Feb24-march 2

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Feb 24 
Day 40
Today we got up and had a slowish morning we were hoping the weather would hold up for us to go do our big air experience. Around 10 or so we caught a taxi to the bridge, where we had to walk through a small customs point to get on the bridge itself.
After we signed our life away we were off. First up was the flying fox zip cord thing. It was nothing exilerating but a beautiful view. Then we were rifled through the bungy and the gorge swing. They were trying to push us through so they could go to lunch. I did the George swing first. It was actually a decent rush and fall. I lost my breadth abit. It hink it was 140 meters or something. Awsa did the bungy the same time I did the swing. It was kind of weird being right next to her but they were going for speed. Haha. The bungy for me was a breeze good free fall and I was relaxed. I wantted to do a bat drop or some flips off but they wouldn't let me even off the swing they first said yes then no. I was a bit upset but it was still good fun. I bought 3 neclaces they are of naminami which apparently means spirit of the Zambizi. When we got back to camp we hung out all afternoon just chatting and catching up on the net. That night we had dinner together with the old paxs and the new paxs on he deck overlooking the river. I had a 1/2 chicken which was delicious and Sara gave me her left over steak and that was delicious as well. One of the new paxs Dara who claims to be from NYC but actually lives over in north jersey was a complete bitch to the staff how she got over charged for something and her steak didn't come medium. She sent it back and said the waitress was mean who was a sweet poliet woman. They brought her out another meal but she told the manager to cancel it. She is the stereo typlical new yorker. She is going to be intresting/sucky to travel with the next few weeks. 
After dinner we played a few rounds of mafia but everyone was tired and crapping out. 

Feb 25
Day 41
Today Shell and I planed to hit livingstone's island. We were meant go at 7:30 but our taxi never showed so we had to push it back to 9. We got a taxi to the royal livingstone's hotel and wow was they hotel beautiful. We both felt awkard being poorly dressed walking in there. It was a place you could easily get married in but it would be mega expensive. The cheapest room was $815. Crazy huh. It was pretty close to the falls you could see the edge and hear the thunder. We sat on their deck waiting our tour in utter Aww of the place and the view. When 9 rolled around we had a small briefing and hopped in a tiny motor boat and took the 5 min crusie to the island. 
We were warmly greeted by workers/tour guides who gave us some drink that had bananas the corn mase and honey and/milk, either way it was delicious. There were only 6 of us 2 other couples and us, we all got our own little tour with personal guide. He gave us some raincoats and away we went. We walked around the island to the front of the falls. And all I can say is wow what an exilerating view. He explained about the water levels and devils swimming pool as well as David livngstones first view of the falls. We crossed over some of the river streams to get to some rocks right on the edge. It was sketchy but unbeleiveable. There is so much water running over the falls it's amazing such a raw natural powerful beauty. Apparently we were standing in the exact spot David livingstone's was standing in when he saw it for the first time looking towards Zimbabwe. He called it "mosi oui tuna" "the smoke that thunders."  He was also quoted in his book "a scene so lovely must have been seen by angles in flight."
We then walked over to the other side of the island looking towards Zambia and again we were right on the edge, inches away from a 108 meter drop, with the gushing water feet away. Kelvin our guide explained durring the dry season you could walk from the bank on Zambia to the island where we were standing but now it's rainy season so that would be impossible. He told us the names of the sections of the falls and pointed out angles pool. We took loads of photos. Then we got a chance to swim in a pool rigt at the edge of the cliff. What a scary rush. There was water gushing behind us pushing us towards the edge we had to plant our feet on rocks to hold ourslef in place. It was crazy. Kelvin hopped over into the pool next to us and dunked under the small cascade there. He just disappeared it was nuts. I wantted to give it a go so I tried getting in the pool but wow was the water gushing hard and fast. I couldn't do it. It was crazy. Shell and I sat in the pool a little while longer taking it all in before we had to go eat breaky. They gave us towels to dry off with and then washed our feet for us with warm water before we got into the tent to have breaky. Can you say 5 star treatment. Then breaky was eggs benidict and 2 fresh scones. Wow were they good. I'm not even a huge Benny fan but it was delicious. We were kind of rushed out because they had a schedule to keep but we didn't mind to much since we spent a bit to long looking at the falls. 
We took the short boat ride back to the fablous hotel where we chatted with the south African couple from the tour for a little while outside the toilets we inspected for mom. Haha. Then we were going to walk to the bungy jump place so shell could by her pics from the day before but whn we got to the gate the guards wouldn't let us out because of wild game and possible muggers. So we had to take a taxi about 500 meter to the bridge. Anyway she got her pics and we headed back to camp. Where we met up with everyone else, made lunch then headed for Botswana. We had to take a ferry across the zambizi river to enter into Botswana which was more of a barge, it fit our tuck and one other. The boarder crossing went pretty smooth we had to step in some solution that's meant to kill hoof and mouth disease before we were allowed in. 
When we got to Thebe camp we set up I wnet for a quick dip in the pool before the new cute british chick Emma and I cooked dinner. We made a pretty solid chicken stirfry. 
After dinner we went to the others campsite and sat around the campfire chatting abit and saying goodbye to our old passengers. It was quite sad. I'll miss many of them moslty micky and jbird. Shell and I played some chess before we headed off to bed.

