Introducing Botswana

We only have approximately 6 days in Botswana and so far, I’m not such
a fan. Things started off well: When entering Botswana, for example,
the customs lady was super cheery , bubbly, and welcoming to everyone.
Passing people on the streets, there was never a shortage of both
children and adults waving and smiling at us.

But some people, like my poler in the Okavango Delta, were beyond
irritating! (More on the poler in a bit…) All but one person on the
truck went for a 3d/2n trip in the delta. We took an hour-long 4x4
ride from the Sitatunga Camp (near Maun), crossed the top of the
Kalahari, and arrived at the largest delta in the world. We loaded our
stuff in canoe-like boats referred to as mokoros by the locals. Most
people loved their morning mokoro ride but I definitely did not. Kat,
my tent buddy, asked me, “Did you enjoy that?” My response to her was
that I endured it. Our poler had a knack for aiming straight for the
reeds so all these bugs would fly in our faces or land in our boat.
Nasty, lethal-looking spiders were among them. I had to put on my best
brave face in order not to scream continuously. It certainly did Not
cheer me up when the poler threw a frog on me.

George was his name. He poled for Miranda and me and though he meant
well, I think he might be one of the most annoying people I’ve ever
met. He spoke English well, but in this very deep, slow, and monotone
voice. He never stopped talking even when we were supposed to be
quietly game watching. He’d drone on and on and would just repeat
himself if you didn’t make an acknowledgement that you had heard him.
It was like being a kid again and having to feign interest in random
stuff being pointed out to me. Gah! I know he wanted to be helpful but
when, for instance, it came to putting up the tent, he’d just get in
the way. (It wasn’t just me who was annoyed…Kat was too!) I think what
irked me the most was the way he said my name. First it was “Camrie.”
Not accustomed to answering to names that are not my own, it would
take him about ten tries to get my attention at first. I told him he
could just call me “Kim” if it was easier. But for the rest of the
trip, I got “Cam.” Ugh, if I never hear that name again—the way he
said it at least— it’ll be too soon.

So I was having a bit of an off day that first day at camp – not
George’s fault (but he didn’t help matters). I suddenly found myself
super homesick. It was the worst it had been in five months of
traveling. It occurred to me that when I was traveling by myself in
South America, I had 100+ things to occupy my mind at any given time:
Where to go next… how to get there… what to see and do… etc. On this
trip, I’ve got nothing to occupy my thoughts but a journal and
sometimes overly trashy novels (like James Patterson’s “You’ve Been
Warned”). The sadness passed eventually and that evening I got to see
three elephants on a bush walk, a beautiful sunset, and a big,
beautiful full moon =) I know that I’ve been whining a lot in this
post so far – my apologies, Reader, but there’s a bit more ranting
coming up.

The next day we set off at 7am for another bush walk. It had started
raining during the night though and continued to rain as we trudged
along for hours. So there I was: Wet, tired, grumpy, and sick of
nearly stepping on animal poo and getting wacked in the face by
low-hanging branches. I am the shortest person on the truck and the
branches were a particular nuisance for me. Hmpfh! So the bush walk
was boo and back at camp everyone was wet and taking turns crowding
the fire to try to dry off. The rain eventually eased up and by the
time we left for a sunset cruise, there was sun enough poking through
the clouds to watch set beautifully over the water. We were able to
spot a couple hippos and two of them even burped at us! My poler was
very afraid of the hippos, however, so while everyone else in their
boats were poled in to picture range, we were steered well out of even
hippo sighting range and instead through more bug-filled reeds.

(Rant concluded.) Back at camp, dinner of jacket potatoes was amazing
and then the group of polers performed some songs for us. We were
expected to perform too and the best we had was the “Hokie Pokie” and
“YMCA.” Incidentally, the Hokie Pokie is done differently in the
world. When I learned it, “You put your right arm in, you put your
right arm out, you put your right arm in and you shake it all about.
You do the Hokie Pokie and you turn yourself around; that’s what it’s
all about.” But for Brits (and maybe Aussies) “You put you right arm
in, you put your right arm out, in-out-in-out, shake it all about. You
do the Hokie Pokie and you turn around, that’s what it’s all about .”
Then you hold hands and run into the middle of a circle screaming
WOOOO three times. Weirdest Hokie Pokie I’d ever done.

I skipped the next morning’s game walk and just relaxed at camp until
it was time to pack up and go. Great choice =) Some people have chosen
to do a scenic flight over the Okavango delta but I am at the pool
writing this blog post to all of you! Will have to post pictures at a later time

Next up: A couple nights bush camping, Chobe National Park, and then
we enter Zimbabwe and head to Victoria Falls!