Botswana Wild Day 7 - Oct 4

---

Getting to Know Maun

Yesterday, we slept in, lazed around and then caught a ride into Maun to pick up a few lunch supplies. It was fun doing some people watching in the grocery stores. We had hoped to find a bookstore for a Botswana Bird book, but no such luck on a Sunday. So when the driver was ready to return to Backpackers, we came too, a little overwhelmed by this new and strange environment and intimidated, too.

We lazed around in the heat of the afternoon, walked over to the Old Bridge after which this camp is named. There were quite a few people crossing the bridge and walking along the pathway on the other side, so we practised our "Dumela" with everyone we met and were delighted to hear "Dumela" back. Yes! We stopped to watch a father catch some fish while his little two-year-old patiently waited. A nice breeze was blowing, so we lingered before carrying on to find out where the path led. Almost everyone here gets from one place to another on foot. All except the tourists, that is. So the streets are filled with either a lot of people walking about their business, or with 4X4 safari vehicles. Very few cars at all.

Later in the afternoon we took a motor boat ride down river to the Maun Nature Reserve, where many of the non-aggressive animals live in protected bliss. Saw a few baboons on the shore, fish eagles, antelope. We were told there were giraffes, but didn't see any. We did see evidence of crocodile attack with a dead antelope lying in the water, but no sighting of the fabled croc that is supposed to live in these waters. What a great way to spend an evening cooling down.

---

Photos

Crossing Old Bridge
This bridge was a well-used local walking path. School kids from all over walked across this on their way to school.

Our Backpackers Abode
Hard to see without lightening up, but we had the honeymoon suite. More photos of the ensuite later.

Weaver Nests
On the river bank outside the tent, these weavers were a pretty pale yellow.

Backpackers Vehicle
Shopping in Maun

Termite mound
One of the hundreds we saw everywhere

Jacaranda Tree
The purple flowering one.

Trees Reflected in River
Boat ride along the Thamakalane River past the Educational Forest Park near Maun.