Feb 26
Day 42
Today we had an ealry wake up to do a game drive in the Chobe park in Botswana. They are meant to have the largest number of elephant in africa but because of the rainy season they are all spread out in the bush. That being said we didn't see any. Except for the two that crossed the street as we drove out of our camp. We did get to see hippos out of the water a majoy highlight. We did see some more giraff impala and some assorted birds including a few bald eagles.
When we got back we made some lunch then went to town to to do some errands. That afternoon we had a boat cruise/game drive. It started out slow and boring but we got to see some more hippos a few more birds then quite a number of elephants including 2 males play fighting. So it turned out to be a decent cruise. Shell and I had a nice life/job chat on the way back to camp. 
We had dinner made for us by the campsite a steak BBQ. It was delicious. After dinner we all just chilled before bed. We have a 5 am wake up and 6 am leave tomorrow.
 
Feb 27
Day 43
Today we spent the day driving to Maun. Where we set up camp I did a work out then we had a intresting rice bolognase dinner it was pretty good. We taught the new paxs the mafia game and played. Few rounds before we nicked offto bed. 

Feb 28
Day 44
This morning it was pouring down Pattrick, Kathy and I had to set up the tarp so we could cook breaky, makes things more intresting in the rain. After our slow breaky we got picked up for our transfer to the okatavango delta, for our over night. It was a pretty sweet drive, we were in a massive unimog (old military off road tuck that transports solider) and had to drive through some massive water holes, the size of small rivers. It was so sick. When ee got to the main rivers edge we were greeted by the nearby village polers who would pole (push our tree trunk dug out boat,mokoro, with a pole) to a island around one hour away. It was 2 to a boat plus the poler and all I can say is wow what an experience. It was such a cool and amazing boat ride, absolutely georgous. The closest way I could descibe it would be lying down in a large kayak getting pushed through the Everglades or the marsh of Lbi except the water was crystal clear, it didn't smell and here were lillies and tall grasses all around, beautiful. The water so clear and clean the locals would drink straight from it. Once we got to the island we set up camp,  we flipped one of the mokoros over and made that our kitchen table. After lunch a few of us took out some of the mokoros out to try poleing. Wow that was dificult. It was so hard to steer with out a paddle, you push one way snd the mokoro would go a differnt way and if you weren't in he tiny paths made by hippos it was very hard to push. We played around with them for a while then we went to the the local watering hole to have a swim in this crystal water. 
Later that afternoon we hopped in the mokoros and went for a short ride to another island where we did our game walk. Apparently durring dry season the place is littered with game hippos elephants buffalo zebras but it's the rainy season and there are so many watering holes around all the game disperces. We only spotted a few birds, some african butterflies and some red leeche a deer lookig animal in the antelope family. We did get a phenominal sunset on the way home. The sky looked like it was onfire. When we got back to camp we cooked up a stew with some orgali (the maze mushy stuff that's like mashed potatoes) it was a pretty decent meal. We then sat around the fire just chatting and roasting some marhmellows.  Beofe bed shell and I took some amazing long exposure shots with the aid of the full moon light. They look fantastic.  

March 1
Day 45
We had an ealry wake up to go for another game walk. We again poles to a differnt spot and walked around there. This time we were even more unlucky than last time. We were up early enough to cath the sunrise but it wasn't as nice as the sunset. We walked around for a while before we ended at another watering/marsh hole where we took some nice photos and spotted a hippo under the water. On the way back. Our guides Tembo and Calvin explained some the the tracks in the dirt as well as some of the exotic feecies. Haha 
When we got back Kathy had breaky waking for us we then packed up and head back. Of coure we had another beautiful mokoro ride back to the river bed before our transfer back to campsite. 
When we got back to camp I did a bit of laundry then shell, leash and I hung out by the pool while the others did a scenic tour over the delta region. Shell and I played a 3 hour chess match before the others arrived back. They said the ride was hot as and they all felt very I'll by the end of the first 15 mins and it was just over a hour plane ride. Before dinner which was prepaired for us a few of us did some abs and Nikki skipped some rope. Dinner was a delicous chicken BBQ. After which we played a few round of mafia. Before bed Patrick grabbed me to watch a bit of a boxing match where a Ghana kid got beat by a south African kid. 

March 2
Day 46
Today we packed up and headed for Ghanazi. When we got to camp we set up had lunch then headed for the local quarry. Where we spent the avo swimming, jumping of the rocks and just sitting in the sun chatting. The water was beautiful, amazingly clear, and a perfect temp. We got back to camp around 5:30 where we were greated by the bushman people who took us on a walk and explained many different types of plants and what they use them for. It was verry intresting/amazing how they figured out how or why some plants or roots work for certain ailments. They also demonstrated how to make fire from 2 sticks, impressive. The bush people spoke in their native tounge which was one of the clicking ones. It was really cool. There was a local woman that would translate for us. It was a really neat and much more cultural walk than the others we went on. They were dressed in hand made loin cloths just like the native Americans. 
When we got back to camp we made a group effort to try and make a morrocan tajine, which actually turned out quite good. Patrick madesdome of his own food and he let me have some and that was delicious some orgali with spinach, tomatoes, herbs and some meat I think. After dinner we went over the the main campsite to watch a very nice traditional sing and dance. The woman sat by the fire while the men danced around them. The men put a string of beaded pods around their legs so it would rattle and shake as they danced. At the end the girls got to sit with the women and I had to dance with the men. It was a awesome experience. The only down side is that many of the local bush people are being sucked into the western world through the alcohol gate way. One the girls that was on the walk was very drunk. It was quite sad, just another reason alcohol should be band. One of men actually said it's ruining their traditions many of the locals are loosing their roots simply dude to alcohol consumption. 
After the dance we hung around the campfire a bit before we nicked off to bed. Kathy was keen on sleepng under the stars so she got a few of the girls to do so as well. Of course shell was keen as and she coinvinced Emma and Helite to do so as well. I wacked up my hammock as well. But not before I tried taking some sweet moonlight shots.

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