Chobe National Park, Botswana

As always, the safari at Chobi National Park was great.  It all started at Chobi Safari Lodge where we boarded boats for the first half and then returned for lunch.  Lots of elephants, crocodiles, baboons, giraffes, warthogs, hippos, impalas, and other expected animals.  There were two highlights however.  We saw a leopard close to an elephant carcass, and a crocodile planning to get a baboon.  The leopard was in the bushes not far from where we were sitting, but difficult to photo.  I got one that will work, but Ian got several.  He certainly used his new camera to the fullest.

Another great opportunity to watch the animals occurred when a herd (or whatever you call a group) of baboons began to cross from the island to the shore.  There were probably 45 baboons and they were crossing very carefully.  We saw why when a crocodile carefully began stalking the crossing.  We watched for awhile as the croc. got close and finally disappeared under the water near the crossing.  Something spooked the baboons and they all moved back from the shore.  The croc. went hungry this time.

One last dramatic event occurred as we road the little motor boat across the Zambezi (kind of like taking a small motor boat across the Mississippi at its widest point).  Ian rode the first boat across and I was in a second boat.  Ian forgot his camera bag on the safari rover and rode back across to get it, planning to ride back with me.  I had already crossed, so for a short while he was in Botswana alone without a passport.  I was already trying to figure out how I was going to tell Keri that I lost Ian in Botswana.