Sunshine's African Kids: Game drives and river cruises

Waking up that first morning was wonderful. At least it was, once I had untangled myself from the Mosquito net! It was the first time I had slept in the room right next to the garden, so my view was of the Canna Lillies with the Sunbirds and butterflies on them. Sunbirds are glorious tiny birds with long thin beaks - rather like the Humming birds, but larger. The colours are metallic greens and petrol blues, with white and pink banded throat strips. The butterflies were unlike any I had seen before - now it was their mid-summer, so different ones were about than I had seen last time I was there. There were large ones and tiny ones, some with the most delicate lavender margins to their wings, others with huge eye-like markings on them. It is said that the first time you go to Africa you only see the animals, the 2nd time you notice the birds and butterflies, and from then on, you see everything. I must say that it depends on the time of year that you visit. The dragon fly had transparent wings with a black dot on the end of each one, so as it flies towards you, you think it is five insects flying at you at once.

This was my room at the foot of the steps on the left. It was raining and the dogs (a Jack Russel called Knudle, a German Shepherd called Hunter, and two Irish Wolfhounds, the elder called Guinness, and the puppy(!!) called Tokolosh - which is Setswana for Ghost or spirit) were not exactly happy. Fortunately, rain doesn't last day in day out as it does here, but comes down in an almighty deluge, then goes away for a few hours!

I had a day's rest, then it was going to be great fun going on game drives with either Phil, or Kelvin, who works for them and does wonderful game drives. He is very knowledgeable, and is a great asset to The Garden Lodge.

As I said, the butterflies and moths were outstanding, and when you consider that most people only stay up in that area for 2 days, I was supremely lucky to have the time to photograph some. The large one was up on the rafters of the Lodge, and the white mark is nothing to do with the Moth - that was from the Owl who flew around at night feeding her young who were in the owl box that was attached to those rafters.

There were various other insects, like the large green Praying Mantis, not to mention the rather large Dung Beetles that were more like birds flying around at times. (Urgh! no, I don't like Dung Beetles whatever anyone tries to tell me!)

That first full day was ended with a trip to a neighbouring campsite bar with Phil and Gabi. It was really great to meet so many friendly people - and these are residents in Kasane, as January/February is the low season there. We were surrounded by people who actually wanted to chat with someone who was going to stay for a week or two, and who had been before 'with Vic'. That man is known just about everywhere and by everyone. Of course, the fact that he had installed Security systems, TVs and even fire protection systems into every Hotel in the place does mean that every hotel manager knows him - and asks after him with real affection. You could say that Vic is one person no-one ever forgets, and all for the right reasons. He never changes for anybody. He is fun, but more importantly, he does a good, reliable job with great integrity.

This was, as I said, the low season. What a pity that more people don't go then, as the country looks beautiful and the animals are almost as plentiful as later in the year. All Game drives are chancy. No one knows what you will see when you set off. It is hard to convince people that these animals are in the wild - it is a Game Reserve, purely to protect the animals from poachers and is not a Zoo. Some tourists were even heard to ask 'What time do they let the animals out?' as though someone rounds them up at night and keeps them penned up so that they can be 'viewed' by passing tourists. It doesn't work like that - not at all. You may be lucky and see lots of the Big Five - Elephant, Rhino, Buffalo, Leopard, and Lion, or you could be years before you see a Leopard or a Rhino. It is a case of you pays your money and you takes your chance.

Kasane offers every level of accommodation, from the wildly expensive Chobe Game Lodge, where Liz Taylor married Richard Burton for the second time, all the way to campsites. The only small, intimate Lodge though is Garden Lodge. It is run on the lines of a House, and you are house-guests. There is no menu, just everyone eats the same food at night (unless you are Vegetarian, in which case something would be cooked specially for you), and it becomes a big party and once Phil gets into his stride, he can keep everyone enthralled for hours with his true stories of his fascinating life. No-one stays up terribly late, because game drives have to be on the road by 9am, in time to see the elephants going to the river to drink. It is definitely a memorable and unique experience to stay in such a beautiful house - and where else could you imagine watching a Hippo grazing in the garden?

I fell into bed tired, but with my head reeling with the warmth of the welcome I'd received - and ready to get up for the first Game Drive of my visit.

As we drove off up the hill to the entrance to the game Reserve, the police were stopping everyone. There was some sort of a problem ahead, but very soon we saw the cause of it! It was a Boom Slanger Snake that had just been caught.

I have included these last two photos of the Entrance to the Chobe National Game Reserve to show the contrast from October drought to February lushness.