Another early 6am start and off on a game drive. It was very chilly on the truck and we were pleased to have our bush babies. I was also glad to have my hat back, which was delivered to me on the plane. You have to be careful to keep phones and stuff in the inner compartments so that they don’t fall out of the truck. As it was I dropped a glove on one of the bridges but realised just in time and Cops was able to retrieve it. 
We stopped by some hippos having a good early morning play. Then saw both leopard and hyena tracks alongside the road.

 

We went a lot further than the day before and found a group of 4 wild dogs. The guides had found the den a few weeks ago and evidently one of the dogs had puppies in the den. It was good to get some photos of them sitting up and walking around. 

After the dogs we went over to a wet area and saw yellow billed Storks, a dazzle of Zebra and enjoyed the scenery overlooking a small lake. There were various antelopes everywhere. Cops says that the reason that Zebras were never domesticated is that they have very weak backs. They can’t be ridden and are not able to pull a cart – so that explains that mystery. 

The lodge itself doesn’t seem as organised as others. For example, there was only one table set for 8 people but another group of 6 claimed that at lunch and the following breakfast. They wouldn’t know any different but it meant that we couldn’t sit with the rest of our party and none of the lodge people or guides did anything to adjust – either by moving them or by putting other tables together for us. 

We were entertained during lunch by about 20 Vervet monkeys of various sizes frolicking in the large tree on the lawn. They were racing and swinging and generally having a great time. Of course as soon as people moved out of the dining room, some of the older ones swung around the back of the building and launched a rear guard attack on any food that had not been cleared away. 

We were off on the boat in the afternoon so had washed out my shirt and trousers that I wore in the morning. I left them to dry on the deck and asked Manila if she could ask the turn down staff to bring them in. She was horrified. “You did what? What about the baboons? The baboons will be wearing your trousers!” Fortunately she quickly dispatched someone to the room and when we got back they were clean, dry and folded alongside the rest of the laundry we had put out that morning. They were not seen on any baboons. 

At the start of our boat trip, Bill asked Cops to give us lots of information and he rose to the occasion. He is clearly a motor man. An excellent and considerate driver, he also loves the boat. It was a glorious afternoon and we saw many more plants and birds and the colours were wonderful.

We also had half an hour moored not far from 3 hippos but that was a little bit nerve wracking. We saw crocodiles and had our sundowner watching the setting sun across the water. Mike took some fantastic photos. 

 

We had a very pleasant evening with Bill and Judy and family and also with another couple from the US who were celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary. I’m assuming that either they married late or this is not a first marriage. They were also good company. 

Muriel was telling us about the only kill they have seen so far, which was a leopard that suddenly pounced on, killed and plucked a guinea fowl for morning tea. I am now convinced that is what I heard at Savute. It also adds to Metal’s dismay when he overheard us discussing how the German couple had slept with the glass sliding doors open and just the mesh screens as it was so hot. He had said what about a leopard chasing a guinea fowl onto the deck and falling through the mesh. We thought he was being a bit dramatic, and I know the Germans did. Obviously not. The screens on the rooms at both Okavango and Moremi were a strong plastic even though there was no glass. 

Tonight’s weird food was ostrich carpaccio, which tasted not unlike a cured meat and was delicious. It was accompanied by a small potato salad. Pity it was only a starter. The main was oxtail stew and chicken, both of which were delicious with various salads and vegetables of course. 

The night was much noisier. I heard hippos and barking, which turned out to be bushbuck warning calls as there was a leopard and a hyena around the camp. We had an escort to breakfast in the morning, which was unusual.