19 September

19 September

What a day.

Morning. We left out in the truck after breakfast with one dutch lady and Face to look for animals. Upon reaching the main gravel road, Face found some lion tracks but they went deep into the bush and we gave up. Moving across the open area where we were supposed to be yesterday, we saw a group of impala staring into the bush and suddenly Face exclaimed; ‘do you see the dogs?’ There was a pack of 8 wild dogs and they chased the impala across the plane before stopping to socialize. We raced after them and caught up as they were came back out of the bushes, and soon enough they began to chase another group. We raced after them again and it felt like we could only just keep up. After they decided to lay down for a while we moved on. The other guide from the camp and seen a group of vultures in a tree and searched the area, finding some lionesses with a zebra kill. They hadn’t started eating, but the zebra’s stomach was ripped open, and Face pointed out the little pile where they had attempted to bury its entrails. The zebra’s tail was also hanging off a bush.

Later, we were driving through a thick forest, avoiding branches that swatted into the car and flattening small trees underneath. A leopard had cubs in the area so she was bound to be close. After a while, I saw 2 kudu staring at something and Face pointed out a leopard lying down disinterested only about 3 meters ahead of them. The leopard soon got up and as another guide kept an eye on it, we moved to anticipate its path coming out of the other end of the forest. We were lucky enough to catch it and found it calling to its cubs which were hidden under a fallen tree. We then watched as they came out and bonded, one cub rolling around on its mothers stomach and suckling while she licked his back.

Face said this was the best morning he had had.

After lunch we were to drive down to a river called Sable alley and go on the traditional dug-out canoes; the Mokoro. On our way out, however, we were distracted by the sight of a jeep up to its roof in water and a grown man standing on it and waving. It was an American couple and their car was floating, the lady had swam to the side and a local boy named Oti had come to help them and warn them but was too late. Face and Frederick (the Mokoro guide), teamed up and joined together a bunch of tow ropes before attempting to tow the car out of the deep water.

They were successful and the americans are camped out on the lawn here, letting their stuff dry. They will eat dinner at the camp and have given me their business card to send the video of their rescue.

We still had time for a trip in the mokoro, and it was very nice. They glide very smoothly along the water, and are propelled and steered using a long stick. The driver stands on the back. The highlight was 2 elephants crossing the water ahead of us, and learning how to make a traditional necklace from the lily. Our guide was a local bushman named Frederick, and we spoke a short while about politics. As there were 2 belgians with us, he was surprised when I mentioned quietly that that country has been without a government for over a year.

There are two other dutch people here, the man is an Africa-nut and is now operating his own travel agency for Africa. He walks around with an air of arrogance as if he knows better than us other travellers and it grinds my nerves. This afternoon some German and French people arrived and at dinner I could ignore the Dutchman and talk football with them.

On our way to dinner, however, we had to escape through a zipper in the outdoor shower wall as a hippo was blocking the front exit to our tent!

Im not sure what ive mentioned about Sango, the camp. All the staff are local bushman, and are very proud of their culture and accomplishments. One of the waiting staff; Joseph, is a slightly older man and he proudly told us that he knows how to track and hunt.