We flew for a little over an hour today on a Cessna to get to the Okavango Delta for our final three-day safari stay. We are at the Santawani Camp, and I tell you what: I could get used to the hot towel and welcome song when we step off the jeep. It reminds me how important a greeting is, even if it’s just a hello.
We’re in the desert area, so the animals’ presence isn’t as obvious, besides, of course, the elephants, impala, and warthogs who hang around the camp watering hole. I think I’ve gotten spoiled.
Our guides here, Gully and Jacks, are serous trackers. They study the footprints in the sand and the alarm calls of the birds and other animals to help locate the predators. We didn’t spot too much on our first evening drive tonight, but I have faith. We did see a huge male elephant who is in musk, which means he badly needs a lady friend. He was constantly dribbling urine, and the glands between his ears and eyes were oozing musk. He was in a bad way, and it’s best to steer clear of him. It smelled quite…well, musky.
The air smells different here. Wild sage dominates the landscape,so the air has a tangy freshness to it. The termite mounds here are taller and gray instead of brown, due to the different makeup of the soil.
It’s time to get some sleep so I’ll be ready for our 6:00 AM wake-up call. As I write this, I hear elephants rumbling.
My Corner of the Village 