Exit Etosha

Etosha was the most amazing wildlife park I've been to. The facilities are great, the roads safe, the animals plenty. And the salt pan is a sight to behold!

On our game drive the day before we'd driven right into the pan to take those amazing infinity shots you see. We had so much fun playing with the depth and here's my favorite. I loved how out there, in the middle of the stark flats with no vegetation in sight, you'd still see footprints and dropping on the ground.

And while on the subject of droppings, my bus buddy and I had bonded over our mutual wicked sense of humor. She's the one who eats giggly soup and just succumbs to fits of contagious laughter. This particular day we were laughing about the size of elephant "POOP" (must be said like you'd say a short sharp "beep"). We were in hysterics... Especially when we came up with this corker: "what do dung beetles do?" answer: POOP POOP!

We were also amused by one of the new girls' textbook reactions to seeing her first zebra. We all did it, but for most of us it was way back in the Serengeti, or in my case Nairobi. Anyway, everyone squeals when they see their first zebra. No matter how far away, you gasp and cheer and ask the driver to stop so you can tale photos. The driver usually obliges with a wry smile. Because he knows that by the end of the day you'll have seen hundreds, if not thousands of zebra literally swarming the national parks. It was so fun seeing the new people's quick reaction of pure joy to a distant zebra.

Etosha is a wonderland of wildlife and landscapes and beats any national park I've been to. My advice to anyone who asks is to skip the Serengeti and do Etosha instead. Especially in light of what else Namibia has in store...

Cuddles for Monkey

Xxx

Etosha By Night

After game driving all day and seeing hyena cubs sleeping in a cave, a huge giraffe skeleton, elephants ambling through the bush, and myriad other iconic African animals going about their daily duties, we made it back to our campsite and it was even more glamorous than the night before. I was very jealous of the gorgeous bungalows in the compound that overlooked the famous wateringhole. And while the beautiful wateringhole itself did not disappoint it unfortunately had no animals around it.

In light of this, and since we'd had no luck the night before I thought I'd better not risk it and paid USD$100 for a night game drive. We rugged up in the oversized waterproof snuggies we were given, cracked opened a cider, and hoped for the best.

Success! We were barely out the gate and we intercepted the path of a wandering male lion. A bit further on and we startled an enormous porcupine that then shot up it's huge quills and dashed into the bushes. Just incredible! We then came across a herd of springbok and lived the cliche "like a dear in the headlights". One of the springbok got a bit disoriented when we pulled up and proceeded to erratically bounce it's way up the road towards our truck till it literally took one sideways leap right into it! Hilarious.

After a while of seeing nothing and contending with a broken spotters light we were getting a bit bored and cold, till finally I spotted my first rhino in Africa. Notoriously elusive it is quite exciting to see one of these endangered beasts in the wild, and while it was a long way off in the distance it was still incredible to make out that single horn in the spotlight. When we saw another one we squealed like schoolgirls. As they wandered off we recommenced our drive, all rather satisfied that the trip had paid for itself already.

Then we came across a big pack of hyena. It's very rare to see so many all together and, as the driver thought they looked en route to a nearby wateringhole we headed in that direction. Sure enough more of the group we already drinking there right next to... 3 beautiful big rhino! As we sat there and watched these rhino slowly slink off into the cover of nearby bushes, as nearby hyena scuffled with jackals and drank in unison... I knew I was living the dream. My eyes were seeing things you had to cross oceans to see and I was so proud of myself for making it happen. This... Is... Africa!

We went back to camp so happy with ourselves and thankful we'd paid the high price to finally see rhino in Africa. We swung by the wateringhole for a sneak peek before we went to bed. And what do we come across? Rhino fight each other barely 20metres away!

A quick enquiry with our friends who stayed behind had us reeling. In the last three hours they had watched these rhino fighting each other to the point of bloodshed. They had chased off a huge mother elephant who stood her ground to protect her calf, and all the while we'd been off chasing a scene just like the one unraveling on our doorstep!

As the rhino were still fighting I settled in and enjoyed the show and the strength and power of these beasts was incredible! The sheer crack that echoed in the air when their heads met was astounding. They'd stumble back, regroup, drink, and get back to it. At one stage they faced off in the water! A herd of zebra came down to drink, and giraffe lingered by, respecting the pecking order, and waiting for their turn at the water's edge.

