Botswana

Cultural Diversity

Botswana is a land locked country bordering on Zambia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia and is just slightly smaller than the state of Texas. The Kalahari Desert, which is the world largest stretch of continuous sand, covers 85% of Botswana. However, in the northern part of this dusty, flat, featureless landscape lies the Okavango Delta, a wonder of lush greenery, reeds, and bushes. The Okavango River flows from Angola feeding into the delta, where 95% of the river disappears through evaporation and the remainder down a fault in the ground. The Okavango River is described as, “a river that never finds the ocean.” We certainly understand the rate of evaporation as the temperature has consistently been in the high 40’s (Celsius).

Long Boring Day Maun is a little village of stark contrast and contradictions and is the gateway to the Okavango Swamps, the Moremi, and Chobe Game Parks. Besides the modern buildings and fancy lodges are mud hut villages. Donkey carts, goats, and cattle share the roads with luxury 4X4 vehicles. The local tribal people in traditional dress wander amongst affluent European tourists.

SPIRITUAL ENCOUNTER

Audi Campsite, on the outskirts of Maun served as our home while we explored the area. One clear night and in the distance, I heard drumming and singing. We decided to head off in the direction of the music and with a flashlight; we crossed fields and over fences. We arrived at a fire alongside a reed enclosure. From behind the walls of the reeds, the sound of the rhythmic beating of drums, shuffling of feet, clapping of hands, melodic voices filled the night air.

King of the Jungle

Tentatively we approached the reed enclosure; a man came out greeted us and I asked if we could, please join. Ushered inside, I joined the women, children, and Tom the men.

The enclosure situated beneath a large tree, with a starry night sky the roof, reeds the walls and dusty sands the floor. A pole stood in the centre, alongside smoldering ashes in a spade and candles placed in the ground gave us our light. Babies slept on cloths on the ground, children giggled at our arrival and men, and women swayed to the drumming. Behind the pulpit stood a man gowned in white. We were welcomed to an African Christian Zionist Church service.

Conducted in Setswana, not English we did not understand a word. Yet we stood transfixed in awe, the atmosphere electric and for the first time I truly felt in the heart of Africa. The ethereal atmosphere created a time and space for reflection for both of us. It was both moving and spiritual.

Friends

The community embraced us and welcomed us to their service (meeting).

A translator told us how very welcomed we were and how pleased they were to have us join. They have never before had “anyone of your kind,” join them in prayer.

They invited us to participate in the ceremony, dancing, singing, and rituals. I felt a sense of sadness that I could understand at what was being said, yet in some strange way it did not seem to matter. Two men and two women each with a baby strapped on her backs sat in the middle. They were blessed by the priest and water was sprinkled over them and the ashes. Swaying to the beat of the drums, singing, and clapping we all rhythmically shuffled around the smoldering ashes. Women stopping to put their feet in the fire, sprinkle water over the smoldering ashes while young children lay down to sleep.

View from above

The people were silenced and once more, the translator thanked us for attending and asked us to say something. I expressed our gratitude, for being so warmly welcomed. The translator apologized for their “poor church.” Apologetically he went on, “It is our church it is not much because we live in poverty, but now we have our meal and we would like you to stay and eat with us.”

As honored guests, we were each given a chair and offered a fried roll of dough and water. Finally, we were taken to the center and blessed by the priest. The evening had ended, and it was time for us to head back to camp. It had been over 2 hours since we arrived and we left amidst the cheers of farewells.

The evening will always be with me, a reminder of what true richness really is.

FLYING WITH THE BIRDS

Chatting to the locals, they suggested we do not fly into a delta lodge but rather take a scenic flight over the delta and a boat trip through the channels and waterways of the swamp. We would experience and see the same and at a much lower cost. We were also advised not to drive north through Chobe National Park (south to north) because of poor road conditions making for an unpleasant drive. With this information, we planned our route through Botswana.

We met our pilot Lutz, at the airport for an early morning flight over the Okavango Delta. It is the dry season so there is not much water in the delta and I was amazed to see little mud hut villages located amongst the watery channels below. Local fishing communities move in for the dry season to fish. When the wet season arrives, they leave and head for higher grounds. The villages are flooded and washed away. They return the next dry season and rebuild their villages. The flight over the delta gave us a view of the watery wonderland. It is a wilderness for anything that flies, floats or lives amongst the reeds. Elephants, giraffes, and antelopes wandered below. It is home to hundreds of species of birds many of which soared and flew below us. Okavango lived up to its reputation as being a wilderness paradise.

