Our quarters while at Baobab Safari Lodge consist of individual thatched huts (not tents) that stretch across the edge of the hillside, following a rock-lined path.  We were issued a key and told to be sure to lock our doors when we leave our rooms.  Apparently the baboons occasionally play with the door latches and if they manage to jiggle the door loose, one might find one's undergarments, or "smalls" strewn across the property.  Each room is fully equipped with a bed, flushable toilet, running water to a sink and shower, as well as a small desk.  More importantly, each room comes complete with a can of mosquito repellant called Peaceful Sleep, a bug spray called DOOM, and a compressed air boat horn for medical emergencies.  Thankfully the only one I didn't have to use was the horn.

I'm fairly certain the Peaceful Sleep was so named not only for it's ability to deter mosquitos from disturbing ones sleep but also because spraying the cloud of heavy, chemical mist onto ones body causes immediate gasping, drowsiness and eventual loss of consciousness.

Our mornings began at 5:30 with a "wake up call."  The lodge hostess, a woman we called Auntie would walk along the path, stop at each room and play a drum until we yelled back with a cheerful "Good Morning!"  Our breakfasts are hearty and delicious, and after we eat, we jump into our safari vehicles and head to the Chobe National Park, just a few minutes down the road.

The game drives are amazing.  While there are designated roads, they are far from flat or smooth, and occasionally the vehicles will bog down to a slow, bumpy crawl in the fine Kalahari sand.  Our guides and trip leader refer to the experience as an authentic "African massage." While in the park, we're treated to many animals.  Elephants, baboons, groups of impala (called a "rank" of impala), kudu, warthogs and sable, to name a few.

A yellow baboon foraging for seeds and other goodies commonly found in elephant dung.

 The male impala will keep a harem of up to 45 females.  It's no wonder that he may be thin and exhausted by the end of the mating season.

The greater kudu- the male has horns which reach one full twist at around two years of age, and do not reach the full two and a half twist until they reach the age of six.

Both male and female sable antelope have long arching horns, reaching one meter in females and slightly longer in males.  When threatened by predators they can use their horns quite effectively to protect themselves, occasionally killing big cats who hunt them.

Warthogs get their name from the "warts" on the sides of their face that act as shock absorbers when they butt heads during a fight.