African Mysteries
The next morning, we were off to the Okavango Delta and the Mogothlo Lodge. The Okavango Delta is the second largest inland delta in the world; second only to the delta of the Ganges. The delta consists of channels, lagoons, inlets and more than 150,000 islands when the water flow peaks. Originating in Angola; that flow is significant as the Congo waters join the Cutto river, merge with the waters of the Cubango river and the Okavango. These combined watercourses terminate in the sands of the Kahlahari Desert to create an otherworldly alluvial plain that is a paradise for African wildlife.
Early in the morning, we are trucked to a lagoon for a Mokoro ride. Mokoros are dug-out canoes that are polled through the shallows that are alive with lily pads and animals. There was some anxiety about being in such fragile craft in close proximity to hippos and crocs but we all survived and thoroughly enjoyed the novelty of the activity.
Here we are riding in a Mokoro…and along the bank a good looking crocodile watches.
When we hit the bank and left the canoes we immediately climbed into waiting safari vehicles for yet another game drive. A few minutes into the drive we were witness to another predation drama.
As we bumped along we spotted a puff of dust just off the rutted road. We see a honey badger apparently at play in the soft sand. Suddenly the badger is digging with a will and dirt flies in all directions. In seconds, the badger is more than two feet below ground twitching and wrestling about. When the badger emerges from his diggings he has a cape cobra in his teeth and he quickly bites off the head of the snake and begins to gnaw on the snake with gusto. Another example of the jungle law is offered.
Finally, we arrive at Mogothlo as we digest the fact that the honey badger has reminded us that we are certainly in Africa, an African proverb comes to mind: “the eye never forgets what the heart has seen” and we now know that the heart of African bush is the constant dance of life and death. To date we have completed 24 long game drives and two more are scheduled for tomorrow.
The Mogothlo camp seemed to be the only one that was fenced with an electric fence which had to be manually turned off so we could open the gate and drive through. They told us the string of electricity was 8 foot high to keep elephants from coming into the camp. They can be very unintentionally destructive just because of their size and numbers of their herds. As a matter of fact this camp staff drove us to our tents for safety..just the week before a lioness had cubs near one of the paths to our tents. Like all our camps, all the animals were up close – there were hippo highways that ran from the water in front of our tents to the back road area. We heard them all night long.
Taking a break during a game drive!
Painted Wolves exhausted after a hunting run. According to our guide they are very hard to see in the wild because they rarely rest.
26 game drives and 15 airplane flights might take the trophy for most repeated activities on the trip if it weren’t for the buffet. Three times a day we line up to select from a collection of dishes that chefs have crafted to feed a crowd. We have lost the pleasure of a leisurely menu scan followed by personal service. The buffet can become a real irritation as you stand behind a person who picks out all the green peppers from the salad and cogitates on the creative merits of the red stew or white stew. If it’s true that a person, “eats with their eyes” it is fair to say that there was a great difference between the look and the taste of most dishes.
The staff setting up one of our buffets.
My personal dislike of the buffet experience limited me to a diet of oatmeal, eggs, bread and coffee and I had to remind myself that the buffet did not ruin the great experiences of Africa but I missed foods cooked to order and presented at the table. A buffet naturally preceded the big party that was thrown for us when we eventually left Mogothlo. The party was staged on the large deck at the center of the lodge. We participated in African dances and a sing-along. We were asked to present a song for our African hosts and one of our clever companions came up with the idea to sing, “The Twelve Days of Africa.” We Yankees performed with vocal atrocity to the laughter, hoots and disbelief of our African friends.
Dancers at our last night at Mogothlo.
Sunset from our tent deck.
Can you have too many sunset or sunrise photos of Africa? I think not.
Olio Folio 