Lodge Blog – Chanters Lodge Livingstone

HMS Londonderry

A friend of mine – Derek Dawson -and a former Guest at Chanters Lodge, served on this ship from 1960-1962 and cruised all over the world on it! He now lives in cold cold Scotland and breathes life into other people from his computer! Isn’t it just a stunningly beautiful sight? The ship – not Derek reading his paper outside Room 10 some time back!
Derek and partner Pam intend to go to the 50th anniversary of the launch of the ship in October next year! Awesome!

HMS Londonderry was launched by Viscountess Brookeborough on the 20th May 1958 and commissioned on the 20th July 1960 at J. Samuel White’s shipyard, Cowes, Isle of Wight. A “Rothesay” Class Modified Type 12 1st Rate Anti-Submarine Frigate similar to the earlier “Whitby” Class ships and forerunner of the later “Leander” Class.

Primarily designed for the location and destruction of the most modern submarines, these frigates were fitted with the latest underwater detection equipment and anti-submarine weapons of post war development. Good sea keeping qualities enable the vessels to maintain their high speed in rough seas. They are all welded and the structual arrangements were specially designed to achieve the lightest possible structure.

The propelling machinery fitted included geared turbines of novel design and high power. Double reduction gearing allows low propellor revolutions at high power and the propellor efficiency is correspondingly high. This coupled with improvements to hull design, enables these frigates to achieve over 30 knots on only 75 percent of the power required by older destroyers of comparable displacement.

1960 – 1967 Served Home, West Indies and Far East. 1967 – 1969 Modernisation at Portsmouth. 1975 – 1979 Refitted Rosyth for conversion to Trials Ship. 1984 Paid off to become Harbour Training Ship for HMS Sultan at Gosport. 25 June 1989 Sunk as a target off Scotland.

14
DEC

Chanters, guests, Ships, Zambia

Twitter Types

I like Twitter for lots of different reasons, not least of which is #MusicMonday! This what Guy Kawasaki has to say about Twitter user types!

“1. The Newbie. “What am I doing?” The Newbie signed up for Twitter less than three months ago and thinks it’s all about lifestreaming: “Watching my cat roll over.” These people quickly progress to a different type of use or abandon Twitter when no one pays attention to them. Motivation: curiosity about Twitter. Recommended approach: understand.

2. The Brand. “What can I get away with?” The Brand balances the tension between using Twitter as a marketing tool and socially engaging people so as not to appear to be using Twitter as a marketing tool. Motivation: greater brand awareness. Recommended approach: observe.

3. The Smore. “What’s in it for me?” The Smore (social media whore) sees Twitter primarily as a self-promotion tool to get something from people although a transparent Smore (“Bubbles”) is often a delightful person. The delusional ones are the pains. Motivations: making a buck off and gaining followers. Recommended approach: tolerate.

4. The Bitch. “What can I complain about?” Despite deriving this name from female dogs, this is usually an angry man who envies people who generate content. They can be briefly amusing in a “shock jock” kind of way, but their bark is greater than their bite, and their bite is greater than their insight. Motivation: generating angry reactions. Recommended approach: block.

5. The Maven. “What’s interesting in my niche?” The Maven is an expert in a field such as recruiting, marketing, or web design. If you’re interested in their field, following them is a rich, rewarding, and time-saving experience. Motivation: getting retweeted and recognized as an expert. Recommended approach: follow.

6. The Mensch. “How can I help?” Mensches are few and far between. They lurk in the background until people need help and then they either know, or know how to find, the answer. They are seldom well-known or highly followed, but they save you tons of time and effort when you want to know something like the ideal dimensions of a profile background. Motivation: helping others. Recommended approach: adore.

Now comes the hard part: What kind of Twitter user are you? To make Twitter an effective tool, you need to be a Brand, Maven, or Mensch. To go even further, you need to be able to adopt the roles of Brand, Maven, Mensch, and a touch of the Smore, and that is truly an art.“

Truly brilliant. Me? Probably a mix of Maven and Brand! I’d also like to add

7. The Luvvy Swooning and gushing over followers or tweets, perhaps for a #followfriday or a #traveltuesday they often pour out or retweet swooning pieces of advice about love and life. Often have more followers than you’d imagine. Recommended approach: love them back, they’re doing it for a reason!

