Friday 5th August. Leave Mahango. Return to Rundu

Up at 7.00am local but most of us have been awake for ages listening to the sounds of the animals.  Break camp in record time and load up the truck.  The camp site was very full last night so there are long queues for the los and the showers.  Richard says it’s the Germans again.  We spot a tough looking GB registered 4x4 van – definitely looks the business.  Chap comes over and tells us his story.  He and his wife have been travelling for 10 months.  Sold up in the UK and are now seeing the world from their purpose built land yacht.  Told us of their travels through Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, (ed – I see a pattern emerging…) Ethiopia, Malawi, the Sahara, Botswana etc.  Makes our trip look like a Sunday afternoon drive!  We swap blog sites.  He’s fascinated by our story too – a village outing with a difference.  Godfried gets jealous and says he wants to do that sort of thing.  Good luck Rory – drop by in Chillenden if you are ever passing through.  Check out his blog at:  www.thevanplan.com

Thursday 4th August. Chill out morning. Game drive afternoon.

Hippos on the bank
Kids carrying water
20-a-side barefoot football
750ml bottles at shebeen
Scary walk along the edge of the swamp
Noises in the night
Long lunch
Ladies at the outdoor church
Fishing trip: the catch for dinner included

• Large Mouth Bream
• Nemba
• Tiger Fish

Olly’s orange shorts
Washing on the line

We set off in the afternoon in 2 very capable 4x4 Land Cruiser safari trucks so we can get cose to the action.  Head out of the camp past the local village compounds, and  we head south on the road towards Botswana.  After about 2km we come to the park entrance.  Our guides know the best routes on and off road.  We would never have made it in the big truck.  In no particular order, the highlights were:
·         1750 year old baobab tree – bark like concrete.  Include the now obligatory beer & wine stop.  Well it was time for a sundowner......
·         Sable
·         Buffalo
·         Vervet monkeys
·         Gemsbok
·         Reedbok
·         Crimson Breasted Shrike
·         Roan
·         Tessebbe
·         Red Lechwe
·         Common Impala
·         Fish Eagle
·         Elephants
·         Giraffe
·         Zebra
·         Hippos
·         Warthogs

All in all that’s 4 of the Big Five so far this trip.

Overnight:  massive cacophony of animal noises, especial lions roaring very close, and the sound of trees being ripped up by elephants, and the splashing and grunting of fighting hippos just meters away.  You can’t take a picture of that.