It was the small hours of the morning so we decided to dash back to our tents, grab our sleeping bags and make a night of it. Of course, by the time we'd bunkered down and got cosy on a bench it started to rain. So, content with the visual feast our eyes had devoured that day, we trudged off to bed for a wonderful nights sleep in Etosha National Park, Namibia.

Namibia just keeps getting better. There's still one animal that reigns supreme in my world though... Harvey bear!

Xxx

Etosha By Day

I've been to the Serengeti, N'gorongoro crater, Lake Menyara and Nairobi National Park. I've done Chobe and the Okavango by boat. I've seen the animals of Zambia and Malawi. But NOTHING could prepare me for Etosha National Park!

This natural wonderland that wraps around the enormous Etosha salt pan is astounding! The landscape is blindingly white on the salt flats, and lusciously green in the reserves surrounding them. Easy-to-drive roads zig zag through the park where there are more animals than you could ever dare to hope for.

On our first drive we came across the rare sight of a Mozambique spitting cobra and a mongoose sizing each other up in the middle of the road. No fight ensued - and all bets were off as to who the winner would be if it had - but they danced around each other for a long time before calling off the clash. The cobra stood a half metre high, flat-headed and intimidating the whole time, always facing the circling mongoose. When the confrontation was over the cobra disappeared into the roadside grass in a flash and it was scary to see just how camouflaged they can become in an instant.

We returned back to camp on a high after seeing huge herds of zebra and springbok. We spotted a giraffe doing it's comical side-splits as it drank water, and even saw ZaZu from the Lion King perched in a bush flanked by a caravan of giraffes crossing the plains. Our first game drive had been a success and we were rather chuffed already with Etosha National Park. It was back to our fancy campsite to digest it all.

Now, when it comes to amenities Etosha has it all. This is the home of "glamping" - big shower and toilet blocks, shops, restaurants, even towers with lookouts and fenced off perimeters. In the Serengeti its pot-holed roads and a single squat toilet for the hoards sharing an open campsite that animals freely walk through. Both are valid but vastly different safari experiences. I did it in a nice order to truly appreciate the competitive luxury that is Etosha, and Namibia in general.

That evening a stunning rainbow backlit our tents. As we enjoyed a huge Brie (like a supersized BBQ where the enormous steaks literally hang over each side of your plate) we were rather content. Unfortunately our bliss was briefly interrupted by a group of stupid campers nearby who insisted on feeding the jackals despite warning from other camper. Like dingos in Australia, predatory dogs should be left wild, and as much as we explained that feeding wild animals desensitises their proximity to humans, and that the next campers in their spot might have a baby who'd easily become the jackals next meal, these arrogant people proceeded to wave at us as they threw leftovers at the hovering beasts. Just an example of frustrating stupidity.

The Etosha campsites are known for their lively wateringholes which sit just metres from the perimeter of the campsite in designated quiet zones. Seating is provided and many stories about about what's been seen by campers who kept vigil all night. While our trip proved uneventful the anticipation was exciting enough, and we consoled ourselves with the news the next night's hole was famous for it's activity.

So we were up early the next morning and it was off for another game drove. Not before a few girls found scorpions under their tents when they packed them up though. Eeek!

We'd barely hit the road, but were already thinking it seemed like a slower day, when we drove right up on no less than 11... yes ... 11 lions sunning themselves beside the road. It was breathtaking to see these majestic beasts heaving and lethargic after a recent feed. The babies stayed close to the mum, and we were amused by one lion who literally looked drunk as he stumbled along. We were assured he was a fit creature an most likely had a dead or something.

Later we can across another pride of lions barely 50 meters from a large sign that read "please stay in your car". A woman was leaning on this sign taking photos of the 5 lions. I guess she was assuming there weren't 6...

Love to my little lion at home!

Xxx

Waterberg Sunset

Waterberg campsite was beautiful. Set at the base of incredible mountains you really felt like you were in the middle of the wilderness. The earth, and the mountains were a gorgeous rust colour but when the sun set they were breathtaking. They literally glowed bright red, and set against the fluro pink and orange sky I got to see my first infamous Namibian sunset. Living the dream!

