Camp Sandibe

As Geno mentioned, we arrived Maun, transferred to safari air (cessna!) to Chitabe airstrip, met by Sandibe Lodge guide Gee, and tracker Goms. They will be taking us on our game drives and sharing the experience with us during our 3 nights at Sandibe.

The airstrip at Chitabe is just that - an airstrip in the middle of the delta. I'd say jungle, but it's not really jungle. It's a floodplain, with some permanent water, and some permanent dry land, but lots of sand, scrub, reeds and grasses, palm trees, and of course other tree stands, but nothing very jungl-y or forest-y. So as soon as we get here Paul wanders off to take photos. And he's nearly eaten by the pilot :-). She warns us to stay near the plane always as last month when she flew in there were 3 lions (lioness and cubs) on the airstrip! He saunters back. On the runway out of Maun, he was nearly decapitated by a propeller. Paul's middle name is danger :-)

So it's decided that we will take the long way home and game drive along the way. We have a custom Toyota land cruiser, which will take us places we've only imagined... Like under a tree next to a hyena, with a leopard above eating an impala. Like waist deep in flood water with the waters pouring into - and out of - the vehicle as we go along. Like into the middle of a huge herd of elephants.









(termite hill, huge and everywhere)









For the first 45 minutes or so we just drank it all in - the sights, sounds and smells (African sage!) of this new and idyllic place. Saw dwarf mongoose(s), iridescent starlings, a hornbill and a falcon or kestrel or some sort, little antelope, bigger impala, bigger still kudu. And then it got interesting!

Guide Gee got word over the radio that there was a leopard up a tree with a recent kill being watched by a hyena, so we headed there. Saw some cranes en route (tried Paul's patience with the crane stop, lol). Arrived at what will be known hence as the leopard tree. Wow. Female leopard in tree, just hanging there, sated from gorging on an impala kill, which carcass (head, sone skin and meat and front legs) we can also see hanging in the the tree. Down below, sleeping until something drops, is a spotted hyena. We move around a bit to see the leopard and kill from different angles. Paul shot a great video. Another hyena wanders by to check on the kill. Still nothing. Leaves his companion to keep watch.












We start to hear loud noises at 1 o'clock. Gee explains it's angry elephants. So we go to look for them, but find only one young bull snacking. Wow. We're in Africa. (I can hear elephants and hippos right now from my room tonight. There are elephants in camp, hanging out. Other guests had to be routed around them to their room!)










Finally arrive at camp and are greeted by Tutsie our butler, Virginia and Kate, camp manager. Camp orientation follows, and we're taken to our rooms. You always need to be guided after dark; no wandering. Wow.
Supper tonight was at a spot in the woods not too far from the main lodge, set up so we could enjoy the lunar eclipse and the African night sky. So many stars...and the southern cross! Shared the outstanding food (outstanding will be a recuring theme) with some other guests who were leaving the next day, and then were taken to bed around 10pm, absolutely worn out. Crawled into the most comfortable bed we've slept in in 3 weeks. Hot water bottles. They think of everything.

Early start to the day tomorrow @ 6pm. Can't wait. Really. Wow. We're in Africa.

The Maun to Botswana leg...

The transfer to Botswana Air was a short wait but easy. Twin prop Russian plane with American props says Paul. Cruised at 20,000 feet, maybe seats 60. Very smooth.







In Maun, a tiny airport, we got our luggage, walked thru immigration, then thru security/xray for the next leg. Security? We just got off the plain. Anyway, we walked out onto the runway to the single prop Cesna, 4 seater and 2 pilot seats. I sat up front with the young girl pilot. Once the rest of my party and luggage crammed in, tight squeeze, she cranked up the propeller. Then pulled on the choke. My lawn mower sounds more impressive and more powerful. Down the runway, takeoff. As we lifted, we drifted, back and forth, up and down, any little wind current or twitch in her hand swayed us. It was so cool! Throughout the whole 20 minute flight, the plane swooped or dipped, or got pushed left or right; but none of it felt like a speed bumps or turbulence you feel in a large plane that often unnerves me. Ballooning still cooler, but this was sweet.




I could see the pilot, flight path and co-ods in ink on her hand, messing with the guidance equipment, checking our heading. Then a large swoop to the left, and ahead you could see the runway.





































Landing was as much fun (almost) as takeoff.













We get off the plane, the jeep was there and waiting to take us to our first camp, camp Sandibe. As we loaded, Paul as he did in Maun on the runway, while we were loading the lawn mower, strayed onto the runway for photos. He got shit then, and he got shit now. In Maun, it's only a plane that could hit you. Here, there were three lions on the runway just last week, so one should not stray from the vehicle.

Capen Town to Botswana via Maun

Up before dawn, 0500, for our pickup at 0600 for the airport. Our tour company for the complete Africa leg is "&Beyond". So far so good. Our B&B hosts had our breakfast (sandwiches) packed in little bags with our names on them.

At the airport, the porters we're too quick on the draw and had our luggage on a cart before I could say "no thanks". I should have made them remove the bags. In the South African Airlines queue, they wanted all our carry on weighed. We should have said it is not carry on and continued. Instead, 3 of 4 bags were "too heavy" for carry on. BULLSHIT, plain and simple. The luggage weighs the same whether carry on or checked. They all fit the size requirements for carry on. Give me a break. Paul and Nancy's were light enough in total to jig them and reweigh. Ours were too heavy. So we have them shrink wrapped.

Ah, the point of the weigh in, they make money on the shrink wrap. Had we carried our bags on our shoulders, each with our own, I think we would haves gotten past the 4 people it takes in the SA Airlines line to weigh luggage. Oh well, here's hoping our shrink wrapped luggage makes it to Maun and that the tight wrap doesn't break my economical replacement bag I bought in Montréal. Or that it doesn't get lost, stolen, opened, whatever. First it has to make it through Johannesburg.

Coffee and our packed lunches were our nest order of business. And inside, a surprise, juice and trail mix sans M&M's. But I know where to score those later.

On the plane, surprise, another airline that feeds you even in steerage, where we are by the way, row 30. Lisa and I chose fruit over eggs. The bozo in front of me chose to recline while eating. Friggin' penguin!

As I sit here on the plane with little to do, I will add a few more images from places past, some places that now seem ages ago...







(Street plumbing, used to distribute water. Other lines in baths were also used to distribute steam.).




(Poppy seed plants were everywhere through out Turkey.)





Images taken from other sites around Selçuk...

















The image below, now that I look at it, was most probably taken in Istanbul.




The balloons, something we will for sure do again. Oh so graceful and serene...




In the background, our small town of Uçhisar, where we stayed.








Some stuff in the Ephesus museum in Selçuk.



Loved the storks in Selçuk. I wonder if the fledgelings have flown the coop yet?




From Table Mountain in Cape Town.






Our drive around the cape...






And I think we are now starting our descent into Johannesburg, so that is it for now...