Water (s) emergency

We are looking for a water permeability in the Moremi National Park that is not too deep and muddy. The darker the sand, the more sticky the mud when wet. The track meanders in line with the river. And finally continues across the street. Under the watchful eye of hippos we drive into the water in good luck. The G dives just as deep and continues on to the shore. We can continue. A herd of elephants is half on the road and half in the river. The matriarch believes that her herd should be able to drink quietly. She reacts aggressively to our car, which arrives a hundred meters away. She walks onto the track threateningly. We choose eggs for our money and drive around. Even larger elephants are walking on the detour, who are not bothered by the car. We can drive past it without any problems.

It's okay
The track is heavy. We are regularly overtaken by the dust cloud that forms behind the tires. The car has a lower speed than the wind. It is already noon when we reach the campsite. Without reservation. Our arrival was announced by telephone by the park ranger that morning. The caretaker, a young spirited lady, immediately inquired about availability at the head office. Everything fully booked. "They always say that," she says laconically. "I'm just giving you a place." A promotion of this lady to the head office would give sales a boost for the private organization.
We are tired of the ride and the high temperatures. Nice afternoon for a boat trip. It's okay, one boat is still available. We rent a speedboat with captain for the sunset.

Sailing a boat
What a relief to sit on a boat. After shaking in the car for weeks, sliding through the water is a welcome change. "My name is Cobra, like the snake," the captain introduces himself. Contrary to what his name suggests, he is a sympathetic man who knows a lot about the flora and fauna of the Delta. We sail away through narrow canals with high reeds on either side. "We share this route with the hippos," he says respectfully. "That way they can go ashore and we can go to the river." The breeze is cooling. We think the water trip is already successful. Along the way he points out the birds. Cobra sees a hippo among the reeds near the shore and gives extra gas. The beast gives no shame. "He's dead," he concludes. 'Probably killed in a fight through the tusks of a similar species. Hippos can be pretty nasty. They also attack boats. And simply hit a leak in the trunk with their sharp teeth. " For the sunset the mate seeks a photogenic place, among the reeds for extra effect. After the last photo, he quickly returns the boat to shore. Sloping through the sharp bends. Onno, with a big smile from ear to ear, experiences the feeling of motorcycling. To give us extra pleasure, Cobra keeps maximum speed. He himself also enjoys visible.

Spotting predators is an art in itself
We have not yet been able to spot a feline predator independently. If others think about such an impressive animal, then we see it too, with or without additional instructions. We scour the shadow under all the trees. No matter how alert we are, we find nothing. "What are we not doing well?" We wonder. At the gate a young hip ranger, with a tight blue T-shirt around his muscular body, appeals to us. We met him earlier with two Asian women in his open Landcruiser. "Have you seen any lions?" He asks in despair. After our denial, he airs his heart; I'm looking for a lens, but can't find anything at all '. He is probably not the only one, we see from the grumpy looking tourists in the ranger cars.

Waterfall
The cart track that we continue in the park has deep sand. The pits and bumps are asymmetrical in the left and right track. We are thrown back and forth and thrown up and down, like sitting on a mechanical rodeo bull. The water in the tank locks against the walls. A large, recently broken branch blocks the way. The meter-high perpetrator stands three meters away from the path with his trunk demolishing the next tree. The co-driver has the task of clearing the road. The door has only just opened when we hear a splashing waterfall. The floor of the car is completely blank. I forgot to turn the cap on the water tank. With the release of a water stop in the floor of the terrain car, the water is drained. Apart from a hair, the water has just not reached the laptops and electrical wiring. Only soaking wet The make-up and a kitchen roll ends up in waste. The rest will dry later.

Paradise polish
We carefully drive all the lakes that are indicated on the map. Only empty pits can still be seen. No reason for animals to show up here. It is too dry. We drive long and see little. We close the day at the Paradise Pools. We don't expect much from it. We are mistaken. The name says nothing too much. It is a paradise. Lots of water and in between land with green trees. OK, not all wild animals out Moremi have gathered here. We see more wildlife in an hour than driving all day. We enjoy the life in front of the windshield. An elephant who makes a great effort to eat the juicy leaves of a high branch. He is almost on tiptoe to reach higher with the trunk. Satisfied, he eats the green food.

They are there
The campsite is buzzing in the afternoon, there is a lion nearby. When we enjoy a cold beer, we hear it. A heavy and deep 'roawha' sound. We look at each other immediately; that is unmistakably a lion. Fortunately we stand among other camping guests. They will meet the beast before us. We hope so. To be sure, I hang the specially purchased game whistle. This causes so many decibels, so it is not wise to use it indoors. That is stated in the package leaflet. The lion does not walk past. Just like the hyenas, who make the distinctive cry-laughing sound at night. Our neighbor sweeps the sand in front of his tent every evening. It contains the footprints of a leopard the next morning. We search for the predators by car. The footsteps of a lion are pressed in the sand. It is everything we see that day. We are somewhat in it. During the day in the car we are disappointed when the feline four-legged friends do not show themselves. In the evening at the campsite we are happy when the big meat eaters don't come close.