Our flight to Maun, then Johannesburg and Windhoek was leaving at 11am so we had time for another game drive. We asserted ourselves and grabbed the big table for breakfast. It’s funny how it always takes a day to work out what you can/should do. 
Cops was much more engaged and volunteered a lot more information though I think he is just a quieter person and his English is not quite as good, although excellent when it comes to animal and ecological descriptions and explanations. In some ways, he gave us more detail about how things live than the others but was not forthcoming. Metal is knowledgeable and a showman and Karl is less experienced but a good teacher. 

We searched out a hyena, which Bill was first to spot. I was a bit loud with my gasp and clap so he took off, but seemed to be on the run anyway. The others got photos. 

Then we heard about some lions so headed to the scene, only to find a lion and lioness in a post coital glow. About 6 vehicles formed a semi circle around them and then we found that the mating activity goes on for about 2 days and can occur every 5 minutes. After each episode she lies on her back with her legs in the air to maximise the chances of fertilisation. She looked completely exhausted but he had a contented glow. Mind you, it was all over in a flash. I shall upload the video when I get a chance. It is X-rated animal viewing and we all felt a bit uncomfortable invading their privacy. We still videoed and photographed the events however. 

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After the lions we headed over to some wet areas where we saw crocodiles, amazing birds and lots of antelope. Cops was telling us that crocodile eggs are laid under the dirt and if they get too hot they will be all girls and if too cold all boys so the mother pees on half to ensure some boys. When they hatch she carries them individually to the water and then they are on their own. They can be prey for fish and birds and other crocodiles. It’s amazing any survive. 

We had tea near the airstrip with an elephant just through the bushes. It was sad to say goodbye to the Mann family but hopefully we will keep in touch. 

We waited in another vehicle for the plane. This time an elephant crossed the runway. So far an ostrich, a lion and an elephant.

The lodge provided packed lunches (because it has been so long since we’d had food) and we bundled our hand luggage into the plane and took seats right behind the Belgian family we met at Kasane. They have had a great time and are on the flight to Johannesburg and then to Mozambique. 

Again the change in vegetation during the journey was amazing. You can see where the elephants have been by the trail of date palm trees. Elephants love dates and shake the trees to get the fruit which they eat complete with stones. Hence the stones get planted as and when the elephant does number twos. 

At the airport we met up with Heather, Andrew and Ollie who are also flying to Johannesburg and then London.  Everything goes via Johannesburg. 

The pilot has advised that it is a much cooler 18C in Johannesburg. Funny. All the guides spend most of the day rugged up as it’s winter in Botswana, which means cold in the early mornings but mid to high twenties in the day. 

We have been very impressed with the Air Safari service. They are the people that connect all the lodges and local airports. An Air Safari representative meets you off the plane and stays with you until you check in at the airports either end of the trip. Then they communicate really well with the lodges for trips to each of the airstrips so that everyone knows the times and what activities you can do in the time available. The flights themselves have all been excellent also. 

We now have a few hours in Johannesburg airport. You can’t really fly internationally in Southern Africa without going to Johannesburg it would appear. Perhaps you can on bingo bongo air. In any event, hopefully we can get rid of our Tanzanian money. If not, I’ll send it to Bill and he can give it to one of his African charities. He is a banker who is on the board of a charity that gets surgical treatment to women who suffer urinary problems after childbirth. I think he travels to Eastern Africa quite often. Judy works for the State Department (they live in Washington DC) and organised the immigration arrangements for the new US ambassador to NZ. The kids are interesting and get on well with each other but are very different individuals. As a family they are a great advertisement for the USA. 

Our flight to Windhoek was on time and we were served with an adequate meal. Two hours to Windhoek so we arrived at 9.30pm. Our driver was waiting and drove us the 40km to the city, which like Dunedin is surrounded by hills but higher ones. The city is quite high on a plateau and being mid winter and a starry starry night, it was cold. Evidently 3 degrees cold. 

The main road looks just like a NZ highway except fewer white markers. That is where the comparison ends. Almost every house in Windhoek seems to be surrounded with a high wall topped with an electric fence and/or razor wire. Now I understand why the district planners wanted rules against solid fencing at the front of houses. It is not a pleasing aesthetic. 

We arrived at our accommodation just after 10pm and were admitted through an electric gate and shown to our room by the security man. It is literally a concrete bunker opening onto a terrace. Inside, the walls, vanity unit, sinks, bath and beds are all concrete. Perhaps it’s a look that the owners saw somewhere but they haven’t pulled it off, although it is comfortable and warm.

Despite being concrete it was surprisingly noisy with plumbing in the walls and the gigantic bath does not have a gigantic hot water cylinder. Perhaps it’s designed for the summer, but there is a pool outside. We were glad to have a lie in until 8am. ?