Small scissors in my first aid kit were confiscated.  When we walked up to security, I saw a woman hunched over a screen and thought, “This can’t be serious.  You could probably smuggle a baby hippo through here.”  Boy, how wrong was I.  Not only were my shears taken, but the nail scissors in the manicure kit too.  I have flown all over Europe and the U.S. with those items and never a peep from security, but here in South Africa my unchecked reign of weapons trafficking ended.  You never know how seriously different nations will take “security.”  In New Zealand, there wasn’t any security for a domestic flight.  You just got on the plane.  RBD and I were trying to imagine hijacking a plane with cuticle scissors.  “Stop or I’ll gently poke!”   

We’re on Airlink, the replacement airline to the perpetually almost-defunct South African Airways.  They take their flight briefings very seriously.  We had to remove headphones and pay attention!  As the South African accent is vaguely menacing as a baseline, you do not dare ignore them.  I put ear plugs in just to be contrary.  Even the exit row briefing was a long, full workshop in when (after three chimes) and how (pull the handle down) to remove the door and where to throw it (outside) once opened.  We exited the plane row by row.  Some Germans in the back got reprimanded for standing up too soon. 

I pick on Airlink.  Readers from the last trip here will remember our flight from Joburg to Hodespruit, where the Captain treated our humble CRJ as his own personal fighter jet.  It was an exciting and unusual way to fly.  Despite how serious Airlink takes itself, the last time I was served a very delicious meal and red wine in coach on a U.S. carrier was never.  Outfits like Spirt Airlines or Frontier Airlines charge you for oxygen and seat belts.  Ask for food or drink and they’ll laugh in your face and make you sit on the wing as punishment for the duration of the flight.  The price of cheap is too high.   

So here we are in Botswana, the least densely populated country in the world.  It’s roughly the size of Texas, minus Connecticut.  About 80% is desert and inhospitable.  2.3 million people call this country home, which is about 1.5 times the population of Manhattan. The capital is Gaborone.  

We arrived in time for our first evening game drive, where we explored the banks of the Chobe River. 

Tomorrow we have a full day of exploring the area.