Friday, June 15
Well last night didn't go as planned. Eliot showed up. Eliot? That's what I call him. Just before turning off the light in the kids' bunk room and crawling into bed, I spotted him. About 4 inches from the end of one spiky leg to another, he was a game changer. A spider. Not that I have much against them, but this guy was pretty big and I had no idea whether he'd want me for a snack or not. Housekeeping said not to worry--he lives in the thatched roof. Our guide James said not to worry, they don't bite. Jane said, "Are you nuts? You've got to sleep in the main room," and so I did. But either Eliot or his sister was visible this morning, hiding behind the bunk room mirror, so I think sleeping in the main room was a good move.
Now sitting on the balcony overlooking the lawn with the Chobe River flowing in the background, I chuckle at the Vervet monkeys as they scamper across the lawn and up trees, wart hogs digging under bushes and birds chitter-chattering. We even had one monkey visit our balcony. A great place to be pecking out this blog, though it's frustrating that the internet is still down! But I'll carry on anyway...
This morning's 5 am. wakeup was followed by our trek to Chobe National Game Reserve--we were the first vehicle in after the gates opened at 6. I was dressed in five layers and this Buff (tubular scarf thing) I got from Cabelas is worth its weight in gold. I pull it over my head and ears and up over my mouth as we drive the 15 minutes to the park's gate. Though it's not as cold as in Zimbabwe, the chill permeates rapidly and we all snuggle under the blankets the outfitter has given us for the ride.
First things first: check on those lions and their kill. They're on the move and we find them walking in a single-file line across the terrain. Our vehicle stops and they pass not 20 feet away. James tells us that the animals consider our vehicle just another animal and as long as we don't break the plane (like by leaning out, etc.) all's well. A couple at the lodge told one of our crew that they've been coming on safaris for 43 years and not once had they seen a lion kill, so we were delighted to know we'd gotten in on one. Getting to the lions took us to the banks of the Chobe and in the early morning bleary light, a young hippo lay nearly asleep. I was rather nervous, knowing how momma hippo might be lurking about, but at 2 months, even a hippo can be quite cute. Then past a smelly carcass of a cape buffalo (too early for vultures, though they were silhouetted against the lightening sky). The sky glimmers golden both at dawn and at dusk--an amber lens overlay that casts even more magic on these creatures. Glorious.
No elephants, very few giraffes on this cold morning drive. But suddenly the radio cracks and the driver, after speaking Africaans with fellow drivers, suddenly shifts the Land Rover into high gear--a male lion and his female have been spotted. We race through the narrow sand road, over rocks, roots, gullies, shifting us right, then left, wind roaring in our ears and...there they are on the beach. Six to seven other vehicles like ours line up, each one purring as it maneuvers this way and that for the best picture-taking angles. James shares with us that the male will stay with this female for about a week, mating quickly with her every 10 minutes or so and eventually he'll move on to another female; yet all the cubs will be born nearly at the same time, since all lionesses are surrogate mothers.
The sky brightens and the Chobe suddenly lies below us, our eyes able to see river and vegetation from horizon to horizon, Namibia just over there... And I think to myself, This is Africa; this is Africa. And it sings to me.
Tea and biscuits at a picnic area and we're off again, this time looking for birds. The most vibrant are the lilac-breasted roller and one of the bee-eaters. Very colorful, a joy to watch . Then we're treated to a rare sighting of the ground hornbill that looks sort of like a turkey to me--the red waddle very visible, yet the rest is very black. Hippos lie on the water like beached whales, banded mongooses scuttle about. A feast of animals this morning for us.
Later: the afternoon river cruise takes us down to the same area, yet from the river's perspective. We see crocs, more impala, waterbuck, oodles of birds and the hippos. When distressed, the hippos open wide. One magnificent bird is the saddle-billed stork--huge with bright red bill and yellow saddle over the bill. Very cool. We also enjoy an African jacana--the little guy seems to walk on water, but really navigates the river via weeds. No wonder some call him the "Jesus bird."
The sunset is bold, wide and blazing as the air cools and light turns golden and dims. After sundown the purple, orange, blue are mezmorizing and Jane and I simply watch, knowing our cameras can in no way capture the magical moments.
Now sitting on the balcony overlooking the lawn with the Chobe River flowing in the background, I chuckle at the Vervet monkeys as they scamper across the lawn and up trees, wart hogs digging under bushes and birds chitter-chattering. We even had one monkey visit our balcony. A great place to be pecking out this blog, though it's frustrating that the internet is still down! But I'll carry on anyway...
This morning's 5 am. wakeup was followed by our trek to Chobe National Game Reserve--we were the first vehicle in after the gates opened at 6. I was dressed in five layers and this Buff (tubular scarf thing) I got from Cabelas is worth its weight in gold. I pull it over my head and ears and up over my mouth as we drive the 15 minutes to the park's gate. Though it's not as cold as in Zimbabwe, the chill permeates rapidly and we all snuggle under the blankets the outfitter has given us for the ride.
First things first: check on those lions and their kill. They're on the move and we find them walking in a single-file line across the terrain. Our vehicle stops and they pass not 20 feet away. James tells us that the animals consider our vehicle just another animal and as long as we don't break the plane (like by leaning out, etc.) all's well. A couple at the lodge told one of our crew that they've been coming on safaris for 43 years and not once had they seen a lion kill, so we were delighted to know we'd gotten in on one. Getting to the lions took us to the banks of the Chobe and in the early morning bleary light, a young hippo lay nearly asleep. I was rather nervous, knowing how momma hippo might be lurking about, but at 2 months, even a hippo can be quite cute. Then past a smelly carcass of a cape buffalo (too early for vultures, though they were silhouetted against the lightening sky). The sky glimmers golden both at dawn and at dusk--an amber lens overlay that casts even more magic on these creatures. Glorious.
No elephants, very few giraffes on this cold morning drive. But suddenly the radio cracks and the driver, after speaking Africaans with fellow drivers, suddenly shifts the Land Rover into high gear--a male lion and his female have been spotted. We race through the narrow sand road, over rocks, roots, gullies, shifting us right, then left, wind roaring in our ears and...there they are on the beach. Six to seven other vehicles like ours line up, each one purring as it maneuvers this way and that for the best picture-taking angles. James shares with us that the male will stay with this female for about a week, mating quickly with her every 10 minutes or so and eventually he'll move on to another female; yet all the cubs will be born nearly at the same time, since all lionesses are surrogate mothers.
The sky brightens and the Chobe suddenly lies below us, our eyes able to see river and vegetation from horizon to horizon, Namibia just over there... And I think to myself, This is Africa; this is Africa. And it sings to me.
Tea and biscuits at a picnic area and we're off again, this time looking for birds. The most vibrant are the lilac-breasted roller and one of the bee-eaters. Very colorful, a joy to watch . Then we're treated to a rare sighting of the ground hornbill that looks sort of like a turkey to me--the red waddle very visible, yet the rest is very black. Hippos lie on the water like beached whales, banded mongooses scuttle about. A feast of animals this morning for us.
Later: the afternoon river cruise takes us down to the same area, yet from the river's perspective. We see crocs, more impala, waterbuck, oodles of birds and the hippos. When distressed, the hippos open wide. One magnificent bird is the saddle-billed stork--huge with bright red bill and yellow saddle over the bill. Very cool. We also enjoy an African jacana--the little guy seems to walk on water, but really navigates the river via weeds. No wonder some call him the "Jesus bird."
The sunset is bold, wide and blazing as the air cools and light turns golden and dims. After sundown the purple, orange, blue are mezmorizing and Jane and I simply watch, knowing our cameras can in no way capture the magical moments.