Chitabe More Memories

Sorry for stopping so ubruptly on the last post but WiFi here is very spotty and weak at the best of times, so I wanted to post while I could………so let me continue with Chitabe.

We spent three nights in camp, meeting some wonderful people. Dining policy, unless you choose otherwise, is to eat at a large communal table, so we had a chance to meet and chat with all guests and guides. The food is really good with the highlight being an outdoor meal…….kgotla/boma…….a circular structure with strong tribal roots……a place where members of the tribe could meet and would be heard by tribal leaders. Our meal was grilled chicken, beef, and fish…….tons of sides, great salad, and a little bit of wine to wash it all down.

Perhaps the best story from our stay at Chitabe took place when we encountered the lioness pair and their many cubs. Ant had parked the truck very close to the group, and when we turned to leave, our front right wheel virtually vanished into a hole. The truck was thrown sideways, and a couple of water bottles, binoculars, etc., had to be retrieved, but after locking the beast in 4WD low we were on the move again. About fifty yards away, Jutta looked at me and said quietly, so Ant couldn’t hear her……….I think I’ve lost my sunglasses……..we searched the floor and looked all around but they were nowhere to be found. Ant knew something was going on, but Jutta didn’t want him going back……..getting out of the truck in front of a lioness with cubs could be lethal. It was then that a voice came over the radio……..another truck from camp had arrived at the site, and the call was…….”Did anyone loose some sunglasses, one of the cubs is playing with a pair”? It was lucky the cub scooted back close to mama when the second truck arrived, and the driver was able to put the truck between his open door and the lioness………Maui Jims retrieved.

We managed to get the truck stuck one afternoon while trying to cross a river to get closer to a male lion we saw in the distance. The bank turned out to be way too soft, but we didn’t know that until we were up to the axles. I was a little concerned getting out of the truck with lions in the neighbourhood, but they actually moved away when we got out. With a little digging, some creative jacking, and wood planks under the wheels, we eventually backed out of the mess on our second try………Stuart who was also in our truck had a plane to catch that morning so it was a good thing we got unstuck.

Thompson our manager and Ant our guide

The only way I can wind up this post from Chitabe is with more pictures of the amazing wildlife we saw. I can’t say enough about the knowledge of our guides…….all trained and taking courses to improve their standing much the same as our ski coaches/instructors do. Our introduction to Botswana has been fantastic, and we can only imaging this place in high season when the delta fills with water and the large herds return to its fertile plains. FYI, high season is June – August, the colder months……..looking mighty attractive to us as we try to survive the 40+ degree heat.

We are off tomorrow on a short flight to our next camp……..talk to you from there.

Stuart who was in the stuck truck with us said that the money shot when it came to giraffes was to catch an oxpecker between its horns………apparently oxpeckers, and other similar bids, catch rides on big game and do a general clean up of ticks etc., in their coats………managed to catch one + a little baby

More Giraffe…….so beautiful

That’s a fish eagle doing the fly by

Zebra……..usually pretty shy, but in larger numbers they tend to hang around a little longer

Bitchy water buffalo…….they have a reputation for being mean…….couldn’t be because of their appearance……you think?

Warty the Warthog

and I think we’ll finish up with some more elephants who were probably the highlight at this camp…….no it was the lions, no it was the cheetah, no it was the leopard………