Zimbabwe/Botswana outdoor mobile camping safari adventure: Day 6 24/10

Lions woke us up tonight again, and some elephants passed by (which we did not hear). We could see their big rounded tracks only meters from our tent. I look at the wrinkled soft sand where those giants had put their feet. Being able to move their tons of weight, without a sound. Early, early morning game drive is just beautiful. Nice cool breeze before the heat hits and all you wish for is shade, and cold water. Neither available unless you find a tree with leaves, and can sit just under it, near the trunk because the sun is shining from an absolute vertical position. Most trees have not sprung out their leaves, they are waiting for the rain. We are treated with a very nice brunch, S has made pizza over the open fire, in the bush oven she brought. It tastes delicious, we eat and soak in the wild life lessons our very well educated guide O has told us this morning. Our angels have rigged a shower, and we have explained to them they don't need to heat up the water. i make myself a bottle of ginger tea and spend the day under the only green tree, writing, moving my chair with the sun.

The more time we spend in this country, with these wonderfully relaxed and friendly people, the more we go into a sort of mega super relaxed cease the day hakuna matata mode. These people have so much to teach us. They seek unity instead of conflict, solving many problems around the fire at night. It is a culture of holding together instead of splitting apart. Botswana used to be one of the world's poorest countries. Now they are a role model for other countries. Free medical care, fre schooling, clean water. They have programs to give jobs, not just aid, to the most poor in society. And for animals, and that's why we are here, Botswana is paradise. The country has a zero tolerance against poaching. Their president Ian Khama is truly popular and in comparison to many other African leaders he has created an administrative system where corruption is only a small problem.

Next activity of the day is a sun set game drive. The Moremi reserve is just amazing, with it's water and very rich wild life. We stop at the Paradise Pools, no lions around so we are allowed to stretch our legs, which is just as wonderful as the setting sun. Water bucks and antelopes are grazing peacefully from the lush green grass beside the natural pools. A gigantic termite hill has created a little island, reflecting itself into the water mirror. Termites are blind, they live most of their lives in the dark and go out only to find food and building material for their homes. The queen who can become very very old lies 3000 eggs per day. When the termites have swarmed they loose their wings and lay on the ground to die. Fried they are very popular snacks, contains lots of fat. Put them in a jar and they are good to eat for a year. The impalas, also called the fast food of Africa, with their typical rounded M on their bums. These clever animals synchronize their births, so there will be an abundance of new born to feast on for all predators (including baboons). By doing this many of them will still survive and grow, and become too fast to catch. We stop by to watch a small monkey society, most of them sitting on the ground, eating roots. Youngsters fooling around, children close to their mums. So very much like us. O tells us about how they moan. If a baby dies the mother will carry it's body until it gets totally dry. Then she walks away from the heard, she does not eat for a long time. "You can feel and see her grief, it is heart breaking." There is so much to learn about every single species, and O is very good at sharing his knowledge.