Photo's of Johannesburg, Soweto and Botswana: http://picasaweb.google.com/zmountainman/LimpoLipadiTrip?authkey=Gv1sRgCKaL6vOqrpN-&feat=directlink
July 20, 2009
Home for three days…just long enough to get over jet lag, wash clothes and re-pack…we are off to Botswana!
Why is it that every flight leaving Doha seems to do so at o’dark 30?!? Oh, I’m sorry…have I said that before…
Our limo picked us up at 5:00 this morning (yes…that means I had to haul my butt out of bed at 4AM). Our flight to Johannesburg was about eight and a half hours but nicer than usual because they bumped us up to business class! Apparently they needed the room in economy and since we are “frequent flyers” they chose us…free booze (you get that in economy as well but in business they are much more attentive), better food, and roomier seats. It is always hard to go back to economy class after one of these flights.
We arrived in Jo’burg mid-afternoon and after collecting our bags and clearing customs we went to find our rental car. RD had set everything up ahead of time (we just needed to remember to get a note saying we could cross into Botswana) so it was relatively quick and painless. The car itself is a little Volkswagen (emphasis on little)…picture a tin can on wheels (the stick shift comes off in RD’s hand if he pulls on it too hard) and of course the steering wheel is on the right because they drive on the left side of the road here. Luckily RD had looked at a map online because the one they gave us at the rental place was useless. I think I held my breath the whole way from the airport to the B&B we are staying at tonight and tomorrow night. Going 100 KM/hr in a tin can, on an 8 lane freeway, when you don’t know where you are going and you are on the wrong side of the road is such a thrill…
The B&B is delightful. Walt and Thea, the people we are meeting down here suggested it and will be staying here with us tomorrow night before we take off for Botswana. It is family run (which is always nice) and they have a loyal clientele which also adds to the family ambiance. Everyone knows everyone else and all were friendly and just incorporated us into their conversations. By the end of the evening it was like we had known everyone for much longer than a few hours! Lot’s of questions about Qatar, the States, and American football. There were three groups besides us, an engineering firm, 3 pilots who have their own business flying 737 cargo planes and a gentleman who’s company makes electrical wire/cable.
It is winter time here and I definitely did not pack warm enough clothes. I find myself praying for a hot flash…They have space heaters in the rooms but it still is a bit like sleeping in a tent in November. When I turned back the covers to climb into bed I found a hot water bottle warming the sheets, if I hadn’t already taken off my clothes I would have gone back into the bar and hugged Jane (the owner).
July 21, 2009
Brrrrr….the worst part about getting out of bed this morning was the cold tile floor. RD got up before me (no shock there) and had moved the space heater into the bathroom which made taking a shower almost comfortable.
When I got into the dining area I parked myself in front of a heater and just rotated like I was on a rotisserie for about 3 minutes before I sat down to a wonderful breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage (beef seasoned with roasted coriander…very different and very yummy). Jane called and set up a half day tour of Soweto for the afternoon (Walt and Thea don’t get in until about 8:00 tonight) so I thought it was the best way to get a feel for one of the townships (and I don’t have to get back into that tin can of a car until tomorrow!).
Apparently they do a big Braai (Afrikaans for Bar-B-Q) on Thursday night but we will be gone by then. I asked if they could change it to Tuesday and this morning I got lot's of thanks from the other guests as they apparently took my suggestion and will be doing the Braai tonight!
At noon we were picked up in a mini-van for our tour of Johannesburg and Soweto Township. After picking up 8 more people at another B&B we were off.
Apparently Johannesburg is one of a handful of large metropolis around the world that is not located on a river. It came into being because of a Gold Rush in 1886. At that time they were getting 4-5 grams/ton out of the rock (I guess that is a lot) and when it finally dwindled there was a booming city that just kept going instead of dying away without the gold because by then diamonds had been discovered. Currently they are going back, with new technology, and going through the cast off debris and still getting 2-3 grams of gold per ton. Going underground would require going down 4-5 km and be much more expensive.
As we drive I note there are high fences topped with spikes, barb wire or coiled razor wire around all of the residences.
Our tour guide spoke freely of crime and drug problems, however he did point out that although most of the drug dealers were black most of the drug users were white because blacks can’t afford to buy drugs.
