2004, Botswana, Zimbabwe: 2004, Botswana, Zimbabwe

May/June 2004

Botswana and the Okavango Delta

I was watching a TV program on the World's 10 Most Exotic places. The most exotic was the Okavango Delta in Botswana. I had never heard of the place, but Mary and I decided to go. Why not? So we went during Botswana's winter and dry season, which is considered to be the best time.

Botswana is a new country, established in 1968. It used to be a British protectorate located in the waste land between Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Soon after gaining independence diamonds were discovered. The country is now the world's largest producer of these "rocks".

Botswana is now what many parts of Africa used to be with an abundance of wildlife and a government which protects this natural resource by restricting the number of tourists and hunters. The country's small population, new found wealth, and good, stable government has made it a role model for Africa.

Southern tip of Africa with Botswana in the middle.

We started at the town of Maun,
which is the jumping off spot for the Okavango,
continued north by Land Rover to the Tsodilo Hills,
over to the Linyanti and Chobe River areas,
on to the town of Kansane, crossing the border into Zimbabwe

and Victoria Falls.

Okavango Delta from space
with fires burning in the background.

The Okavango Delta is the worlds largest inland delta. It is formed where waters from the mountains in Angola come down the Okavango River to spread out and then disappear into the sands of the Kalahari Desert. Since it takes over six months for the water to travel from mountains to desert, the delta gets water during the desert's dry season, making it a magnet for thirsty wildlife and other creatures normally not found in the middle of such a dry place.

The Travelers

At Maun airport in Botswana after a night in Johannesburg (Jo'burg),
traveling there via Amsterdam and Nairobi.
The journey did not go smoothly.

In our safari garb at first camp site.

The Land Rover carried us around. The jump seat on the front bumper is used by a native tracker looking for fresh prints. Typically we would go out very early in the morning, then again at dusk, once in a while at night. As long as you stayed in the vehicle animals did not bother you.

Leaving the vehicle while out in the bush was particularly dangerous. Guides would check out the area before you went on a toilet break or stopped for tea. During our first days, a tracker with a nearby group was killed and partially eaten by a lion when he wandered off too far for a smoke. This tragedy affected the entire trip as our guides who were his friends tried their best not to seem disturbed.

Our group of six.
From left: a tracker, me, David McMurtrie (Yarrandabbie, N.S.W., Australia), Kylie Masters (Roselle, N.S.W., Australia), Mary, David Masters, Dimity McMurtrie,
and Okwa Sarefo (Etsha 6, Botswana), our head guide.

People of Botswana

Botswana is made of people from various tribes,
but it is the Bushmen of the Kalihari who are best known.

Pictographs such as this one were probably used to mark the migrations of animals.

Typical dress

Native Huts
Huts are constructed of a combination of mud with empty pop cans.
They are used for sleeping only, the rest of the time is spent outdoors.

HIV/AIDS

Botswana has the highest rate of HIV/AIDS in the world, 40%. The disease has a devastating effect on the country. However, the natives seem to be unconcerned or in a state of denial. One could not help but wonder who of our guides was HIV positive.

Article in Maun newspaper.

Getting Around

Here are some of our modes of transportation and some of the vicissitudes.

Maoko, native canoe from hollowed tree.
This is the native means of getting around in the delta shallows.

Motor Boat
Used not only for speed, but also for safety in papyrus channels like this one where hippos lurk.

Bridge over the River Kwai. Yes, that's the name of the river.

Flat tires and breakdowns were constant problems.
Repairs needed to be made in the bush, far from any repair shop.

Time out for another flat tire.

This is part of Africa too.

The sands of the Kalahari are no joke.
This is what the sand is like in the middle of the "road".

When you are stuck in the sand, their is a radio call for help
and everyone in the lends a hand.

Getting stuck creates a traffic jam.
There is just no place to go to avoid a Land Rover immobilized in the road.

