From the itinerary: July 28, 2024
Early morning safari
Fly Kwai/Maun/Johannesburg
Overnight at the Airport City Lodge
Weather: Maun: cool/sunny. Johannesburg was even cooler
Lisa and I had one last photo infront of the Kwai River from the lobby before heading out to our last game drive
Our first stop was watching the 2 male lions eating a hippo. I went to take a photo and realized my phone was missing, so thank goodness I'm traveling with friends so I could steal their photos... This hippo has been dead some time and the lions were trying to pull it from the marsh while they were eating so they could get to the underwater meat too. Hopefully a crocodile won't get them while they do it.
As we returned to the lodge to look for my phone (thankfully we weren't far) we saw the Southern Ground Hornbill which is slowly coming back from near extinction
After searching for the phone high and low in the lodge, Chief finally found it in the spare wheel well actually under the tire, in the jeep. Crisis averted, we continued the safari
We finally got more of a look at some Sunbirds, squacco heron, vultures and the Saddle storks - annoyingly it was still difficult to get a good shot of the saddle on their faces
Then we said goodbye to our other friends: hippos, impalas, snowy egrets,
It was time to start the long trip back to civilization and home. Lisa/Rob were going back all the way to the States today - at least I had a break overnight in Johannesburg. Maun Air must be a very profitable airline - they are always full and they only use one type of plane. Rob was lucky to be co-pilot with help from Mr. Bunny
There was a several hour layover in the Maun airport where there is nothing to do or eat unless one wanted suspicious egg salad sandwiches...
Finally back on Airlink for the flight to Johannesburg. It's saying something when we all felt that the airline food was the best meal we'd had in 3 days.... I ended up with a lite beer when they ran out of tomato juice and club soda. I don't think I've had a lite beer before and may never have again....
Sad times when I had to say goodbye to Lisa and Rob before we split - they to international departure transfers and me to customs. It was a great trip and thanks to Lisa for inviting me along.
I shlepped back to the uninspiring City Lodge, back in civilization among masses of people. At least this time I got a non-smoking room.
I had a craving for pizza and went to a place in the airport I saw before where they looked great - unfortunately it was awful - such a disappointment. Am now missing even the Leadwood Lodge and my friends....
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