We drove past the prison where Nelson Mandela was held, it is now a court for grievances; Ghandi Square, near the University district, site of some of the uprisings but also where Ghandi started his movement (not in India); the “Diamond” building owned by de Beer’s who control over 50% of the worlds diamonds. (If you are found with a raw diamond in your possession in South Africa you get arrested, in other African countries if you find one it’s yours).
The second part of our tour was of Soweto which means South West Township (duh). The population of Soweto is greater than the population of Namibia and 70% of the people who work in Jo’burg live in Soweto, 99% of the population is black.
There are three modes of transportation from Soweto into Johannesburg (most of the families here cannot afford to own a car). First are minivans, this is the most expensive but most reliable. The second is trains, cheap but rarely on time so if you use them you are in danger of losing your job. Lastly there are big buses, cheap but slow and even more unreliable.
There are 3 classes of people:
Rich: 40,000 Rand /month dual income (college educated), 25,000R/month male, 15,000R/month female…could even be the same job but women will be paid less and blacks in general will be paid less than whites. 8 Rand = $1
Middle Class: 3,500 Rand/month (that’s only $438/month!) dual income (not college educated), 2,000R/month male (security guard type job), 1,500R/month female (domestic). College costs 25,000 Rand/year so the chances of someone going from middle class to “rich” class are slim-to-none.
Poor: no income (poorest area in Soweto…15,000-20,000 people) shacks built out of whatever they can find, no water, no electricity. Most of these people are waiting for more “matchbox” houses to be built. These were created by Nelson Mandela to help house the poor. The problem is they need 250,000+ and only 50,000 have been built. On top of that you must not own land or have a job to qualify for one. So even if you get a job that pays next to nothing to feed your family you no longer qualify and your name is taken off the list…it’s a real catch-22.
We drove down Maketha St., the only street in the world that can lay claim to two Noble Peace Prize winners…Desmund Tutu and Nelson Mandela.
Our final stop was the Hector Peterson Museum. Hector Peterson is famous for being the 2nd student killed in the June 16, 1976 uprising (no picture of the 1st student). I have seen the movie “Cry Freedom” several times so I was familiar with the event (movie version only) but what I saw was well documented in the movie. These students were the same age as me (or younger)…I was between my Junior and Senior year of high school living at Lake Chelan and working in the bar at the bowling alley at the time…I knew nothing of what was going on outside my peaceful little world. Looking at the stark black and white images of what was happening to these students was very sobering.
As we were driving back to the B&B we went past the new 90,000 seat stadium being built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Only the 1st game and last game will be played there. It is beautiful but it seems like such a waste when so many are living in such abject poverty.
I spoke at length with the driver regarding education, affirmative action and hope. I was amazed at how patient the blacks seem to be here in South Africa, realizing that things do not change overnight (they have only been able to vote for 15 years) but it makes you wonder how long the prospect of “hope” will sustain them. Is this a meltdown in the making?
Once back at the B&B we joined cocktail hour in the bar and waited for the evening events to commence. The “Braai” was wonderful, really no different than a plain old American Bar-B-Q but a great excuse to stand out in the cold with your cocktail, warming yourself by the coals, keeping the cook company and then finally being one of the first to get a taste of the steak hot off the “Braai”.
Walt and Thea arrived at about 8:00, luckily there was still food left for them (you’d have thought we were all raised by a pack of wolves when they brought the steaks in). They had some problems with their car rental so were later than they expected but it was sure nice to see their smiling faces.
July 22, 2009
We were supposed to leave at 7:00 for our drive to Limpopo-Limpadi but it was closer to 7:30 by the time we all got coordinated and on the road. Of course, we got lost as soon as we left (lot’s of construction and missing road signs…it had nothing to do with Walt being in the lead…) so it was another half hour before we were really on our way.
We had to stop at the company headquarters and pick up the provisions Walt and Thea had pre-ordered. The office complex was like getting into Fort Knox! After giving them our passports and then getting name badges RD made the mistake of telling them “yes” we have a computer with us…boom, more paperwork to fill out. It seemed like we would never get in to get the darn groceries!
The drive was long…about six hours…and bumpy…The car is tiny and my neck was killing me….can’t say I’d want to do that drive very often but like getting into the Bob Marshall Wilderness, sometimes you have to endure a little hardship to get to the most wonderful places. During the last hour of the trip, just before the border crossing, we started to see Kudu’s, Impala’s and Red Billed Hornbills near the road…it was like a sign that we were getting close.
