Traveling out into the bush has been a joy and definitely a great way to finish the shoot. This morning we went on a drive safari in an effort to get some beautiful shots of elephants, buffalo, hippopotamus and hopefully some lions. What did we end up getting? Nothing. When the highlight of a four-hour drive is some pelicans circling above the vehicle and some wildebeest running around as specks in the guide’s binoculars you know it hasn’t been a very productive session.

But the afternoon proved much better as on our way to the airstrip to meet the helicopter we ran into a bull (as in male) elephant. And we got the full works as it flapped its ears, sounded its trunk and gave mock charges towards the car. All in all it was a bit scary seeing a massive creature like that charging towards the back of an open safari vehicle. You feel quite helpless, because if it did feel like challenging you there would be only one winner.

After our little meeting with our large friend we ventured on to finish the shoot in style with some glorious helicopter shots. The wildlife came out in force and we got sweeping views of herds of buffalo and marching elephants. Nick the producer was enjoying the moment running around like some extra from Airwolf.
 

Adam made it very clear I wasn’t to make any quips today or do anything that could delay the helicopter. Tough one because I was feeling hilarious. The morning game drive revealed plenty more Tetse flies and several fish eagles, but that was about it. Apparently there were some wildebeest and zebra on the horizon but they could have been pretty much anything considering they were so far away. My money is on James having duped us all into visiting the only African National Park that rates a pelican as its most dangerous resident.

The helicopter shoot was a big deal. A lot of pressure to get it right and it involved James and I charging about in the four wheel drive under the direction of a moderately stressed production team. A slight technical hitch with the main helicopter camera didn’t help but we finally found something larger than a pelican and drove straight into the middle of about 150 elephants. The helicopter missed this of course but luckily James was totally reassured throughout as I was behind the wheel and have been on a safari before when on honeymoon Loaded with experience to deal with virtually any situation in the African bush, James whispered to me that he had a feeling of disquiet about our predicament. Thankfully I’ve also played the Need for Speed once and we made it out just fine. Got to be in it to win it.

Elephants galore – we also got charged by a lone male elephant (we had a proper driver during this bit which was a relief) – spectacular. It was only a warning – something to do with the ears sticking out apparently. James is a specialist in ears and trunks.

Wow!!

Spent the day in a helicopter filming aerials over the park with a Cineflex. Incredible. It was like watching a 3D of Planet earth!

We had just under two hours of flying time to get everything that we needed to film. Everything had to be planned with the Pilot, with Dave the Cineflex operator, Luke, the elephant orphanage, the park rangers etc.

We started by filming Luke and James from the elephant orphanage, driving around, stopping and looking at wildlife, then we turned off and filmed some wilder beasts and zebras, which were running around like headless chickens, one way this and one way that. Despite being quite high up, the noise of the chopper was disturbing the animals. We couldn’t go any higher as the helicopter was to heavy and the winds were too strong.

We spotted a herd of elephants alongside the road to the airstrip; there were about a hundred or so. It was incredible. To think the amount of times we had driven along that road knowing there were elephants there, yet  we couldn’t spot them for the dense burnt trees.

Once we had elephants in the can, we veered north towards the lake. The idea was to head towards where we had filmed the dead buffaloes, but fuel was going fast and we didn’t want to miss out filming Luke at the elephant orphanage.  So we circled around and got some shots of some hippos ducking into the water, some impala’s and buffalo and headed back south to the elephant orphanage.

When you’re up in the air over the park you begin realize its size. It stretches for miles in to the horizon. absolutely stunning. What a privilege to have been able to do and see that!

The final day of filming and it has been another epic day. We had an early start with a flight back to Lusaka on the Islander plane. It all went ok this time, no mid-air mishaps, although we were all a bit apprehensive on the approach to the runway as we’d been told that radar was down and there had been a number of near-miss collisions.

We rounded off the shoot with revisits to Richard to see how he was getting on at LAWS, and a final check up on some puppies that Luke had previously worked on. It all went smoothly.

But then we returned to the hotel only to discover somebody had been through our bags, whislt we had been away the past three days. I’m not sure about the other guys, but I’ve lost a pair of trainers and my not very old ipod. I’m pretty annoyed.

The last part of the shoot has been completing the helicopter shots back in Lusaka. And Luke driving was the order of the day. Unfortunately for Nick (the producer), Geoff (our driver) and myself this meant hiding in the back of the van out of shot. We were lying down like three stiff corpses or sardines in a tin box… Not exactly my finest moment in TV.
 

Unbelievable – all that trekking about yesterday and seeing absolutely no game compared with a twenty minute drive to the airport this morning and seeing a large pack of wild dog – I wanted to get out the truck and take my chances with them rather than face the ‘vomit comet’ ride back in the Islander plane. Needless to say I didn’t (which is probably just as well) and despite my inherent fear about hopping up beside Brendan the pilot for the return journey, he did a great job and got us back to Lusaka without incident.

Great end to the trip, back at the shelter to revisit all the animals and people we had left a week ago. Whilst Cherry, Twinkle and the pups are unforgettable, it will be Richard’s story that will really stick with me. When we arrived at LAWS, he was dressed in his uniform and scrubbing out the kennels. He had arrived early for work because he didn’t want to miss us and say goodbye. He had a big smile on his face and I was really happy to see him. I wish him the very best and Sue said he had fitted in incredibly well and the other guys like him.

The last day of any trip is always a bit of a strange one. We are all pretty tired, looking forward to going home and seeing our respective families but will nevertheless invariably miss the charity we’ve been working with over such an intense couple of weeks. LAWS is no exception. The goodbye meal was so warm and genuine, the people great company and the charity is a special one. It has been a fantastic adventure and Zambia is a wonderful country. I really look forward to staying in touch with all the great people I’ve met and it’s been an absolute winner to have visited them.

