Home » Botswana » Jul 24, 2004 Khwai River - Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana

“The Night of the Quelea...” Has kind of a ring to it, don’t you think? Like some bad B movie I saw as a kid in the late sixties. (Why do the late sixties seem like another epoch?) Well if this evening’s game drive were to be given any sort of moniker, “Night of the Quelea” would be it; and it’s a far, far cry from any second-rate film seen at some matinee on a summer afternoon when I was ten. Sometimes nature just opens up her arms and reveals something that is beyond imagining, letting you know that all your petty ambitions are of little consequence and most times just silly. Hey, don’t just take it from me, the Africa newbie; both Alwyn and Stanley said they’ve never seen anything like it either, and they do this for a living. Upon returning to camp this evening I made the comment to Nicky what a great writing exercise it would be to describe what we had just seen. Well, I’ve now set the stage and have no choice but to follow through with those words and embark on an exercise that will only prove my inadequacy in such regard. I persevere nonetheless (dragging you all along with me); but not before bringing us up to date on the last two days – a slight reprieve. The reward will be the Night of the Quelea. <br />

Jul 24, 2004 Khwai River - Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana

Tom Schueneman
2006-03-27 15:39:27

Displayed times (last time: )

They’ve really seemed to become great pals. I mentioned to Nancy while getting on a boat back at the lodge that she may have lost a son and I a girlfriend.

In any case, after my siesta I was challenged to a quick game of chess with Dan before the evening game drive. Dan won, though he did have the ongoing coaching of both Nicky and Jayne. I was groggy from my siesta and outnumbered. Not that I’m a sore loser...

There was no time for that anyway, as Alwyn’s call to “saddle up” had us scurrying to our chosen Land Cruisers for evening game drive.

It was an amiable drive in the warm afternoon sun, through woodland and savanah, the sunset giving a glimpse of what we experienced in full force today – the Night of the Quelea. But it’s not time for that yet, there’s still more catching up to do.

I previously expressed my curiosity toward what sort of conversation four females may engage in while riding through the African bush. Of course, we men discussed the interplay of nature and marveled at the web of life as we rode with Stanley. I have it on good authority that our counterparts with Alwyn were discussing the elephantine proportions of a male elephant’s... well, you can guess. I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions from this...

Back to camp just as darkness fell, I took my usual evening bush shower gazing up at the stars; only shivering when the water was turned off, which is most of the time when you take a bucket shower (my typical shower back home is probably equivalent to a few dozen buckets full of water). Refreshed nonetheless, I made my way to the campfire and met Adam, the owner of Capricorn Safari, the outfit that Wilderness Travel Adventure wisely uses for these safaris. Coming up from Maun for mid-safari resupply, he had included with the essentials six bottles of fine South African Chardonnay. This was not at my request, mind you, but only because I had asked if they had any ...