Love to baby bear

Xxx

Windhoek Oasis

The border crossing at Namibia was a long, hot one. We were behind a busload of Namibian students and the difference was immediately clear - these kids were dripping in bling! They had gold earrings, diamond studs (guys too) and gadgets galore. I've never seen headphones used as such a fashion statement before.

But of course this is Africa and even in the most cosmopolitan of complexes you'll still see that amazing sight of someone in traditional dress weaving amongst the label-emblazoned crowd. And in Namibia there are 2 distinct tribes - the ocre-covered Himba people, and the Herero "cow horn" ladies. It was the latter that flanked us at the border crossing and it was a wonderful contrast to the youth in front.

These women wear very traditional colonial-style dresses, complete with capes and bustles. But the most distinctive part of their costumes are these huge headresses they wear to resemble cow horns. Made of luscious fabrics that are expertly co-ordinated with the rest of their ensemble, the easiest way to describe them is like hammerhead sharks. Apparently it's a rolled up newspaper that holds it in shape, and it's an incredible sight seeing these woman from another era in modern Africa.

As we drove towered Windhoek the landscape was mind-blowing. Enormous mountains with huge horizontal cliff-faces that ran the length of them literally looked like they'd been pushed up out of the ground in one quick lift. Bright blue skies and fluffy clods like cotton balls made our first glimpse of Namibia something special. We knew we were in for a treat for the next ten days... But no-one could have guessed just how good it would get.

Once in Windhoek I was blown away by the obvious wealth in this city. Opulent houses lined streets filled with BMWs, Audis, Mercedes. The city itself reminded me of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, surrounded by majestic mountains. Appropriately we were booked into a hotel for the night. A REAL hotel, the Hotel Safari Court, with proper beds, and pressure showers, and free wifi. I hadn't slept in a bed for 3 weeks so it was absolute luxury! In the spirit of all this glamour we all got dolled up and headed for a local institution - Joe's Beerhouse.

It did not disappoint. Famous for it's menu of game, and seemingly bottomless supply of Jeigermeister shots (how appropriate since Jäger Meister means Master Hunter), the menu honestly looked like a safari guide. I chose the Namib Bushfire wigh oryx, zebra, and ostriche medallions and it was delicious! We had a great night out, met lots of new people, and fell into bed for a blissfully sound nights sleep. No wet tent smell for miles!

We were a little bit sad to leave but it was onwards to Waterberg. Much to my delight, along the way we passed heaps of cheeky warthog on the roadside, as well as a handless baboon! Everything in Namibia was fancier. There were proper roadside tables for us to eat lunch. Stunning little town filled with Jacarandas and German architecture.

It was a great start to a great country and I immediately thought Namibia might give Ethiopia a run for it's money in my favorite stakes. Both are very well kept secrets I was now in on.

Give my Harvey Bear an extra special hug. Mamas coming home soon!

Xxx

Botswana Pics

Ok, so I'm starting to question the female vs male zebra thing cos they all look white with black stripes to me! Watch this space for confirmation.

In the meantime please enjoy my Botswana piccies which will bring the last few blogs to life:

BOTSWANA PICS

And thanks for your patience re the Namibia and South Africa updates. I hope they're worth the wait - they'll be going up in the next few days.

hugs for Harvs

xxx

"I saw the rains down in Africa..."

Botswana is a wonderful country and should be visited by everyone once in their lifetime. The Okavango Delta has to be seen to be believed, especially for it's proximity to the arid Kalahari.

It was quite an experience to be there for the start of the rainy season. Now I know what the song means! On our way to Ghanzi we had the most intense experience like something straight out of Storm Chasers. From cloudless sunny skies we drove straight into a charcoal grey horizon. We literally hit the eye of a huge storm and got completely drenched. Our truck was leaking in every crack. 20 minutes later it was blue skies and not a cloud again. What a weather phenomenon!

Everything about Botswana is different. Even roadtripping is broken up by foot & mouth stops where you have to dip the shoes you're wearing and any others you have in you vehicle into a special solution. You then have to drive your car or truck through a pit of the same stuff.

