Crossing Borders

Day 3: Saturday, 17^th December 2011: Chobe National Park

Part of my parents 60^th birthday bash was a safari day at Chobe National Park. It has always been an item on my mom’s bucket list and I don’t think even she realised how wonderful it would be for her.

The 60th birthday bashers.

I had visions of describing to her all that we would see. “Ma, see that big brown blob in the distance, next to the second bush, it is an elephant with its back to us, stretching its trunk above its head, pulling leaves off the tree and popping them into his mouth.”

Never mind that! She was scouting animals and telling us to look at the hippo over there, or watch out for the monkeys playing catch on the grass.

It was a wonderful privilege to see some of our African animals so close in their natural habitat.

Early that morning, the shuttle picked us up at the hotel and we headed to Botswana on a long straight road lined with acacias and rolling hills of grasslands to look out over. We were even lucky enough to see hyenas scamper across the road.

When we excited the Zimbabwean border post, our safari vehicles were ready for us to jump on and take us to the lodge from where we would start our safari. But first, before actually entering Botswana, we had to jump off the vehicle and all walk through a little ditch and brush our shoes on a soggy towel, just in case we were to bring some disease in from other countries. I really did feel like a cow going through a cattle dip!

However, we eventually did arrive at the lodge and finally could embark on our safari adventure for which we were all excited for.

We started the day with a morning boat ride on the Chobe River.

Boat safari on the Chobe River.

Our first sighting was a lazy crocodile minding its own business while a troop of vervet monkeys were playing in the grass not too far away. We watched the entertaining little creatures teasing each other, wrestling around and even trying to steal a mother’s baby.

Watch out monkey, don't get too close.

We then saw a cluster of what seemed like smooth grey rocks, bobbing in the water; our first sighting of hippos. We waited for them to show us their mighty yawn but with no luck. They slowly, one by one, submerged themselves under water and all you could hear was a snort that sounded like a steam engine. Little did we know that there were many more hippos to see and many big hippo yawns we would witness.

No Chomp jokes please!

On our trip around the river we were even accompanied by a hippo who decided to swim next to us then disappear under water and while we were all frantically trying to see where he went, he suddenly and surprisingly, leapt out of the water with a big splash.

We also saw buffalo and many types of buck grazing on what seemed to me like a floating island.

Peace and serenity on the Chobe River.

Our guide spotted and named many beautiful birds included plovers, snake birds, ibis, spur winged geese, egrets, fish eagles and king fischers. I must admit though, I was having so much fun enjoying the serenity of nature, spotting all the animals while floating on a river with the wind in my hair; that I wasn’t concentrating too much on what he was saying.

That was until he spotted a crocodile floating right next to our boat. I am sure if one stretched out their arm they could have touched it.

Thumbs up to Chobe!

After an exciting and relaxing morning on the boat we headed back to the lodge for lunch and of course dad and I had to try a local Botswana beer, a St Louis.

Lunch at the lodge.

After a short rest we were ready for round two of our Safari Day.

We headed off to the gate entrance of Chobe National Park for a game drive.

Chobe National Park.

Unfortunately we did not see the Big 5 as it was the rainy season and the animals stayed further inland, not needing to come to the Chobe River to drink water.

Field of green grass and accacias.

I did not mind too much that we did not see the Big 5 as the landscape is simply beautiful. It is as if the Chobe National Park is God’s emerald in December; the green trees and bush boasting the wealth of the rains.

Game viewing in the Chobe.

We did see more hippos, warthogs, Impala, Puku (a buck only found in Chobe) and a huge herd of elephants.

Life in the Chobe.

Seeing the large herd of elephants was definitely Ella’s highlight as they are her favourite animal.

Elephants in Chobe minding their own business.

We all sat and watched in awe as they waddled in the water, rolled in the dust and shielded their babies from the dangers of the bush.

On the move.

At one point, a warthog snuck into a pool near the elephants and I was waiting for one of them to charge the poor warthog and chase him away from the fun in the mud.

A warthog joining the party.

On our drive through the park we got a chance to admire more gentle giants of the bush.

Watch your step.

Our peaceful time of admiring the elephants was soon cut short as we heard the other safari vehicle had got stuck and the engine would not start, so off we speed to the rescue.

At first our game driver tr1ied to tow the other vehicle and run start it but the rope soon snapped and the bakkie would not start. He then attempted the same tactic and we got a little further but once again the roped snapped.

Rescue attempt take one.

Eventually he had to give up this method when with great grandeur the rope snapped as the bakkie been towed went through a big puddle.

Rescue attempt take two.

After another bakkie came to pick up the stranded game viewers (and I will not say that it was a Toyota – oops, was I thinking out loud!) four happy but tired game viewers headed back to the border post where their bus was waiting to take them back to their hotel.

A day in the bush :-)