Eco-Camping for the first time
Trip Start
May 03, 2009
1
33
43
Trip End
Jul 10, 2009
Where I stayed
On the Delta shores
Okavango Delta,
Botswana
Sunday, June 21, 2009
For the past two days we have been visiting the Okavango Delta. The Delta is a natural wetland system that spreads over 1,600,000ha of northern Botswana and it is the only inland delta of its kind in the world. We rode on a bus for an hour and a half before we reached the shore of the delta. There we boarded mokoro [dugout canoes made for a local tree] where we were driven by a poler and had a two hour ride through the delta until we got to our destination. Rocko and I shared a mokoro and our poler was named Amos. The mokoros are similar to the boats in Venice. We laid down and the poler stood at the end of the boat with a long pole that he used to guide the boat through the reeds and lily pads. I can't wait to post the pictures but we have not had an opportunity to get to an internet connection because we have been bush camping.
We set up camp and were staying with all of the polers
Rocko in our Mokoru
. After lunch some of the people in our group decided to race in the Delta. Rocko and another guy in our group named Simon raced in a mokoro and kept going in circles because it was more difficult to steer then they had anticipated:) Later in the afternoon we went on a nature walk in the area surrounding our camp and came back to an incredible dinner made completely over the fire. Following dinner the polers sang and dance for us and then asked all of us to sing for them. It was really difficult coming up with a song that everyone knew. We ended up singing Jingle Bells and the Hokey Pokey [which in the UK is called the Hokey Cokey...strange] All of us sang our national anthems and played games. It was one of the best nights that we have had. The next morning we went on a nature walk and then took down camp and headed back in our mokoros.
Rocko and I both felt like these two days have been a definite trip highlight. The eco-camping experience was remarkable and spending the evening over the fire with some of the local people from Botswana was a once in a lifetime experience.
I loved it and would come back to Botswana to experience the Delta again anytime
Lilypads on the DElta
!When we got back to the camp it was Tom's birthday [ a guy from the UK who joined us in Livingstone]. We surprised him by decorating the campsite with balloons and banners. We had a cake and champagne and a really great party. It was a lot of fun and a nice break for everyone in our group. Tomorrow we are going to spend most of the day driving as we travel south into the Kalahari and stop in Ghanzi.
Hope everything at home is going well!
Brett and Robin
