A Real Safari

Since the last "living quarters" pictures I posted were from The River Club, I figured I would describe what has been happening since then.  The River Club is a lodge we stayed at the first night.  For me it really was the epitome in luxury.  But that is  not typical of the accommodations I have been staying in.   It really is a camping trip, that was just a beautiful introduction.  By the time we got to camp the next day, I was in full explorer mode and was staying in a tent. 

 The schedule goes something like this: wake up at 6:15 where they bring you water to wash your face, get dressed and go get breakfast. Hop in the jeep around 7:30 and bounce around for about 5 hours looking for animals. Yes, bounce around because the entire time we are 4 wheeling it on sand.  Kalahari sand.  No, I'm not in the Kalahari, but the sand has washed and blown down from there.  It is all sand, all the time.  Sometimes the sand is so deep your super duper safari jeep gets stuck.  So stuck another super duper safari jeep has to come and pull it out.  

We stop once during that time for tea and a bathroom break. Mind you by the time we finally stop I have had to pee for 3 hours. The bathroom consists of a termite mound that you pee behind.  

(A termite mound - AKA public restroom)

 Sometime between 12 and 2 we get back to camp for lunch. I have to say the food is fantastic and the staff make this little camping site with no running water or electricity a really classy joint.   I'm not even being sarcastic.  There are linen table cloths and napkins, and the chef cooks a phenomenal meal.  Then you have a couple of hours to eat, sleep, take showers or do laundry.  A shower consists of a bucket of water with a shower head and handle on the bottom.  Someone heats the water on a fire, brings water to your bucket, fills it up and then you turn the handle and water trickles out of the bucket.  This is the shower.  It's actually really genius.  

Another pass time during siesta is  watching the elephants walk right through the camp!!!  You get used to it after a while unless a young bull throws a tantrum because you have the nerve to want to go to your tent.  Oh yes, shaking of the head, stamping of the feet, mock charging.  All this over berries in a tree.  

High tea is at 4:30 and then it's back in the jeep to bounce around for another 3 hours. Of course I have to pee the whole time but you can't stop when there are animals all around.  We stop once usually somewhere near water to visit the termite mound and have wine and a snack while watching the sunset.   Botswana has the most amazing sunsets1  

Then it's back to camp for dinner.  Staff are always greeting us with warm wash cloths to wipe the sand and dust from our face and hands followed by another insanely amazing meal.  How the chefs cook the way they do with so little to work with I will never know.  But many props to Ollie, Khumo, and I believe it was Bamie or Kejie at the last camp.  You are amazing! After dinner we gather around the "Bush TV" (fire) and chat for a while.   Once we are ready, Lazarus escorts each of us to our tents because you never know if there is some animal hanging about who might get surprised by your presence.  During the night you are not allowed to leave the tent to go to the main bathroom.  That is why there is a toilet in the same area as your shower.  This way you and the hungry hippo don't have a run in with each other at 3am.