the kitchen this month we are getting lots of fresh limes,
aubergines, lemongrass ,sweet potato leaves and fresh basil and
soon we hope to have our new lettuce beds in full production.
Who knows there is now even talk of starting an orchard
(which has led to a LOT of talk about how we will convince the
monkeys that it is good manners to share – and of course that
good manners themselves are something to covet!!)
This month in the kitchen we are in love with hot and spicy
Atchars, we are making a different one each day from Tomato to
Pumpkin and a devilish Mango - so expect things to be spiced up!
Our new lamb fillets have proven hugely popular and following on
the good manners/ sharing trend herewith our:
Tonga BBQ Sauce
Serves 6
Tomato Cocktail x 12 tbs
Small bunch chopped spring onion
Cognac x 12 tbs
Olive Oil x 12 tbs
Small Bunch chopped basil
Small pinch chopped Chilli
Garlic x 1 clove
Finely diced red pepper x 0.5
Garam Masala x 2 tsp
Saute the Spring onion and Garlic in Olive oil
Add the masala and cook out for 1 minute
Add the remaining ingredients and simmer slowly for 15 minutes.
This sauce is so easy to make and works really well with any BBQ
meats especially lamb.
~ A Craig Higgins recipe
…. OUR COMMENT CORNER.
This month we impressed a single traveller!
(no, no, not ONLY one…. Simply one traveling alone!)
I haven't forgotten you and hope you have not
forgotten me. I am the English lady who was traveling alone and
taking a break from volunteering in Malawi. We had a long chat as I
was about to leave and I said I would send my comments to you.
I am forwarding this message to you as it is the message I sent to
my friends on arrival at Tongabezi; it sums up how I felt at the
time.
In short I thought Tongabezi was magic and I would love to come
back. Most of all I loved the peace and tranquility of it all, being
so close to that majestic river I felt at one with nature -
especially from the vantage point of the Bird House. I just loved
living outdoors but with all the comforts of indoors.
The accommodation was superb, your staff were wonderful as was the
food and service. It was fantastic to have such personalised service
and to be able to do what I wanted when I wanted.
I enjoyed every minute of my stay and will be encouraging others to
visit your little corner of paradise.
I don't think your brochure does justice to Tongabezi; you have to
experience it to appreciate it.
Keep up the good work
Love, B
FEATURING TUJATANE
The Tongabezi Trust school can be cited as a perfect
example of the results that can be expected when old fashioned hard
work and good intentions are used to inspire charity.
Vanessa Parker is one of those people you would hate if you could
bear it! She elegantly manages a large family – her house Tangala
(also part of the Tongabezi portfolio) – and her dream: A self
funding starting point for education, opportunity and ultimately
change. Also known as Tujatane.
Growing from the first pre-school class of 15 kids it now proudly
schools 120 + children, offers 7 grades of classes and has also
attained charity status in the U.K. Visitors are impressed with five
classrooms, a library, computer room, store rooms, offices and an
amphitheatre where the kids perform national award winning poetry
and dancing.
Vanessa continues to donate her time to Tujatane – from overseeing
exams to running around town for cement and making sure every
donation is accounted for and spent productively she remains the
central pivot for this truly remarkable and worthwhile charity.
Should this story inspire you to donate second hand items or even
sponsor a child please visit the Tujatane website
http://www.tujatane.com/
or contact Vanessa at vanessa@tongabezi.com
NEW AT TONGA!!!
The hippo community continues to expand in front of the lodge and we
have carefully considered our odds and decided that we much prefer
respecting our neighbours to getting into a territory tussle with
them!
As often happens when you face a challenge the outcome is
surprisingly positive. Our new canoe trips now start from Chundu
Island and continue down stream, through the islands and channels
opposite Tonga and the River club and then finish just below the
main island where walks and drinks are on offer.
All canoe trips will be accompanied by a banana boat for safety.
Guests will finally be transferred to Tongabezi by motorized boat.
Tongabezi IN
CYBERSPACE
Exciting news:
We have once again
been included on the World Travel Award Nominee shortlist
Tongabezi is the #
1 in popularity for Livingstone hotels on Tripadvisor
…and we are delighted to inform you that Tongabezi has been
nominated for a 2008 Good Safari Guide Award.
Special in APRIL (& May)!
Visit Zambia during our Emerald season
April & May special
Three nights in a Cottage at Tongabezi lodge
Flight to Sausage Tree via Lusaka
Four nights Sausage Tree
Return flight via Lusaka to Livingstone
US$ 3640 per person sharing
or
Three nights in a House at Tongabezi lodge
Flight to Sausage Tree via Lusaka
Four nights Sausage Tree
Return flight via Lusaka to Livingstone
US$ 3865 per person sharing
Conditions
Cost based on 2 guests traveling together
All flights excluding departure tax but including fuel surcharge
Tongabezi
Including Meals, Beverages, House wine, laundry service
and levies
Activities: Boat trips on the Zambezi, Guided canoeing excursion,
Lunch on local island with guided walk, Fishing, Victoria Falls
visit, Game Drives (Park fees are extra), Walk in the gorge below
the Falls, Cultural museum visit (Entrance fee US$ 5.00 per person
extra and subject to change) Local village visit, Mountain bike
trail to the local village, Shopping trip in Livingstone town.
Extra: Tipping, Park fees, Premium wine, Champagne, Sparkling wines
and Liqueurs
Sausage tree
Including Meals, Beverages, Accommodation, Laundry, Park
Fees, Internal Park Transfer, Butler
Activities: Game Drives (day & night), Canoeing, Walking Safaris,
Boat Trips, Fishing & Birding.
Extra: Tipping, Champagne, External Park Transfer, Shop
Bookings can only be confirmed within 14 days of travel and are
subject to availability.
LUNAR RAINBOWS IN APRIL
The next lunar rainbow viewing will be on
the 20th April 2008. Join us at eight in the evening
on the 19th, 20th and 21nd of
April for a trip including wines, soft drinks, beers and spirits
served at The Falls
For all the Lunar rainbow dates for 2008 and
2009 please have a look at our website:
http://www.tongabezi.com/information_sheets.php
TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Hopefully these lines will offer better communication links with
Tongabezi.
Please note these are in use with immediate effect.
Lodge +260 213
327450 •
Fax +260 213 327483
Direct Reservations number +260 979 312766
• UK Number 0871 4081258
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.co.za/hires/
CHECKING ON-LINE AVAILABILITY
www.tongabezi.resrequest.com
