A Southern African Tour - Part I

As I am out here for a while mum decided to come and stay with me for a month in total. 

“When she packed up to leave, she knew that she was saying goodbye to something important, which was not that bad, in a way, because it meant that at least she had said hello to it to begin with…”- Lorrie Moore

Two weeks as a volunteer, 3 days on a tour trip without me, and 11 days travelling round Namibia, Botswana and Zambia.

“There are none happy in the world but beings who enjoy freely a vast horizon.” - Thoreau

After a few days on the farm we headed off east towards Botswana, spotting some giraffe by the side of the road...

"God is really only another artist. He invented the giraffe, the elephant and the cat. He has no real style, He just goes on trying other things." - Pablo Picasso 

Here we came across our first campsite and lodge that had cheetah and leopard and a small San village. That evening we went round and fed the animals and heard their stories, sadly it's amazing how some places try to pass off what they are making money out of as conservation. The animals looked healthy and well looked after, but sadly they could have been in the wild and were needlessly captured for tourism - I was glad to be away from that part of the tour and back at camp.

"A hypocrite is the kind of politician who would cut down a redwood tree, then mount the stump and make a speech for conservation. " - Adlai E. Stevenson 

"Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land. " - Aldo Leopold 

In the morning we visited the village and the people took us into the veldt to look at foods and show us their tracking / hunting skills. The older lady gave us some seeds to put under our tongue and once they come into contact with moisture they pop - and wow they really do - we all jumped out of our skins! They were also telling us about the tracks they could see, including where a male spring hare had sat yesterday morning - yes they can tell that!

We drove on and into Botswana, and after a bit of questioning about my multiple visas for Namibia they eventually let me out of the country.

After a long drive to our campsite in Botswana...

“Most of my treasured memories of travel are recollections of sitting.” - Robert Thomas Allen 

....we were greeted in the evening with some traditional San dancing, many of the dances represented certain animals or healing or told stories.

"You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star. "- Friedrich Nietzsche 

From here we drove on towards the stunning Okavango Delta...

On one of our roadside picnics there was a tree covered in huge spiders webs - worth a pic!

"The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship. " - William Blake  

We stayed in a stunning camp, overlooking the Okavango Delta, so relaxing and beautiful I could have chilled there for a week!

In the morning I got up for sunrise...

"Know where to find the sunrise and sunset times and note how the sky looks at those times, at least once. " - Marilyn vos Savant

....before we headed off into the Delta, firstly on a boat... 

...where we saw a crocodile...

...and a malachite kingfisher...

(yes I did take that - enjoying my new lenses!!)

...and then we headed out on the small makolo canoes...

"Take everything as it comes; the wave passes, deal with the next one" - Tom Thomson

...where polers steer you through the waters and vegetation.

The delta is truly stunning...

...the wildlife beautiful...

...and flora delicate.

We headed to a small island and took a walk round to see signs of animals and learn about the vegetation here

Seed pod from a sausage tree.

Hippo spoor.

Massive bird nest.

Baobab trees - they get to thousands of years old!?!

"Wisdom is like a baobab tree; no one individual can embrace it"- African Proverb

Its amazing to see that people still use the delta and live off it - we passed this man fishing...

...before heading back to our campsite.

That evening we met a lady who lives in Namibia, but is from Blackburn -  10 miles from mums -  she told me where to get Tetley tea bags from, and I am sure I am bound to bump into her in the tiny city that is Windhoek. That evening we relaxed by the campfire and enjoyed the views of the delta.

  

The next day we headed back into Namibia, to Mahango game reserve. Despite nerves at the border everything was fine, visas in tact, back in.

"When I travel abroad, because I'm Columbian, I'm always one that they check twice and security and I'm the one that they open my bag and the one they pull to the side to check the visa." - Sofia Vergara 

Before reaching camp on the edge of the river we saw lots of elephant...

Here are some of the ellies from Mahango...

...oh can't resist a quick shot off the zebbies!

...and this magnificent kudu bull!

On the way out of Namibia and into Botswana there were some stunning views of one of the reserves, baobabs and bodies of water....

Here we cross back into Botswana, to see the stunning Chobe National Park, before "A Southern African Tour - Part II" with our finale at Vic Falls where we walked with Rhino and lion cubs!

"May all your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view, where something strange and more beautiful and more full of wonder than your deepest dreams waits for you." -Edward Abbey