Camps are half the fun of the trip. When the camps are near water, which they usually are, elephant, impala and other wildlife are attracted especially in the dry season. And the camp smells -- beef grilling on the brai or roasting chicken, can attract the hungry.
Living in a tent, no matter how nice, puts me in the mind for adventure and many of the tents are situated so you overlook a river or waterhole. Sort of like Animal Planet being played on your porch 24/7.
In Xijera, coming back to camp by mokoro was an experience in itself as the polers have to maneuverer the crafts under a low foot bridge.
One afternoon, our welcoming committee included this elephant who decided our tent was the perfect place for an afternoon snack. He was oblivious to the fact that after a morning out on the water we really needed the facilities more than we needed the chance to watch another elephant.
Rather than backing off at our presence, he just kept munching closer. We finally decided he was more interested in greens than us and slipped by when he was distracted by a new tree.
"Traditional night" at camp gives a taste of the local foods and glimpses of the traditional music and dance. The boma area at Xijera camp is large enough to allow for a roaring fire and a very dramatic outdoor experience.
The camp staff and locals seem to like being in the spotlight (or firelight) for the evening.
The acappella music is rhythmic, repetitive and strong -- music that would give you courage if you were listening to it by a fire in the bush with only your fellow hunters to face the night with you.
Being escorted back to our tent for the night, we watched a rather large hyena roam near the kitchen tent attracted by the wonderful aromas from the brai. I'm sure he was waiting for everyone to leave the boma area to look for our leavings. Personally, I like hyenas. They clean up. Somebody has to do it!
Always a little foggy after "traditional night" at camp, the next morning was a jumble of getting cameras together and layering on clothes to fight the morning chill. Jill couldn't find her trusty fleece and had to brave the temps until the sun warmed the air. She remembered having it at the boma the night before and it seemed likely that she put it on to return to the tent because it does get cooler once the sun goes down -- but perhaps she had left it.
It was a good bird and elllie day. I became particularly fond of the fellow with what looked like a bullet hole in his ear. It probably isn't as this area of Botswana has been protected for some time but if wandering took him into Namibia or close to a village, you never know.
We returned to camp and still no fleece. Jill turned the camp and the tent upside down and finally decided to break down and buy a new fleece in the little camp gift shop. The camp manager rallied the staff and they decided to have one more go at finding the missing fleece with these facts:
--Fleece last seen, for sure, at the boma.
--Lots of food in the boma at the same time.
--Hyena spotted in camp.
None the worse for wear by the hyena, the fleece was found in the bushes not far from camp. Apparently the hyena may have been scared off from the boma area while investigating the relative edibility of fleece. Rather than leave it, he took it on the off chance it might do for dinner. It didn't, so he abandoned it in the bushes and Jill got her fleece back.
