Chobe National park - Botswana
Busse family safari - part 1
After all the planning, immunizations, flights and utter anticipation, the trip of a lifetime was about to begin! Busse Family Africa 2012!
Rushing from the airport parking lot to Kasane's international arrivals gate (a building scarcely larger then a 2-car garage), I was certain my tardiness would result in missing my families grand entrance to Botswana all together. Luckily, "Africa Time", applied. Synonymous with "Busse Time", "Africa Time" almost always means LATE. Perfect travel destination for our family.
Milling about outside the gate, I could hardly stand still. My anticipation was palpable and my patience all but gone. I wanted to see my family now! Following the building around back, a tall chain-link fence separated the parking lot from a small runway. It was there, I saw my first familiar face. “Look what the cat dragged in… Hey Pops!” “Well Hey!” Letting out one of his famous chuckles and signature ear-to-ear grins, we bounded towards the porous metal barrier. Only a few steps more…"STOP", dad yelped! Screeching to a halt, my eyes searched his for answers. Following their downward gaze, I saw the source of distress. Spinning wildly along the fences top and bottom, spiky, gnarled carnage rested just inches from my vulnerable shin. Razor wire, the most common form of security in Africa.
Recoiling to a safe distance, Dad and I jabbered excitedly about their flight until Al and Mommacita joined us at the, "Busse Barricade". Like an inmate greeting her beloved family from behind bars, we linked fingers through the fence and expressed our joy through words of affirmation. The physical affirmations, i.e. bear hugs, would have to wait until after baggage claim and immigration.
Rushing from the airport parking lot to Kasane's international arrivals gate (a building scarcely larger then a 2-car garage), I was certain my tardiness would result in missing my families grand entrance to Botswana all together. Luckily, "Africa Time", applied. Synonymous with "Busse Time", "Africa Time" almost always means LATE. Perfect travel destination for our family.
Milling about outside the gate, I could hardly stand still. My anticipation was palpable and my patience all but gone. I wanted to see my family now! Following the building around back, a tall chain-link fence separated the parking lot from a small runway. It was there, I saw my first familiar face. “Look what the cat dragged in… Hey Pops!” “Well Hey!” Letting out one of his famous chuckles and signature ear-to-ear grins, we bounded towards the porous metal barrier. Only a few steps more…"STOP", dad yelped! Screeching to a halt, my eyes searched his for answers. Following their downward gaze, I saw the source of distress. Spinning wildly along the fences top and bottom, spiky, gnarled carnage rested just inches from my vulnerable shin. Razor wire, the most common form of security in Africa.
Recoiling to a safe distance, Dad and I jabbered excitedly about their flight until Al and Mommacita joined us at the, "Busse Barricade". Like an inmate greeting her beloved family from behind bars, we linked fingers through the fence and expressed our joy through words of affirmation. The physical affirmations, i.e. bear hugs, would have to wait until after baggage claim and immigration.
First out of the gate, Alicia. That was until a forgotten granola bar (squirrel food) detained her. Mom and Dad soon followed with smiles larger then Africa. Wrapping our arms around one another we embraced like we hadn't seen each other in years. I could hardly believe they were here. Look out Botswana, here come the Busse's! (4 Busse's anyways. Unfortunately, Ry Guy couldn't join us on this vacation and was with us in his sarcastic, adventurous spirit).
Leading my family away from the terminal, I claimed to have hotel and transportation arranged. Little did they know our transportation involved an open-sided, 12-seater Land Rover and our accommodation, a fortified canvas tent. "We're going on Safari Busse's!"
Leading my family away from the terminal, I claimed to have hotel and transportation arranged. Little did they know our transportation involved an open-sided, 12-seater Land Rover and our accommodation, a fortified canvas tent. "We're going on Safari Busse's!"
Home to one of the highest concentrations of animal life in Africa, Chobe National Park is a safari dream. Located near the town of Kasane, in Botswana's northeast corner, Chobe shares borders with Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe and is separated most prominently by the Chobe River. Flanked by vast floodplain, bright sands and small shrubs, the river snakes its way through the park, offering the perfect viewing platform for thirsty wildlife. Savanna, swamp, woodlands and flood plains…Chobe has it all.
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As with any safari hot spot, dozens of tour operators vie for tourist dollars. Be sure to shop around and consider not only price, but also specific trip dates, sleeping arrangements and client numbers (Please see my, "Safari Checklist", blog for more details).
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Our chosen safari company, Kalahari Tours, was phenomenal. Their helpful demeanor and friendly attitudes were something I'd grown accustomed to in Africa, but not their efficiency. They were on the ball, business savvy and timely (no Africa time here folks). Kalahari not only tailored a 2-day safari just for us (2 game drives + 1 boat cruise game view), they also rearranged fixed trip dates so we could leave the exact moment my family arrived in Kasane. To top it off, they received my bargaining pleas better then expected and organized a price we were both happy with. Remember, there are no fixed prices in Africa.
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Whilst in Chobe our game viewing goals were simple, "See the Big 5" - Elephant, Rhinoceros, Water Buffalo, Lion and Leopard. But, as our guide Lance quickly pointed out, rhinos would not be part of our viewing. Slaughtered for nothing more then their horn, poachers have annihilated majority of the areas rhino population. What makes their horn so special? Ask the Chinese. Male performance enhancers is one of their main usages (although medically unconfirmed) along with a variety of other questionable medical purposes. Even worse, many horns are bought solely as a status symbol. The impact is devastating but so long as people are willing to pay, poachers will continue to kill.