The photo – one of Kerry de Bruyn’s from her Botswana trip – she’s @AfricanPhoto on Twitter

13
DEC

Africa, Botswana, Twitter

Three Little Pigs

Something very silly for a Friday and actually a true story showing the logic of a 6 year old!

A teacher was reading the story of the Three Little Pigs to her class.

She came to the part of the story where first pig was trying to gather
the building materials for his home.

She read. ‘And so the pig went up to the man with the wheelbarrow
full of straw and said: ‘Pardon me sir, but may I have some of that
straw to build my house?’

The teacher paused then asked the class: ‘And what do you think
the man said?’

One little boy raised his hand and said very matter-of-factly…

‘I think the man would have said – ‘Well, I’ll be fu**ed!! A talking pig!’

The teacher had to leave the room.

11
DEC

joke

Visas, Transfers & Directions

We have introduced a fresh page on our Chanters Lodge website, with a view to giving Guests more information! It’s all about:

VISAS, TRANSFERS & DIRECTIONS

Visas
Single and double entry visas for Zambia are available at Livingstone International Airport and other border posts. US$50 single entry, and US$80 double entry. You can only pay in cash US$. For multiple entry visas you need to make arrangements with your nearest Zambia Embassy or High Commission before you arrive in the country, as these are not available at border posts.

(Visas to enter Zimbabwe are available at their border and the price depends on nationality. Most nationalities don’t require visas to enter Botswana.)
Transfers
Chanters Lodge offers free transfers from/to Livingstone International Airport (for Guests with reservations) on arrival/departure, or from Livingstone City centre if you’re arriving by coach from Lusaka, or via the Intercape Bus from Namibia. Please advise us your arrival details to facilitate this service.
Transfers from/to other locations in Zimbabwe and Botswana can also be arranged. Please let us know your requirements so we can quote you.
Almost all activity operators include transfers from/to Chanters Lodge in their activity prices – excepting Livingstone Island.
Domestic Flights
Contact Proflight
Location
It’s 5 minutes by car to Livingstone City Centre from Chanters Lodge, and it takes just 8 minutes to reach Livingstone Airport. It’s 20 minutes to Victoria Falls and the Zimbabwe border, and 15 minutes to the entrance to the Mosi-o-Tunya National Park. It takes 1 hour to reach the Botswana border, and 2 hours the Namibian border. The road is good.

Coach Service
To reach Lusaka, the Zambian capital by road, allow six hours by private car including a loo stop and about 7 hours by coach. All but 75 km’s of the 500 km’s road is in fair condition. There’s a frequent coach service (Mazhandu Family Bus Service) which is relatively comfortable and reasonable (app US$18 pp). Buses leave from Livingstone City Centre and arrive at the main bus terminal in downtown Lusaka and vice versa.
Taxis
Taxis are abundant in Livingstone and generally safe and roadworthy. A typical fare from Chanters to Livingstone City Centre is US$2.50. One way to Victoria Falls US$10 (both per 4 seater car). They are not metered, so negotiate the fare before departure!
When he’s available Richard will help you with an occasional lift.

Trains
There’s an overnight train service to Lusaka but it’s probably fair to describe it as slow, insecure and uncomfortable. You can also reach Dar-es-Salaam by train from Lusaka which takes 2 days plus.

Directions
(a) Arriving by road from Lusaka:
Come down the long hill into Livingstone from the main water tower and at the bottom there is a right hand bend, a straight section and then another right hand bend. After the second right hander look out immediately for the Chanters Lodge sign (amongst a cluster of others) on your right at the intersection of the Lusaka Road and Obote Avenue. Turn right up Obote Avenue for 750m and check for our next sign on your left. Turn immediately right into Lukulu Crescent and we are the second gate on your right.

(b) Arriving by road from Botswana or Namibia:
Reaching the intersection of the Nakatindi and Lusaka roads by the Catholic Cathedral turn left and proceed all the way through Livingstone towards Lusaka past the Fairmount Hotel and Armadillo Restaurant on your left. About 400m after the Armadillo look out for the Chanters Lodge sign (amongst a cluster of others) on your left. Turn left up Obote Ave for 750m and check our next sign on your left. Turn immediately right into Lukulu Crescent and we are the second gate on your right.

