World Botswana Savuti

R.O.T.I.P. (Retirement on the Installment Plan) 2007 Southern Hemisphere

Day 16 -- Safari Day 4 13 Jul 2007

Day 16 -- Friday, July 13 -- Safari Day 4

This morning we left immediately after breakfast for the Savute area. It was planned as an all-day game drive. But, today lived up to the promise of being Friday the 13th.

Our first problem was a flat tire. Fortunately, the vehicle had a spare tire, a jack, and a pump. Our guide set about changing the tire with a little help from us. We heard elephants in the distance, which would be a bad thing with us outside the vehicle and unable to move if we did get to the truck. Fortunately, we got underway before any other trouble arrived.

We were soon seeing game again, including a pair of waterbuck. We saw some white-banded vultures swooping up from the ground, which meant there was a kill nearby. But, since we were now traveling inside a national park, we couldn't leave the road to investigate.

We saw some more baboons; but, again, I couldn't get a good photo. Our guide said that "baboons knows how ugly they are, that's why they don't like to have their picture taken."

We were now traveling on the widest, straightest dirt road I have even seen. It was the equivalent of a six -line road. Our guide explained that this was the park boundary. In addition to serving as a road and a boundary, it was made extra wide to serve as a first break to limit the damage when a brush fire occurs.

Our next problem was minor; a hat flew off during the drive. We backtracked but couldn't find it. We kept looking and looking but couldn't find it. We couldn't imagine how we could keep missing it on such a wide road. Finally, someone discovered that it had never actually left the vehicle; it was behind the back seat.

We stopped for a quick snack and rest break along the road. Without any explicit instruction, the men seemed to head off to a bush on the right side of the road. The ladies headed for bushes on the left side of the road.

We were under way for a while but weren't seeing much game. Then, the engine started making a strange noise. This was not good. We were miles and miles from any rescue.

Our third problem on Friday the 13th turned out to be the major problem for the day: a broken fan for the alternator. Although the vehicle could still move, our guide was concerned that the loose part might cause even more damage. So, he found a place to stop with some shade trees. Using his satellite phone he called for help and they left immediately. However, it would take time to reach us.

We decided that this would be a good time for lunch. So, we found a small patch of ground that was NOT covered with elephant dung and setup our lunch area. We had a leisurely lunch in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by a beautiful view of the bush (and surrounded by elephant muffins).

We were now a little happier that we hadn't been seeing much game. No game means no lions. And, no lions means it's much safer to be outside the vehicle.

After lunch, we occupied our time with reading, playing card games or napping. (I chose napping.)

After about an hour, a vehicle approached. (I told you that we were in the middle of nowhere.) It turned out to be park rangers. They checked that we were OK, warned us not to wonder away from our vehicle and left.

After another hour, a vehicle approached again. It was the same park rangers.

After a third hour, another vehicle came by. They stopped, verified that we were OK and left.

By now, the card games had finished, the books were finished, and my nap was finished.

By the fourth hour, we were all watching when another vehicle approached. YES, it was our mechanic arriving with a replacement alternator. Within minutes, he had us running. We all thanked him and headed off.

The remaining few hours of the day proved to be much better. In addition to the now usual animals, like elephants and impala, we saw lots of animals that we hadn't seen before, including: two ostriches, two new kinds of eagles, some owls, two kinds of mongoose.

Just before dark, we reached our camp. The staff had already arrived and setup our tents and our supper at out campsite at Savute Marsh in Chobe National Park

The staff warned us not to leave any shoes or sandals outside our tents during the night, as hyenas had been visiting the camp. They will carry off and eat shoes if they find them. (Hyenas can eat almost anything; they're the reason that you only find the skull and largest bones of an elephant. The Hyenas eat the rib bones and all of the small bones.)

Several times during prior to going to bed in our tents, we heard a lion's roar. It sounded very close. We hoped he kept his distance during the night.