Today we started out early with a game drive, but we went to another part of the park. We ended up at our picnic site and a trip to see the last of the lion's elephant kill. Yesterday the vultures were getting close, but the lions would chase them away as soon as they got too near. Today it was feast for the vultures. You could see one leg and some skin, but the bulk of the sorry elephant was almost gone. We saw a glimpse of an eland, a type of antelope found in Chobe Park, but elusive. We also saw a couple sable antelopes. The usual and always fascinating elephants, impala, giraffe and baboons were around enough to keep us awake.
Kasane town.
Crocodile on the Chobe river
vultures
See that long neck?
Flowering teak tree
After lunch OP, one of the managers, talked to us about Botswana, history, government, and how proud they are of their country. We can tell this area is more prosperous than the other areas of the countries we saw. There is not much unemployment. Diamonds keeps the country going. They are getting a big new bridge. Nice police department buildings. People seem happy and well dressed. they got their independence in 1968 and have had free elections, but they like the first President and his son is coming up for election next time. School and health care are free.
Our evening entertainment started with a Chobe river cruise safari. We saw the banks of the river where we had been driving in our safari vehicle, but from the river view. There were lots of hippos of course, and a few Cape buffalo among the elephants. Impala were on the shore, as were wart hogs and baboons. This vantage had us seeing several crocodiles basking on the shore. Also, some interesting birds appeared such as the giant kingfisher, the black wing plover, the African darter, the wide belly cormorant and the quilea, which are small birds that fly in large graceful swinging groups. We watched an elephant leisurely drinking in the river, and some dusting themselves after bathing. We even saw another new antelope, the puku, as well as the water buck, both of whom enjoy the river.
The last sunset in Africa was emotional for me. There is nothing like what we have experienced. The vastness of the sky, the savana landscape - grasses, small bushes, small trees, an occasional large tree, trees that have been pruned to the height of a giraffe, dead trees that elephant have eventually killed, leaving skeletons that will eventually fall and be useful for a perch for a leopard. Smoke from home wood cooking fires, wispy curled clouds, starlit skies at night. The aroma of elephant dung, wild basil, fields of grass, heat on the sand and red iron rich soil.
After our cruise we were greeted by the staff who performed some traditional African songs and dances. The women had rattles on their legs which made a nice sound to their hypnotic beat and energetic dancing.
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