Hi everyone!

It's been an interesting last few days.

After waking at 3:45am for collection at 4:30am to get to Dar airport in time for my 6:50am flight only to discover that the flight wasn't actually scheduled to leave until 7:30am.


I arrive in J'Burg to await my connection to Maun, Botswana. Upon checking in, the woman advises me that she is having 'difficult time' with my passport and that she needed to call Home Security. My stomach drops to the floor and I can feel my face p****ng with mortification and turing a delightful shade of bright red.


After I explained that I don't understand why there would be a problem as I'd been travelling on it for over a week and actually used it that very morning, she looked at me and said, 'oh, no - all good me just playing!"


Isn't she delightful?


So, I wander around J'Burg airport for a while, have some lunch and then head down to my gate to await the 1:00pm flight to Maun. I checked my boarding pass again and it actually stated that the boarding time was 2:30pm and departure at 3:00pm - which is when I was to arrive in Maun - well, colour ME confused.


I go back and buy another book (about Ghengis Khan's heirs and the battle to be khan that develops amongst them) and settle in to wait.


Gazing up at the flight board, I see that my flight has a change is status. INDEFINITE DELAY. What the f***??? Having a mild panic attack at this point as I have a charter connection awaiting for me in Maun and I'm meant to be there at 3:00pm!!


Status changes yet again, this time to "DELAY". Right, how long a delay? NO ONE seems to know.


So we wait it out yet again . . . .


We eventually board and depart J'Burg around 4:00pm - which saw me arrive in Maun at 6:00pm where I was dutifully informed that it is too late to catch a charter and I've have to stay overnight. Air Botswana put me up at some dodgy hotel for the night - but it was all on them. As it should bloody well be!!


So, the next morning - bright and early I head back to Maun airport for the 7:15am flight to Camp Okavango. Although, there is no Air Safari staff around. An airport staff member pointed out the pilot to me and I went to chat. Seems the 7:15am is actually the 7:45am and I just need to wait for the porter to arrive. Time ticked by - no sign of the porter. The pilot comes back to see what's happening and promised he wouldn't leave me behind.


The porter doesn't show so the pilot has to do everything. Checking us in, loaded our bags AND flying us.


The views to the camp were stunning. Early morning light and shadows created some gorgeous scenic images of the Okavango Delta along the way.


So, instead of 3 nights at Camp Okavango, I only had 2 - but that was totally enough.


Don't get me wrong - it's a gorgeous camp and the staff are wonderful and the Delta is simply stunning - there just wasn't a whole lot of animals around. I know at other camps in the Delta there are - but I expected to see a little more that I did.


As soon as I arrived at the camp a guide grabbed my hand and we headed off for a walking safari. Jumping on a little motor boat with just two guides and myself we headed off into the waters of the Delta to an island.


On route I saw a couple of crocodiles, two gorgeous big African Fish Eagles and other birds.


Walking in an area where there are elephants, lions, leopard, buffalo and other big game is somewhat of an adrenalin kick!


Although, all we saw were a couple of wart hog, a big herd of male red lechwe, a crocodile sunning hisself and 5 elephants.


I can't even begin to explain the feeling of being in the middle of an island, walking, with no protection and having an elephant (protecting two bubbas) standing about 25 steps away from you. It was one of my favourite experiences so far.


That afternoon we went on a little moroko trip into the shallows of the delta. It was beautiful and so very peaceful. Birdies flying about and catching fishes, a gorgeous water monitor and some teeny weeny little froggalies came to say hellos.


The next morning I awoke with a migraine so didn't go on the walking safari - but from what they tell me, there wasn't a lot to be seen. It would seem unseasonal rains have meant that it is easier for the animals to move from one island to another.


That afternoon we went for another motor boat cruise. I was assigned my own personal boat and guide, but two Greeks (Elena and Andreas) and two Dutch (Meriam and Hank) decided they wanted to come with me. It was nice actually - the 5 of us tended to stick together.



Botswanan sunsets are breath taking. The colours are truly stunning and the sun sinks so very very quickly - it's quite funny to watch. You get set up with a sundowner, have a sip or two and then the sun is almost gone!


Upon waking this morning, I stumbled into the bathroom to find tissues EVERYONE. It seems a little mousey (well quite huge mousey actually) had decided tissues would make a wonderful cushion material for its nest. Apparently one of the other tents had a resident mouse too - who had a rather disturbing fetish for eating soap.

And now I'm in Zimbabwe. Am staying at the Vic Falls Hotel - it's quite huge. Big colonial estate with animal heads everyone (which I don't particularly like) and I can see the mists of the Falls :-)


Oh and I had two wart hog outside my window when I got to my room - little welcoming party it seems :-)


This afternoon I'm just going to wander around the grounds and check out a couple of exhibitions they have in the hotel. I need to be up around 5am tomorrow morning for collection at 6am to go off on my Lion Walk *bouncebouncebouncedybounce* and then I'm on on a Sundowner Cruise down the Zambesi River in the afternoon.


I've written some post cards - but haven't posted them yet! LOL

And I don't have mobile reception - again! How is it I could have reception in the middle of the Serengeti and Ngorogoro Crater - but not in Vic Falls???

Loves and hugs and kisses to everyone. xxxxxx