Goodbye Cape Town, FF Day 7 Hello Botswana, Safari Day 1
Wednesday, March 27, WTRD 11.
We are up by 5:15 am and on the bus after heartfelt goodbyes by 7:30 am. Seven us from our Friendship Force group have extended our time to go on a safari in Botswana and arrive at the airport about 8:00 am. Clearing through immigration control, we board a small odd looking jet with 4 engines designed for small rural airports. Our flight to Maun in central Botswana takes 2.5 hours. We fly over parched lands, and sandy villages.
At Maun we check in to Botswana and are separated into two small Cessna 4 seater planes (3 on one 4 on another) and fly to a dirt air strip outside of PomPom Camp in the Okavango Delta. Botswana is suffering from a terrible draught and the Delta is parched and dry when it should be covered with water this time of year. We are worried that the animals have migrated elsewhere for water, and are viewing will be limited.
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| Goodbye FF Cape of Good Hope and Cape Town |
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| Drought in South Africa, Dry Sandy Land |
At Maun we check in to Botswana and are separated into two small Cessna 4 seater planes (3 on one 4 on another) and fly to a dirt air strip outside of PomPom Camp in the Okavango Delta. Botswana is suffering from a terrible draught and the Delta is parched and dry when it should be covered with water this time of year. We are worried that the animals have migrated elsewhere for water, and are viewing will be limited.
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| Those under-plane cubbies are the reason we could only bring small duffles. |
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| All the greenish brown areas should be filled with water....and they are not. |
Arriving at POMPOM CAMP
PomPom is a private camp with a government concession to operate game "photo" safaris. It was one of the original “white” only hunting camps but is now a photo safari camp as Botswana has outlawed hunting in their country. From the small planes we transfer to a 9 passenger Toyota Safari land cruiser, no windshield, canvas roof, stepped cushioned seating, and open-air sides.
Our guides for the week are Dalton and Eba. We arrive at PomPom camp with welcome song from the staff and a glass of fruit juice.
As we walk into the lodge with a completely open view to the Delta plains we see elephants roaming about, birds flying, red lechwe (antelope) grazing in the field. Most of us could just sit in the lodge the rest of the afternoon taking photos from here, but that is not the plan.
We are instructed on safety measures. No one goes off alone, once they have been escorted to their very substantial tent. We may walk back and forth during the day, but never to leave the tent at night. Our tent is the last tent on the south side of the lodge. It has a large viewing deck, kingsize bed, sitting area, bathroom with double sinks, toilet and an outdoor rain shower.
The temperature is warm, but not unbearable. The sky is overcast and a bush fire is raging a safe distance from the camp, but ashes and smoke float down around us.
We are given a few minutes in our room to be oriented by our housekeeping guide, grab our cameras, meet for 4 o’clock tea and board the Safari cruiser by 4:30. The whole group is late boarding because we are so busy taking photos from the lodge. We are out in the wild tracking and photographing animals until 8:00 pm when we return for dinner.
So what did we see on our first afternoon at PomPom Camp?
PomPom is a private camp with a government concession to operate game "photo" safaris. It was one of the original “white” only hunting camps but is now a photo safari camp as Botswana has outlawed hunting in their country. From the small planes we transfer to a 9 passenger Toyota Safari land cruiser, no windshield, canvas roof, stepped cushioned seating, and open-air sides.
Our guides for the week are Dalton and Eba. We arrive at PomPom camp with welcome song from the staff and a glass of fruit juice.
As we walk into the lodge with a completely open view to the Delta plains we see elephants roaming about, birds flying, red lechwe (antelope) grazing in the field. Most of us could just sit in the lodge the rest of the afternoon taking photos from here, but that is not the plan.
We are instructed on safety measures. No one goes off alone, once they have been escorted to their very substantial tent. We may walk back and forth during the day, but never to leave the tent at night. Our tent is the last tent on the south side of the lodge. It has a large viewing deck, kingsize bed, sitting area, bathroom with double sinks, toilet and an outdoor rain shower.
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| There is mosquito repellent and an air horn to signal staff in an emergency. |
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| Double Sink Inside. |
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| Our Outdoor Shower. We cannot leave anything outside because the Baboons will take it. |
The temperature is warm, but not unbearable. The sky is overcast and a bush fire is raging a safe distance from the camp, but ashes and smoke float down around us.
We are given a few minutes in our room to be oriented by our housekeeping guide, grab our cameras, meet for 4 o’clock tea and board the Safari cruiser by 4:30. The whole group is late boarding because we are so busy taking photos from the lodge. We are out in the wild tracking and photographing animals until 8:00 pm when we return for dinner.
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| I've got my safari hat on and am ready to go! |
We saw elephants,
blue wildebeast,
herds of different antelope-(impala, kudus, red lechwes,)
giraffes,
baboons,
hippos,
zebras,
Warthogs,
and birds
It was exciting to see all of these animals often in the same photo frame with one another. We stopped at sundown for wine, beer, and appetizers
and then returned to the camp with the guide using a spot light to search out the nocturnal animals.
Upon arriving at PomPom Camp, were greeted with cold wash cloths and a cool drink, dinner was served on ceramic dishes, wine glasses were filled, lacy screens covered the serving platters of excellent meats, rice, vegetables, fruits, and breads. We meet another group of 4 safari goers, a grandfather and grandson from Canada, and a German couple.
We were invited to sit by the campfire, but by now Russ and I were ready for a cool shower and bed. The bed is two 1.75 singles pushed together to make the largest king we have ever slept in! The lights and fan in our rooms work from dusk to dawn. Even though we had lights they were dim, and it was difficult to unpack in the dim light, so we gave up and went to bed. This was a great start day!
blue wildebeast,
herds of different antelope-(impala, kudus, red lechwes,)
giraffes,
baboons,
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| Running Baboons - Go Baby Go! |
hippos,
zebras,
Warthogs,
and birds
It was exciting to see all of these animals often in the same photo frame with one another. We stopped at sundown for wine, beer, and appetizers
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| First Safari Sunset |
and then returned to the camp with the guide using a spot light to search out the nocturnal animals.
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| Hyenas |
Upon arriving at PomPom Camp, were greeted with cold wash cloths and a cool drink, dinner was served on ceramic dishes, wine glasses were filled, lacy screens covered the serving platters of excellent meats, rice, vegetables, fruits, and breads. We meet another group of 4 safari goers, a grandfather and grandson from Canada, and a German couple.
We were invited to sit by the campfire, but by now Russ and I were ready for a cool shower and bed. The bed is two 1.75 singles pushed together to make the largest king we have ever slept in! The lights and fan in our rooms work from dusk to dawn. Even though we had lights they were dim, and it was difficult to unpack in the dim light, so we gave up and went to bed. This was a great start day!
All is Well with the Worrall Travel R's, PomPom Camp, Botswana
