Okavango Day 2
You might be noticing that my entries are waayyy shorter than usual. Some of you might even be happy about it. 🙂 but seriously, it is a task just getting to an internet connection here, and they are running on tandy 1000s with a 1992 version of aol online, and 10 computers sharing that connection. I’m actually missing the days of Windows Vista (heaven forbid). So anyhow, unless a miracle in modern technology happens, I’m going to keep these short and sweet, as most go into my spiral bound notebook, and I can write at about a tenth of the pace I can type, and, well, I just get bored. Same with the pictures… the several I’ve uploaded have taken about 20 minutes apiece. When I get home I’ll backfill, but for now, 1 or 2 every so often are gonna have ta do ya.
In true safari style camp roused before dawn for a bush walk. Unllike most areas tourist can visit wild animals, you are on foot in Botswana in this area, instead of in a safari vehicle. Lions, elephants and nearly all animals see trucks as part of the scenery, sort of like a tree or termite mound, it is neither hunter or hunted so generally you can get 10 feet away and the animals act like you aren’t even there.
Clearly, not so on foot: you become either prey or predator depending on whose looking at you. The cats will eat you, the elephants and hippos will stomp you, and the zebras gallop away. Its a different feel. Walking through the bush I feel like Wild Kingdom with the twacking of the grasses underfoot, a british voice in my head saying stuff like, “here is the lone elephant, largest of the land animals.”
So, the upside of the walking safari is the physical activity and the mano y mano nature of the journey. The downside is that you can’t really get too close to the animals. Either you don’t want to or they won’t let you. Also 5 hours later, one is REALLY considering the benefits of motorized transportation!
Tags: Botswana, Camping, Delta, Okavango, Safari, Southern Africa Tour, Tag Index
jessicab