We followed the directions the guy at headquarters gave us, “when you hit the tar road turn right, after the third Baobab tree turn left and drive until you hit the guard post at the crossing” and sure enough we came to a border crossing in the middle of nowhere. We had been pushing to get here because it closes at 4:00 and there is nowhere to stay if we had arrived too late.
After presenting our papers on the South African side we were finally allowed through the gate. The border crossing itself is actually a concrete “path” across the river with water flowing over it. During the rainy season this crossing is not open. The river was higher than expected, and the holes in the concrete deeper than expected but we made it across. People have been known to be swept down the river…
On the Botswana side we were met by someone from the game preserve and he waited while we filled out more paperwork and paid our entry fee’s. We then followed him onto the preserve and to our lodges. We have three buildings; a central open air living room, dining room, kitchen and two enclosed bedroom/bathrooms, one on either side of the central building. There is a fire pit next to the river where we sat and had a well deserved gin & tonic and a few snacks while the cook, Nancy, prepared our dinner. After a few cocktails and a little food in our bellies we were all ready for bed by 8:30.
July 23, 2009
Walt was a bit off on his timing this morning (I think he was like an excited kid on Christmas morning). He woke us up at “7:30” (we were supposed to take off at 8:00) so we bounded out of bed only to find out that it was really 6:45! Bless his heart he had made coffee but it was his first time using a French Press (he thought that meant you had to pump the plunger up and down repeatedly…it’s a wonder the coffee wasn’t full of grounds). Turns out Thea didn’t feel well so she was still in bed when we took off on the 8:00 “game drive”.
Petros (our guide) picked us up in an “open air” Toyota Land Cruiser (two front seats and three bench seats behind) and right away we saw Impala, Warthogs and Ostrich before we even left the fenced area around the lodge. The fence is to keep the Elephants out because they destroy everything! The rest of the morning was full of Elephants, Kudu, Steenbok and Impala with a sprinkling of exotic African birds too numerous to mention here (I’ll make sure they are properly identified in the photo’s and post a complete list at the end of our visit).
Once back at “home sweet home” we had a brunch of eggs and fried potatoes and then opted for an afternoon nap. Thea was still down for the count when we got back so we didn’t see her until right when we left again for the 3:30 drive, although she chose to stay behind on that one as well. She’s struggling with a migraine that just won’t go away and for some reason riding around on bumpy dirt roads in a four wheel drive vehicle squinting through binoculars is just not appealing to her...
In the afternoon we saw Blesbok, Eland, Jackal, and more of the critters we saw earlier today. Just before sunset we stopped out in an area Walt called the “Veld” and watched Wildebeest, Jackals and Kori Bustards (a crane that is about 4’6” tip to tail and weighs about 18kg…huge) as the sun went down while we drank gin & tonics. Ah…such a nice way to end our first day out in the African “wild”. The drive back was dark, dark, dark and the driver used a spot light to catch the reflection off the eyes of various birds and animals as we made our way back to the lodge. No cats tonight, however. We got back just in time for dinner and then went to bed early. As I was getting ready for bed I heard a noise outside the bathroom and when I peeked out there were two Wildebeest right next to the deck!
July 24, 2009
Up early again this morning for our 8:00 “game drive”. Very cold, overcast and windy this morning and the animals were scarce. It wasn’t until close to the end of 3 hours and 50+ km that we finally found a lone Red Hartebeest (apparently very rare), a group of 9 giraffes and a little further down the road a few Zebra’s. Until then we had only seen a couple of Ostrich, 2-3 Warthogs, a handful of Impala’s (which are usually very plentiful) and even fewer Kudu. I guess the animals were all hunkered down due to the cold as well.
Once back at the lodge we rustled up some lunch then went off for our afternoon nap. When 3:30 rolled around for our evening drive the wind was howling and there was no way I could be rousted from my warm bed. Apparently Thea was still not up to going out either so the men went out on a “man date”. I hope I didn’t miss anything amazing…
Wouldn’t you know it…they saw White Rhino, an Aardvark (Walt has never seen one in all his years of coming to Africa), and a Leopard! I am so bummed!
July 25, 2009
Got up this morning at 7:30 only to realize at 7:20 that I had actually gotten up at 6:30…oh well, drank my coffee by the river and watched the Cape Clawless Otter’s (which turned out to be another rarity) playing in the water. It wasn’t until Walt and Thea got up that we found out they had had a visitor at 6:51 this morning…a baby bull elephant who had obviously gotten separated from his mother. When they started taking pictures he saw the flash and started flaring his ears and charging toward their deck! Cheeky little bugger!