Something else I love is that the zebra is Botswana's national animal. Why choose an animal of such massive proportions common to so many African nations you ask? Because a past president went to England to be educated at Cambridge and there he met a white woman, brought her back to Botswana and married her. Being the harmonious existence of black & white together he elevated the Zebra to Botswana's national animal. Sweet huh!

Fun fact: male zebras are black with white stripes & female zebras are white with black stripes. When it's hot the white hairs stand up to reflect away the heat, and when it's cold the black hairs stand up to absorb it. Oh, and unlike their cousins the horse and the donkey (and their difficult cross-breed the mule) zebras cannot be domesticated or carry any weight on their backs.

A lil note on the people - I have never seen shelf booties in my life, like those on the women of Botswana. Bootilicious!

And my favourite thing of all? Warthogs are EVERYWHERE! Road signs mostly warn of the warthogs and the elephants crossing, and quite frequently you pass both just meters from the side of the road.

Bye beautiful Botswana! With every country checked I get closer to coming home. For a while there I thought I never would but I can feel a little pull now. Especially since that cheeky doggy with the dancing eyes is waiting for me!

Xxx

The Kalahari Bushmen

Some of my tour buddies and I had a moment of madness back at our Chobe camp site and got a side serve of the sing-alongs with our giggly soup. We'd dubbed the evening Showtunes Saturday Night and decided to call our truck Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: "high, low, anywhere we go... In Chitty Chitty we depend". So after another crack of dawn wake up we piled into our "fine four fended friend" and hit the road through the Kalahari Desert.

The sand plains of the Kalahari are surprisingly vegetated. Highly adapted trees, where root systems are 3 times deeper than the tress themselves, give the landscape a deceptively lush feel, while the air is filled with beautiful white butterflies that live in these Mupani trees. Nonetheless it is still a harsh and expansive desert.

One tribe however have been living off this desolate land for millennia. The Kalahari Bushmen are a unique tribe with skills passed on through countless generations, but sadly they are an endangered race. Much like the Aborigines in Australia, the Kalahari Bushmen were a peaceful, nomadic people who'd learnt to live in one of the harshest environments on earth. But with the arrival of European and British colonialists came concepts they didn't understand like land ownership, vices they couldn't physiologically withstand like alcohol and drugs, illnesses they couldn't overcome, and weapons that easily overwhelmed this peaceful, unassuming people. They were nearly wiped out.

Today about 10,000 Kalahari Bushmen still live in Botswana. They speak in their native clicking language, and live as they always have on big reservations. They are largely left alone by civilization, but as a source of income every few months a few of them will come in to designated areas and share their culture with visitors. They will then head back to the bush and rotate with a new group so as not to change their way of life.

It is a wonderful and authentic way to see these incredible people as they are just visiting, like us, and are legitimate desert dwellers.

In the afternoon we took a bush walk with the tribe and were given an insight into how they survive on the land. As their gorgeous children played in the dirt, the men and women pulled up roots and trees and explained, through a translator, their uses from burns treatment to clothing dye.

The old woman had the most to tell though, and her leathery skin bore testament to her many years in the desert sun. She'd go from tree to tree, rubbing things on her belly, smelling leaves, digging in the ground to pull up all manner of hidden treasures. One incredible one was a big round root that she began to shave with a sharpened stick. She picked up a handful of the shavings and squeezed them into her mouth and you would not believe the amount of water that came out! She then washed her face with another handful, and rubbed the pulp over her whole body. After she was done she pulled out a pipe of some sort and began to smoke. It was quite incredible to see, it was almost as if we were never there.

They made fire but then bizarrely asked if anyone had a cigarette they could use the fire to light. You should have seen them suck down this cigarette! They broke off the butt and passed it round like a joint. It was strange to watch and I didn't quite know what to make of it.

We returned back to our campsite at an old quarry in Ghanzi that was just beautiful. The workers had dug the quarry so deep they hit water and it had filled right up. So it now serves as a giant wateringhole in the middle of the desert with top notch camping facilities around it. Of course it rained as we pulled in but it didn't stop us getting our tents up and diving straight in!

