Mokoro is a beautiful way of transportation. Our guide R is standing up at the back of the long and slender canoe, we are sitting in the front. Very still. He is using a long pole to move the mokoro in the shallow water. Using very narrow channels. All we can see is weed, and a little white frog, with a red belly so that it's enemies shall think it is poisonous. It joins our boat for a while. Some of the channels are wider, created by hippos and other animals, going from one island to another. We see some of the hippos, in a safe distance. Water lilies in pink, purple and white make beautiful reflections in the cool and clean water. Drinkable for locals, not for us. Our camp is just amazing, in the shadow of big trees. And, best of all, there is a lagoon. Crocodile safe during the day. We jump in our swim suites, the water is so nice and fresh! Small fish come and nibble on our bodies, it's easy to catch a few of them in the palm of my hand. But too small for cooking, I let them jump back to where they belong. On the program is lunch, another swim, and then a nap. And a swim again before the evening walking safari takes off. Our guide R is very special, a real bush man. And he is probably an elephant whisperer because he came too close to a breading heard just a couple of weeks ago. The elephants were hiding in the thick bush, as you don't think they can, but they do. A female elephant came charging in full speed towards R and his group of five guests. Nobody took off. R just stood there, hold his ground, showing no aggression. And, the elephant stopped only meters away. They were standing looking at each other for minutes, then the elephant turned around. The group including R hide in a bush where they could see the elephant coming back in full speed again, just to make sure they were not there. Another elephant story from the delta is from a couple of years ago. Same story, coming too close to mothers with baby elephants. But this time the guide sacrificed his life by running off from the group off guests who terrified watched him being charged and killed by the big greys.
So, it is with big respect we walk around, staying away from thick bush. Seeing wild animals from the ground is very special. An old an giant elephant bull, from safe distance with the wind in our faces. A heard of zebras with fouls and a guardian stallion looking at us from up close. Kudus with spiral horns, wildebeests, antelopes and my favourites - giraffes. When we return to camp it's dark.The bush television (open fire) is on and the bush entertainment (frogs, cicadas, grasshoppers, owls and all sorts of night animals) is of full volume.
Water lily
Obé in her mokoro
Richard showing us what elephants eat (everything), holding old dung in his hand
On the way to the crocodile safe lagoon
Sausage tree
Zebra stallion checking out on us
Ex zebra
