As soon as morning broke, we checked-out of our terrible resthouse in Mfuwe and finally managed to make contact with the Flatdogs Lodge and Campsite. Within minutes, a branded 4×4 vehicle appeared and whisked us off to the lodge for a hearty breakfast. (We were told that we were not allowed to walk from the village to the lodge, as it was also breakfast-time for the surrounding wild animals.)

The Flatdogs lodge is beautiful, easily the best accommodation that we’ve experienced in Africa so far. Our ‘cottage’, built from a third concrete, a third wood and a third canvas, had a wonderful outdoor bathroom which provided a welcome change to the grotty, shared bathrooms to which we’ve become accustomed. Claire particularly enjoyed the open-air bush shower experience. We spent most of the day lounging around with the monkeys by the swimming pool (a swimming pool!) and staying out the way of the visiting elephants and giraffe.

Later we ate some really great, if pricey, food at the restaurant. I really take my hat off to Cathie, the restaurant manager, for getting such good food to our table: The lodge is in the middle of nowhere and the available menu would put many city eateries to shame. After our meal, a guide with a big torch safely escorted us back to our cottage where we slept in the midst of the wildlife. Thank goodness we had concrete/wooden walls — I wouldn’t have felt so secure in a canvas tent with elephants trampling through the site!

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