Today’s drives were more fruitful than yesterday morning. Lot’s of the regular cast of characters…Impala, Kudu, Warthog, Steenbok…with the addition of Bushbuck, Waterbuck, Grey Duiker and Klipspringer. We drove along the river for quite a while in search of Hippo but no such luck. At one point we stopped at the den of a Hyena. Of course the first thing RD did was jump out of the truck to go look in the hole! Walt leaned over and told me to make sure I told RD he needed to ask before jumping out of the truck…I guess this particular type of Hyena is the type that ate a 12 year old boy from Maryland last year (not here of course…).
We watched the sun go down while sitting with a G&T on a small rock covered hill (that in the summer time is probably crawling with Puff Adder’s and other assorted poisonous snake). It was really quite beautiful.
July 26, 2009
RD got up and made baking soda biscuits with butter and honey for breakfast…yummy. After several cups of coffee we were off again with a request for more Zebra’s and Rhino’s for those of us not on the fateful Aardvark/Leopard drive.
After about an hour’s drive sure enough we came upon a spot on a dirt trail where a Zebra had just urinated! Unbelievable when you consider we are driving through 80,000 acres! Thirty seconds later we were looking at two, then three Zebra’s!
Ten minutes later we were looking at two White Rhino! This guy is good! He stopped to talk to a group of security guys who took us to a fresh Leopard kill. Tonight we will go and park nearby and wait for the Leopard to come back…I have a feeling I’ll be wishing the seating area was enclosed…
After that we stopped for a cup of coffee at a watering hole and watched a group of Wildebeests for a bit before they got spooked and ran off. It seems that everywhere we turn there is something special to see.
After lunch and just before my nap I found a spider in our bathroom that was big enough to roast and feed the four of us for dinner tonight. If this is the cold season and most of the bugs are dormant I can only imagine what you would see here when it is warm!
At 4:00 our guide Petros picked us up and we drove for about an hour to get to the “kill” which was lying at the bottom of a tree in thick brush. After much “bushwhacking” up and over dead fall and over the top of 10’ tall bushes we finally stopped in a spot about 15-20 yards away. At first we all had our binoculars out and were scanning every blade of grass in anxious anticipation but after about an hour of that we all settled into a quiet, watchful wait. As the sun started to go down and the shadows lengthened we heard a Hyena call far off to the West that was followed by a response far off to the East. Off to my left I spotted a Bushbuck slowly picking his way through the brush. Several moments later a troop of Baboons began to talk to the night as screeching bird calls came from several different directions. As the night became black I looked up to see the Milky Way and a crescent moon giving us just a hint of light. Petros turned on a light for about a minute and caught the reflection of the Leopards eyes off to our left. Moments later the Bushbuck we had seen earlier began to bark a warning. The light was extinguished and we waited silently in the dark. At last Petros turned on the light and said, “he’s there, do you see him?” I couldn’t, so I climbed over the seat to get up with Walt and Thea and there he was, creeping through the brush not making a sound. He was beautiful, lighter in coloring than I expected but a gorgeous young male. We watched as he crept closer and closer to his “kill” stopping every few moments to look at us. Petros then decided to move the truck to the other side so we could actually see the kill because there was a bush blocking our view. I was amazed that he didn’t run away when we started to move, you would not believe the racket we made as we drove over dead logs and brush. Branches were screeching down the sides of the truck, but we finally got around to the other side and there he was. Petros didn’t stop until we were about 10 yards away, which meant he drove up and over a 12’ tall bush. I leaned forward and asked Thea if he was aiming for his tail! By this time he had settled down and was gnawing and ripping flesh off of his “kill”. Every once in a while he’d look up at us, for just a moment, lick his lips and then go back to his meal like we weren’t even there. We must have sat there for 20-30 minutes watching his every move, taking pictures and video’s. Finally, Petros started up the truck and we drove away to let him finish his meal in peace. As we drove away everyone started jabbering at once, we had been so excited and so quiet for so long we were just bursting! Once that initial wave of excitement passed we realized how cold it was and started bundling up in the blankets that were provided for us. RD was still manning a spotlight up in the front seat, as was Petros, when he spotted a Porcupine (very rare) but by the time we stopped and backed up you could just barely hear him moving through the brush, he was nowhere in sight.
A night to remember!
