Botswana

In the morning we officially embarked on our Ultimate Africa experience.  We flew from Johannesburg to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe where we were met by our trip leader, Vitalis, who would be with us for the next 15 days.

This is Vitalis saving us from a falling tree.  Okay, not really- but he would if the situation arose!

From Victoria Falls, we boarded a bus headed across the Botswanan border to the Baobab Safari Lodge.  There we were greeted by the staff with a song and a warm washcloth to wipe the day's travel and dust from our brows.  The main lodge was open, with a thatched roof, comfortable furniture and a beautiful view of the Chobe River.

The sun was low in the sky as we drove up and by the time we made our way to the main meeting area in the lodge, it was beginning to set.  Suddenly the weight of that moment in time brought such joy to my heart.  I watched zebras come to graze and frolic, and cape buffalo wade across to the islands in the middle.  I heard the elephants grumbling and snapping young trees, and baboons calling to each other as they settled in the trees for the night.  That moment was a milestone in my world and a quintessential African experience.  I was suddenly very aware of where I was... and it brought a tear to my eye.

Johannesburg part II

Our first hotel (the broken shower one) was not to be where we would meet the rest of our party.  We had arrived a day earlier than the rest, and due to the hotel being full, we were shuttled to another for a night.  The next morning we arrived at the O.R. Tambo Protea Hotel where we would eventually join the rest of our group, who were just arriving from their layover in London.

Clean, simple rooms at the O.R. Tambo Protea Hotel

The whole hotel is designed and decorated around air transport with wooden packing crates, airplane parts, even a flight simulator in the lobby.  The bathrooms showed a hint of humor- I appreciated that.

There's an oxygen mask hanging near the toilet... NICE

Indeed- Oh Sheet!

We spent the afternoon hanging out by the pool and watching the airplanes come in to the airport across the highway.  This was just the beginning of our Africa adventure.

But first things first . . .