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Published: August 2nd 2008
A very Angry elephant
Wish I could show you the video.Ok I wanted to write about my time in Chobe all on it's own because it was a really moving experience. I spent 2 days Safari driving through Chobe National Park. Initially I was a little unmotivated as we have not had much rest and we were up at 5am for an early morning drive but boy am I glad that I went!
Generally when you drive through these parks you are sure to see something but we saw and experienced more that we ever imagined. We drove up to a herd of elephants. I have no idea how many there were, maybe 50 or 60. They had lots of babies with them so the idea of getting close was not the best idea. But it seems that we just had really good timing because the herd began to cross the dirt road and we suddenly found ourselves surrounded. They were everywhere!! I was right at the back of the truck on the end so I sat there watching these elephants walk in front of the truck when suddenly I realised that there were lots right behind me, literally and arms length away!! I tried to take video footage but
Hippos Everwhere
we were very close! nearly fell out of the truck in all the excitement. They are MASSIVE! We must have sat there for 20 minutes just watching these elephants move around us. One elephant was not really happy about our presence and bolted across the road then turned right in front of me and lifted his trunk straight to towards us.
It took me all my time to calm down and take in what had happened. It suddenly occured to me that without even knowing it, this was the reason I have come to Africa. I was seeing all of this while everyone else was sitting in their offices!!!! It's a little overwhelming. I am really grateful to be here and sooooooo glad I came.
On the same game drive we saw about 30 hippos. At first they looked like rocks in the water and we didn't even realise that there were so many. We watched a few fighting with each other. They are big and strong and make the most incredible sounds.
We went back to camp at about 9 am so we had most of the day to relax. That afternoon we did a sunset cruise on the Chobe
Water Babies!
There were about 3 of them River and once again, I was not dissapointed!!! We were lucky to watch about 3 elephants go into the river and play with each other. You just get soooo close to them. It's like you are almost imposing on them. We sat there for about half an hour until they swam all the way across to the other side. We watched the sunset once again. i feel very spoiled at the moment with all the beautiful sunrises and sunsets I am seeing. It is funny how you become complacent with seeing the extrodinary! i am beginning to find myself saying....... oh yeah another giraffe ..... or.... there's another monkey. Where I was once snap happy I am now happy to glance and walk by. It's really hard not too.
At this point I would say that Chobe has been my favourite place so far. This trip just keeps getting better and better so I am sure something will top it eventually.
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Alan 'Medalla' Comer
non-member comment
Botswana
I did a tour of Bots two years ago to the day! I was there for 3 and a half weeks, few days in Zambia and the rest in SA (so 6 in all). It's where I got my nickname 'Medalla' from. Medalla is setswana for 'Old Man' because I was the eldest of my friends that I was touring with, at 23! I remember the Chobe tours. They were to most amazing thing in the whole world. Not even Victoria Falls topped them. I also had the experience of the Elephant herd cross our path, however it was the main road that they were crossing and we were on our way back to the campsite! There was a midmorning traffic jam on the main road as the herd moved in between all the cars. The River Cruise was breathtaking. Such a sunset. Which campsite are you staying in? I'm trying to remember the name of our one, but it was right on the river and had a semi-tamed, one tusked warthog with a few piglets that used to live on the campsite. Our tent was right beside the river and we had Hippos less that 30 feet away from us, grunnting all night! So envious of you right now. Have the most amazing time for the rest of your journey. And if you see a tall, bearded, white ranger/tour guide there called Baloo with a Frence father and Irish mother, tell him all the Irish lads say Kelly-a-bokey, RA! :D