After our Safari expedition concluded, our guide still had quite the adventure getting us to the Water Lily Lodge. If you can, imagine yourself on a beach with dry sand. Then, imagine there are ruts formed from all the vehicles driving in the same spot. Recognize the road is bumpy, the sand is soft, and you might be passed by faster, more equipped vehicles that send streams of sand and dust into the air. That was our ride out of the Safari.
Scotty reminded us how much more enjoyable flying to Victoria Falls would have been. Still, I enjoyed the adventure. There was a level of fear as we were not belted in, and our top speed was around 65 mph while we sat in the converted bed of a pickup truck. Indeed, I left glasses on my eyes and kept my mouth closed (no need for any extra protein finding its way to me).
Once we hit typical paved roads, we were able to see more of the Botswanan life. The people were waiting for buses, running stores, and walking alongside the roads. I truly enjoyed it.
Prior to the familiar, more traditional roads, we stopped at the top of a hill. There was a truck that was not moving. We witnessed one passenger sitting in the truck, and the other two finding shade under a bush. Scotty wanted to make sure they were okay before we moved on. After discovering they had called for assistance, we handed them all our extra water and continued on the way. Scotty had no idea when they would actually be picked up, but I imagine fixing or towing a vehicle that was atop this hill while resting upon a sandy road, might prove challenging. Such is the life in Botswana.
We finally arrived at our lodge, and it was in a busy town. Heading through the security gate, we found the check in quite easy. My room had double doors that opened to a swimming pool and provided a lovely view. Mark ventured outside our hotel, but Jenny and I nestled down in our separate rooms and slept. With all the animals who visited our campsites, I finally felt like I could sleep free from fear.
Many hotels in town have riverfront property. This also means they offer boat tours. We took our tour during twilight. At first, I felt this was a let down as nothing could top the amazing Safari adventure. The guides didn’t seem as polished, and our boat didn’t provide a secure feeling. Soon, my opinion changed.
As we got into the boat, we discovered that one side of the shore was Botswana, and the other side was Namibia. I longed to step foot in a new country, but that was not to be. Namibia’s riverfront property was filled with tall grasses.
Our vessel was approximately the size of an average fishing boat, with a flat bottom and 15 seats. Jenny, Mark, the captain, and I were the only ones aboard. Our first stop was a watery island in the middle of the Nile and between the borders. We witnessed everything from inside our boat but were often steered closer than we felt comfortable. On the island there were elephants enjoying the long grass and the refreshing feel of the water. Prior to this sighting, the elephants were always behind trees, so we had a perfect view of them.
Our guide took us all around. We saw many animals we had previously seen, but we also had an up-close view of crocodiles, Nile monitors, and Cape buffaloes. The variety of birds and the activity of the land animals was incredible. Wherever we looked, we saw animals. I loved every minute of it.
One thing I never expected was witnessing a crocodile eating prey. The crocodile lifted its head out of the water, opened and shut its jaws to get a better grip, then spun its prey in circles. These were fast circles too. Next, it would repeat the process. Our captain/guide took the boat really close to all the animals, so witnessing this event in person was incredible. I am totally thankful I was not the prey, but watching an animal in its typical habitat living its life was so memorable.
Once we finished watching the crocodile, we spent the remainder of our time watching the sun slowly find its way to the other side of the world. We basked in the orange and red hues and knew our day ended as perfectly as it started.
Reba Roams the World 
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