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CoronaVirus Travel...Botswana

bamagrad75

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Next country up, Botswana and the Chobe River.

Fascinating driving from Zimbabwe to Botswana & seeing a giraffe or elephant alongside the road. Exciting to me, the guide was ...I see this every day. LOL.

Spent a couple of days touring the Park, another day on the Chobe River with a side trip to Namidia.

273.jpg

Every morning, the elephants & others would come down from deep in the park to the Chobe River to drink & eat. Then return back into the park interior at night

248.jpg

The babies were the cutest because they'd come right up to the vehicle. The Mama would come charging over to herd them away.

260.jpg

These were darn tall but generally never approached a vehicle

263.jpg

Before I purchased a telephoto lens but very proud of this one because it's rare to catch the giraffes bending to get a drink.

267.jpg

Kudu. Sort of an Antelope. Those horns are quite large & prized

277.jpg

Marabou Storks. During the day, they wander the banks. At dusk, they accumulate high in dead trees & just look plain creepy.

279.jpg

Sunset on the Chobe River

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This is a termite mound.

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Fell over one of these damn things on the way back to my room one night. They just dart of out the dark. I think he was on the menu the next night.
 

bamagrad75

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318.jpg

Water Buffalo

319.jpg

Nile Crocodile and yes, he's as big as he looks. We came up onto shore near one & next thing I knew, my viewfinder was nothing but teeth. We backed away quickly.

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Hippos are darn fast & kill more than you'd believe. We came into shore right up on a family so I could get some close in shots. The baby jumped in the water near the boat. Next thing I knew we had a very mad mommy in the water after us. My video has me screaming, back up, back up.
 

bamagrad75

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346.jpg

In Namidia, we visited a village & were welcomed at the Chief's complex. These structures are all made of mud, smooth and sanded by hand.

347.jpg

In the village, this was pretty much all the protection they have against animals. While we were there, elephants were crashing around the edge of the village.

349.jpg

A huge Baobob tree. On the right side, you can see a mud hut under construction. The framework has been made using tree branches & mud. Over time, the owner will slowly add mud, then smooth. The mud again, smooth. Layer & layers are done until the thing is about a foot thick.

Outside it was hot, inside, remarkably cool.
 

gob

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Next country up, Botswana and the Chobe River.

Fascinating driving from Zimbabwe to Botswana & seeing a giraffe or elephant alongside the road. Exciting to me, the guide was ...I see this every day. LOL.

Spent a couple of days touring the Park, another day on the Chobe River with a side trip to Namidia.

View attachment 238579

Every morning, the elephants & others would come down from deep in the park to the Chobe River to drink & eat. Then return back into the park interior at night

View attachment 238580

The babies were the cutest because they'd come right up to the vehicle. The Mama would come charging over to herd them away.

View attachment 238581

These were darn tall but generally never approached a vehicle

View attachment 238582

Before I purchased a telephoto lens but very proud of this one because it's rare to catch the giraffes bending to get a drink.

View attachment 238583

Kudu. Sort of an Antelope. Those horns are quite large & prized

View attachment 238584

Marabou Storks. During the day, they wander the banks. At dusk, they accumulate high in dead trees & just look plain creepy.

View attachment 238586

Sunset on the Chobe River

View attachment 238588

This is a termite mound.

View attachment 238589

Fell over one of these damn things on the way back to my room one night. They just dart of out the dark. I think he was on the menu the next night.
I've eaten kudu jerky
 

jvett77

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View attachment 238593

In Namidia, we visited a village & were welcomed at the Chief's complex. These structures are all made of mud, smooth and sanded by hand.

View attachment 238594

In the village, this was pretty much all the protection they have against animals. While we were there, elephants were crashing around the edge of the village.

View attachment 238595

A huge Baobob tree. On the right side, you can see a mud hut under construction. The framework has been made using tree branches & mud. Over time, the owner will slowly add mud, then smooth. The mud again, smooth. Layer & layers are done until the thing is about a foot thick.

Outside it was hot, inside, remarkably cool.

I assume the villagers like visitors and some speak English.
 

bamagrad75

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I wonder how long your average mud hut lasts. The ones with foot thick walls. I suppose 5 years or so.

Every season they "replaster" and smooth them. They are remarkably stable.

According to some reports, well built huts that are maintained can last up to a thousand years.
 

bamagrad75

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Interesting. :idea: Could be a solution for the homeless.

Can YOU imagine the outrage that we were putting people into African designed mud huts?

CNN would spin off the earth!
 

bamagrad75

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Hey, we're not racists. At least they would have a warm place to go to the bathroom.

And they wouldnt have to worry about an elephant crashing thru it!
 

bamagrad75

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Good point. Location would be an issue though.

I watched a lady reminding and sanding down her hut. It's amazing how smooth they get them with just some handmade tools basically.

I also felt a bit nervous listening to several elephants crashing around the edge of the village.

While she's smoothing her hut with handmade tools, all the younger men in the village were glued to their cellphones.

It was old school meets modern world.
 

gob

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The gf has a cousin that lives right next to Kruger. He said he has room for 6 people to stay if we want to. So, might try to do that
 

bamagrad75

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The gf has a cousin that lives right next to Kruger. He said he has room for 6 people to stay if we want to. So, might try to do that

So, when are we all leaving?

I'd love to see Kruger again.
 
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bamagrad75

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