Victoria Falls to Kasane (Botswana)
Love a leisurely start to a day - especially when they are combined with hot showers, electricity and wi-fi. We had 4 stay at homes this morning - @Marg and @Del were off to experience the elephant encounterand @Gill and @Roz enjoyed a fruitful trip to the markets. Everyone else was chilling out and enjoying the luxury of Victoria Falls before we headed into Botswana.
Got our breakfast heads-up with @Louis just to ground us in the reality of going bush in the upcoming days. Botswana - the last wilderness frontier of Africa - is @Louis's number two of favourite places in Africa - 70% is protected wilderness (ask me in few days.)
TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS:
The first part of the day saw us separated and doing our own thing. But it was a regroup at our new favourite cafe in Victoria Falls and it was straight into the coffee again and a sharing of early monring stories.
@Gill's mystery of the shoes was a good story to start the day and we will never know the reality of it.
We are all carrying our extra shoes today as carry on because we need to have them treated at the border transfer to Botswana. During @Gill's shopping adventure, the new purchases were squeezed in on top and the backpack was zipped up. About 3 minutes later a taxi driver was chasing her up the road waving a pair of shoes at her. @Gill had a whole back story running through her mind "Why does he think I need shoes" followed by "I've got a pair just like that." When she finally tuned into the present, the realisation came to her "They are my shoes. " Followed by "He's stolen my shoes and is returning them because they don't fit." Never crossed her mind that he may have been a good Samaritan rather than a villain. Got good mileage out of this story all day and @Gill is still convinced he was some nefarious mastermind behind a clandestine shoe stealing scheme.
Shared in the retell from the Elephant Encounter from @Marg and @Dell - 5 elephants, 4 guests and 4 handlers. Gosh they were up close and personal in this 2 hour meet up. Walked with the elephants, heard their stories, fed them, accompanied them to the water hole. All at leisurely pace. Now that was something to remember, especially if you are an elephant fan like @Marg.
All back together again for our scheduled meetup in the Marula Cafe with time for extra large cappuccino with its accompanying shot of Amarula. For the coffee drinkers - and drinkers - a perfect followup to breakfast.
A. All aboard at 11.30 for the relocation into Botswana in a vehicle even more comfortable than the last. Our destination today was the Chobe River, which has its source in Angola. We are now ramping up the adventure to a whole new level for us - not really super-dooper camping enthusiasts - still rating ourselves as virgins and novices in this category.
First step was to get across the border - and what a different experience that was! No line ups, no hassled guards with just one ipad - just a matter of washing the soles of your shoes that you declare are your only shoes (and car tyres) in a provided solution and then a stamp from the Immigration official. We were in and out in a flash.
@Louis kept up the commentary as @Innocent handled the driving and we were even more comfortable in this van than the last one. Roads were no better though, still a mishmash of pavement, dirt, sand and potholes.
Traversing this edge of the Kalahari where water is so very precious, we hear of some of the history of the Bantu, bushmen and the Tswana (?); the impact of the discovery of diamonds; the government's support of education and the 98% literacy rate; the crisis associated with the devastating impact of HIV on 48% of population. Heard the story of the first president who married across the colour lines and was arrested and took a look at the symbolism of the blue Botswana flag with its distinctive merged black and white Y. Also tantalised by the beauty and size of the Okavango Delta which will be visited in the next segment of our itinerary.
@Louis kept the engagement for the group going by expanding on the importance of this last true wilderness of Arica. Tourism and wildlife are so important to the livelihood of the people. A government initiative enables farmers to make a claim for livestock that is lost to wild animals. The government doesn't want the farmers to hunt and kill the native animals that are the drawcard for tourists. Seems to be some sort of success here - although the wild dogs are still in direct competition with the farmers and packs are vulnerable.
The Chobe River is a significant migration corridor and there is lots of movement through towns and farms as the animals follow the water throughout the seasons. Research into these migration patterns has revealed that the Chobe hosts the second largest migration of zebra and wildebeest in Africa. So we were primed to see more wildlife.
Kasane is definitely a "border" town - just across the river is Namibia and it is perched on the banks of the Chobe River which joins the mighty Zambezi and heads on down to the falls.
Check-in at the Thebe was literally a drop and run because we had an afternoon river cruise with our new "camp" guide.
