Botswana, Chobe NP and the Delta

I realise that way back when I didn't blog to update about the other 16 passengers that we were travelling with from Nairobi – I only realise this because at Livingstone most of us split into different journeys – most to Jo'burg, and only eight of us to Cape Town.  Leaving Livingstone was difficult, saying farewell to fellow passengers whom we had come to know so well, getting used to a completely different set of passengers, more laissez-faire and interested in spending time at the bar.

So the first few days of the next leg Bernard and I had to pull ourselves up from our bootstraps and find some renewed enthusiasm for our trip.  Arrival in Botswana was great from a game spotting perspective – the river cruise down the Chobe River presented numerous birdlife, crocs and hippos.  We managed to see a number of pods, captured the hippo “yawn” and even saw some of the hippos fighting with each other.

By the time we arrived in Maun to visit the Okanvango Delta we were getting our groove back. The Delta was very full for this time of year and we had a fantastic day bush camping getting to and from the island campsite in Mokoros – boats carved out of local trees (Bernard and I got a fibreglass Mokoro, more sturdy and less likely to leak).  We lathered ourself in factor 50 in an attempt to not be fried by the sun (I'm very sensitive to the sun at the moment). We did nature walks which were pleasurable if uneventful – a torrential thunderstorm swept through the Delta the night we were there – Bernard and I both awoke moments before the storm to close the windows to our tents.  The morning walk the air smelt of wild sage and wet grass – intoxicatingly refreshing.

We spent the next day in Maun, not having to set up our tent because we upgraded. The old and new passengers were getting used to each other and relaxing that bit more. We had lunch with another couple from our trip and relaxed by the pool while everyone else flew over the Delta.  It was a good day, so great to have a quiet moment away from tour.  We got our groove back, looking forward to Namibia and counting down the days to Cape Town.