THE ADVENTURE : PART 3 - CRUISING THE CHOBE RIVER

This part of the adventure saw us being collected from the hotel in a speedboat, travelling a few hundred metres down the Chobe River to the Botswana Immigration Office to be stamped out of the country. We then boarded the speedboat again and sped down the river, across some rapids and did an immediate right hand turn into a small, but busy inlet. We were instructed to disembark and head up the "goat path" to the Namibian Immigration Office and have our passports stamped again. Then it was back to the speedboat and a further 15 minutes up the river to locate our houseboat. What a treat we  were in store for!

We stayed onboard THE ZAMBEZI VOYAGER. It  was quite luxurious and beautifully appointed. The staff, amenities, food and service was five star. All day and night, we could hear the hippos coming up for air  snorting and bellowing. One of our guides explained that the hippos come up to laugh after another hippo told a joke below. Every time I heard a hippo making it's incredible noise, I laughed, too!

Birder Di and Birder Karen at the ready.

We viewed herds of elephants going down to the river to swim, bath, eat and play.
We never tired watching these gentle giants and their young ones. I loved hearing the hippos "laugh"!



Listen to the hippos!

Our first afternoon saw us boarding our own individual dinghies with our own guides. They took us down river to explore, experience and enjoy the sights, sounds and life living along the river for the locals.  The local dugout canoe is called a "moroko" made from the local trees. This is what we saw. 

The following day when the men set off to go Tiger fishing, Karen and I set off with our guides in our own personal dingoes again. This time they were taking us to the local Namibian island called "Impalila Island" where they grew up. It was very poor, but relatively clean. The men go off fishing and to work. The women stay home to look after the children, cook, clean, wash and build the houses out of termite mud!

Ahhh…sundowners! A favourite pastime of ours!

 On the morning before we left, Karen and I went off in a dinghy….together… on an early morning "Bird Expedition" with our guide. We also wanted to check in and see what was left of the elephant carcass. This is what we captured on our cameras.

Kingfishers

 Bee Eaters

 Lialc Breaster Roller &  Malachite Kingfisher

 Lizard up a tree and mating lizards. They were everywhere on this little island, along with crocs!

 Big water buffaloes

This is what was left of the elephant carcass.  The vultures were squabbling over the remains.

We could see a tusk, skin and a remote tracking device on the sand. 

The circle of life.