B. The Chobe River Cruise involved a short drive to our private vessel so that we could cruise the river as the sun set and the local wildlife was drawn to the water for their afternoon refill. @Louis introduced our new Botswanan guide @Shimmy who immediately came across as professional and relaxed. He took over the helm of the boat and while providing commentary presented us with a sweeping panorama of elephant herds, hippos, crocs, wildebeest and an endless parade of birds. We circled the low grassy islands, including No-man's Land which separates Botswana and Namibia and motored along the wooded shorelines where the herds of animals began their afternoon rituals.
In the Kruger game drives we were working hard to spot the wildlife. Here on the Chobe, it is a sit back and relax sort of experience as the animals go about their daily lives - and they do it in numbers. It is hard to know where to look.
But for the crew today - I think the highlight was the elephants. There were there in numbers. And they put on a show right in front of our boat as they swam across the river to the reedy islands. Who even knew that elephants were swimmers! They used their trunks as their personal snorkel and looked as if they were doing an elephant kind of breaststroke.
It was definitely an up close and personal day for @Del and @Marg and we got to share in it as well. The crazy antics of the two teenage males as they playfully tumbled over each other in the water had us spellbound for far too long.
Of course, the sunset was compelling viewing as the sky changed colour and the sun did its dive into the horizon.
C. Dinner had us gathered in the Lodge restaurant, making choices from a menu, trying the local St Louis beer and generally putting on a brave front, trying to balance our uncertainties against the possible danger scenarios that @Louis throws at us so that we are prepared for the reality of the conditions ahead.
We were briefed on the luggage situation for the next few days. Two small bags - one to carry our change of clothes for the 4 days in camp and one for our personal items to take with us on each game drive. Suggestion was to keep it simple - maybe two changes of outer clothing (the one we wear and one other) and 4 sets of undies, a towel, soap and deodorant and any medication. Plus your winter coverups for the early morning and late evenings. It was bare bones packing. GLad we had our little travel bag we had bought earlier in Botswana for the grand total of $4.50.
Hit the hay with no idea really of what the next few days should bring. Only know that we are travelling very light with 5 sets of undies and two changes of clothing, a cake of soap, two sticks of deodorant, a stash of wipes, a CPAP machine, medication, torches, warm gear, wine/rum and #Sheweena. No real worries because the crew has a collective mindset of "we can do this together." Bring it on.
PS: Still no word on the solution for a replacement for #Magogo but with 4 days of our absence no doubt it will be sorted.
Accommodation:Thebe River Lodge - another venue where we are all together in a courtyard configuration with common seating areas outside for catchups. Large bedroom, nets on the beds and fabulous bathroom for long showers pre "going bush." Situated across the road from the prison - not to worry, most criminals in Botswana are wildlife criminals.
Wildlife Spotting
Baboon - crossing road - sliding down the roof on their bottom on the hot tin roof, swinging from the trees, waiting patiently for a break in the traffic; peering in shop fronts; all with the locals just going about their business
Kudu - females, quite large
Elephants - big herd, noted ears flapping to cool down and congregation under tree for shade - always cleaning food to protect teeth - 6 sets - don't chew - grind food - avoid destroying teeth - 60-65 years
Swamp boubou- black and white bird
Brown hooded kingfisher
Kudu: can jump 3 metres high - and 6 metres long - we would like to see that!
Egret
Bufalo
White faced whistling duck
African ebony - seeds in poops of jackals- Jackal berry
Suicidal kingfisher
Lilac breasted roller
African darter - snake bird - neck amd beak stick out - body underwater
African Harrier Hawk -Gymnogene - pluck bird out of nest - Nest of bee eaters and kingfisher
Go away bird - animals be alert - alarm call
Bush chicken- Guinea fowl
Egyptian goose
Crocodile - thermo regulation re - charging solar system - scale like solar panel and retain heat - heat of sun is catalyst for digestion - teeth ... incisor teeth .. muscle called gullet flap - feed on big chunks of meat - takes time to digest- fewer meals - do t need a such food as other animals- come out early in mor o g - just sit-down to use energy - only creature with ability to drop heartbeat to 14 ... long time under water for long periods of times- unique eyes - has sunglasses for sun - 3 eyelids - last remai s of dinosaur - 130 years- leopard tortoise 150
Wow! All this, and still so much more to come in the next few days..didn't know about swimming elephants!! dsysdays.....feeling excited for the 'camp '...good luck! Didn't know about swimming elephants...amazing!
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