Home Again

Well, we are home, completely exhausted, but also completely satisfied. This has been the trip of our lifetime. Patty (our travel agent) says that she does not believe she can top this experience.

We left the Zambezi Queen at 10:30 on monday morning. We took the tender to the Botswana Immigration Office, then were dropped at a nearby lodge to await our airport shuttle. From Kasane, Botswana, we flew to Johannesburg (only an hour or so). Here we were stuck for 7 hours waiting for our connecting flight.

The flight from Johannesburg to Amsterdam was a twelve hour redeye. We both slept for at least six hours and ended up fairly rested.

From Amsterdam to Toronto, the seven hour flight seemed much longer. We did not sleep and the 747 was absolutely jm packed.

After we cleared customs, we were picked up by a Coach Canada van and delivered to our front door.

From boat to front door, our total travel time was a little more than 39 hours.

So, no pictures today. Good night.

Zambezi Queen 3

After Lunch (And Wine) we went to visit a traditional native village. One of our guides lives in the village, so of course he went with us. We wandered freely through the village taking pictures and talking to the people. Before we left they gathered in a boma where the people sang and danced. Of course they had some trinkets to sell us. The captain from the boat had advised us not to give the people donations, but if we felt like helping, it was more productive to buy some carvings. Of course we did.

After Dinner the staff of the ship sang and danced for us and some of us joined in.

I take pictures of trees.

Hippos Again

Charlie (Village Leader?)

Charlie’s Kitchen

Mud House

Singers

Baobab Tree

Kingfisher

Baboon

Bee Eater

Chobe National Park

In the morning we went on a land based game drive in Chobe National Park. Of course, the park is in Botswana so we had to have our passports stamped four more times.

A new guide took us to a new place and we saw more amazing things. One herd of elephants was probably greater than a hundred. Elepants were everywhere. One small group attempted to cross the road in front of us. The leader (the matriarch) came up to the front of our Land Cruiser and nudged it. Then she just stood sideways with her side against the vehicle until the others had passed.

Another Tree

Makaro

Vultures and Storks feeding on an african buffalo

Dung Beetles

Banded Mongooses (the ones that eat cobras)

More Lions

More Elephants

Monkey Moth

Our Only Giraffe at This Stop

Umbrella Tree

Zambezi Queen 2

In the morning, shortly after breakfast, the ship weighed anchor and we traveled 28 kilometres along the river. Before stopping, the tenders headed out for another tour on the river. Of course we saw many of the same animals, but we also added many new sights to our list.

Fishing From a Makaro

Monitor Lizard Hiding From the Heat and from Fish Eagles

Water Lilies Along the Shore

Yes, Hippos can jump.

This was the first time we saw a brown Warthog.

This bird (The Lilac Breasted Roller) is the national bird of Botswana.

Elephants Everywhere

Spraying Water to Cool Down

Two Makaros and Paddles

Zambezi Queen 1

Today began with an adventure. First we boarded a bus in Vic Falls and drove to the Botswana border (about an hour). Next we exited the bus and took our passports into immigration to be stamped. Then we climbed aboard two safari vehicles. Our baggage did not all fit in the trailer so some had to go on our laps. After a ten minute drive we arrived at the Chobe River. Here we had to enter an immigration office and get into the Departures line. It turns out that the bank of the river is Botswana, but as soon as you enter the river you are in Namibia. Now we had to cross the river and line up again to register as Arrivals.

The Chobe River is where we found the Zambezi Queen. On the Botswana Side is Chobe National Park, where you find the largest population of elephants in the world. The counts I heard ranged from 120,000 to 200,000. In the river is one of the most dense populations of hippos in the world. On the Namibia side are a smattering of animals, some tourist lodges and several small traditional villages. Everywhere are birds, big, small colourful, drab, exotic, and familiar. This is a bird-watcher’s paradise. 

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Shortly after arriving we climbed aboard tenders and took a three hour cruise along the river

131 Here is our home for the next three nights. Of course we had wine with dinner and we all crashed early. The generator is shut down every evening at ten o’clock.

A Remarkable Stateroom

Deb in Luxury

A Hippo Out of the Water (He didn’t read the guidebook.)

A Crocodile Looking Hungry.

A Pied Kingfisher

Deb doing a little Sightseeing

Zambezi Sunset Cruise

A tour bus drove us four kilometres upriver for a three hour cruise on the Zambezi River. Here are some images from that trip.

Victoria Falls Walk

In the afternoon we went with a guide on a walking tour of the falls. Since we had already seen them from the sky, we thought we knew what to expect. We were surprised, however, with the grandeur and the splendour of the closeup experience.

When we arrived we were again greeted by dancers.

Doctor David Livingstone is greatly respected in Africa as an explorer and for his work to end the slave trade.

Behind us is the “Devil’s Cataract”.

Because it is the dry season, a large section is completely dry.

This Island in the middle is reached from up river. Here you will find the “Devil’s Pool”.

On the way back to the hotel we stopped to see “The Big Tree”, a baobab.

Victoria Falls Flight

In the morning we decided that our first view of the falls should be from the air. A helicopter was required. We flew with a young German couple to see the falls and to see above and below the falls. Afterwards we flew over the National Park and spotted a parade of elephants winding their way across the terrain.

Helicopter

Passengers

Victoria Falls 

Above the falls is a wide delta.

Below the falls a series of gorges zig-zags off into the distance

We were lucky to see a large group of elephants from the air.