Travels with Kathryn

Happy Independence Day! 30 September is a national holiday celebrating Botswana’s Independence from the UK in 1966 which makes this the 60th anniversary of independence. When I eventually publish the history post, you will understand the full details but suffice to say the Lodge team were very excited and we were all presented with a Happy Independence card (pula!) and a 60th anniversay pin badge you will see us proudly sporting in today’s photos.

Anyway, today was going to be our last day of safari-ing so off my alarm went at 5am, sludge clothes were donned and I headed to breakfast. Oh joy of joy, today’s breakfast offerings included hard boiled eggs and toast. I was very excited.

We actually had our own private safari which we were not expecting, but this was probably due to the fact the lodge had an extended Australian family and then two smaller groups of French speakers who had their own French speaking guide, we were the leftover English speakers. Hence our own jeep with our own driver (Robert). Anyway, off we went. Firstly, we were not quite prepared for the fact that we would be moving at a more normal driving speed and therefore there would be a bit of a breeze. Mum got cold, poor lamb.

Anyway, onto the actual sightings:

• Baboons.
• Cheetahs – we had actually entered the park when there was a message on the radio that there were cheetahs ambling along the road, so back we zoomed. There they were, being all visible and easy to photograph bless them.
• Kudu.
• Giraffes.
• Southern Carmine bee eater (red bird).
• Lilac-breasted roller.
• In the distance: lions, hyena, buffalo, jackal.
• Hyena came running! this was the only time we actually saw them in daylight, up until now we had certainly heard them at night and seen prints. They are not the prettiest animal.
• Lions – under a tree, being all exhausted.

We stopped for the tea break, and as offical lodge people this is evidently where the lodges stop. A perfectly nice spot, but there was at least one other jeep there and people evidently had not had the briefing that you take your toilet paper away with you. It was just really sad to see after we had been so careful, and had seen Issac picking up any piece of rubbish he saw (including toilet paper). Sad. Anyway, there was tea and in a new exciting development MUFFINS. I had one.

We were back on the road, now my notes state that “Robert was no Issac”. You could tell he had a bit of a set driving route and seemed very reliant on the radio rather than doing any actual tracking. He did do a good job, but it was obvious we had been wiith a master. Anyway:

• Kudus.
• Steenbok.
• Kudus.
• Hippo (dead) – much like seeing the elephant carcass before, you can smell them before you see them and whilst it may seem sad, they do then become food for a whole variety of animals.
• Birds… Yes that is exactly what I noted down, but from my photo I can tell its lilac-breasted rollers. I am such a bird expert.
• Giraffes!
• Baboons on the road.

On returning to the hotel, Mum decided the time had come for an emergency trip to a doctor. She was still having bad stomach cramps and diarrhoea which should have/would have cleared up by now if it was just a simple case of travellers tummy. I am impressed to say that there was a private clinic open, and for a very reasonable amount of money she was seen by a doctor and prescribed a course of antibiotics which I am delighted to report had an immediate effect. The relief.

We then returned to the lodge for lunch (I had a burger, I do like a burger), a swim and then (another) unintentional nap. Oh well… At 3pm we gathered in the lodge for “high tea” which was an interesting offering of scones, chicken drumsticks and grapes. Perfectly fine, and became obvious when we say the evening’s banquet of offerings.

Anyway, off we went for our final (sniff sniff) game drive:

• Warthogs.
• Baboons.
• Last kudu?
• Last impala?
• Elephants in the distance (on the island).
• THEN ALL THE ELEPHANTS

Now having previously been non-lodge people, I would say that we were probably too close to the elephants at this stage (we got splashed with mud – but I did enjoy that) and were probably getting in the way of where they wanted to go (which is not the point of seeing them). They were obviously heading out of the channel and up the hill for some overnighting amongst the trees. But for my last sighting, I really did like to see just so many elephants.

After all this excitement, the final list:

• Hippo.
• Crocodile.
• Slender mongoose.
• Baby crocodile.

There were the suddenly loads of jeeps, this is because there were lions on the move. Similarly to the elephants, this got a little bit silly with the lions being followed down the road and jeeps pulling in to try and gauge where they would come out. Having seen lots of lions, this felt very intrusive.

Anyway, we headed down to the waterfront (evidently seeing if the lions would pop out infront of us) and we officially became lodge people (oh, how previous us would have judged us) – Robert cracked open the cooler and it was gin and tonic for the olds, and a Fanta for me. There was then a stacked tiffin of roasted cashew nuts, crisps and dried mango. Who are we?!

My final sightings were: lions, more lions, sunset with elephants and the last giraffe.

On return to the lodge it was time for the official Independence Day banquet. We had served up for us the traditional menu (which is also what people make for themselves) which thankfully does not include elephant. There had been some controversy as 23 elephants had been slaughtered across Botswana and donated to each region to be eaten. I try and take the view that if I am going to eat meat I cannot be squeamish about which meats I eat, but elephant would have been a bit of a stretch for me… Anyway, this is what the banquet comprised:

• Rice.
• Corn and bean.
• Oxtail.
• Pap – I really like pap. I am going to try and learn how to make it.
• Pounded beef/seswaa.
• Green leaves.
• Tomato relish – it was spicy and delicious.
• Roast chicken.
• Mopane worms – these were not nice. I valiantly tried one, but it was rather chewy and difficult to swallow. Would I eat another one? Nope.

However, the big excitement was when the banquet opened with the staff serenading us with some traditional call and response songs. It was pretty awesome. I also felt that I, and probably only I, was the only person doing the banquet justice – I even had seconds!

After all that excitement, it was time for bed.

This is officially the end. How would I sum up my safari experience? It is a magical thing to do, and such a privilege to see wild animals up close. I would absolutely go again, but I would not do exactly the same trip again (which apparently many people do). I would maybe go and see the migrations, or go rhino hunting maybe. I also I missed interactions with real people (other than the people working in the tourism industry, like tonight) and perhaps I should learn from my friend Colette (she is wise when it comes to these things) and prioritise cultural things, like a nice festival perhaps? Tomorrow we will be leaving Botswana and driving to Zimbabwea, for a night in a hotel. Madness.