The animals in Londo were our hardest goodbye. Every day during our 2 and a half month stay was an adventure with them. We were told stories about our friend's pets on our boat trip from Durban to Pemba, but only really believed them once we experienced them for ourselves!
When we arrived, our friends had three dogs, three goats and a monkey. While we were there, they welcomed another dog and a goat into their family. Their two Ridgebacks; Afri and Lisi, were there when they arrived. Soon after that, they had a puppy named Zulu. The dogs went everywhere with us, even on the boat. They would take themselves for long walks on the beach, swims in the sea, naps in the sun, and even sneak out to hunt small animals during the night.
During our stay, a smaller, very weak dog showed up during the night. The only place he could have come from is a village 13km away! After a few days, he was settled in and started playing with all the other animals. He was named Spliffy. Spliffy slowly gained weight and started to show his personality. He would often come and visit us throughout the day, and sometimes slept outside our room during the night.
Their three goats; Larry, Leila and Luna, were all welcomed as kids. They were really cute but extremely naughty. We often caught them trying to steal the bread dough or eating whatever they found on the tables. Leila and Luna soon fell pregnant and during our stay, Leila had her kid. Lottie was born. We loved “kid-sitting” him and watching him grow, we couldn’t believe how soft his coat was.
Our friends had rescued the monkey from a man trying to sell him in Pemba. His name is Mowgli, and although he is a free monkey, he chooses to stay at the lodge. He was hand-reared back to health and now makes himself at home around the house. He is very cute and curious, loves to cuddle and play, and eats about five apples a day. Mowgli also loves going for swims by himself or with the dogs in the tidal pool which flows into the sea.
The best thing about all of the animals is that they all have different relationships with each other. We spent hours sitting and just watching them play together. Zulu (dog) and Mowgli (monkey) were best friends and would explore the beach and lodge together. Spliffy started tagging along with them once he settled in. Mowgli also loved playing with Luna (goat), and although Mowgli wasn’t fond of Lottie (kid) when he was first born, they soon became cuddle buddies. You can watch this video to see how cute their interactions are!
We were in complete isolation in Londo, with no human interaction apart from with the 3 staff members, the odd fisherman paddling past, or with each other. But the animals kept us entertained and busy every day, they definitely have the best back-yard possible. We knew we would miss them before we even had to say goodbye.
Send buckets of luv🥰🥰 love reading your blog