The Safari Begins
Trip Start
Jul 16, 2004
1
3
11
Trip End
Aug 01, 2004
Maun,
Botswana
Monday, July 19, 2004
Had a good night's sleep on a too short bed serenaded to sleep by the sound of frogs along the river.
I'm ready to head out.
It's a good idea to have the one night here at Riley's. Not only to recover from jet lag and air travel limbo-hell, but also to give one pause; time to really wrap your head around the idea of leaving civilization - going out into the bush. That is where I will be when I next write into this diary.
9:15PM-ish
What an exciting first day! Alwyn and Stanley, the assistant trip leader, came to pick us up at the appointed hour (African Time - which, by the way, is very similar to Island Time). Our safari vehicles are modified Toyota Land Cruisers with real heavy-duty stuff all around - not the wimpy versions sold to Americans that never get off asphalt. In addition to that, they are fitted with padded holes in the roof above every seat. I didn't notice this at first, but after we crossed the somewhat controversial 1800+ mile long "buffalo fence" (officially called Veterinary Cordon Fence) that demarcates the area available to livestock to the wild game reserves of northern Botswana, Stanley took the protective tarp off the top of the truck and coo of excitement rose amongst us tourists in the back.
Nancy and Dan were our vehicle-mates for the day with the Abbott family in the other Land Cruiser with Alwyn. The four of us hit it off and Dan especially seemed much more animated and excited than he had at the orientation dinner last night.
Not long after the top was off and we were heading for the entrance to the Moremi Game Reserve we stopped to watch our first few giraffe, quieting feeding on the high branches of the mopane and acacia trees. It was interesting to me to have to force myself to realize that this is for real. This isn't a giraffe in some well run zoo. If there is anyone out of place here, it's me (us). Perhaps the giraffe view our vehicle as some sort of moving zoo displaying human heads popping out of a metallic body; popping back down again and moving slowly on. They curiously and cautiously watch while eating the foliage from the tops of trees.
We made the South Gate to the Moremi Game Reserve by lunch time and stopped for sandwiches as the vervet monkeys looked on. Our afternoon drive into camp included zebra, a herd of hippo running into a lagoon as if they'd just had a fright - quite a site - baboon along the side of the trail (I don't want to give anyone a wrong idea by calling it a "road"), no shortage of impala, lechewe (another antelope similar to the impala), warthog, wildebeest, ostrich...
And then capping off the evening, just as we were getting close to camp and the sun was sinking into the west, we saw our first herd of elephant. In fact, we suddenly found ourselves in their midst, with one elephant crossing the road ahead of us and several others off to our right not very happy. Stanley expertly maneuvered us out of the way (basically by driving fast and getting the hell out of there.) As we past one disgruntled elephant she shook her ears at us (a clear sign of an elephant's discontent) and started what looked like a mock charge - but we were moving too fast.
Stanley and Alwyn both make it clear that our intent is not to disturb the animals, only to observe them. This isn't the kind of safari that you see sometimes on Animal Planet where all the macho yahoos run around trying to capture snakes, crocs, etc. What's the point of that? But there are times when you'll quite suddenly and accidentally find yourself mixing with elephants and you've just got to move.
Anyway, we met up with the other truck just outside of camp to enjoy some giraffe silhouetted against the dying sun, and then made the short way to our first camp.
After meeting our camp crew of six (in the dark, I'm afraid I won't recognize anyone in the daylight), Alwyn gave us the rundown on our accommodations (two to a tent - each tent has a pit toilet and "shower" in back of it). I had my first "bucket shower" under the African winter sky. I'm not sure I'll ever get used to that, but it is quite a feeling taking a shower while looking up at the stars.
We then made our way down to the dining tent and nearby fire to have a cocktail and await dinner. There is a full bar out in the bush - at least nearly so. Regular readers may wonder if one can enjoy a martini out here. I'm afraid not. (No vermouth) This is hardly a concern, of course. Dinner was a fabulous three-course gourmet affair. Ten of us (the eight tourists plus Alwyn and Stanley) ate by the light of a couple dozen hurricane lamps and all seemed warm and cozy despite the increasing chill of the night air.
After a brief stint by the fire after dinner, it was off to bed. Stanley led the way as we walked back to our tent, shining his light in all directions to make sure no hippos or other unwanted surprises blocked our path.
And thus ends my first day in the bush - a very good day.
