My A-Z autobiography … Elephants end the honeymoon
A highlight of our Zimbabwe honeymoon was spending two heavenly days on an island in the middle of Lake Kariba, even if it did mean dragging ourselves out of bed at an unearthly hour to go on a dawn walk on the second morning. The guide told us the path he would follow was used by several young bull elephants to their drinking hole. If he gave the signal we had to get off the path and under cover immediately – the elephants aren’t dangerous, he stressed, but they aren’t domesticated.
I’m not a morning person, but that walk was beautiful. Africa is spectacular at dusk but the cool dawn, tendrils of mist soon to be burned off by a blazing sun which is already sparkling in the last of the dew, is a wonderful time to walk. When the guide hissed “NOW!” I jerked my attention back to my brand-new hubby – only to see him take off at a great rate of knots without a backward glance, vanishing from sight within seconds. The guide and I crouched under some handy undergrowth, and I have to tell you, one of those elephants was *this* close – put it this way, he whipped some leaves off our shelter with his trunk on his way past. It was quite an experience.
It did have its effect on the honeymoon. In fact my heroic (and eventually ex) husband hasn’t lived it down to this day.
Quite Contrary 
I’m not a morning person either, but I would have loved to seen it.
I laughed at this and almost felt sorry for the ex, to fail so soon 🙂 Great story.
Pauleen @ http://troppont.wordpress.com
A to Z 2013
Thanks Pauleen! He of course says as a good wife I should have followed, not stayed behind with a strange man 🙂
Ok, ability to face elephants, not, check! And should I feel bad that this made me laugh? You are a fab combination of wit and charm…I had to read another post after the first one.
BlogwatiG
You are a very descriptive writer, Elizabeth. I could almost feel their breath!
thank you, it’s – you can imagine – a particularly vivid memory 🙂
He didn’t make sure his new bride was okay? I can see why that marriage failed.
Thanks for reading my dam post.
http://joycelansky.blogspot.com
and thank you for reading mine – the fun of the A-Z 🙂
Wildlife always makes for a good story. I wonder what the elephants were thinking! 😉
Fee Fi Fo Fum?
😀 Lol!
What beautiful description, Elizabeth! I felt as though I were there. Surely wouldn’t have wanted to be your new hubby for the rest of the honeymoon!
Oh well, I hadn’t married him for his ability to defend me against elephants – as he plaintively pointed out – but mm, yes, it was an eye-opener!