Lucky for him I'm not complete prick. So
I managed to rearrange just enough space for Mr. Bots and his
luggage.....barely. At that moment I felt a little ashamed to have
ever said no in the first place. Not far into Botswana he gave us the
signal and we pulled off the road to let him out. He was incredibly
grateful. However, nothing in life is free. We forced him to pose for
a picture.
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| Photo by Leslie |
Botswana
was incredibly green and lush at the time but there was still a
noticeable lack of human presence. And the settlements we did see
reminded us much more of what most people conceive as 'Africa' (as
opposed to the slightly incongruous development we found in Namibia
and South Africa).
Another
long day in the Spark. The road was decent but the occasional
'pothole of doom' prevented me from daydreaming. Fuel can be a
problem in that region so anyone heading that way in a vehicle should
make it a point to fill up at every opportunity. A station we stopped
at in a small village along the way was out of petrol.
The
speed limit along the northwest road from Namibia through Shakawe
is 60 km (or 37 mph). Not exactly formula one. However, in addition
to the aforementioned potholes you also have a plethora of livestock
to contend with all along the way. 60 km is still a bit conservative
but as neither of us wanted to experience a 'Spark vs Donkey' head to
head match up I kept it slow.
We
concluded the day in Maun,
otherwise known as the gateway to the Okavango
Delta. Can't say the town is anything special but the Delta is,
well, something else. It is worth a trip during anytime of the year
but the dry season happens to be prime time. This is because a lack
of dense vegetation prevents los animales from hiding out. The wet
season is a different story and key sightings can be few and far
between. Guess when we arrived?
To
be honest it was just as well. Botswana is the premiere
safari destination with the Okavango Delta region representing the
crème de la crème crème a la crème of cream filling. But you
are going to pay for it...dearly. This is one reason to visit during
the wet season. Prices are substantially lower. Could we really
afford it? Nope. We just figured what the hell. Might as well as go
for it.'You only live once but if you do it right once is enough'
(Mae West). It turned out to be worth every mutha fargin penny.
After
a bit of research we decided on Kwando Safaris where we were to spend
two nights at their Kwara
Camp. Part of the package includes flights in and out of the
Delta. We are that fucking important. There is no better way to get
grasp the beauty and size of the Okavango Delta than by air. During
the wet season the view is particularly spectacular. Normally, folks
land on an airstrip a mere ten minutes from the camp but it was
unserviceable due to the rains so we were forced to land about an
hour and a half away. Not a problem as the ride basically constituted
an extra safari in an area right out of a postcard.
Kwara
Camp is situated on Kwando's private concession which means they have
exclusive rights to the area (i.e. no large tourist herd here). The
camp is on a large lagoon teeming with life (the hippos were
particularly vocal). Our camp was the last one on the end and shortly
long after arriving an elephant came not 80 feet from our room to
tear the bark off a nearby tree. I went as close as I dared ever
mindful that these giants have been known to stomp a soul or two.
And
there were lion tracks (a lioness and her cubs) in front of our room.
We were instructed not to wander around at night and if we did notice
some local fauna loitering outside our place to stay put as an
employee would come to fetch us eventually. It is imperative to lock
your room and pack your belongings tightly as the constant threat of
baboon incursions is always a possibility. If things did become dire
we had an air horn to summon help. Nothing says safari like the not
inconceivable chance of getting mauled by a lion, crushed by an
elephant, or robbed by a baboon. I like it.
The
first day and a half was extremely pleasant but not particularly
eventful. Elephants, giraffes, various gazelles, and all kinds of
birds crossed our path frequently. And on our first evening game
drive we met some hippos strolling near the road, as they often do at
night, to feed on the grass. Those fat bastards are surprisingly
agile.
Our
transport vehicle consisted of a semi-amphibious 4wd with no roof. As
you drive around you are completely exposed, great for wildlife
viewing but bad for rain....which it did somewhat vigorously at times
(Our night drive was cut short as a result).
The
next day we tooled around the lake in dugout canoes soaking up the
landscape and avoiding the the herd of submerged hippos lurking just
beneath the surface nearby. Water lilies, tall grasses, miniature
frogs (specifically the illustrious but diminutive Painted Reed Frog
- description and photo),
and a calm surface made this a worthwhile excursion. It is hard to
overstate the calming serenity of this area. I could almost say it
would be worth it even without big game spotting....almost. Little
did I know I was about to experience one of these most fascinating
nights of my life.......
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| Just another face in the clouds. |
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| Photo by Leslie |
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'Love me or hate me, but spare me your indifference.' -- Libbie Fudim