Please contact us by e mail at richard_chanter@yahoo.co.uk for any further information you might require.

There’s also a Google Map showing where we are in Livingstone. The photo? A nice picture of our restaurant!

10
DEC

Africa, Chanters, Zambia

Livingstone Sights & Activities

With the invaluable help of Edward Chanter at Collaborative Connections in UK we have been updating the Chanters Lodge website in recent weeks. Here’s a look at the page detailing:

Sights and Activities

Livingstone has recently become known as the adventure capital of Southern Africa, and given the number of activities available it’s hardly any wonder! Take a look at the following:

Walking with Lions
The Walking with Lions experience is being run by Lion Encounter in association with ALERT (African Lion & Environmental Research Trust). The lions are based at Thorntree, next to the Elephant Back Safaris. Please note that no children under 15 yrs old are allowed and clients must be over 1.5m in height. Transfers and park fee are included in the price of US$135 pp. The park fee is payable in cash seperately.

Whitewater Rafting
The Zambezi River below the Victoria Falls is widely considered to be the very best white water rafting river in the world. A deep channeled, high volume river. Availability is seasonal. Full day including lift out is US$145, morning half day is US$120 (no lift) and afternoon half day US$130 (with lift).

Elephant Riding
An elephant back safari is not just a ride on the largest animal in Africa, it’s an unforgettable experience where clients get to interact with the elephants. As with the lion encounter the elephants are based at Thorntree, and the price is US$160 pp including transfers and a US$10 park fee payable seperately.

Chobe National Park – 1 Day Safari
Chobe National Park, named after the Chobe River on its northern boundary is home to an exciting variety of large mammals and over 450 bird species. Clients leave at 07.00 hrs after an early breakfast and are transferred to Kasane in Botswana. A morning river safari, buffet lunch and an afternoon game drive are included in the price of U$$150 pp – so too is the transfer back to the lodge in the early evening.
A great day out!

Canoeing
A Canoeing Safari on the Upper Zambezi River, is a relaxing way to enjoy the astonishingly beautiful scenery that lines the river. The Canoeing Trail operates above Victoria Falls in Zambia, running between Simonga and the Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park. Full day is US$120 pp, half day: US$95 pp.

Bungi Jumping & Other High Adrenaline Activities!
Bungi must be the ultimate adrenaline rush, as you leap into space, free as a bird, saved from the swirling water below by the rebound of the cord. There are other rushes too in this ‘scary’ section!

Bungi:	US$110
Bridge Swing:	US$80
Bridge Slide:	US$35
Abseil:	US$95
Gorge Swing:	US$55
Flying Fox:	US$35

Sunset Cruise
In the fading twilight hours, take a sunset cruise. Heed the call of Africa while sipping traditional cocktails and enjoying light snacks on the Lady Livingstone, a three tier and the newest boat on the river. Current price is US$55 including transfers.

Jet Extreme
Jet boating is a thrilling adventure on the Zambezi River in the Batoka Gorge below the Victoria Falls. Powering through the rapids of the mighty Zambezi River, buzzing rocks and jet spinning all in the spectacular setting of the Batoka Gorge, one of Zambia’s natural treasures. US$95 pp inc lift out.

Livingstone Island
At certain times of the year you can visit Livingstone Island right on the edge of the Main Falls and even swim in the famous Devils Pool scarily near the rim! Morning, lunch and tea visits are available and prices vary from US$60-US$110 pp excluding transfers to/from the Royal Livingstone Hotel where the boat leaves for the Island.

Helicopter Ride over The Falls
An exhilarating 15 or 30 minute flight over the amazing Victoria Falls. US$130/US$260 pp. The helicoptor gives passenger’s a superior view of the Victoria Falls as it flies slower and lower than the fixed wing aircraft offering an excellent viewing opportunity.

Microlighting
The 15 or 30 minute microlight has an open cockpit for the ultimate adrenaline ride over the Falls at US$120/ US$240 pp. (You cannot take your own photos on the flight for safety reasons, but you can buy photos taken from a fixed camera on the wing).

