Mokoro Rides
25.07.2011
We awoke to a quick breakfast and then we headed to have a Mokoro rides. Mokoros are small wooden canoes that people use to get around the wetlands. The are propelled by a large pole that reaches to bottom and then one pushes away with it. They are very tipsy. Katie and I shared a Mokoro. Tall grass and reeds were on either side of us. We saw lots of birds, a crock and quite a few hippos. The hippos are known for flipping the Mokoros over a killing people. Our guide said one time on his tour a Hippo bit a Mokoro in half but the people inside got to shore safely. We could hear the hippos around us but couldn't see them. This made us all a little nervous. We came to a large opening in the wetlands and there were lots of hippos. One came towards us. He would go under and then come up closer. He went under again and then came up closer. We were about 20m from him. We were a freaked out. He then went under again, we waited for a while and when he popped up again he was farther away. It was such a relief. lol. We also saw some cool frogs in the reeds. After the rides we went back to our camp site and had lunch and then the rest of the afternoon to relax. Zoe and I talked to two of the young guys for a while. They told us all about themselves and how they came to work for the company. One is the son to the ambassador of South Africa. His father was supporting him but when he started wasting money his dad cut him off until he found something to do with his life. He likes the Safari business and his new friend. He was like see that tent over there, that is our tent. We put it up together each time. They were so cute and Zoe and I couldn't help but laugh a little. The company we went with, Naga Safaris, meaning Bush Safari, is owned by the first black man in Botswana to have his own company. He is also the first professional black Safari guide in Botswana. He told us all about his Safari career and how he was a major player in the now famous Audi Safari company, but how a new partner in the company didnt like black people so he sold his shares and started his own company. KG is his son and will soon be taking over the company. Other members of his family work in the office and help with the business. The dad is also the president of the Botswana Safari organization. KG was a great guide. We had lots of fun joking with him and when we would ask questions and the answer was no he would always say not really and then laugh. Also when we would ask questions we already knew the answer to, for example can we drive, he would just laugh. He knew lots about all the animals and taught us tons of things. In the evening we went for a game drive and then watched the sunset from one of the safer bridges, one that was not under water. lol. Oh and the animal report from the previous night: hyenas in the camp area. That was one of our favorite announcements in the morning was the animals that had been in the camp.
Posted by ChrissyShuh 25.07.2011 10:54 Archived in Botswana
