Early start, then we packed the mekoro and headed for the buffalo-proof fence. We beached at the polers’ village and transferred to vehicles for the ride to Maun to resupply before heading for Xakanaxa on Moremi Island. Long before we got there elephants appeared, some bathing in muddy wallows, some destroying mopane trees, others caring for calves. One gave us a long, thoughtful lookover from about 10 metres, another threw branches at us and told us to piss off.
By the time we got to the reserve gate there were herds of them. Then there were giraffes batting long eyelashes at us, impala, kudu and a fine, spotted hyena near what must have been a nearby kill, given the number of moody vultures. ‘Look, Torben,’ someone said, ‘animals!’
The camp was set up when we arrived under jackalberry trees at the water’s edge. Supper: chicken and roast potatoes in tomato sugo with salad and red wine. As we sat chatting a very large spotted hyena came to see what was cooking and stole chicken scraps. Beautiful beast with a bad press. He will surely be among the tents when we turn in. Better not have to pee in the night.