River Safari
Take a river safari on the Zambezi in a small highly maneuverable boat. Morning, lunch or sunset available at US$85 pp including snacks and drinks.

Rhino Walk
Take a walk on the wildside and view the rhino in our Mosi-o-Tunya National Park. Morning or afternoon at US$85 pp.

Game Drive & Game Walk
Game drive is US$50 pp. Game walk is US$70 pp.

Livingstone Museum
Visit Livingstone’s excellent museum and see David Livingstone memorabilia, and a brilliant history of Zambia and the general area. Open daily.

Curio Markets
There are two curio markets, one less than a 15 minute walk from the lodge and the other in the car park above Victoria Falls. Don’t forget to haggle the price!

Falls Tours
Zambia: US$35
Zimbabwe: US$60 (exc transfers)

Other available activities include:
Tandem Skydiving
Kayaking
Horse Riding
Quad Biking
Crocodile Farm
Golf
Paintball
Village Tour
Bicycle Tour
Steam Train Dinner
Fishing
Raft Float
Cheetah Encounter
Volunteer with local schools
River Boarding

9
DEC

activities, Chanters, guests, internet

Accommodation at Chanters

We were delighted to learn yesterday, that Chanters Lodge was cited by a Trip Advisor executive at a recent e tourism summit held in South Africa for the complementary reviews about us on their site. Indeed we’re grateful to all Guests who have reviewed the lodge. We’re often marked slightly down on rooms in these reviews. In order to try and make it clear what we offer at our very reasonable prices, we’ve recently updated the accommodation page on our site to reflect the current situation. Here it is:

Chanters Lodge offers Guests a variety of rooms all of which are self-contained and air-conditioned with satellite TV (choice of 5 channels), refrigerators and complimentary tea/coffee making facilities.

There are 4 poolside double rooms (each with one double bed), located in a quiet, peaceful lovely garden setting. These rooms have spacious bathrooms which contain a seperate shower cubicle.

There are 4 large twin bedded rooms, each (soon to) have two double beds – these rooms face the main building and are ideal for those requiring family accommodation, as they have space for at least one extra bed. These have self-contained shower rooms. Travellers can park their vehicles immediately outside these rooms.

There is 1 big, purpose designed, family room with two double beds and a double bunk bed. It has a spacious bathroom with seperate shower.

The original building of Chanters Lodge houses 3 small double rooms, each with one double bed, and self-contained with private bathroom and/or shower. These rooms are ideal for the single traveller or couples travelling on a budget.

Click here to see the various different rates for these rooms.

At certain seasons and for group travel, as well as for long stays, discounts are available on request. All room rates are per room per night and include full english breakfast and free transfers from/to Livingstone International Airport or the city centre on arrival/departure if required.

All rooms have Wifi availability. The lodge gives one free hour internet access per room to Guests on arrival and very reasonable internet vouchers are available for purchase thereafter. There’s also a laptop situated in the lounge for Guest use if required.

The lodge has a stand-by electricity generator in case of power cuts and a 28,000 litre reserve water supply. The site is surrounded by a wall fence and there is a security guard at night. There is space for parking approximately 10 vehicles.

The picture is of one of our recently completed poolside doubles.

8
DEC

accommodation, Africa, Chanters, extension, TripAdvisor, Zambia

The Rains!

When it rains in Livingstone it tends to really rain! It also seems incapable of raining without the accompaniment of massive rolls and claps of thunder, and all kinds of lightning – fork, sheet, etc! All very scary! Check the picture of the Chanters Lodge garden during really heavy rain as we experienced a huge storm yesterday mid-morning.

Normally our back yard gets flooded in heavy rain as we’ve never really sorted out the storm drainage, but yesterday the trenches for the foundations of the new office block took all the water! I’m sure our builder will be delighted when he turns up for work tomorrow!

Looks like we might have more rain today too!

6
DEC

Africa, Chanters, livingstone, radioshow, weather

Offices

Work has started on the construction of a block containing 2 offices at Chanters Lodge, Livingstone. “Why do you need more office space?” I hear you ask. “Is your administration getting bloated?” Ummm – more office space? Actually we don’t have any! And this more than 11 years since the lodge first opened! How have we managed?

