2015/2016 Three Continent Tour: April 12 Botswana: Okavango delta

Up at 5:30 AM to get ready. Packed bags and cleaned up, packed up the tent, and had breakfast. The adjustment to camping is tough, but good for a pampered Canadian. Lots of dirt, discomfort but all worth it. The truck was left at the campground, with Richard ( from Zim) and we met OT who drove us in an open safari vehicle to our Okavango campground. We just took essentials as this was real camping, African style for two days!It took 2 hours and was very windy of course, but living with discomfort is expected....no 5 star treatment here. We got to the poling station, with lots of local Botswanas around, with campers arriving, and campers leaving. There are lots of campgrounds here, and the locals run the show. Barak was our leader, a tall Tswana guy....the head poler. The swamp edge had about 15 makoros or Botswana canoes. I took a pic of an original ( wooden dug out canoe ) but our makoros are now fibre glass. Most makoros are about 5 inches above water lever, and two man canoes. Ours was 2 inches above water level, and was the fastest one, with Barak. The experience was amazing. We went through some open water areas, but most of the time, we went through the reeds. It was an amazing experience to be so close to the water. Water lilies were abundant, mostly white but also lilac. The channels through the reeds were mostly made by the currents, but hippos also make channels, especially onto the land. We saw a hippo in the distance, but never had any close calls with them or the crocs which are abundant here. The hippos and crocs like the open water so we were fine in the reeds. At night things are different. Our makoro route was avoided by the crocs who like the reeds too. All these creatures avoid homo sapiens, and find other peaceful places to live. The experience was amazing, peaceful with the rippling of the water around the makoro and breeze, and the polers chatting to each other in Tswana. The trip took 90 minutes. We reached a very very large island, and right away started pitching the tents. We were helped by the polers. We had a group of women that did our washing up ( lucky!!) We were shown the bush toilet which is a toilet seat on a metal frame over a hole dug in the ground. You take the toilet paper on a twig at the entrance to the path to the toilet, and the shovel to shovel a bit of soil over your own soil. Lunch of cold pasta and veggies took place, and we had free time till 5 pm. My tent was a furnace, and I realized I was suffering from heat exhaustion. The African sun is fierce. We were told not to swim due to leeches. However a group of us went and swam. I did not go. We don't venture anywhere on the island without the guides as game is everywhere. I should have swum to lower my core body temperature.

The walk was amazing at 5 pm. Lovely bird sounds, Goaway birds, cormorants, herons....lilac breasted rollers....so many birds in the delta. I am amazed by the profusion of African grasses....this is the best place to see them...of different sizes, forms, patterns, coloursetc. We saw baboons in a tree, giraffe in the distance, and 4 hippo in a larger channel. I have a pic of a hippo opening his huge jaws above water. Lots of termite mounds around. Our walk ended after sunset, and the reds and oranges of an African sunset are amazing. I have some great sunset shots of nesting birds on a tree. We got home, and I showered in delta water. The locals drink it but we don't. It is very clean apparently. The shower was pouring water on myself. I didn't use soap but the lower core body temperature was wonderful!! You cannot swim in the delta at night as hippos and crocs take over. You can't leave the campground as hippos are all around, but of course avoid campers. To pee at night, you don't visit the toilet, but go bushy bushy near your tent. We all had head flashlights and they are excellent!! What an amazing life experience! Supper was prepared for us by Gibson.