Botswana. Maun.

The land of miles and miles of roads, with hours and hours of traveling with very little traffic going either way. As one approaches the villages, cows, goats and donkeys pop out onto the roads.

 

I took a little drive into Maun on my hunt for "interesting" things and along the roads one can buy "batiks" and items made from tin! There were a few wooden items but nothing very exciting.

To round off our visit to Maun we went off to a Fillet Braai at a friend' s home and this friend turned out to be the daughter of my school friend Mary Anne Coppens née Brereton! Tammy,is married to Dan McAllister, a cousin to Kira McAllistair who I taught in Swaziland! Absolutely amazing. Both Tammy and Dan are pilots! I was so hoping to catch up with Mary Anne but she is back in SA. But It was good meeting her lovely daughter and family!

It is time to head off on our Safari. How exciting. We were last in Bots in 2005 and had an amazing time so we were really looking forward to this special time. Carol and Mark had taken a week off their busy schedule to accompany us. We packed up all essentials plus thing needed by the lodges and set off. Mark never misses a turn off and went off on every by road to see what we could see!

We entered the park at the South Gate of the Moremi Game Reserve and headed for Sanjo Camp set on the Kwaai River. This a luxury tented camp with accommodation for twelve guests. The camp is named after the Sanjo Family from whom the land was obtained. The Camp even has a small dip pool and a super look-out deck.

 

Mark and Carol know their birds, their trees, their grasses, their animals....they know the bush.

Our ice box was always well stocked and together with Carol, I got so used to squatting behind the nearest bush!!!

These elephants had hours of fun playing in the mud!

One of the best things about Sango Camp is that Mark can drive off road and my BIG wish was to see Leopard. The vehicles are all in radio contact with each other and soon we were sent to the tree where the much desired leopard were. Mother leopard was sleeping off her lunchtime meal while the little one was climbing up and down the tree which contained the remains of the impala feast! We had such fun watching this little on reverse carefully down the tree.

Aren't we lucky. Of course other vehicles pulled up and eventually we had to move on.

That evening we were told about another amazing sighting...a mother hyaena and her cubs! After all our experiences, not always pleasant, with Buster back at Sabie Park, it was fun just sitting observing the two playful pups tugging on sticks etc.

 

Mother just rolled over and gave her pups the odd little lick!

Sunset in the bush is always breathtaking and from Sango Lodge over the river it did not disappoint!