Flight Over the Delta

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15 July

We wake at 0630 in order to pack up camp, and I’m still wondering whether there is another game walk, as I could have sworn during our briefing there was a mention of some activity in the morning. But we take all of our supplies directly to our beachfront and load up the makoros. We wait for Dixon and are soon off.

Along the way I chat with Dixon about his villages soccer team, The Big 5, and his family. He also tells us that the government has placed a plan on any new construction of wooden makoros. I expect him to take this opportunity to ask for some contribution or for a piece of soccer apparel, but he doesn’t. He’s been professional throughout and Alisa and I have developed an actual friendship with him, that is rare in on time in Africa. So often your guide makes you feel like they are just buttering you up in order for you to give them something. I’m not found of this type of ongoing paternalism and have made it a point not to leave anything behind or give anything away to the men we’ve encountered. Continue reading →

Out of the Okavango Delta

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We made it through Zimbabwe to Victoria Falls just fine on the bus and the train and then stayed at a pleasant backpackers in Victoria Falls. We caught up with the Kumaka truck and have now just come out of the delta. I was put with the computer in the cafe with a plastic rubber keyboard, making it extemely hard to type, but we will be back in Joburg in 2 days and start to post photos and all of each day’s exploits. The next two days are just long travel days so we will have lots of time to type.

Write more later.

Our Day in the Okavango Delta

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14 July

Everyone on the trip had expected another early morning rise (about 5AM), but Julius informed us last night that waking up at 6:50 would be fine. Breakfast would be at 7 and the makoros would be departing for our walk at 7:30. I thought this was a bit strange considering typically the best viewing of animals is early morning when they are out and about scrounging for food, but who am I to argue with the guys who spend their days in the delta.

By 7AM almost everyone had emerged from their tents and were hovering around the camp fire, trying to wait patiently for a taste of Jay’s famous french toast. The group that had traveled with Jay and Sarah from Nairobi constantly talked about how the one thing Jay cooked really well was french toast, so when he offered to make us some for breakfast last night everyone thought it was a splendid idea. Continue reading →