After dinner a smaller group of us headed back to see the Kalahari Bushmen dance. Unfortunately a witch doctor was not with this group so we were unable to see their famous trance dancing, but we watched a wonderful fireside performance nonetheless. It rained on our way but thankfully cleared up during the dancing. The women sang in high voices, clicking throughout, while the men danced. One young boy was being initiated and learning the dances, and joined the ones he knew. They were very impressive.

Later we were invited to join the circle and sing with the women. The two guys with us gave their all in the dancing though. One dance was about baboons and the guys were doing somersaults and cartwheels round the fire, with one getting very near the flames. The storyline of another dance was picking a wife. After the dancers had picked a girl in the circle they sat down next to them. At the end of the dance they had to get up with their chosen woman and dance very energetically with her. On of the guys with us was jumping around with his lady and swinging her round the fire when he realized what he thought was a leather rucksack on her back actually had a baby in it! It was still sound asleep but it took him a while to get over the shock.

At the end we took some photos with them, and they were fascinated to see themselves on the screen.

It was such a privilege to see this rare culture in it's glory and I hope they can remain untainted by encroaching western influences for many years to come. Would be a shame to lose a culture that has survived through millennia to a few hundred years of rootless invasion.

Kiss for my lil man

Xxx

The Mauning after

The next morning it was a one and a half hour mokoro ride back out of the delta to the riverside village many of our polers were from. We were invited to have a walk through their village and it was nice to see where they'd lived their whole lives.

When we were there I found the most beautiful little puppy. He had gentle eyes and softest demeanor and was the biggest snuggle pot ever. I absolutely adored him and walked through the village cuddling the little guy. I was upset when a villager offered to sell it to me for 10 Pula... An elephant hair bangle I bought cost me 20. Goes to show once again the value they place on man's best friend.

We were walking back to our boat and I was still reeling about the puppy, when a woman tried to get the girl I was with to take her baby home with her. She replied with a quick "it's too cold in Canada" but there was much discussion about it later. Selfish or selfless?

We took our motorboat back to a riverside campsite called Island Safari Lodge in Maun. That stretch of the river is a conservation area so the wildlife was thriving. At night the cry of the insects on the river was so loud it was like a high pitched opera.

On my way back to my tent I was attacked by a group of monkeys. They were trying to get into our tents so I tried to shoo them away. Suddenly I found myself surrounded by monkeys all lungeing at me. I pretended to run at them and they stood their ground, till a big alpha male in the group came forward. He climbed up the tree beside me and bared his teeth. So I threw the bottle of water I had all over him. He flinched for a moment but then crouched down, ready to jump on me. At that moment some men who worked there came running with rocks which they pelted at them, and that finally scared them away. It was a scary confrontation and I was happy I'd spent $300 on rabies shots back home.

To truly appreciate the scale of the Okavango Delta we took a 40 minute scenic flight from Maun. Even in that time we only scratched the surface of it's size and it was awestriking to see just how much water there is. The density of the reeds makes it almost seem like you are looking over vast fields of grass, except that you can see perfectly white clouds and blue sky reflected in them.

The eagles eye view also let us see the huge amount of animals living on the delta. We went in the late afternoon when they wouldn't be seeking shelter from the heat of the day under the trees, which would make them much harder to spot. When it starts to cool down they start to head to the water, and that's when the action happens. We saw herds of elephant 50 strong frolicking in the water, huge pods of hippos rolling in the pools and caravans of giraffe casually strolling tree to tree.

The Okavango Delta truly is heaven on earth. The polers sang a poignant and perfect song as we left "I will never forget... Beautiful Botswana", and nothing could be more true. For the rest of my days I'll remember Beautiful Botswana as my happy place.

That and cuddling my Harvey Bear. Give the little guy a scratch under the chin for me!

Xxx

Oh the Okavango Delta!

Anyone I've spoken to who's traveled extensively in Africa would squeal when I told them I was going to the Okavango Delta. This 15-22,000 square kilometer water wonderland is the beating heart of Botswana and I was so excited to spend the next 3 days there.

