Back to Botswana

Over a year later I'm finally getting back to blogging about my African adventure with my father and step-mother.  The memories are still so vibrant in my mind- I miss the sounds and smells of the African landscape.  I would like to go back someday.

When I returned from my trip last year, I told many people about my experience (okay... anyone who would listen).  The owner of the company I work for is a fantastic photographer, and so I told him he should go.  Then I told the woman who had hired me for the job 15 years ago.  She and her husband loved to travel, but had yet to experience a tour, much less one of such wild proportions.  I gave her the website of OAT and they began planning.  They've just left for their trip last sunday and I'm quite excited to hear about their experience in Africa.  I hope it's as amazing as mine was.

So back to Botswana...

Game drives are fantastic.  The whole experience is fantastic.  At this camp we would have two guides and two vehicles divided among 14 travelers.  After a hearty breakfast at dawn, we would head out.  Our guides, Tuelo (Mr T, is what we called him) and Julius, were knowledgable and happy to answer any quesions we had about animals, Botswana, the culture, you name it.  They loved what they did and it showed.

Mr T on the lookout.

Many animals crossed our path as we drove.  The sandy roads were not only traveled by us- elephants, baboons, warthogs, what-have-you.  They used the  heavily treaded trails to cut through the sharp, brambly terrain.  It was not uncommon to have to stop and wait for passing families.

First spotting of a black backed jackal.  Shy little guy... he steered clear of our noisy vehicles.

When this little one crosses, you wait for the others to follow.  Last place you want to be 

is between a mother elephant and her calf.

Mid morning we stop in an open area to enjoy a snack and a cup of tea or coffee.  It's getting warm, and soon the animals will all find shade and lounge until the evening.  Morning break gives us an opportunity to stretch our legs, find a vacant termite mound to relieve ourselves and get to know our fellow travelers.

After our break, we would take a leisurely drive back to camp, stopping to view impala, baobab trees, and many, many birds.  The views are so different from what I'm used to.  Everything is so much bigger, so much wilder, and so much more obviously dangerous.

 It's difficult to gauge the size of this termite mound, but chances are it's bigger than you think.

A young male impala strutting his stuff.

Baobab trees jutting from the landscape in the distance.

Returning from our morning game drive, we freshen up and return to the common area to talk, have cold beverages and eat an amazing lunch, provided by the cooking staff.  We were never left hungry, and  the food was always delightful.

Dad takes a moment to flip through his photos and share some of the gems with the rest of the group.

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.