Well, initially, the ‘office’ was located under a tree in the garden. From there it moved to a table on the terrace. From there to a table in the restaurant, and then, as the lodge got bigger, to a Guest room – meaning that whenever the room’s let, we have to move out! Inconvenient – to put it mildly, though we’re not a management team that enjoys being, or is, ‘office bound’.

Now, as the years go by and I get no younger, it’s time also to consider the future. To this end, Annastasia Katele my delightful assistant has to learn to do some of the things I do at the moment – initially stores, bar and kitchen stock control. So she also needs a base from which to work.

Our two offices will be located on the right of the restaurant in the car park as you enter the lodge, in such a place as to afford me a good view of the front gate, lodge entrance, reception and the back yard! And Annastasia the same views forward, but behind her a view inside the laundry where Chanters Girlies meet (and talk) etc.

This addition will also allow us to redevelop the room we’re currently using as an office, then giving the lodge 12 letting rooms consisting of three small self-contained double rooms in the main house (for single or double occupancy at economical rates), four poolside doubles, 4 spacious twins and a family room.

There’s a picture of the work happening on the first day – and on the second day it rained!!!

4
DEC

accommodation, Chanters, charities, extension, livingstone, Zambia

Live The Charmed Life

I first came across DeeAnne White on Twitter @LiveCharmed. What! An American Tweeting about cricket? Enough to make anyone sit up and take notice! I subscribe to her blog Live The Charmed Life too which, like her input on Twitter is a touch of class. There are few blogs to which I subscribe but this one is always fun! I couldn’t find a really good picture of DeeAnne so there’s Watergate Bay in Cornwall which she features on one of her recent blog posts! This is what she says about herself:

“My name is DeeAnne White, and I’m a girl adventurer, traveller, aspiring expatriate, and lover of cricket, golf, wine, Jimmy Choos and life. I began Live the Charmed Life to share the ways I’ve built a life I love, because somehow I’ve become the person others come to with those sorts of questions. I’m the girl many call if they want to plan a trip to London, get the name of a fantastic restaurant in NYC or Las Vegas, pick the perfect bottle of wine, find out the score of the Laker game, throw a memorable backyard party, or get a perspective from behind rose colored glasses.

In all honesty, I’m an ordinary girl who thoroughly enjoys the brilliance I find in others, who is ridiculously curious, and who’s never once thought anything was impossible. I’ve had many, MANY, bumps in the road, but my strength has been in finding the fun regardless of circumstance, taking leaps of faith even when I was terrified, and rebuilding after the inevitable storms roll past.

I’ll be writing about my current adventure in which I travel the world in high heels, redesign my career, follow the sport of cricket and possibly break 90 on the golf course. Heck, I may even write about the misadventure called my love life.

I hope you’re entertained. I hope you’re engaged. Most importantly, I hope you’re inspired to begin your own adventure!”

Ordinary girl? Mmmm – I think not!

3
DEC

blog, travel, Twitter

Drucker’s A-Z (cont)

Continuing Inc’s A-Z of Peter Drucker we come to D & E!

D for Decentralization:

Little fish learn to be big fish in little ponds. Drucker favored decentralized organizations because they create small pools in which employees gain satisfaction by witnessing the fruits of their efforts, and nascent leaders can make mistakes without bringing down the business. When Drucker laid out these ideas in the mid-1940s, the command-and-controllers who dominated corporations were not amused. Today, of course, “stovepipe” organizations–those that remain–are widely maligned for their failure to make the most of human and information resources.

E for Effectiveness:

Perhaps the most revelatory insight in the history of time management tore the bottom out of Frederick Taylor’s time-and-motion studies: “Efficiency is doing things right,” Drucker wrote in The Effective Executive. Effectiveness is doing the right things.” What’s true for individual managers is also true for organizations, which often squander time and resources trying to improve processes for products not worth producing. The solution? See “abandonment,” above.

So, is your business decentralized and effective?

The picture? Sunset over Victoria Falls

1
DEC

management, victoriafalls, Zambia

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