ONE DEAD HIPPO

Croc watching Lion eat Hippo

The campsites in Moremi Game Park are basic and to maintain the wilderness experience there are no fences around the campsites. It was an incredible experience to lie under the starry Africa skies with lions roaring and hippo grunting in the distance and knowing that there was nothing between them and us. Camping in lion, hyena, elephant, cheetah, and leopard country, I was nervous about wandering around especially as the roar of the lions sounded very close. The following morning we spotted the lions, lazing under nearby trees. Looking quite content, one yawned before getting up and wandering down to the waters edge. In the water large crocodiles feasted on a dead hippo. The lion waded into the water and the crocodiles gave way to the lion for him to have his share. Lurking closely but not venturing
"Elegance" towards the lion the hungry crocodiles watched and waited. We spent the morning watching this dance between the lions and crocodiles as they devoured the hippo. A very lucky chance encounter for us, and Africa at its best.

Early the following morning Tom and I were packing up the car when a large baboon approached the Cruiser. Quickly grabbing all our belongings and throwing them into the car, we jumped in and closed the doors. Baboons can be aggressive especially if they are looking for food, not unlike a hungry bear. We watched as he approached and walk behind the car.

“Can you see him?” I asked Tom.

“No but he seems to be taking a long time behind the Cruiser, are you sure we got everything inside the car?”

Hearing a ruckus behind the car Tom leapt out yelling and waving a large chased him away.

“He has gotten into the toiletry box and taken the medication which he is eating,” shouted Tom. I then jumped and banging on the side of the cruiser began screaming at the baboon. He scampered off with medication in hand and I wondered how he would feel in a few hours.

Mom and Baby

“This is Africa and s… happens” rang in my ears.

LOVE THAT WARTHOG

Springtime can be one of the best times to visit any wildlife park if one hopes to see the newborn. The game parks become a nursery of little ones. Wildlife visitors are known to amble through campsites and a wild yet friendly warthog and her baby wandered into our campsite. She insisted on wiping her dirty muddy snout on the back of my chair while the skittish baby squealed for her to return. He was delightful, and was not sure what to make of the baby monkeys scampering around him. Watching the little warthog and the playful little monkeys learn about each other was a delight and had us howling with laugher. They were a riot and a hilarious sideshow.

Warthogs are the only wild pig in Africa who digs for roots in the ground. Resting their front legs on their knees and bum in the air, they grovel with their snout and tusks in the ground for food. Although initially we had considered warthogs rather plain looking, we eventually fell in love with these engaging animals.

New Life

NEW LIFE

Louwrens Rich, a local travel guide, introduced us to Allen Becker. “Allen grew up on the Chobe River and nobody can get as close to the elephants as he can,” Louwrens informed us. After some, cajoling Allen finally agreed to take us out on the river.

Once on board we received the safety instructions. “Hippos are our biggest threat, if they attack the boat, swim down and then as far away as you can from the boat,” instructed Allen.

I was not that reassured, swimming away from an enraged hippo in a crocodile infested river was not my idea of safety. Cruising down the river, we saw hundreds of elephants, drinking and frolicking in the water. Young elephants are assisted by the larger elephants to swim across the river. Humungous bellicose hippos watched us, quietly sinking below the water if we came too close and crocodiles lazily drifted past us.

New Life

Elephants are my favourite wild animal and I was in “elephant heaven.”

Allen went far up the river away from the tourists’ boats, where the elephants are disturbed by all the tourist boat engines.

After an hour, we approached a large herd of elephants coming down the steep bank towards the river. Going very closely he then cut off the engine we then drifted towards the shore and the advancing elephants. Herds of elephants are headed by a matriarch; bulls are loners only approaching the female herd during the breeding period.

We approached a large herd of elephants coming down the steep bank towards the river. Going very closely he then cut off the engine and we drifted towards the shore and the advancing elephants. Silently we watch a large matriarch elephant coming slowly down the bank followed by a herd of elephants. Suddenly we spotted the tiniest elephant its umbilical cord still attached, perhaps only a few hours old. The large elephants entered the river. The
Feeding Time baby stood hesitantly on the edge still struggling to find his feet when he slipped and fell into the water. We held our breath as he struggled, (it seemed forever) before his tiny trunk finally rose above the water. The matriarch assisted the baby with her trunk and encouraging him to stay in the water. The newborn elephant waved his trunk around not quite sure what to do with it. Still struggling to stay standing he spent a lot of time sitting in the water. Finally, he stood up and nudging his mother he search for milk.

Despite us being so close only once, did the matriarch flap her ears and run towards us. Allen motioned us to be quiet and make no movements eventually she turned her attention back towards the baby, ignoring us.

After an hour, we could no longer bear the heat of the sun on us and returned to camp. It was a thrill to have witness the first few hours of the newborn’s life and the caring and protection he received from all the adult elephants.

Flying over Okavango Delta

TIME TO MOVE ON

Botswana has targeted “wealthy tourists” and has essentially made it too expensive and difficult for the ordinary people to explore the country. Game Lodges are often only accessible by plane and “self drive tourists” are not permitted to visit the lodges or drive around in the lodges’ concessions. Road conditions through the parks require skilled 4X4 driving and GPS knowledge.