Kasane to Chobe (Chobe National Park, Botswana)
The alarm was persistent at 6:15 and walls seem to be paper thin here so we can hear alarms, movement, showers and toilets and even overnight snorers, so there is no avoiding parting the mosquito nets and just getting up.
Today is handover time - we needed to have our "bush" bags out and ready for collection because they would be taken in the support vehicle and leave our main luggage with @Louis who would meet us at Maun.
TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS:
A. Fond farewells from @Louis (he is in charge of our luggage and for finding a transport solution) as we boarded and joined @Shimmy in the open safari vehicle for our 60 km per hour cruise to the gates of the park. The plan today was to make our way slowly through the park, on he sandy tracks, varying our speed from stationery to 15 kph to arrive in camp on noon just in time for lunch.
No fence around the area as it blocks the movement of animals - and we I nvited to play the spot the animal "game" today trying to find animals - @Shimmy indicated we'd see lots if we were lucky - and lucky we were.
Great vantage points from every seat in the vehicle (so much room, very comfortable and the rotation continues) to see just need to be alert and @Shimmy invited everyone to get him to stop if they spotted anything that was of interest to them - but must comment that in this first few kms it was like being on the M1. There were so many vehicles crowding in for a view of whatever was on offer. It was worth noting though, that the early morning viewers travelling in the opposite direction on their way home from their "game" were all smiles.
@Shimmy kept sidling the vehicle up beside passing guides and getting the heads up on what had been spotted and where. All very co-operative.
He offered a "bushie, bushie" but we all held out until we pulled up at a formal rest stop and with our loose gear safe from the monkeys, lined up for a turn at the waterless, and paperless version of a "flushing" toilet. Just glad to go really.
Literally tracked the lions from footprints in sand. @Shimmy noticed a giraffe in the distance that was on full alert and in the blink of an eye, the giraffe bolted. @Shimmywasn't too far behind the giraffe, he put the foot down on the pedal and there were the two lions walking to the riverside and setting themselves up for a leisurely drink. No hurry for them - they are the king of the beasts and no predators bother them.
We were so close. We could not only hear them passing wind but we could smell it! It was high. How many people get to say they have had that experience - believe me, it was not the sweet smell of popcorn that @Louis said we would experience with a close encounter with the leopard.
When they had finished the huge gulps of water, they stood and walked casually to our OPEN safari vehicle - they were a mere four lion's paces away. @Steve and I were the closest offerings and I have to admit I was holding my breath and remained dead still. @Mac captured my response on video - and the sound file - although a whispered expletive - would need to be edited in order to publish it. Felt we had a "moment" of eye to eye contact and just as quickly, they casually strolled by and drew up some sand and collapsed under the shade of a tree. They sleep 20 out of 24 hours in a day and after that close encounter we were grateful they were in sleep mode and not hunting mode.
And that was our welcome to the Botswana camping safari.
This little introduction also included an impala carcass suspended from the fork of a tree, up close and personal encounters with giraffe and elephants - like REALLY close to the vehicle, sightings of herds of buffalo and impala moving across the plain towards the river, wallowing hippos and mischievous monkeys and baboons. Animals EVERYWHERE.
We did get an incredible surprise when we pulled into tonight's camp. @Joseph (the chef) and @OT the camp set-up person had created an oasis for us in the dust. Our tents were erected in a close semi-circle, the toilet and shower set up for shared use, the fire blazing, lanterns set at intervals to ring the camp all with a perfect backdrop of the bush. Definitely not fenced in anyway. We might be receiving VIP visitors later in the evening.
Had a short time to sort the tents - claim our standup dome tent and get our gear organised and then lasagne and salad in our very own version of an outdoor long table lunch to give us the strength to head out again.
The afternoon game drive left camp at 3 pm and we were able to slip into the parade of animals heading to the river. This was animal spotting on steroids. No need to "look" for anything - they are just there - more a case of getting your eye in and then trying to determine what you were seeing. We weren't alone in the viewing - there were lots of other vehicles out and a "congregation" in one spot was a definite indicator that something was afoot.
More lions, herds of elephant and buffalo - on the horizon, right next to us and all eventually silhouetted against an African sky that shot colours in every direction. Hard to believe we are here doing this stuff.
It was a race back to camp for the 6:30 deadline of the park curfew and The Crew happily drew around the fire to toast our good fortune and then moved to the table to make more room for more food. It is amazing the appetite that is generated with the excitement of the drive, the crispness of the outdoors and the taste and smell if the open fire cooking. Hope the other carnivores in the area are doing as well.
Laughed our way through the adventures of the day by the embers of the camp fire. @Shimmy calls this relaxing in the comfort of our own outdoor TV room.
With headlamps firmly in place (what a great idea they are) abandoned normal night time routines and selected baby wipes for all the essential bits, a dip in the outdoor wash basin, a trip or two to the loo with a view, teeth at the back of the tent, batteries hooked up for sleeping essentials and by 9:10 all the zips were in place and we were happily, wearily and comfortably cocooned in our
Accommodation:Mobile tented camp Chobe National Park
Transport: OPEN safari vehicle
Wildlife Spotting:
Red billed oxpecker - bush doctor - cleanse wounds, perch on side of mouth to drink (for protection from predators) sharp beak removes scab
LIONS - I can't recall a single word
Hippos. Poachers not really interested. Hippos seeking protection from the sun in the water - different from other animals - milk like cream cheese
Water buck
Impala - browsers like to drink on afternoon, browsing in day causes acid in stomach, need salt to nutralise - big herd - leopards kill suspended in tree (saving for later) - down to drink - Mating has started - strongest male runs up and down the herd - bachelor males breed and build up strength- after a few days male has lost strength and new male moves in
Kudu - enormous horns
Elephant: mother elephant trying to support baby for the swim; drowns holding onto mothers tail
Red billed franklin- running on road
Spoonbill - very white, noisy, competing for food
Buffalo males have helmet - fused in middle - males thick helmet to protect brains - grazers ... but in dry season browser - trees contain acid o false charge - angry temperament - old Buffalo losing hair as it ages - choose to be alone and uses mud to protect him - if he is no longer strong, buffalo retreats from group
Hippo - asleep on banks: male emerge from shallows, marked territory as he walked; can fight till the death; very aggressive
Geese
Bee eaters- striking green and yellow
Drongo
Crocodile: muscles very thin in Mouth of croc - baking on bank- mouth open to cool down - all sizes - mother leaves baby after 4 days - 15% survive. Other crics feed in babies - fish Eagles
Guinea fowl
Giraffe: darker colour older - males no sound - males keep distance - sound of fighting heard - thumps - smal lnumbers heavily protected. Small numbers ... very vulnerable to lion attack while drinking
Black back jackal - member of fox family
Warthog - eating on knees, diggng with nose,
Guinea fowl
Elephants: have memory about where danger is - can find safe area - move to safe ce trak area, females need to be close to water, 50 k.s a day can walk , walk on single file when just moving, matriarch decision maker by age, Oval is hind leg, 70% if weight is in front of body -Elephants eyes don't shine at night - Organised by same blood line - family stays together under female: Elephants body structure, big ears for cooling, use nose for hand, if short mouth us exposed
Zebra
Giraffe -sovereign - walks like a camel, runs like a horse - mating- coming down for drink
Roller
Baboon - large troop - very strong bond , carry for 4
OMG Jan, the lions!!!! I have no words!....All Your photos are absolutely stunning!
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