Paul recalls the pet few days...

// excerpt from an email home // Ed.

I have emailed you from more distant places but never ant so remote as this. I am sitting here 4 hour away from the nearest community (20 min. by plane ) having a cup of coffee. I look out over the Okavanga delta which can be a desert or a swamp depending on the time of year. Currently it is a bit of both. We flew in a couple of days ago. Landed on small strip got out of the plane & I wandered off onto the runway to take a few pictures of the plane & countryside only to be chastized by the pilot .Back to the side of the plane she says if I don''t want to be eaten by a lion. She''s joking I thought but soon learned she wasn't.
On the way back to the camp from the plane we saw a leopard eating it's kill in a tree. These cats are rare & we felt estatic about seeing it.
The camp consists of a central shelter with thatched roof & mostly open sides , looking out over the swamp. To the sides flanking it like th wings of an airplane are 8 huts . The occupants of hut 8 had to be driven to there hut the other night to get around the elephant that was grazing along the path. In this setting you do not mess with the elephants. they are very dangerous Each hut contains a bathroom & a seperate shower. The shower i is attached to the hut but outside & open to nature; inside flush toilet & electric power most of the day. I am sending you this via satellite connection.
The service here is second to none I have experenced anywhere in the world. As I type the waitess constantly refills my cup with coffee ( tsp. of sugar & whipped heavy cream )The food is absolutely gourmet . Last night it was a tomato & lettuce green salad followed by a kabob of local game with sugar peas / green pepper / potatoes, etc. desert was a strawberry shortcake type of thing or lemon sherbut. The cook had asked if there was anything special we would like ( foolish girl ). Geno asked for lemon sherbut & tonight we had a superb lemon sherbut made specifically for us.
As I sit here there is a hippo bellowing in the background.
Yesterdays game drive sited lions , giraffes ,the leopard again hyenas, impala warthogs and on and on.
It is winter here (15 to 22 degree ,no rain at all ) & since this is essentially outdoor living ie. no heat my hands are now frozen thus the typing errors.
In an hour or so we fly to our next camp & more excitement but different wildlife.
I wish my hands were not so cold I would love to tell you more about the lions. We were close enough to touch them & as they wandered by you could hear them breathing.
To see some pictures go to Geno blog: turkey-africa@blogspot.com.
Paul.