Okay, so no big 5 in Chobe, but how about the Fab 4?
Home to the largest population of elephants in all of Africa it didn't take long to see our first, then second, then fourth and fifth dozen of these magnificent creatures! First from afar and then from just a few feet away. Just as curious about us as we were them, we entered a strange sort of stalemate. Each searching the other for a strand of commonality or glimmer of understanding.
Okay, so no big 5 in Chobe, but how about the Fab 4?
Home to the largest population of elephants in all of Africa it didn't take long to see our first, then second, then fourth and fifth dozen of these magnificent creatures! First from afar and then from just a few feet away. Just as curious about us as we were them, we entered a strange sort of stalemate. Each searching the other for a strand of commonality or glimmer of understanding.
It was during one of these staring contests, the largest bull, and nearest to the vehicle, began flapping his ears. At first I thought the bull was swatting flies. Then I thought it was the bulls way of saying hello. But as the flaps grew more erratic and the bulls eyes hardened, my excitement clicked into unease. Pawing the ground wildly and moving his head up and down, I quietly asked Lance what was happening. He calmly, and rather casually responded, "He is preparing to charge." A moment later, as if on cue, the elephant barreled towards us. Holding our breath and bracing for a colossal impact, the bull surprisingly...stopped. A few heart pounding feet after beginning his charge the breaks were applied. Snorting in discontent and kicking up an unhappy dust storm, we sat motionless, afraid to move for fear of another charge. Laughing under his breath, Lance announced, "It was only a mock charge. Do not be afraid." An act of braun and power, not meant to hurt, just scare. Lance further explained, elephants suffer from poor eyesight and the mock charge is their way of claiming dominance over an enemy they can hardly see.
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We continued to watch, enamored, while the 3-dozen or so strong elephant herd moved all around us. Stretching their muscular trunks into nearby trees and shrubs, the elephants would tear, rip and strip branches, leaves and protective bark from everything in their path. Overturned, squashed, and dismembered, a bulldozer could hardly of caused so much danger to the surrounding plant life. The demolition is an unintentional, yet ecologically crippling, side effect of overpopulation. With no natural predators, the elephant population has exploded. Baby elephants, once fearful of lions, leopards or crocs, now protected by large and strong herds.
Swishing their tiny trunks to and fro, a handful of dumbos were learning how to use this newly discovered extremity. And just as a human child learns to grasp an object or move food towards their mouth, so too, did dumbo.
Swishing their tiny trunks to and fro, a handful of dumbos were learning how to use this newly discovered extremity. And just as a human child learns to grasp an object or move food towards their mouth, so too, did dumbo.
Baby elephants weren't the only infants to adore. Monkey, warthog and giraffe babes also graced our presence. The most memorable of all born just minutes before our passing. A tiny impala. Hardly able to stand on awkward stick legs and knobby knees, nature had never looked so innocent yet so vulnerable as in those moments.
Other animal highlights occurred outside the vegetation shroud, on the exposed floodplain. This area of plantless, flat, dusty earth is the only way to reach the rivers hydrating shores. Completely visible to the hungry eyes of predators, this necessary movement is a huge risk to all creatures. One that is better tackled in numbers. Or, in this case, herds!
Other animal highlights occurred outside the vegetation shroud, on the exposed floodplain. This area of plantless, flat, dusty earth is the only way to reach the rivers hydrating shores. Completely visible to the hungry eyes of predators, this necessary movement is a huge risk to all creatures. One that is better tackled in numbers. Or, in this case, herds!
At first, all we could see was a giant dust cloud rising from the river bed. Glowing copper with the retiring sun, the cloud camoflauged whatever mass of life gyrated within. Driving directly into the unknown throng we were soon surrounded by hundreds of water buffalo. Moving in slow unison, the buffalo marched to and from the rivers edge. On a rotational basis, each buffalo would lap their liquid fill while others stood guard. Quiet sentries, wary of what lurked just inside the vegetative fringe.
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Another memorable floodplain passerby, a family of giraffe. Outstretching each awkwardly long leg, they glided over the earth. Covering quadruple the distance of other animals in one lumbering step. My dad joked, "If you ever wonder if God has a sense of humor, look at a giraffe." So true Pops.
My favorite part of the day came at the very end. An up close and personal encounter with a hungry lioness. Enjoying her days kill, a female sable, the lioness crouched behind the cover of a short, stubby tree. Providing shade from the relentless sun, the lioness had spent all day under its canopy. But, as twilight set in, and the shrubs cooling shadow was no longer necessary, the lioness moved into the open. |
Dragging the carcass from her hiding spot, the lioness continued her meal on the open delta. Ripping sinews, breaking bones and mashing flesh, the sable carcass was annihilated before our eyes. Already too close for comfort, the lioness began dragging the carcass towards us. Stopping only 5-feet from our open sided Land Rover, the lioness continued her dinner. Looking up every few bites, her glinted red eyes locked with each of ours. Either staking claim or considering 'seconds'...us!
There was only one way to end such a fantastic day and game drive, a song. "A-weem-o-wep, a-weem-o-wep, in the jungle the mighty jungle the lion sleeps tonight…huh huh!"
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Stay tuned for Part II, the conclusion of our Busse Family Safari. How we survived camping in the wild savannah, escaped man-eating scorpions, and prevailed over dozens more up close and personal animal encounters ;)