Had a bit of explaining to do the other day. I’d got up with Noah for the normal 5.30am routine and as I carried him downstairs, he giggled, pointed to my stomach and said ‘baby’. Now this is hilarious when he points at my wife’s belly and says baby because she is pregnant and we’re trying to get him excited about the prospect of a little brother or sister, but this line of conversation with me wasn’t quite the plan. I had to turn things around fast – and rapidly pointed out that lions have big furry tummies like Daddy and no one makes fun of them. Noah thought this was hysterical and I’m not sure if he got the right message because Mr Tummy was subject of about 30mins intense early morning discussion and repeated probing. I was worried he might hurt his hand on the ridges of scarcely disguised muscle but he’s tough. I also managed to explain how seals and whales keep warm in the oceans. It was a morning of education. I didn’t take it personally but needless to say, I walked to work rather than drove. Noah needs to know just how tough Daddy is and a walk in driving rain definitely proves the point. Not even a lion would want to do that.

Been manic at work, got a chance to do some calls with Caroline (new vet at the practice) which was fun – trimmed a bulls feet, caesared a cow, all went well – she didn’t need me around but it was great to be out and about. Now sitting on the plane on what is hopefully the last couple of hours of a 21 hour three stage flight to Iquitos in Peru. Hats off to LAN – not a bad airline at all, still wishing economy was a couple of inches wider though (i.e. big enough to fit a lion).

We’re in Peru and it is hot and humid. Bringing two pairs of trousers seems like a bad idea now… We’re visiting a charity called Amazon CARES and I’m looking forward to it as the trip looks to be quite action packed.

This is a trip I was especially looking forward to. Since I was a kid I’ve dreamed of travelling deep into the Amazonian rainforest. After a 24 hour trip we finally arrived in Iquitos, an island of civilisation in this ocean of lush trees. You never know what to expect on these trips, but I am somehow not worried at all and my gut tells me we will find loads of stories here.

Luke is fired up as it’s the first time we are planning to include a group of vets from WVS that arrived here a few days ago.

Nathan needs shorts!

Another shoot without Adam. Scottie couldn’t make it ether. The new crew member is Simon. Considering the short amount of time we have spent together so far everyone gets on like a house on fire.

Let’s get cracking!

 

Belen market takes some seeing to believe. It is a heaving chaotic scene of hustle and bustle and everything is available for purchase. Huge anaconda skins decorate some of the stalls, animal skins, potions are for sale adjacent to clothing and grocery stalls. It is a sprawling centre of commerce in Iquitos and bizarrely, above the meat market Amazon Cares were running a community outreach project. I’m really impressed with what Molly has set up here, she has a great team and they are doing a lot of good. A WVS team are also here which means I am just one vet of five so there is lots of work going on and everyone seems in top form. Spaying was the name of the game on the first day, a few sick animals which needed tx and a poor cat who had been bitten on the face and lost its eye. Carolien – one of the nurses, found the poor little creature and we fixed it up back at the Amazon Cares clinic in town.
 

 

Simon is our new special friend for this trip. Marc is back but Adam is in India so another member of the extreme cameraman gang has been drafted in. Simon loves the fact I keep reminding him he is extreme at every possible opportunity (there really is an extreme cameraman club) – he has just had an extreme breakfast for example and feels extremely pleased about it. He is extremely nice and is definitely an extreme addition to the gang. The only other point of note is that Lupe is working hard on his Spanish (he has a Spanish girlfriend) so he’s currently dazzling us with the odd word in the local dialect. Almost as extreme as Simon.
 

Annie (one of the vets on the WVS team and worked for the charity last year) has stayed behind from the rest of the group to come with me and the film crew. There are apparently lots of animals lined up for us to treat in a community and I’m going to need an extra pair of hands. It’s great to work with Annie again and I’m glad of the back up it was looking like I would have been short of help with everyone else (including all the local team) having gone up river to run another neutering campaign.
 

The day started with a very sad case of a sweet little puppy that was badly jaundiced. We think it has leptospirosis (a horrible disease that we vaccinate against in the UK and spread by rats) and the prognosis is poor. We popped it on fluids and started a course of medicines so fingers crossed it pulls through. It won’t be in the programme as it arrived first thing and needed treatment immediately but we’re all rooting for it.

Then the adventure began; Molly’s shelter is outside Iquitos in the midst of the rainforest. A half hour boat ride down the Amazon took us to a cluster of huts and buildings and a yard comprising about twenty dogs. All the dogs were happy, healthy and in great form and clearly adore Molly as they leapt and cavorted about us. A few dogs we rescued from the meat market the other day were also there, trying to adapt to their new surroundings and receiving the appropriate treatments. It’s a very honest set up – the whole place almost got washed away last year in torrential rain so has been rebuilt in stages with more sturdy construction.

There wasn’t much for me to do from a veterinary sense, one dog had bad eyes which I had some medication for, but the shelter animals look great and it was more about filming an introduction to the programme than about surgeries. After a thorough look around, we headed back to Iquitos to check up on the hospitalized animals at the shelters city clinic, went on a reccie for a shoot later in the programme and then back to base.

Simon had it extremely tough today. He couldn’t bring his second pair of extreme shoes with him on the trip out – they wouldn’t fit in the bag. I think to be part of the extreme camera man club; you need to always be prepared by having two pairs of shoes with you for any extreme situation. Simon even has a ticket on his bag saying he is an extreme cameraman – prepared and poised to film anything extreme at extreme short notice. He is adapting to these extreme conditions – where we all go around with just one pair of shoes each day – extremely well. He also didn’t get lunch today – extremely hardcore. We’re all struggling to be anywhere near as extreme as Simon but we’re doing our best. Fingres crossed none of us slow him down.