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  Wednesday 12th of November 2014 and I was not turning cartwheels out of bed when they called me at 04:30. But wise from the morning tea yesterday I had decided to stay in my cabin drinking  a diet drink instead of dashing off for some morning tea. So I worked a little on my web page while enjoying my diet drink.
I was in the reception just before 5 thirty and I met my Guide. They were busy loading the jeep with food and drinks for today. We took of just after 5 thirty and we followed the other cars. They were going to look for lions but we decided to skip the lions. They are most likely sleeping at the same place as yesterday. We passed the other cars and we continued towards the river. Our plan is to drive as long as we can, or for 5 hours before returning back to the hotel and we expect to be away for 11 to 12 hours.  Early morning at Chobe National Park
 Early morning at Chobe National Park
We took off the road, well, road is too much to call the dirt track. But we turned right and  continued out on the river plain that use to be under water during the rainy season. So we drove on what is use to be the bottom of the river. Chobe River sounds like something like a river, at places it is hardly more than a creek. Same as with Victoria Falls, it is another story during and just after the rain season.
They called us on the radio and they told us that they had found lions and my Guide asked if I wanted to turn around. - No, let's continue. The lions are most likely sleeping, so let's search for something more exciting to look at. She agreed with me and the lions were far away. We continued and my day was done when we sotted hippos, on land. I have only seen them in the water. Well, except during our canoe trip at Victoria Falls, but that was a quick glimpse. The hippos were sleeping, they rose every now and then before going back to sleep. I got a few pictures and we continued. We saw plenty birds, but I was very happy for the hippos, a very good start on the day! Let's hope we get a day as good as yesterday.  Hippos
 Hippos
 Hippos
 Lion
 Lion
 Lions
 Lions
 Lions
10 minutes later and we ran in to lions. 8 of them and they were sleeping just next to the road 2 meters away from the car. My Guide called the other jeeps and they were quick to come over. But  not quicker than that we had left by the time they reached the lions.
We continued our drive and I was very happy, the hippos was very nice and I hope there are more action when we return in the afternoon. The lions, we came very close, but they just laid there in the sunshine sleeping. Exactly as exciting as I had expected it to be. But we were soon running in to more excitements I was surprised to see Chobe River disappear to nothing more than a creek at some places. The river is the border between Namibia and Botswana and on the Botswanan side it is a National park. Namibian side is grass land and we can see the Namibian cattle walking around. And we can hear the cattle as well as they have bells around their neck.  Namibian fishing man
 Namibian fishing man
 Chobe River - All this is under water during the rainy season when the river flow with full force
 Jackals
 Jackal in the shadow - It is a dog but it looks like a fox
We continued to drive along the Chobe river and it was really beautiful and by now we were way
And I can stop whenever I want and as I grow to like the Dung beetle we make stop every now and then to check them out. They are working very hard to roll around the  shit and I have learn from the first day that they make the balls to impress the ladies.
If the girl like the ball she jumps on board and she rides along. That’s the dung beetle just sitting on the ball on the pictures from the first day. And on the first day I didn't know the name of the dung thing, but now I have learnt that they are called dung beetles. In some areas they are flying around searching the ground for shit. So when we come to areas  with no dung beetles around there is no animals and fresh shit.
We stopped to watch one of the dung beetles and you might think it will take them forever to roll around the shit balls. I was  amazed, we stooped next to one dung beetle and while I watched him he was 10 meters away and this didn’t' took this guy many seconds.
This was one of the most exciting thing to see at Chobe National Park and that's even though we see lions sleeping every day. Here is so many different eagles and they are everywhere and they look very good sitting on top of the dead lead trees. My Guide told me they killed the Tse fly (sleeping disease) back in the 60's. They used some chemicals and at the same time they managed to kill the lead tree. Amazing, they have been standing up for 50 years and no sign of them rotting and falling down.  Fish eagle
 Fish eagle
 Fish eagle and another bird eating together
  We continued along the river and we reached a camp site, obviously popular to go camping here and there are many visitors from South Africa. I cannot understand why you want to camp in an area  with snakes, lions, crocodiles and all kinds of stuff around here.
Well, we're not allowed to get out of the car in this area and we have to eat our breakfast at the camp. Beautiful view of Chobe River and an excellent breakfast prepared by Chobe Game Lodge. They had also added an extra plate of fresh bread and I really enjoyed my breakfast, we had been up and running since 4 thirty and we were hungry now. They had also sent a big bowl  of fresh fruit and I ate apples. I think they import the apples from South Africa and they were delicious.
