Okavango Delta

At one point in the last 5 months I had my family gathered together in Africa and even had Sadie's good friend Rose here too. Together we enjoyed a week at CCF and then left on an adventure (of a lifetime). We rented a 4x4 club cab truck with two rooftop tents and, with some minor trepidation, we set off for Botswana. 

We were fortunate enough to be able to take a 5 day guided safari trip. We left our truck behind and climbed aboard a safari vehicle. Just the 4 of us, our guide/driver and our chef. They took us to the most amazing places including a mokoro boat trip. A mokoro is a kind of small canoe commonly used in the Okavango Delta. It is propelled through shallow water by a person standing in the stern and pushing with a pole. We took the mokoros to an island where we spent the night in small tents, listening to the hippos and other wildlife. 

The next day our safari vehicle picked us up again and we traveled into the Okavango Delta. The trip in to the national park was long but amazing. We got stuck only once and our guide and chef knew how to get us out. Jack up the vehicle, put brush under the tires, drop the chuck wagon and go for it. Then drag the chuck wagon back to the vehicle, hook up and off you go.

We camped for another 4 nights in the Delta. We had lovely big tents with cots and blankets. Nights were filled with the sounds of lions, hippos and elephants calling. We had small lanterns light around our camp and before getting up in the night you had to listen to hear if there were any animals in camp. Then go out to pee but never alone. We quickly gave up having a beer after dinner and instead sipped whisky so as to avoid too many night time adventures.

Mornings we were up before daylight when Brighton, our chef, or Robbie, our guide, would wake us with a quiet good morning and warm water in camp sinks outside our tents. After a quick cup of coffee and a biscuit we would be off looking for wildlife. We would spend  the next 4 hours out and about in our safari truck then come back to camp where Brighton would have a lovely lunch waiting for us. Afternoon naps, camp showers (with warm water), journal writing and photo sorting until 3:00 and then out for another 3 hour game drive. In the Okavango everyone is required to be back in their camps by dark. We pushed that a few times when we would encounter some amazing new wildlife scene and wanted to stay and watch it. It is hard to leave a lion rolling in the dirt, an elephant softly flapping its ears next to your vehicle or a hyena stopping to look back at you. We always got back to camp as darkness arrived. Brighton would have the table set with a tablecloth and some great meal prepared for us. We did not camp in any campgrounds but were assigned places to camp. We had no other people around. The space belonged to us.

Our "budget, participation" safari could not have been any better. We loved Brighton and Robbie, we loved our camp equipment and camp sites, we loved gathering around the fire each night and reliving our adventures and we loved the Okavango.

Next post - Adventuring on our Own

Seasons

It is interesting to visit a new place and stay long enough to see the seasonal changes. I arrived in Namibia during their summer. I was here for fall when most people I know were welcoming spring  in the US. Time has now marched along and straight into winter. The days are shorter and the nights colder.

Namibia has over 300 days of sunshine per year but that does not mean it is necessarily warm. Nights are now getting down to the high 40s. Daytime temps this week have been in the low 70s. My little rondaval hut heats up pretty well during the day because of the fiberglass roof in the bathroom but by morning it has cooled considerably. We have only an outside dinning area. In the evening folks arrive to dinner wearing coats and hats. When I first arrived at CCF it was shorts and tank tops.

The wildlife has changed somewhat as well. Rarely do we see a snake now and the gecko is no longer living in my bathroom. It seems the baboon population, that lives near the dinning hall, has doubled in size but fewer warthogs are around. There are lots of Red Hartebeest and Oryx but not many Elands. Steenbok and springbok are abundant.

A few nights ago I left a 6 pack of beer outside my door figuring it would get nice and cold during the night. I woke to the rustling of the plastic bag and quickly opened my door to see what was snooping around. A big black and white porcupine had bitten through the bag AND through a can of beer. He was having himself a little party until I startled him and he waddled/staggered quickly away. The porcupines have become regular guest the past few weeks.

I have not seen a leopard in over two months but people have been spotting them again recently. I am sure they have been around but the grass was so high they were hard to see. Now the grass is dying back. Staff here say that we might not see rain again until December. The waterholes are already drying up. When I was first here we had monitoring cameras up at 10 or 12 waterholes. Now it is down to five and at least two of those will soon be dry.

There are also more young animals around. Today I saw 6 adult giraffes and one young one. Yesterday we saw 3 very young giraffes in a group. Jackals are abundant. We see them out on the reserve and hear them vocalizing every night.

I have only two weeks left in Africa. It is one of the most or (maybe the most) captivating places I have ever visited. My pal, Abi, will arrive in 2 days. I am excited to share this place with her.

It has  been a grand adventure.