On our way to the delta entrance we stopped in town and I made it my mission to find a raincoat. After six shops the wild goose chase ended with one option - a transparent fluro pink hooded trench. I had no choice but to buy it if I wanted to stay dry. The second I got back to the truck and showed them my bright pink coat Botswana Barbie was born! We had some real fun with it over the next few days, especially with the fused-joint Barbie wave.

I had stocked up on biltong (a semi
dried meat similar to jerky - my dad's favourite) and was ready to hit the delta! This enormous wetland is one of the only deltas that does not empty into the sea. Instead it spills straight into the sands of the Kalahari Desert.

The region is actually on top of tectonic plates that shift constantly. This is why the sand plains of the Kalahari are so flat. Imagine taking a bucket of sand and shaking it - the top would completely flatten out. That's what's happened in the Kalahari and the Okavango Delta is an enormous oasis rising out of it.

Made up of clusters of little islands that the thriving wildlife swim between, the delta is defined by vast water channels painted green with tall reeds, lily pads, and the thousands of white lilies that open every morning for the sun and close again at night. Buzzing between the thick vegetation are swarms of giant dragonflies, while tiny white frogs cling to the reeds. The water's surface is decorated with small circular ripples around the busy water spiders. These fragile little creatures keep their bodies out of the water with just their wiry legs on the surface propelling them in lunges across the water. They're fascinating little insects.

We caught a motor boat up the river to a riverside village where we met our polers and laid eyes on our mode of transport - the mokoro. In teams of two we jumped in our flat bottomed canoe-style boat, carved of a single tree. They are beautiful boats and are such an authentic way to navigate the delta, but increasingly the polers are buying more sustainable fiberglass mokoros instead as the traditional wooden boats only last about 7 years and the trees used to make them can be 300 years old.

The polers are the men who push the mokoro through the reeds using a long hard stick till they find an unoccupied island to set up camp on. All your supplies are packed onto boats and for our group of 23 there were about 15 men and women who accompanied us to camp. This gave the trip a nice vibe. It was a real treat for them to be all together so spirits were high, and it was nice for us to have long chats with the local people. On the final night they sang songs and danced for us round the bonfire - they couldn't do it the previous night for risk of scaring away the animals. Since there were huge piles of elephant poo throughout our camp I was thinking that may not be such a bad thing though!

When we first arrived we set up camp and had the toilet dug in a secluded little grotto nearby. Home sweet home for the next few days, so we used the afternoon to explore our backyard. While we only saw one elephant on our island it was the smaller fauna that kept us enthralled. Enormous termites nests rising high out of the ground and arching towards the sun. Dung beetles devouring the wheelbarrow loads of elephant poop. Bugs and beetles with the most intricate markings I've ever seen. The micro wildlife of Africa is often as fascinating as the big game, if you're not too distracted by the elephants and hippo and giraffe to spot it - which can be hard!

Many people woke up early the next morning for a four hour game walk on a nearby island but I opted for a sleep in. As the others went on a short walk alternative I was left alone in the site with only the "Batswanas". It was wonderful to lie there and listen to them singing and laughing and chatting animatedly in their local tongue, thinking no-one else was around. Since the walkers didn't see much game and looked absolutely wrecked when they got back I was happy with my decision to stay. A breakky of bacon & eggs soon topped up everyones energy deficit though.

That afternoon we went for a walk to the most beautiful wateringhole I've seen in my life. While officially we were advised not to swim due to the real threat of hippos and crocodiles, we weighed up the risks vs the heat and dived straight in. Gosh it was divine. We made lily wreaths for our hair and just floated in the cool water looking up at a sapphire sky. When one guy in our group approached in a mokoro, trying his hand at poling it himself, naturally we had to capsize him. We didn't realise the heavy wooden boat would sink to the bottom though and it was quite a struggle dragging it out and setting it right again.

Later that afternoon I also tried my hand at poling. Epic fail. What these men and women make look so easy is actually like trying to reverse a semi trailer in a Coles carpark. We were treated to a sunset mokoro ride through the delta by the professional polers though and it was stunning. Sunsets in Africa are incomparable, but to see it reflected on the water was double the treat.