July 27, 2009
This morning we were off and running…plenty of animals to see…Elephant, Kudu, Impala, Warthog, Ostrich, Waterbuck, Zebra, Wildebeest, Red Hartebeest, Baboon, Vervet, White Rhino and finally…an Oryx. I think the only thing we didn’t see was a Giraffe!
Our afternoon was spent by the river, eating snacks, talking, and just generally relaxing and enjoying the company of good friends.
In the afternoon we decided to go to a “hide” at a waterhole and wait to see what would show up. When we got there, tracks of Zebra (umbeezee…Setswana for Zebra), Wildebeest and Giraffe were plentiful, but it was apparent they had been there and gone. The “hide” was up on stilts with foot wide openings at about 3 feet off the floor, unfortunately there were no chairs so Thea and I sat on the cooler, RD kneeled on a thermo-rest he had brought with him and Walt stood at the door keeping watch to our rear. It turned out to be a slow night but we did get a good giggle as we watched a Baboon peeing out of a tree onto a Kudu and were eventually rewarded with a Black Backed Jackal. He had no idea we were there so it was quite comical to see him trot around a bush and see our vehicle…he jumped about a foot!
July 28, 2009
At 7:30 this morning the baby elephant was back…of course I had just gotten out of the shower so I wrapped my towel around me and threw my fleece jacket over the top and ran out on the deck to see him. He is apparently 3 years old but still not old enough to be away from his mother…hope they get them reunited sometime soon.
Off again at 8:30…today was Kudu day…they were everywhere! On our way out of camp we saw Impala, Warthog and Ostrich as usual but a newcomer was a lone male Giraffe who had a severe head trauma last fall and was saved by the reserve’s veterinarian. One horn hangs off to the side and apparently when the injury first happened his brain was exposed. He has been ostracized by the rest of the Giraffes so is relegated to a solitary life. He appears to be blind in one eye and is probably deaf as well on that side as his ear is quite damaged. Seems quite sad…should they have saved him?
The rest of the morning was filled with Kudu, Wildebeest, Red Hartebeest, Waterbuck, and Impala’s. We also ran into Thelma and Louise…the two pregnant Rhino’s (16 month gestation period!). We stopped the truck and just watched them for about 5 minutes, they were like two old cows just munching away on the grass until one of them munched a little close to the truck and caught our scent. It was comical to see her “jump” and try to “scamper” away…they are definitely not “light on their feet”. Later we came upon an Ostrich running down the road. We sped up and followed him and at one point we were going 60 kph!
In the afternoon we made a last ditch effort to find Hippo’s and were finally rewarded with a group of 4 and further down the trail a group of 3 more. A group of Rock Hyrax was also spotted. We were on our way to sit by a Hyena den in the hopes of spotting her when she came out for her nightly hunt. We sat for a very long time, saw a lone bull Elephant lumber past us, completely unaware we were there, only to get a momentary glimpse of the Hyena’s tail as she sped away into the night. Petros was sure she would come back to check us out as she had pups down in the den but we waited another 45 minutes in vain. As we drove back we spotlighted a little Klipspringer who was momentarily blinded by the light and ran smack into the side of the truck. A little further down the road we followed a Porcupine for about 30 meters and then spotted a Bush Baby jumping around in a tree.
July 29, 2009
Our morning trip today was to see the wild dogs they have been raising (they got the pups when a local cattle rancher shot the parents). The hope is to release them into the wild in August. They are waiting for an exchange with another reserve so they won’t all be siblings (obviously not good for breeding purposes). Cool looking dogs, love to have one if I thought it could be trusted to not rip my throat out….
After we left there we went in search of Eland. We only saw one or two that first day and haven’t seen any since. Wouldn’t you know it, turns out it was Wildebeest day…we saw well over a hundred. Lot’s of Zebra as well and finally towards the end of the drive 3-4 Eland. I think if Petros had not found them we’d still be out there…he was determined.
We all decided to stay in camp tonight instead of go on another game drive. Seems like we have been on the go and just really needed time to sit and talk and unwind. Walt cooked broccoli and cauliflower, baked potatoes and brownies while RD grilled steaks. Thea popped the Champagne cork and I sat at the table and tried to stay out of the way.
It was so funny watching Walt make the brownies…he needed ¼ cup water but the smallest the measuring cup went was ½ cup…ever the perfectionist (I was going to say Anal Retentive but it didn’t sound as nice) he poured the ½ cup of water into two glasses and poured back and forth between the two until he got them level… (¼ cup in each)…poured one out and used the other for the brownies. Those brownies were perfect!
