28th June – Fly to Kasane then to The Caprivi Strip, Namibia
The flight to Kasane was nice and uneventful. They did give bag of BilTong as their snacks. We arrived in Kasane to be met and collected by our pick-up. As we were driving from the airport we saw baboons walking into town and where struck by how much the area looked like the Africa we had expected.
We went to Botswana Immigration to leave the country and head over to Namibia. 
The office was a tiny building where we did our paper work. It was then walking out through the wire gate, down a dirt track to a jetty and into a speedboat, to meet Anton, our guide. The boat took us about a kilometre down river where we jumped out, with our passports, and were pointed up a rocky bush track. “Up the hill and turn left at the Baobab tree.” It was about a kilometre inland and was a tiny tiny building. So we were officially in Namibia.
Back to the speedboat and further down stream on the mighty Chobe River. The river narrowed to a thin rocky section above the rapids as we pulled into the Ichingo River Lodge.
This was one of the places where we were roughing it. Sleeping in a tent. And you should have seen the tent!
About 4 meters by 10 meters – double skin, on a timber platform with a large front deck, full bathroom, electricity (when the generator was on) beds and wardrobes, bed lamps, etc. We ran around our room oh-ing and ahhh-ing, then went down for lunch. The main common areas were built around the edge of the bank, and the rocky, fast flowing section just up from the rapids. The sound was fantastic. After a lovely lunch it was “what would you like to do now?” time.
We opted to go on a game drive – in a speedboat. Sensational.
We went back up river into the Chobe National Park. Boarded by the Chobe river and the massive floodplains. Three hours later our heads were nearly exploding.
Elephants – in their hundreds – marching along in their lines; standing out grazing. Some in herds of 40; some in two’s and threes.
Hippos – in the water eating; in the shallows sleeping. On the banks grazing; way back in the flat areas grazing.
Puku, Red (lychee-something-we-cant remember quite yet), Impala,
Fish Eagles catching fish, Kingfishers catching fish
Crocs, Water monitors, and more.
The day before we arrived some of the people from our lodge were out watching a group of five young lions. The lions came across a (stupid) lone Buffalo on the shore and decided to catch it. They stalked it and attacked. Of course they were not skilled enough to bring it down, being only young. After a while with two lions hanging off each side and chewing, the 5th lion ran away and got Mum. Mum and a pride mates raced down and make the kill.
We went up to the kill site to see if any lions were around. We could see three that were sleeping. After a while one got up and went down to feed. The stomach of the Buffalo was ripped out and she (the lion) crawled inside, up to her ribs, and fed. We sat watching in total awe. How amazing to watch a lion feed. The trees were covered in Vultures waiting their turn. A few brave ones came down to try their luck when the lion had had enough, but were hastily moved on.
Suddenly more lions arrived. We sat there watching nine lions feeding!!!!!!!! The male didn’t come down but the girls did. They were so magnificent. Healthy and fat looking, with shinning coats.
And this was only Day 0ne in the Caprivi Strip, Namibia.
It was then back to the lodge of nibbles and drinks, then a three-course dinner and a few more drinks. Ralph, the owner came to join us for dinner and entertained us well.
Sarah especially enjoyed a few drink and was then very entertaining ridding the tent (if we can call it that) of mossies by bouncing around on the bed, clapping them.
29th June, The House Boat – Botswana and Namibia.
This morning we elected to go for a bush walk across Impalila Island, Namibia. And surprise, surprise we were prepared for a walk! Anton, took us through his village, to the local clinic and the school and to Impalila Stadium – the soccer ground attached to the school. They are hoping to be a contender for the next World Cup. Probably not, as it was 100 x 40 metre area of flat rocky sand!
As well as through a few more villages.
We got to see how the houses were made – using crushed termite mounds, and the fields they plough and grow maize in during the wet season. Most of the men work in the tourist industry and the women stay in the villages with the kids.
The climax of the walk was a 2000 year old Baobab tree. It was amazing. So massive. Sarah climbed half way up – which was extremely difficult. They had put climbing spikes into the wood but were set for a very tall man – to stop kids climbing it. And the surface of the tree was like a polished table tap – so smooth and shiny. Nothing to grip onto or get your toes into. If you climb to the top you can see four countries. Namibai, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Maybe you would get to see them as the helicopter comes to take you to hospital. This tree was huge.
It was then back to the lodge to move to the river boat – Ichobezi Moli. Moli means ‘the wife of the chief’. Anton loaded us into the speedboat and took us up to Moli. We then said farewell to Anton, a brilliant guide.
Moli is a four bedroom houseboat. 18 meters by 8 meters. She holds a maximum of eight passengers and has six staff. She also has four speedboats – one for each room. Again all is luxury.
Down stairs were the bedrooms with ensuites. Up stairs is a huge room with lounges, the bar and a big dinning table – all enclosed in retractable glass doors. Then the deck with the spa tub and sun lounges.
We had lunch then headed off up river – in our house boat. We motored for a few hours seeing magnificent sights.
After lunch we opted for another game drive.
