Friday, 6 June 2025
This morning, our guide for the next two days, Solomon, collected us from the car park at the Maun Lodge in a classic 1961 International truck. The vehicle started it’s life as a refuelling truck for the South African forces and has now been converted into a lovely, open-sided safari vehicle with real character. Heaps more character than the Toyotas we have been going on our game drives in! Blankets were issued and we wrapped ourselves up against the cold as we motored out of Maun, heading northeast along basic dirt roads to Moremi Game Reserve.
When Solomon introduced himself he said we would be four-wheel driving on basic sand roads and he would treat us to African massage. In Asia the euphemism for a bumpy dirt road is ‘dancing road’, here they call driving on a rough, unmade track ‘African massage’, ha, ha. And, I’m not sure that there isn’t some truth in that description because, despite the bumpy roads we have travelled on, my right hip is feeling better than it has in years!!
Rather unfortunately, our first wildlife spotting of the day was of baboons on the outskirts of Maun, picking through people’s rubbish bins in their driveways. The baboons are opportunistic and many troops opt for an easy life scavenging human garbage. Very sad to see.
Not far out of town, Solomon and Wian locked the hubs to start tackling the sandy track. The track was road adjacent but allegedly a smoother ride than driving on the road? At this stage of our game drive, we were only seeing domestic livestock – donkeys, cattle and goats. As we left the inhabited compounds, with their small livestock holdings behind us, it was time for our first bush toilet stop.
Soon after we arrived at the buffalo fence and the veterinary checkpoint that exists to prevent foot and mouth disease being transferred between the north and the south. After passing inside the fence we started to see giraffes – before and after our morning tea (bush toilet) stop. Still not sick of seeing giraffes in the wild. We saw a lone bull elephant and a pair of giraffes where we thought we might be going to see some action because the bull was pressing up very close to the rear of the cow and, according to Solomon, it is the season for making baby giraffes.
As we continued our drive we saw more giraffes, a pair of females and a tower of giraffes and common impala aplenty. We saw elephants at a waterhole and giraffes, giraffes, giraffes. Still not sick of giraffes! We stopped and Wian and Solomon said they needed to check the tyres. Ahem, that would be a euphemism for use the bush toilet!
We arrived at the gate into the Moremi Bush Reserve. Located in the heart of the breathtaking Okvango Delta, the park is a haven for wildlife and a photographer’s dream. We pulled up under a shelter where Solomon prepared a picnic feast for us while we used the facilities at the gate. Very interesting having to use flushing toilets using our phone torches because the cubicles didn’t have windows for natural light and didn’t seem to have any electric light either. BUT, there was toilet paper. As we enjoyed our delicious lunch we were entertained by hornbills – three of the five varieties I believe – and ground squirrels.
Inside the park we saw more impala, some kudu and more elephants. We have already seem more elephants during this holiday than I dreamt was possible, so I am very happy.
We arrived at Boma Camp about 4.00pm. The rest of the Penduka Safari crew had arrived earlier in the day and set up the camp for us. Camp kitchen, mess tent and a tent per couple boasting twin camp beds, complete with mattresses and a veritable pile of blankets AND an ensuite bathroom. OK, an open air, canvas privacy shelter with bucket shower and chemical toilet! But luxury for the bush, right?
Solomon introduced the crew who would be looking after us and then gave us a safety briefing. Most important thing – DO NOT leave your tent at night. If there is a problem, call for help and then turn your light on and a staff member will come to assist you. If you use the toilet during the night, use a torch to check the floor and walls BEFORE stepping out into the ‘bathroom’, keep you tent zipped up at all times to prevent pests (from bugs to baboons) from getting in AND don’t leave shoes or anything else outside your tent. There are animals that have shoe fetishes apparently and they will take them and destroy them.
After the briefing the staff filled our buckets with warm water and we were able to take our first bucket showers to freshen up after our dusty drive between Maun and our campsite. It was short and sweet but we felt better for it, then headed to the campfire for drinks and nibbles. Some enjoyed G&Ts, while others stuck to beer and wine or … sparkling water.
Wian had been joking all day that we would be having roast guinea fowl for dinner. The reality was deliciously seasoned chicken pieces and vegetables, preceded by some tasty home-made tomato soup and followed by fruit salad with custard for desert.
After dinner we sat around the campfire and Solomon regaled us with an entertaining story about the lodge where he used to work. A guest left their sliding door closed, but not locked, and a baboon broke in and helped itself to a bottle of sherry. When the guest returned to the room the baboon was passed out on the bed. Solomon said the staff carried the baboon outside on the duvet and left it outdoors. He told us that it took two days for the baboon to sleep off its hangover. Hmmn, tall tale or true?
Steps: 22,946 (18.59kms) Not at all likely … if I’m honest!
