Ghanzi At Last

This is a two post kind of day.  One, I wanted to post that last one from sitting in Gabarone (pronounced ha-ba-RO-nee with a glottal stop at the ‘b’ and no, I still can’t pronounce it right).  And two, I want to share today.  I have limited bandwidth, so we’re operating on a text only basis before you get too excited.

Last night I came into Maun (pronounced ma-UN with the that weird swallowing the UN thing) to meet Gavin and Andrea, the heads of CCB in Ghanzi (HAHN-zi).  They were waiting for me (thank guys!) and were understanding of my lost luggage (long story, we’re reunited now and I remember why I gave up on check baggage).  We went back to the most charming backpacker’s camp.  I’ll post pictures, eventually.  I got to meet fellow volunteer Caoilfhionn (kwi-LIN) and got to sleep on a bed!  Never discount the joys of sleeping on a flat, even surface. 

Come morning, I had to joy of a warm shower and a hot breakfast.  I also met Greg, who works for National Geographic.  Well, later I found out he also invented the Critter Cam.  I didn’t even have a chance to go all fan-girl on him because he left for the Delta when we rescued my luggage.  After that, we began that journey from Maun to Ghanzi (a few hours) and I learned more about Botswana from Gavin and Andrea.  That will probably be at least one post later.

We saw warthogs and ostriches on the road, and I’m promised that warthogs wander near camp often so there should be lots of pics of them when I can post them.  We also saw, goats, cattle, and donkeys by the dozen and a few horses.  All in all I was satisfied with that for one day.  I mean, I’m here for a month!

Well we went out this afternoon to see if we could find the radio-collared cheetah whose collar is set to fall off tomorrow morning.  We didn’t catch a blip of him, but we did see kudu and impala who are apparently quite common, more warthogs, but the sighting of the day was hands down the three giraffes.  Gavin was telling us that we hadn’t seen anywhere near the normal number of wildlife when lo and behold, we spot a giraffe.  Then we realize there are three of them.  We stopped the car to snap pictures and gawk at them.  Just after that, a herd of eland cross the road in front of us.  Both things that apparently quite uncommon.  As in it was the first time Gavin had ever seen them on this park.  Then on the way back to camp, we saw a brown hyena in the road.  That was only the third time this year a brown hyena had been spotted.  So although the kudu and the impala were shy today, I am totally ok with that.

So even if I still haven’t seen a cheetah, I saw giraffes, eland, and a brown hyena.  All in all, I call today a win.

I’m staying in a darling little camp with all the amenities (hot water, stove, fridge, bed, electricity and internet!).  Right now it’s empty, just Caoilfhionn, Gavin, Andrea and I.  Caoilfhionn and I each get our own bedroom although the kitchen and bathrooms are communal areas.  Quite frankly, I’m just thrilled to have the above listed luxuries.  And to have any internet whatsoever.  Anyway we have a moderately early morning tomorrow trying to track down our cheetah and his radio collar with attached Critter Cam (I might be a lot excited to see that footage).  This means a lot of hiking through the bush tomorrow most likely, so good night friends!