Days 14 and 15

(Rhia’s comments are italicized)

When we left our travelers last, they were attempting to fall asleep in a bed that was too small and too hard. Well, fear not our fellow readers, our couple actually got one of the better night’s rest of this trip. Oh, hold on a minute, you may be speaking for yourself but my night was miserable!! Of course, it doesn’t help that even after having the flu shot, Covid shot, pneumonia shot, RSV shot +++,  I’m the one who has a cold with body aches and a temperature!! And no, I’m not going to admit I have the flu as I’d then have to stay in bed to heal 😂  Shortly before six, our intrepid travelers began their 200 km journey to Divundu. Please note, I was able to get us up in time for an early start because I DIDN’T SLEEP!!!!

Our drive took us through the middle of Bwabwata National Park. We got to see our first ostriches of the trip, as well as two ground hornbills. Different types of antelope were also spotted on the journey.

Divundu is a Namibian town in the Caprivi  strip that sits on the Okavango river. However, this river never reaches the ocean. It simply empties into the Kalahari desert and gets absorbed into the sand. We have discovered that Google maps is NOT ideal for finding lodging in Africa, (hence the previous night’s room). We had decided to get into town early to find the perfect resort right on the river and, to our delight, our early arrival paid off in spades.

Unfortunately, there was no availability at our first stop, so Rhia simply asked the front desk if they had any suggestions. This led us to the lodging of our dreams, Nunda River Lodge. As a tip of the hat to my friend, Jules, and all the planners amongst you, we understand that we could have more accommodation choices if we planned ahead…but, for us, the spontaneity is exciting.

When I first walked into reception, I fell in love. The thatch roofed building was nestled right up to the river with seating throughout the lobby and bar that took full advantage of the gorgeous view. I really wanted to stay, so even though they didn’t have consecutive nights in the same room, we split two nights between a bungalow and a luxury tent, both right on the river.

The river itself was teaming with hippos and crocodiles, both of which we could watch while sitting comfortably on the front porch. Because the river floods every year, no barriers can be erected to stop the beasties from coming ashore and onto the grounds, but security guards make rounds throughout the night to steer the creatures back into the river should the need arise. We went to sleep and woke up to the sounds of hippos grunting to each other; it was magnificent!

Sitting out on the deck of the bungalow was a real treat. We spent hours watching and listening to the hippos on the far shore. This was my first time hearing hippos. Their deep grunting often sounded like deep ha-ha laughing at jokes that only they heard. We also spotted a crocodile swimming across the river that crawled ashore to sun itself on the sand. While we watched the hippos and crocodile, children ran and played about on the same shore of the river. This nonchalance does not come without consequences. Last December, on three different occasions, children were attacked , drowned, and eaten by crocs. Life on the river is not docile.

The African sunset, also, did not disappoint.

Of course we HAD to go on another safari. I am still floored by how many animals inhabit this land. Zebras can often be found around gnus as their eating habits complement each other, and there’s safety in numbers; impalas are often found with baboons as the baboons act as an early warning system for predators; and oxpeckers are always with giraffes, gnus, buffaloes, wildebeest etc as they eat the bugs on the mamnals’ backs, and act as an early warning system. Many animals go through elephant dung for nutrients, as these animals have to spend all day eating but only digest 40% of it!!

And for you foodies, our stay included breakfast AND a three course dinner, with Kudu on the menu both nights. I think Kudu has the mild taste of beef, but the spices really enhance the experience. The whole meal was filling and delicious.

For the non-foodies amongst us, our napkins were folded into the shapes of elephants!

Our second night in the tent reminded us that it is winter here, and we were sleeping outside in a tent. The sounds of hippos eating grass right outside our tent, and the huge array of birds singing in the morning was such a treat, but the cold was not. It was certainly a pleasant, luxurious break!