After the big song and dance round the bonfire that night we were asked by the polers to return the favor and sing to them. Unfortunately we couldn't think of a song we all knew so we opted to sing our national anthems instead. Those poor Batswanas who harmonise so well (save one over enthusiastic woman in their midst who was flat as a pancake and loud as a foghorn - the aural equivalent of putting anchovies in a salad) had to sit through the national anthems of America, Canada, Switzerland, South Africa, Britain, Holland, Belgium, and Australia. I think the Swiss sang a kids song though... Hmmm.

They'd created a monster, as once we got singing we couldn't stop and suddenly the list of songs common to us flooded in. Note: Disney transcends all borders. By the end a bunch of us were up learning the "Single Ladies" routine from a dancer in our group while the bored locals took themselves to bed!

Big snuggles for my Harvey Bear.

Xxx

Planet Boabab

The next day was a lot of driving but we stayed at a beautiful campsite in Gweta called Planet Boabab, named after the enormous 3,000 year old trees dotted through the park. The trunks are so huge it took 9 people linked hand in hand to get around one. The campsite was beautiful, not only for the trees but also the quirky decor of the bar, pool and restaurant.

A highlight was tasting the fruit of the Boabab. Like a cross between mango and pineapple, you suck the dry popcorn-like flesh and it melts slowly in your mouth. Yum scrum!

The rains came again and it was strange falling asleep with water pelting the canvas next to my head. But another sound nights sleep in Africa.

Miss watching my Harvs sleeping spread eagle on the bed between my legs. Kiss him goodnight for me.

Xxx

Botswana Begins!... Chobe River

We commenced the next leg of our trip with a few new people, a new tour leader, and a fancy new truck. The seats reclined and even had lock boxes under them. The trade off was worse tents that are much harder to put up and down everyday.

The funniest thing about the new leg is that there are THREE ESTHERS on it! How funny... That has never happened to me before. I've only met about 5 in my life. So I am now referred to as "queen Esther" - a nickname they'd already coined on the previous leg - as opposed to Irish Esther and American Esther. I like Queen Esther.

It was now time to head to Botswana and we loaded our truck onto a ferry for the border crossing. From where we waited on the river's edge you could see 5 countries - Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Angola. Pretty awesome. Another warthog welcome and I already loved Botswana!

Straight away you could tell Botswana is a wealthier country. The roads were sealed, the towns were modern, the people well dressed. Apparently the government of Botswana has invested a lot of the mining profits into infrastructure for the country so education, healthcare and general standards are better than in most other African countries. It also means it's more expensive for tourists.

A trip into town was an eye opener. A huge supermarket selling western brands (my search for Vegemite has still proved futile but I'm consoling myself with it's poor man's version Marmite) as well as clothing stores, liquor stores, even a KFC. I got myself some papa - made with maise meal, similar to ugali - and some delicious mystery meat that was salty and full of spices.

That night we stayed on the Chobe River, an area known for a population of over 120,000 elephants. This huge overpopulation is causing serious damage to the region and destroying whole habitats for other species. As the elephants thrive at the expense of possible extinction to other species the issue of culling has become a heated one. At this stage they are not culled but when you see the utter devastation these majestic beasts cause en masse you can understand the argument to control their numbers.

So to truly get an intimate look at this wonderful wetland we jumped on a motorboat up the Chobe. Within minutes we had spotted hippo just metres away. We came across about ten hippo grazing on the shore, with another ten huddled in the river nearby. As we came closer the ones on land spooked and ran and dived into the river to join their friends. It was awesome to see how fast these dangerous beasts can move and the splashes their huge bodies made. We also saw crocodile and lots of other wildlife, especially birds. Funnily enough the whole time we were there we didn't see an elephant!

One of the new girls on tour had a stressful moment when she realised she wouldn't be able to hold on for a toilet till we got back to camp. At first it was a gentle request, till the urgency peaked and she literally couldn't hold it any longer. The captain refused to let her wee off the boat, and the option of using a bottle was floated. Finally, seeing her desperation, the captain pulled over and let her pee on an island. Out she got in hippo and crocodile infested waters to execute the bravest wee in the world. It was a first for the captain and had us all in raptures.

