Cheerleader camp in the Okavango

We‚re here at Pom Pom camp in the Okavango Delta hence the title of this letter. But in actual fact, in Setswane pom pom means mosquito. I maintain, and I maintain very strongly, that for you marketing majors out there this is an example of how to turn a negative into a positive. Now really, would people be more liable to book a stay here thinking that it's a cheerleader camp or a mosquito camp?
Just think of it: "Come to Mosquito camp in the middle of one of the biggest swamps in the world. Don't forget you 100% deet nor your malaria pills. You're bound to have a wonderful time."

Actually, at this time of the year, the mosquitoes aren't that bad, and the place is really relaxing and peaceful. We went out on the "mokoro" boats this morning for our four-hour activity. They are the Botswanan canoe, but more stable. You are poled along by a guide through the waterways, with the only sounds made are the flat-bottomed boat sliding through the reeds. Sometimes we travel down "Hippo Highway" the four-foot wide paths made by the giant beasts as the work their way from area to area totally demolishing the plant life underfoot, surprise, surprise, so that it is a clear pathway through the reeds.
We saw plenty of them from water level as we were sitting down in the mokoro. The guide was careful to get close enough but not too close since they are fast and very uncooperative when perturbed, and it doesn't take much to perturb a hippo.

This isn't a "game" camp as such, which is not to say we don't see game. Last night we saw a herd of 15 or so elephants walking through the water with several calves hanging onto mom's tail for guidance and assistance. Great scene!!
But the real charm of the place is in it's setting. Lots of water, tons of birds, another open bar and they even do your laundry for free. What's not to like? It's very peaceful, and makes a great combination with the other camps we have seen. This marks the halfway point in the camp experience. We've had seven days in them, and we have seven more. Tomorrow we fly to Zimbabwe and go to Victoria Falls for two days, then it's on to Zambia for four nights. There's been enough difference in the camps to provide a far more complete picture of the area and what's offered than if we just stayed at one or two. Everybody says that Africa is addicting, and it's easy to see exactly why.

I wondered if these ten days of continual camps, game drives, bush country would get a little old or "samish" after a while, whether it would all seem routine, and I would be looking forward to getting back on the road again.
Nothing could be further from the truth for each day is totally different from anything we've done before. Each day has surprises and first-time experiences never before encountered by us in our limited time here.
Every new day writes a new page in this Africa chapter of this book of life that I have lived. For example:

The dance:
We came upon a family of three giraffes last night, mom, dad, and baby giraffe. They fed separately for a while as we just watched from the vehicle. Then the baby came over to dad, and literally began to nuzzle him. He stroked his neck with his head affectionately and dad responded in kind, running his head down the back of the baby's neck as the young giraffe simply leaned his head back in obvious delight. Then mom came over and the three of them did the same to each other. It was a dance of family, only music by Tschykovsky was missing. It was "pas de trois" as beautiful as any ballet I have ever seen.

The poachers:
On one game drive we came upon a ridge where there was a man carrying a rifle. Our guide said: "Poachers." We all stiffened not knowing what was to happen. As the vehicle approached the ridge, we saw to our delight that the camp staff had set up a "Bush Breakfast" for us. Bacon, sausage, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, potatoes and other goodies sizzled on the extensive grill they had erected. Add some great coffee, juice and some interesting conversation at a field table, and you had the makings of the best breakfast I think I have ever enjoyed.

The stalk:
Several times we have watched leopards stalking prey. Each time it is different, but each time it is fascinating to watch. On one drive, our spotter with the BIG light shined it directly on the leopard who was crouching in the grass, more or less announcing to the impalas: "Hey, over here guys, here's the guy with the big teeth and sharp claws." They scattered and that was the end of that as the leopard skulked away to find someplace where man did not interfere. This whole episode was either good news or bad news depending on whether you're the leopard or the impala.
Last night we found another similar scene, this time the leopard was in a ditch unseen by the impalas. The spotter shone the light over the head of the leopard so that we could see it in the diffused light, but not disturbing the scene. After a while our guide said that we should leave nature to itself and not interfere, and we were left with only our imaginations of the final scene.

The impala buffet:
Impalas are known as the giant salad bar of African game. They are plentiful in enormous numbers, and it's like choosing which is to your liking. There are signs of impala kills everywhere but seemingly no impact on total numbers. We watched them cross a stream today. Impalas would rather jump over it than wade through it, and we watched entranced as dozens of them leapt over it in their graceful arch. Nuryurev would be proud.

Footprints in the night:
One of the really interesting things has been to see what animals have wandered through camp during the night. We've had all forms of hoofed critters including impala, pukas, waterbucks, warthogs, and assorted others. But we've also seen evidence of elephants (we've actually seen these in camp) hyenas, baboons and monkeys, of course, rhinos, tons, literally and figuratively, of hippos, and leopards and this morning a lion sauntered through about 5:30, just as staff was preparing breakfast. I asked our guide later whether the staff took cover, and he said: "No, they just watched." Yeah, like I'm just going to continue to work my crossword puzzle or casually pick up my video camera and continue filming as the head gets bigger and bigger in the eyepiece until all I see is big, pointy teeth. He said that it's not a problem since camp is not their natural environment so we're not in any danger. I'm really going to have an easy time convincing my clients that in their hut which is entirely made of reeds and thatch with the back wall no more than 5 feet tall that they shouldn't worry about the lion looking over the top at them sleeping peacefully under the mosquito netting.

Sunrises and sunsets:
Simply stated, they are wonderful. The morning, awaking, I watch with hot coffee in my hands, and in the evening close of day with a gin and tonic, G&T as they call it here. The high is not fueled by alcohol, but I wouldn't say that it wasn't enhanced by it either. They are all different. Sometimes they are just brilliant colors stretching across the sky, sometimes clouds give texture. My favorite sunsets are the ones with clouds where the colors give a golden edge to them, giving them an extra dimension. Regardless, I film each and every one of them just for my own future enjoyment.

The general ambience:
Each camp is different, but each is set off by water. We've enjoyed camps by lagoons, rivers wide and narrow, lakes and water holes. Each provides a perfect setting to start our day, relax during one of the few moments when they're either not feeding you or you're not out looking for game, or ending your day before a fire with great conversation. But they've all been great and I wouldn't have changed these ten days around any differently from how we've experienced them.

Stay safe everybody,
jim and carol