Again we saw so much. We went back to the lion’s buffalo. 48 hours after the kill was a faceless skull, a clean rib cage and a hide and the bones of one back leg. The other back leg was gone as were the lions.
The sun started to dip and out came the Sundowner drinks.
We sat in our boat, drinks in hand, watching two giraffes parade around in front of the enormous red sun as it slipped into the horizon. We both burst our singing the opening number for the lion king.
Our houseboat had run up onto a sand bar and moored for the night at a spot called ‘Elephant Bend’, a regular watering spot for many animals. As we were watching Elephants have their evening drink a troupe of Baboons came down. Not just any troupe. A troupe of between 400 and 500. 
They were like ants swarming down out of the brush onto the beach. Big males got into huge fights, teenagers wrestled, babies rode on their mother backs, sitting up beautifully. We even saw the victor of one fight, grab a female by the tail, drag her over, mate her then sit and flea pick with her. At times we were only a few meters from them. We stayed until it was almost totally dark then when back to Moli.
More great food then bed.
We slept with window open and all night could hear Hippos blowing, baboons screeching and at one time hear something being eaten. Raina’s bed was up against the window and she was very careful not to fall out of bed to that side.
30th June – On the House Boat
An African sunrise, across the Chobe National Park, greeted us through the bedroom window. 
As the sun rose higher the Baboons again swarmed to the beach to enjoy the morning sun. Elephants and Impala began to meander down and it all began again.
Our selected morning activity today was to go Tiger Fishing. We know that this was one of the options, so were looking forward to it. Then someone showed us a picture of a Tiger Fish. They are the ultimate trophy fish in Africa and look like a cross between a Piranha and a Tiger. Teeth much too big and savage then any fish has any right to have.
Raina caught one very small fish, though its teeth were vicious and best avoided. Sarah was the champion of the day, catching four. Her last a fairly decent sized one. 2Kg to be precise.
During lunch our view of Elephant Bay got entertaining. A large herd of elephants came down to drink as well as a herd of Impala. The elephants must have bigger eyes then stomachs because they seem to think that there is not enough water to go around and get rather territorial about the river (which is massive). The elephants had split into two groups at the riverbank and the Impala were making mad dashes to get to the space between the elephants to get a drink. And they really were in a bit of danger. The elephants were chasing them, swatting at them with their trunks, running at them with flapping ears and even trumpeting. Like full blown classic elephant trumpets.
We then backed away from our mooring and headed up stream for another few hours. After our arrival it was back into the speedboat for another game drive.
This trip showed us Monkeys, more Baboons, and even a den of four Porcupines. They are so big and are very interesting. Being huge rodents they are huge pack rats and will steal whatever they can. There was a den of then at Ant’s and they would sneak up at night and steal shoes (but only one), cans, cameras etc. On a horse ride we found a wine bottle at least one kilometer from the camp- taken there by a porcupine.
A small troupe of Baboons (only about 200 in this group) had come down for the evening so we went and watched. At times the boat was only two meters from them. Having a sundowner drink, sitting in a boat, watching Baboons – awesome.
The sun was almost gone so we started heading in – that is until we saw a herd of Elephants crossing the river.
Elephants swimming from Namibia to Botswana – without passports. It was amazing. In a neat little elephant line. Big ones up to their shoulders, small ones walking on the bottom with their snorkels up, then bobbing up and down, swimming with their trunks raised just a little to use as a snorkel still. Once again we got really close, which was fine in deep water, but as they reached shallow water a big girl turned around a swore at us. Ears up and all! Sarah who was sitting on the nose of the boat made a hasty retreat to a back seat.
It was magic!
Back to the boat for a fun night with the six other guests on board. Via a porcupine.
Raina stated that she liked ‘Youth Hostels for grown ups”.
1st July – To Victoria Falls.
The baboons were very stirred up this morning, the dominant male running about establishing order. This was because the troupe had suffered a death last night. The lions had come in the night and killed one of them. We heard the shrieking screams from our beds. Very exciting. Raina also heard an elephant fight.
Today was very much an in transit day, but we started off with a quick stop off to look at some monkeys from the boat. They are adorable. And we also saw our first decent sized croc. Like a proper sized one, which actually made Sarah happy as it confirmed that her fears and flat refusal to touch the water were warranted, there being monster crocs in the river.
Today was in transit as we took the speedboat from the houseboat to the Namibian exit border, then across to the Botswanan entry, then a bus to the Botswanan exit and then to the Zimbabwe entry point.
The border was very very low tech. Interesting. 
Zimbabwe immigrations is interesting in that you can not apply in advance for a visa, but need to buy it there on the spot. The queues were not short and not particular ordered. It seemed to be pushiest tour guide wins. We then let the Melbournian couple that had been on the houseboat with us jump in front of us, as they had a plane to catch and were running late.
Turns out this was an astounding act of fate, as the people in the line behind them were old friends. The people we sold Donnelly (one of Sarah’s ponies) to and who lived in Yass. Much changed with time, children grown close to eight years. But good old friends, at the Zimbabwe immigrations desk. Weird.
Next page – Victoria Falls.Click below.