Camp Life

This is our home with a canvas wash basin in front filled with fresh hot water in the mornings. Behind is the group shower and toilet shelter. We were told not to go to the toilet alone at night due to wild animals, especially hyenas who roamed the camp at night. We were suppose to first get a guide escort who happens to always be set up at the far end of camp. No one ever did.

We slept on cots with thick comforters. Quite comfortable once inside them. Nights were cold with ice forming on water left overnight in wash basins. We could look out our screened door at night to see starring hyenas, and hear hoofs passing through the camp.

Mary in the morning.

Around the campfire for a cup of hot cocoa.
One of our group, Darren Masters, standing,
described these camp moments as "surreal", looking out into the blackness surrounding us
and hearing the elephants chewing the nearby bushes.

Breakfast and evening had cooked meals eaten at a table.
Picnic lunches and of course, tea time, were partaken as we traveled.

Every morning the camp was taken down, put on a truck,
which went on ahead of us to the next site.

Animals of the Okavango

Elephants everywhere.
Mostly groups of females.
Males are not allowed around the matriarchal group, except for mating purposes.
Males spend most of their life alone.
They would sometimes come charging at the Land Rover, just stopping short.
"They have eyelashes", Mary once screamed.

How can you not love a giraffe?

Impala
Also called "Lion McNuggets'.
When viewed from the rear, their markings look like a black "M".

Giant Kudu
We saw one killed and ripped apart in minutes by a pride of lions.

Baboons
Cute from afar. Nasty up close.

Zebras
Most of the large herds had migrated someplace else.

Herd of Cape Buffalos
Considered by many to be the most dangerous game animal.

Wart Hogs
One of Mary's favorite animals.
Cute as they run around with their tails sticking high in the air.

Hyena at night.

Hippos
These big animals spend their days in water and nights ashore grazing.
Do a lot of crop damage. Hippos cause the most animal related fatalities in Africa.
Our guide was once attacked.

Elephants at play.
You almost think that humans are like elephants as they play, splash, and squirt in the water.
They are very tender as they teach their young how to cross the river.

Leopard
Rare to see. Difficult to photograph.

Viewing a lioness

Lioness with cubs

King of the Jungle
Male lions really have it easy,
except when they may kill each other determining who rules the pride.
We came upon mating lions. Females go into estrous only by copulating every 15 minutes. It is like clockwork which goes on for days, neither eating.
Boring to watch after a while.

Jackel

Nile Crocodile
Looking like a lump in the sun waiting for a splash in the water

Owl

Couple of vultures, just waiting under the moon above .

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Border crossing into Zimbabwe

U.S. Aid in action.
Sign at border crossing office with "Words of Wisdom" from Uncle Sam.
Obviously done by someone in Washington without any idea of what Africans are like.

Our hotel at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
What a beautiful place. Nothing but the best. Supposedly one investor was Michael Jackson.
Hotel would only take "hard currency", like US dollars, German marks, etc.
Please, no Zimbabwe money.

Hotel Dining Room

This giant dining hall for only 10-15 guests, complete with a huge buffet stocked with all kinds of game, traditional, and western foods, as well as, a floor show.

It seems that tourists were staying away from Zimbabwe this year because of the tendency of black Zimbabweans to kill their fellow white countrymen.

Even at the hotel, you need to be careful where you stick your toe.

Victoria Falls
We made it!

"Safety Fence"
Protects tourists from falling into the gorge hundreds of feet below.

Victoria Falls / Mosi-oa-Tunya

Also called the Smoke that Thunders

Victoria Falls from space during dry season.
The Zambesi River flows from the top into the fall's chasim, then snaking on to form the Zambesi Gorge.

Bridge over Zambesi Gorge connecting Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Bungy jumping from the Zambesi Bridge.

Said to be the greatest jump ever, I had planned to do it, but after seeing people hanging upside down for minutes to be righted, as their heads turned red with blood, I decided to postpone this adventure. Even though they sold t-shirts about jumping off the bridge, I just couldn't buy one.

Sunsets

What more fitting way to end our African adventure than views of the spectacular sunsets.