Thursday, June 14
A big day in the Janes' adventure! Walking to breakfast we enjoyed seeing several zebra in the reserve near the lodge. After breakfast, we loaded the bus and spent an hour or so at a local government primary school, where there are 44 teachers for 1800 students. Students there ranged in age from 5 to 13 and a dozen or so treated us to some traditional dancing and singing. We even ran into a student named "Jane." She was the best one, of course. Students attend school in one of two shifts--either 8 to 2, or 11 to 5. Parents had to pay $60/term to go there (per qtr.) and any private school is much pricier.
Then off to Botswana and the Chobe National Game Reserve. We had to brake for a giraffe on the highway and at the border we had our passports stamped by Zimbabwe officials. Then we walked 1/4 mile to the Botswana border, stepped through some solution that would prevent the hoof/mouth from transferring into the country, and after 20 minutes we were at the Chobe River and the Chobe Safari Hotel. Again, quite the elegant place.
Jane and I have a corner suite on the second floor--with a bunk room for the "kids," so I'm being the kid this time, and so we have separate rooms. The afternoon game drive treated us to dozens and dozens of giraffe, elephant, guinea fowl, Cape buffalo, a hyena with a young, hippos and LIONS! They're rare to see, but the pride had brought down a baby elephant and the 6 or so critters were still chomping on the carcass. Dozens and dozens of huge vultures waited patiently in the trees for their turn. And a rare sighting of sable antelope. Of course dozens of baboons and impala as well. Great pictures, which (when the internet here is up and running) I'll include.
Surprisingly the only mosquitoes we've encountered have been in the bathroom at the Stanley Livingston. I killed two there. But since it's winter, we have no need to use the mosquito netting or bug spray. Woohoo!
The Chobe landscape is a half sand-dune type of vegetation and half scrub trees on rolling hills. The open jeeps with experienced and knowledgeable drivers handle the terrain well. The elephants had a new calf a month ago, and one of the lion cubs was 18 months old, they knew.
An impressive dinner, but alas, the internet is down, so I'm typing this on "notes" and hoping to just cut/paste tomorrow or whenever if possible. An amazing day.
Then off to Botswana and the Chobe National Game Reserve. We had to brake for a giraffe on the highway and at the border we had our passports stamped by Zimbabwe officials. Then we walked 1/4 mile to the Botswana border, stepped through some solution that would prevent the hoof/mouth from transferring into the country, and after 20 minutes we were at the Chobe River and the Chobe Safari Hotel. Again, quite the elegant place.
Jane and I have a corner suite on the second floor--with a bunk room for the "kids," so I'm being the kid this time, and so we have separate rooms. The afternoon game drive treated us to dozens and dozens of giraffe, elephant, guinea fowl, Cape buffalo, a hyena with a young, hippos and LIONS! They're rare to see, but the pride had brought down a baby elephant and the 6 or so critters were still chomping on the carcass. Dozens and dozens of huge vultures waited patiently in the trees for their turn. And a rare sighting of sable antelope. Of course dozens of baboons and impala as well. Great pictures, which (when the internet here is up and running) I'll include.
Surprisingly the only mosquitoes we've encountered have been in the bathroom at the Stanley Livingston. I killed two there. But since it's winter, we have no need to use the mosquito netting or bug spray. Woohoo!
The Chobe landscape is a half sand-dune type of vegetation and half scrub trees on rolling hills. The open jeeps with experienced and knowledgeable drivers handle the terrain well. The elephants had a new calf a month ago, and one of the lion cubs was 18 months old, they knew.
An impressive dinner, but alas, the internet is down, so I'm typing this on "notes" and hoping to just cut/paste tomorrow or whenever if possible. An amazing day.