Travels with Kathryn

I felt I was really getting into the rhythm of this safari stuff – awake at 5am, put on one’s sludge coloured clothing, eat porridge (I really don’t like porridge) and into the jeep, plug in anything that needed to change in the USB charging points (there were two per seat, and I was pleased I took my brick which was big enough to charge everything I had at least twice) and off we went:

• Giraffes – I developed a fondness for giraffes by this point, they really are the most ridiculous animals but you cannot help but enjoy them, particularly when they are looking at you with a bemused expression.
• Tawny eagle (bird).
• Water bucks – these are affectionately known as “toilet seat antelope” as that is what they look like from the back. I will see if I can find a photo.
• Hammer kop nest – these are MASSIVE nests for not a very big bird, you have to admire their ambition.
• Black backed jackal.
• Squirrels.

Issac our guide was excellent, we only really realised how good he was when we had a different guide out of the lodge in Chobe waterfront. Anyway, what he would do is as we drove off he would spend a lot of time looking for animal tracks and on any number of occasions he managed to locate (particularly) lions before anyone else did. He would then radio the other jeeps, but meant we almost always started with them all to ourselves. Now as I said one of the reasons I booked Botswana was because there are supposedly limits on the number of vehicles around animals, this was absolutely not the case – however, in this part of Botswana there would maybe only be 4 or so jeeps and everyone was very respectful of giving the animals, and each other space and having engines off. Things were different when we got closer to Kasane…

On that note, it was at this stage that Issac found us our first male lions. These are two brothers who we heard roaring overnight (I had thought it was Keith snoring, apparently this was an unfair accusation), hence why they look so exhausted poor things. We were able to watch them barely moving, but as the sun got warmer one finally got up, walked about 10m (right under the jeep!) and flopped in a spot in the shade. It seems exhausting being a lion. I was surprised by how close we were able to get, and by how unbothered animals are by jeeps – apparently because of how they see colour, they effectively see the jeep as a metal outline so as long as no one moves particularly the will just walk around you (or under in this case).

Mum and Keith, inspired by the lion’s exhaustion, found it all a little exhausting themselves. Mum has threatened to disown me if I publish this photo, I don’t see what is wrong with it – nice photo of a lion in the background…

As the other jeeps arrived it was time for us to head off:

• Wilderbeast.
• Lechwe antelope.
• Zebras.
• Slender mongoose – repeat of day 2 mongoose, but not my favourite. Bit sizesist if you ask me.
• Lilac breasted roller.
• Vervet monkey.
• Zebra, Zebra and more zebras – I really like zebras. I thought they would look like horses, but they are far prettier with great legs and bums and the stripes go all the way through their mane which you have to agree is very clever. I am a fan. I may categorise them with unicorns.
• Giraffe.
• Elephant!
• Baboons.

We returned to camp for lunch. This was the best meal so far, a creamy vegetable bake (think potato dauphinoise), roast chicken and fried courgettes. What made this meal even better was that an elephant came right through camp as we were eating. Simply fabulous.

I then had a nap. Now, as a rule I do not nap, can’t nap, can’t see the appeal of napping and genuinely thought I would forgoe such things and write my blog instead. Well, that didn’t happen did it? The nap was essential – with 5/5.30am wake-up, active game drives (you have to be looking around all the time), and not into bed before 9/9.30pm you needed the 30/60 minutes to catch up and ensure you really enjoyed all the game drives.

It was this afternoon that I accepted that generally speaking, elephants are afternoon animals, who knows where they hide during the morning (as it is not like they can hide up cherry trees) but we were far more likely to see them in the afternoons and today was no exception. So, here goes:

• Elephant!
• More elephants.
• Zebra.
• Black winged kite (bird).
• Dwarf mongoose.
• More zebra.
• Continuing leopard searching..
• Bee eater (bird).
• Tawny eagle (bird).
• Giraffe.
• ELEPHANTS!

Our sundowner this evening (more juice for me, gin for the old people) was our best yet as an elephant just ambled across infront of us.

We then heard news that the leopard (yes, the one I was starting to believe was fictional!) had been spotted so we “pushed” and finally saw her. She was just walking along doing her thing, and although my photos are a bit rubbish it was amazing to see her. I also thought to myself that I could really see why leopard print has become the go-to print for the millennial woman. The spots are just amazing and they have lovely fat tails.

We were only allowed to stay out and see her because we were not in the National Park, in the national parks you have to have either left or be back at your camp before it goes dark, so we were very lucky to see her and hopefuly she was no too bothered.

Back to camp for showers (see, I am all about the being clean – or at least I thought I was clean until I had my first shower in a lodge!) and a dinner of pap, beef sauages, green beans and brocolli cheese. Let me explain pap, pap is a traditional Southern African thick mash-like substance made from ground maize. I really liked it, its bland but that makes it a great base for delicious things like brocolli cheese. I am going to attempt to make some now I am home. However, I didn’t note down the pudding which makes me think it was baked apple night. Not my favourite.

But an excellent day, every day is a good day when there are lots of elephants to see. They are awesome.