No sooner had she jumped back in the boat that the sky opened up and we were hit with absolutely torrential rain. It was like God said "you pee on me and I'll pee on you!". A limited number of raincoats were distributed and I found myself in one raincoat with two other people! One of my "trimese twins" as she called us, is 6 foot 2 and it wasn't easy keeping her long legs dry.

That day gave us our first taste of the rainy season we were heading straight into. Unrelenting rains throughout the night turned our campsite into an ocean. Tents were flooded and everything was sodden. It was quite an adventure and a real swim in the deep end, so to speak, for the new people. Our tent was wet through, as were our sleeping mats, so I slept under a little pavilion with the others in my boat.

The night huddled under cover provided plenty of laughs. I got a fright when a giant rhino beetle crawled onto my bed - complete with a big single horn on it's head. One girl got the fright of her life when she woke to find a 10cm millipede on her pillow. Trying to get into our sleeping bags was hilarious as we were covered in mud and were pathetically armed with a few bags of baby wipes. We laughed so hard at our situation. The Swiss have a perfect saying for that uncontrollable, contagious laughter, "she's eaten giggly soup". Giggly soup is a staple on a tour like this.

We slept well despite the rain and the bugs. That may have had something to do with our Amarula and hot milk... A delicious Baileys-like spirit that comes from the African Marula plant. It is delicious and whether straight, with hot milk, or in a hot chocolate, it has become our nightly ritual.

Day one in Botswana was beautiful and brutal and the rains had only just begun!

Hug for Harvey Bear

Xxx

The Devil's Pool

As I mentioned before, we were initially disappointed when we heard we'd arrived in the dry season, as Victoria Falls would be at low capacity. Turns out it's arguably a better time to be there as the falls are still spectacular, but you also get to do dry-season-only activities like white water rafting and the Devil's Pool.

As people returned to camp from their activities every day we'd get reports on what was worth doing. It soon became clear that every single person who'd done The Devil's Pool raved about it. I'd never even heard of it before, but it was clearly unmissable, so on my last day in Livingston i booked the breakfast trip - I had to find out what all the fuss was about. Thank god I did. The Devil's Pool is the most spectacular thing I've done in Africa yet!

We all met at the decadent Royal Livingston hotel that overlooks the edge of the falls on the Zambia side. The hotel is absolute luxury and as you sit watching the hippos enjoying the river just before it rages over the edge you feel like you're in another era.

In groups of 6 they come and collect you from the glorious sun deck and pile you into a little motor boat that ferries you to Livingston Island, nestled right in the middle of the top of the massive waterfall. From here you walk to the very edge and can look both left and right and straight down infamous Victoria Falls. You then wade right out across the edge's water to the source of the heaviest section of the falls, before climbing out up onto the rocks and being faced with the edge of the world.

It really is incredible and no description or photo could truly communicate what it's like to be right in the midst (and the mist) of one of the seven wonders of the world. We were all lost for words and a bit shell shocked by the amazingness of what we'd done as we sat down for a gourmet breakfast under a marquee on Livingston island, a few feet from the edge.

You wouldn't believe it but we made the Devil's Pool only days before it would have to close again for the wet season. I can't shake the feeling I have a guardian angel aligning the stars for me along this trip. Whether it was getting to Tanzania just in time for end of Ramadan celebrations, being in Aswan on one of the two days of the year the sun rises on the annex statues of Abu Simbel, or just scraping in to the Devil's Pool. I like to think my Grandma Marjie might be pulling strings from above.

We spent the afternoon lazing by the pool of the hotel next door to our campsite and were treated to a jawdropping only-in-Africa moment. A huge herd of elephant crossing the Zambezi just in front of us. They walk along the bottom and at times only their trunks are visible sticking out of the water. They push the babies to the top for air as they cross. What a beautiful thing to see!

That night we went to a surprisingly scrumptious Italian restaurant in Livingston. The restaurant was a money maker for a local disadvantaged children's charity and all the employees were success stories of the charity themselves. Olgas is worth a visit if you ever go to Zambia.

Zambia was so much fun and I hope I can get back there one day with a week to do the myriad activities on offer in Livingston. A farrrncy honeymoon at the Royal Livingston perhaps!

Love hearing the Harvey Bear anecdotes from home. Miss my lil monster

Xxx