July 30, 2009
Walt and Thea are staying for another 3 weeks but our time here is up, it has gone by so quickly and we have enjoyed every minute of it. I got up and packed my bags quickly so I could spend my last few minutes outside listening to the birds and talking with Walt and Thea. Petros came at 10:00 and led us to the border (those dirt roads are even rougher in that little tin can of a car!). It was just as scary making the river crossing the second time around, maybe more so because we were all alone.
We stopped in Mokopane for lunch at an Irish Pub (RD had “Bangers and Mash”) and made it to the airport by 5:00 (our flight wasn’t until 10:00). After checking out a few stores and having a quick bite to eat the Qatar Airways counter finally opened and we got checked in. Once we went through security we found even more stores! Too bad I don’t have a “real” house or I would have bought a few things and had them shipped back to the States…next time…
The flight itself was about an hour late and then was one of the most turbulent flights I think I have ever been on. The flight attendants spent at least half of the 8 hour flight in their jump seats with their seatbelts on. We were greeted in Doha with 400 meter visibility due to a sandstorm…how typical. Welcome back to Qatar!
Our Bird Photo's:
http://picasaweb.google.com/zmountainman/LipadiBirds?authkey=Gv1sRgCMH198Gq5pCWeA&feat=directlink
For all you Ornithologist's out there a "Twitcher's" list of the birds we saw and could identify:
“Twitcher” is British slang for “bird watcher”...
1. Crested Francolin
2. Swainson’s Francolin
3. Natel Francolin
4. Yellowbilled Hornbill
5. Redbilled Hornbill
6. Redbilled Quelea
7. Redbilled Buffalo Weaver
8. Redbilled Firefinch
9. Lilacbreasted Roller http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilac-breasted_Roller
10. Blue Waxbill
11. Black Cheeked Waxbill
12. Violeteared Waxbill
13. Yelloweyed Canary
14. Burchell’s Glossy Starling
15. Longtailed Shrike
16. Yellow Fronted Tinkerbird
17. Crested Barbet
18. Ostrich
19. Kori Bustard
20. Dark Chanting Goshawk
21. Pale Chanting Goshawk
22. Little Banded Goshawk
23. Gymnogene
24. Red Crested Korhaan
25. Black Bellied Korhaan
26. Hamerkop
27. Redbilled Oxpecker
28. Crimson Boubou
29. Glossy Ibis
30. Little Bee-Eater
31. White Fronted Bee-Eater
32. Laughing Dove
33. Emerald Spotted Dove
34. Namaqua Dove
35. Fork Tailed Drongo
36. Helmeted Guinea Fowl
37. Sand Grouse
38. Blacksmith Plover
39. Whitewinged Plover
40. Egyptian Goose
41. Grey Lourie the “Go Away Bird”
42. African Marsh Harrier
43. African Fish Eagle
44. Brown Breasted Snake Eagle
45. Crowned Eagle
46. African Hawk Eagle
47. Pearl Spotted Owl
48. Darter
49. Grey Heron
50. Green Heron
51. Goliath Heron
52. Great White Egret
53. Pied Kingfisher
54. White Backed Vulture
55. Rufouscheeked Nightjar
Go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_birds_of_Botswana for more information on these birds.
Mammals we saw on our “game drives”:
http://picasaweb.google.com/zmountainman/LipadiAnimals?authkey=Gv1sRgCK6Im56fh4jSoAE&feat=directlink
1. African Bush Elephant
2. African Wildcat
3. African Wild Dogs
4. Aardvark (at least Walt and RD saw it)
5. Baboon
6. Brown Hyena (at least we saw it’s tail…)
7. Bush Baby
8. Bushbuck
9. Common Duiker
10. Common Eland
11. Gemsbok (or Oryx)
12. Giraffe
13. Greater Kudu
14. Hare
a. Scrubhare
b. Springhare
15. Hartebeest (Red)
16. Hippopotamus
17. Impala
18. Jackal (Black Backed)
19. Klipspringer
20. Leopard
21. Mongoose
a. Slender
b. Banded
22. Porcupine
23. Rhinoceros (White)
24. Rock Hyrax
25. Steenbok
26. Vervet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vervet_Monkey
27. Warthog
28. Waterbuck
29. Wildebeest (Blue)
30. Zebra (Burchell's)
Go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_of_Botswana for more information on these animals. 
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