by Pete and Gwyn Barba

The Okavango is a place of wild and untamed beauty: a vast inland river that spills into the grasslands of Botswana creating a lush environment largely untouched by people but dominated by nature.  We spent two overnights in the Delta and had such a phenomenal time that we dream of going back some day.

With no roads, the waterways of the Delta are the highways of both the hippos and humans.  We took a traditional flat-bottomed canoe, called a mokoro, poled by a local expert.  As we weaved our way through the reeds and grasses, our guides kept us safe from the bathing hippos and drinking elephants.  Imagine how wonderful it is to have your worst traffic problems be large sleeping mammals!

We camped on an island in between the braided streams.  We set our tents up in a half moon around the campfire and under the canopy of immense and tangled trees.  Our bushy-bushy (aka pit toilet) was behind a nearby thorn bush, close enough to be safe from wandering hippos but far enough away to have privacy and a view of the underbrush.  Out front was a sunset view that went on for miles, over pools of hippos, grasslands with elephants, watering holes with crocodiles, and paths for the wandering giraffes, zebras and occasional big cat.

Our days were fulls of emptiness and fullness.  No internet, screens, music or games.  Rather mud fights in the local channel, kids and adults alike learning to pole a canoe or floating in grass filled waterways, bush hikes at sunset and early morning, and memorable campfire songs by our guides.

The safari walks as told by Gwyn – “The walks give you an opportunity to see wildlife in its natural habitat. The walks started super early so at the end you feel tired but it was worth it! You walk on the animal paths in a single file line with one guide in the front and one in the back.  You see all sorts of animals, here are all the animals that we saw: elephants, giraffes, hippos, zebras, warthogs, wildebeests, buffalo, lots of birds, and if you are lucky, you get to see a leopard! We took three walks, two in the morning and one in the evening. On the last walk, the five boys (including Drew) played soccer with elephant poop.“

Our guides were spectacular.  Not only did they pole the canoes expertly and safely, but they also had a deep knowledge and love of their Delta.  While the prospect of bush walks was initially terrifying, especially considering they only carried a walking stick, their confidence and knowledge soon transformed that fear into excitement and wonder.  In the evening, we sang songs of joy and danced with abandon around the campfire, sharing in their culture and traditions.

The two days flew by, filled with ridiculous teenage water play, sunset canoe trips that will radiate in me for a lifetime, morning bush walks for elusive game, and new friendships with our trip mates from the UK.  Too soon, we were back to civilization, covered in grime, sweat and probably a small amount of elephant dung, desperately needing showers and a change of clothes.  But we had already had a desperately needed change of mind and heart in the Okavango Delta.

Pete’s thoughts – When was the last time we turned off our devices, slowed down and played the way children should play.  Splashing in the water, covered in grime and trying to paddle a canoe, sometimes falling in with reckless abandon.  The Torah, Bible and Koran all recommend observing the Sabbath, but we think of resting as being “old fashioned”.  At the same time, I’m not sure rest needs to be rest per se, maybe rest should mean not work.  Rather, could it mean play?  Turning off screens?  Family time?  Reconnecting with nature?  Water fights?

Then there is the irony that I am writing this on an iPad, in the middle of nowhere South Africa, surrounded by immense wildlife, on a satellite connection.  And you are reading this on your screen a million miles away, when you could be reading a book, going to sleep early or playing a card game with your family.  Life is full of contradictions.  

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