October 28, 2016 First day at Twala

I can't believe it has been one day.  So much to see and do here!

Of course now in the daylight and with food at my disposal, everyone is my best friend.

Kiko's mother was so emaciated and malnourished when they took her in that they did not know she was pregnant.   She gave birth to Kiko and then died from the effort before the last two puppies could be delivered.  Hand fed from birth, he definitely has a place at the table!

I was locked in last night for my safety and to keep me from wandering about before I was fully informed and oriented.  Except for the permanent cat door in the gate, which was too small for me anyway, but gave multiple warm bodies a way to come and go.

Horace the monkey loves to torment the dogs outside, then he will be seen sitting on one of them, picking unlucky bits out of the fur.  The dogs adore him, and I'm sure Horace sees himself as a dog as well.

First thing we did was to take the birds out to their outside enclosures, and collect dishes from all the animal pens.  Food that was uneaten but in good shape was recycled to today.  Clearly all the animals are given more food than they need.  Rotten or damaged produce was given to the pigs.  As Collin says, "You can't die a pig."

Each animal has its own specific recipe, for example Marmi the marmoset gets 4 pieces of everything - kiwi, grapes, apple, pear, butternut squash, nuts, and blueberries.  Some birds are carnivores, the duiker (antelope) eats only fruit.  Some need their fruit cut just so, others get yogurt with cereal - and no spoon.  It is quite a scene.  The food is then dispersed, the animals are checked and greeted, and onto the next duties.

Certain animals have specific needs for bottle feeding (baby babboon, Maggie) and multiple times a day.  Others need hand feeding, like the newly found baby crow who gets bits of raw chicken and an electrolyte solution with a syringe.  In the afternoon, Collin had two different sets of school children to tour.  His message is the same, adjusted for ages involved - do not take exotic animals as pets, do not mistreat animals, be aware of the planet and maintain the balance.  It is a spiel that would leave any U.S. environmentalist in awe.  And the children soak it up.

I am so impressed at the daily routine, the complicated but attended needs of the animals, and the devotion and dedication of the staff.  Most of them live on the Trust with their children, and work every day of the week but one.  As far as I can tell, they work 12 hour days, and are always smiling.  Because of the state of the local currency and the difficulty getting money out of the banks, they asked me to pay for my room in cash, which helps them pay their staff on time.  My pleasure!

They occasionally have free spay clinics, and find that children will walk miles with their only family member - their dog - to get their pet this procedure that they otherwise cannot afford.  The Trust will feed the kids while they are here too; a bonus that serves as a large incentive to this starving population.

If anyone feels so inclined, please visit Twala Trust online and donate if you can.  Even $5 goes a long, long way.
http://www.twalatrust.com/how-to-help/

https://www.facebook.com/TheTwalaTrustAnimalSanctuary/?fref=ts

While waiting for dinner, Vinay jumped in the pool and suddenly had a goat (Maggie), a Jack Russell Terrier (Kiko), and an infant duiker chasing along side the pool; a trio united with the same mission (don't ask me what).

I was honored to have dinner with the owners and creators of Twala Trust, Sarah and Vinay, husband and wife.  They are both born, raised, and educated in Harare and are very dedicated to their rescue center.  Amazing and interesting people, both with a very kind and genuine sparkle.  Horace the monkey joined us, making silhouettes on the umbrella above where we were sitting.  He was persisting for grapes and being very comedic until he got his way.

The day ended with the final tucking of the birds, brought in lovingly one by one from their outside areas to their safe cages for the night.  This gives all the birds some time together to enjoy, although each in his separate cage.  They would stress or worse if enclosed with so many breeds of birds, but they do seem to softly chat to each other in the room they share at night.  Maggie got her last bottle for the night, bounced off a few more cats, and collapsed in her dog crate.  The crowd at the door to my room wrapped around the living room couch; I am so honored but sorry to decline.  I know how much room gets left for me with 3 animals on my bed at home; and Kiko counts as more than one dog, certainly.

Although he did weasel his way in when I turned on the light to work on the computer in the wee hours...  Some dogs just don't take "NO" for an answer!

October 27, 2016 Twala arrival

My drive with Collin with very educational, not only in terms of the Trust and biology, but also Zimbabwe and its people and politics.  The currency being used locally is the US $, as the Zimbabwe currency inflated out of usefulness.  They did actually print $100 Trillion Dollar notes at one point.  What does that do for someone who just sold their house for $320,000?  Think devaluation and loss of pension funds, etc.  Something that cost $1 in the morning would be $2 in the afternoon.  So doctors and businesses were constantly changing prices.  Hence the use of the more stable currency, the US $, which began illegally as a black market but now has been accepted universally.

