Common Duiker

We were up to see the sunrise but it was very cold so we enjoyed hot drinks and waited for it to warm up which it did very quickly. The campsite was full of character and they had collected lots of unusual objects, mainly metal, and decorated the paths. The boys went for a run and we walked. Saw a few birds but then we went to the hide next to the waterhole and saw many birds plus a visiting Common Duiker and a Steenbok. The bird life here is incredible and we’re seeing so many different species that I can’t keep up with identifying and naming them. Here are a few:Southern Hornbill, White bellied sunbird, Hamerkop. A flock of Helmeted Guineafowl spent some time with us, clearing up any specks of food that we’d dropped.

We packed up and moved on north again for 4 hours. It was meant to be a shorter drive but we’ve had to roll two days into one to catch up on the 24 hours we lost ( and spent in Cape Town) when the flight was cancelled. As we drove north we noticed more and more dwellings at the side of the road (small corrugated huts or wooden thatched huts). We stopped at the side of the road for a picnic lunch and in a small building nearby I could hear children singing and we realised it was a school. I hovered at the gates (the teacher in me coming out) and we were invited in. It was really interesting to talk to the three teachers (68 children) about the difficulties they faced by lack of resources, the heat in the summer and the little children walking 1-1.5 hours each day to get to school. The headmistress was keen that we kept in touch and, after a few photos, we set off again stopping only for petrol and food shopping along the way. As we drove we saw hundreds of school children walking along the side of the road, heading home.

We are now camped at the side of the Okavango River. It is a fabulous spot but the sign saying danger: crocodiles and hippos does have us a bit worried. We have heard the hippos but so far haven’t seen them. Another fantastic sunset whilst we cooked our BBQ.

Sorry that these entries are so lengthy but I want them to be a diary for me.