CHOBE SAFARI LODGE, KASANE

 

31 MAY and 1 JUNE 2011

CHOBE SAFARI LODGE, KASANE

As we head out of the park, our driver contacts their office to check availability back in town for me – and thus I end up camping at the four star Chobe Safari Lodge with resident hippos, monkeys and marauding mongoose and warthogs. Fabulous spot right on the river, and while pitching my tent I meet Dave who is holidaying here for a few dyas with his wife, Vicki. I promise to meet them later at the bar then head out to town to buy my dinner but not before admiring the gorgeous four star toilet block complete with very attractive basins – pictured. 

Check this gorgeous basin!

The lovely Bill and Jill

Now here in Southern Africa the supermarkets run fully fledged kitchens producing low cost plated meals. And here in Kasane there are two big supermarkets so I am spoilt for choice for a meal. Watching the sun set over the river, I head for the bar to meet Vicki while Dave buys me beers before they head off for the buffet. 

Staying 4 Star AGAIN

I flee the hungry mossies and take my dinner poolside to witness the traditional singing and dancing that accompanies the buffet each night and I go to sleep listening to the snorting hippos in the river.  Next morning I pay for another night just because it is just so relaxing here and oh so cheap. I go swimming in the pool and lay about on the sun lounges chatting to Debbie, a teacher from Pretoria who is hols with her husband in a very groovy van. She is fascinated with my travels and we watch the monkeys scrounge whatever they can lay their little paws on! When I return to my site something has helped themselves to my apple and pear left in a corner of my tent – bah – making holes in the tent with their little sharp teeth!! Probably the mongoose! 

Scavenging warthogs

My neighbours, Bill and Jill commiserate because they had monkeys raid their caravan site and ruin a good book. We chat and soon enough I am joining them for a drink to listen as they recount their travels in Australia particularly Darwin pre cyclone.  They invite me to join them for breakfast and I also promise to talk to Dave and Vicki before heading off tomorrow. Soon enough another day in paradise passes, I strike my tent and wave farewell to everyone after being fed porridge and coffee for breakfast – fantastic stuff. I hope to meet up with Bill and Jill again get a grand tour of the gorgeous Debbie and husband’s caravan, but another day I hear that he had been very chatty to Bill asking if he had heard of the new world order coming very soon – much t Bill’s horror!  And no, he hadn’t heard!

And the gorgeous Debbie!!

FACT: In 1970 Botswana ranked as one of the world’s poorest countries with a GDP per capita per annum of US$200. Less than 2% of the population completed primary school and the country’s university enrolment was less 100 students. Then in 1967 diamonds were discovered at Orapa.and Botswana’s immediate future was secured!