I took the time to check out the camping site, there were a few spots for tents or a mobile home. Garbage bin and a fire place for BBQ. Of course, everything came with a gorgeous view. There was one car at the camping site and it looked like they were leaving. We had to check in when entering the camping site and it was the same when we left. We took off towards West in smokin' and screamin' tires. It was a totally different landscape from yesterday. But as changing.  Beautiful views from the camping site
 Beautiful views from the camping site
 Rich wildlife along Chobe River
 My fourth new Antelope in Chobe
I have forgot the name, but it is easy to remember what they call the antelope - The toilet seat as it has a white ring on his ass
 They get scared and runs away
 Elephants crossing Chobe River to Namibia
 Elephants crossing Chobe River to Namibia
 They reach Namibia
 They reach Namibia
 They find a mud hole in Namibia
 The throw dust and mud on themselves to get protection from the sun
 They continue in to Namibia
 A big group of moose goons
 Giraffe cooling down in the shadow from a tree
 A red bird
 A red bird
Here are so many beautiful birds so I have lost track. One blue and today I discovered a red bird.  Approaching the dead lead trees and it looked like apple trees when these birds were sitting in the tress. Looked very beautiful.
Chobe River and there are huge flood plains dry during the dry season and the grass eaters likes these areas. Open area so they can see any predator approaching and there are plenty food. We had been driving for a few hours when my Guide spotted a few Zebras on the grass. There was a  baby zebra and I took a few pictures from a distance that was too far.
We were quickly coming closer and suddenly we had plenty zebras crossing the road running towards the grass. And when we came down from the dust road we saw that the whole flood plain was full of zebras and impalas. And many of the Zebras had babies. And we saw more and more grass eaters while we proceeded along the river bank. This area will be flooded in 2 months or so.  Zebras on the way to the grass on the flood plains
 Zebra with baby
 Zebra with baby
 Zebra with baby
 Zebras
 Coming more and more Zebras
 Monitor lizard that have lost his tail
 Monitor lizard that have lost his tail
 Male impala with a bird hanging on his side while cleaning his fur
 Two monitor lizards
 Zebras relaxing having a good time
 We meet the Botswanan army - Guarding for poachers and the border to Namibia
We reach the eastern end of the Chobe National Park. I had never been here before, and about one hour earlier my Guide told me that she was on uncharted territory as well. She had never  been driving here before, so she have been to new territories both of my safari days.
We reached the gate and we had planned to drive the same way back. Just before the gate there was a sign TRAINING CENTER and we went in to see what it was. I thought that it maybe was a museum or something. Turned out to be a training camp for Guides to be and when we came in to the camp she remembered that she had  been at this camp when she was training back in 2005 or something like that. The cam was deserted and we left.
We drove back down on the flood plans and we started to work our way back towards West. We had passed one road coming here with a sign saying valley something and an arrow and we decided to  check it out. She had never been driving that road and she wanted to check it out. And adventure, that's the spirit!
We worked our way down to the plains and it was really beautiful from above. Well, except for the bush fire on the Namibian side. Zebras, different antelopes, warthogs with babies and giraffes. There were everything on the plains eating grass. And they’re better off before the flood starts filling up.  Back on the flood plains
 Giraffe skeleton
 Warthog with babies
 Warthog with babies
 Impala babies seeking shadow
 Toilet seat antelope
 Having a good time at Chobe River
 New born impala runs away
We turned off towards the valley something and then we followed a sign we could not read, just an arrow and a worn off name with DAM after it. A dam, sounds exciting and we went to check  it out. The dam was dry and we ended up at another gate to Chobe National Park. We turned around and drove back.
We stopped at the camping site for our lunch. We had been in the jeep for a very long time and it was nice to stretch my legs. And I was also hungry so it was nice with food before we continued. We drove back along Chobe River and I saw a black spot in the horizon, a hippo? When we came closer I could see that  it was a hippo eating grass on the Namibian side of the river.
And I was excited to get a good view of a hippo ashore eating. But we were too far away to get any good pictures. But of course better than nothing. The hippo enjoyed himself eating fresh grass in the sunshine. If I only could come closer, but we’re not allowed to drive off road here. And they have Police checking the drivers every now and then, 2 warning and they take the license to drive a car with passengers. And then the Guide lose their job. So no off road.  Hippo in the horizon
 Hippo in the horizon
 A new antelope, the fifth for me at Chobe National park - I have forgot the name
 Giraffe comes running
 Buffalo in the shadow of a bush
 The lions have moved a bit since we passed them this morning
 The lions have moved a bit since we passed them this morning
It was a very nice ride back and as it as hot there was a lot of animals going to the river to drink.  We saw a new antelope, my fifth new antelope since I arrived to Chobe and now I have seen a total of 8 different antelopes in Africa. Please, don't ask for their names.
We were soon back in the area around our hotel and it was almost 4 o'clock. We had been driving around for almost 11 hours and I asked my Guide to take us back to the hotel. And as soon as I thought that it was impossible for more drama in one day we ran in to dung beetles.
And what a fantastic day I have had, well, all days have been fantastic since I arrived to Africa. OK, the Into Africa - Bush Cuisines dinner cruise was nothing near fantastic. My two days of game driving, almost 22 hours and we have covered a lot of territory and I'm very pleased with what we have seen. Tomorrow I'm of for the group safari. I should have left for my next lodge, but I will stay one day extra at Chobe Game Lodge to get a tour on the river. You just have to click HERE and you will soon find yourself in the middle of that adventure 
    
  You are visitor no.
To www.aladdin.st since December 2005
Visitors from different countries since 26th of September 2011
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