This of course threw many people out of work, or at least they had work but weren't paid.  The level of corruption is high and confidence by the people is low.  So for many, the economy has gone back to a barter system - trading a crate of strawberries for a tank of gas for example.

With this came many people leaving the country or at least down-sizing.  The result was many animals, domestic or kept as exotic pets, with nowhere to go.  Twala Trust is making an effort to bridge that gap, taking in abandoned pets, orphaned animals, injured animals, and others with varying hopes of being released to a normal life, or kept here permanently with food and shelter as long as they need it.

Interestingly, the U.S. is building its largest embassy in Africa, which employs 700 people for construction.
https://www.dailynews.co.zw/articles/2016/06/20/new-us-embassy-to-have-great-zim-architecture

We arrived at Twala in the dark, but could see some domestic animals from the road - horses, dogs, and chickens.  We passed the lion enclosure, but there was nothing to be seen.

Collin carried my bag into the house where I would be staying.  His wife, Becky, had brought me some beautiful looking fruit and salad, but with my fears of being sick at all next week when I am expected to work, I had to pass on uncooked food.  It was tempting, though.

My first experience here was the house in which I will be staying.  It is meant for volunteers and can hold many people, but for now it is full of animals: a monkey, a JRT, 3 cats, a one month old goat Maggie, 2 few week old kittens, and 7 birds (African grey parrot, male Eclectus parrot, Congo parrot, injured owl, abandoned infant crow, umbrella cockatoo, and a cockatiel).

My bed started out littered with critters.

Maggie the goat has convinced me - I need a goat.

Horace the monkey has his own dish of fruit, but is not shy about swinging around the room and showing off his acrobatics.

Casper the Indonesian Cockatoo fluffs up his plume and says hello when approached.  He hangs onto the cage with his beak, wide open, and then begins talking incoherently. I think he must have been owned by a dentist...

Kiko, another example of a Jack Russell Terrior in total charge.

One of three cats who assume they have full privileges.

To the sound of bull frogs, crowing roosters, and bellowing lioness, I drift off to sleep.

October 27, 2016 Travel week to Zimbabwe

Wait, did I say 24 hours of travel?  In my dreams.

Started leaving my house at 9 am on Monday; arrived at Harare International Airport Thursday evening and then at the sanctuary by 8 pm.  Even taking the time change into account, that was over 72 hours in transit.  Of course this includes the glitches, but who can expect to travel anymore these days without them?

Started getting calls and texts from United Monday morning that the flight was delayed, delayed, and delayed.  Then at about 5 pm waiting at the airport, it was cancelled.  Connecting from one high cancel airport to another, it is never a surprise.  Everyone was blaming SFO weather and delays, but then suspiciously we all fit onto the 8:45 pm flight.  Made me wonder if United saw a chance to combine two flights into one?

Spent the night in a hotel at SFO; at least I made it this far and would be there for the next day's flight out.  Had a relaxing sleep and exercise, leisurely arrival at the airport, and plenty of time to get through security.

I have never had an Emirates flight that wasn't perfect.  Got into Dubai at about 7 pm.  They put everyone up in a hotel whose connections were in the morning.  Another good night's sleep, except for the time change.  Nice view of the Burj Khalifa out the window, the tallest building in the world at 2717 feet (828 meters or a little over 1/2 mile).  Quite odd coming up out of flat sands and a nearly homogeneously colored landscape.  Dubai has little in common with Arcata.

Flight to Harare went fine, with a stop in Lusaka, Zambia.  Had a lovely seat mate who could not speak English very well, but she was very interested in my Sudoku book, so I taught her how to do it and let her try one.  She spent the rest of the flight doing puzzles and was so delighted with herself when she figured it out that I gave the book to her.  She was a quick study!

My bag was the last one off the plane; no small feat to endure as with the increasing number of bags that come off, the hope of receiving one's baggage goes down.  I did not want to be in another country without my bag, especially since I had packed many treats and items for the animal trust.  But then it appeared and off I went.  Collin was waiting for me, the manager of the Twala Trust, and we made the 1 hour drive together to the animal sanctuary.  Arrived at 8 pm, and what a treat; worth waiting for.