Cleared for Departure

Chobe National Park

I am too tired to think, much less write.  So, double header tomorrow, but for now enjoy some game drive pictures from yesterday. 

See ya later, alligator.  Wait, this is a crocodile.  Note the interlocking teeth, which lock on to you and drag you in the water. Where you drown. 
Hippos are ornery.  They can get really aggressive, and we give them lots of space.  This one is mad at a bird that sat on its back.
This hippo has given up getting the bird off his back. 
First lions of the trip.  They were hiding and we had to break the park rules to go and see them.  So, we couldn’t stay long. 
A cub, eyeing us warily.  
Elephants can’t see well, and raise their truck to smell.  In this case, she is smelling us.  Because we’re right in front of her. 
Elephants sipping at the banks of The Chobe River.  A croc will pull a young elephant in and kill it, so they are usually surrounded by the older adults.
Monkeys are cute, but invariably assholes.  They possess all of our negative qualities and none of the positive ones.  This particular monkey tried to take my lunch because stupid tourists feed them. So I threw things at it.  It got mad and charged.  I charged back, while kicking dirt in its eye.  This went on for several minutes.  Somehow, the stupid thing still got my food. 
I liked the composition of this. 
Elephants can suck up about 3 to 4 liters of fluid in their trucks, but do not use it as a straw.  In one visit to the bar, an elephant can drink 40 or 50 liters.
Boys fighting.  As usual.  
A baboon.  A type of monkey.  Still an asshole.  But these haven’t been fed by humans and leave us alone. 
Is a zebra white with black stripes, or black with white stripes?  Turns out it’s white with black stripes.  Like a finger print, each pattern is unique.  Zebra are trainable but cannot be domesticated.  Their weak backs make them no good for riding. 
This is The Chobe River, with flood plains in front.Southern Africa generally is known for its sunsets.  Desert sand helps create some really interesting reds I have never seen before.  This is our view from dinner.  This fire-like affect does not last long, maybe 5 minutes.

L.K.D.

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