Chobe National Park, Botswana

June 17
Returning to the airstrip by boat, I am picked up by the same female pilot (picture 1). After a 15 minute ride, we stop to pick up another passenger, and continue for a 30 minute flight to a landing stip where a camp guide drives me 20 minutes to Savute Safari Lodge, inside Chobe National Park.
The camp is filled with many different birds. The days are sunny and breezy, and the nights are cold (no heat or A/C). Last night several lions came into the camp, and a leopard was seen today. I am not allowed to jog at this camp due to the many dangerous animals in the vicinity, and running will catch their attention. We must be escorted to and from our rooms after dark.

On our afternoon game drive, we saw many groups of impalas, a wildebeast (aka gnu), many giraffes, birds, and elephants. Giraffes have an awkward gate due to stepping with their 2 right legs, then their 2 left legs. Our guide explained that the reason we see so many impalas is because female Impalas will not mate if food and water is scarce, and if they are ready to give birth and food and water is scarce, they can hold back up to a month.!
The clouds help to make a particularly interesting sunset (picture 2), and as I turn around I see the moon behind me (picture 3). Just as the sun went down we got a call on the radio that a leopard was spotted nearby. We junp in the jeep and within minutes we stop in the road as the leopard is walking 200 ft away. It quickly walks behind the bushes, and as we head back to camp, (It is a Park requirement that the guide must have us back before dark) our guide notices something and stops the jeep. Straight ahead of us a lion is casually walking directly towards us! He tells us not to say anything and don't move except to take a picture. The lion struts like the king of the jungle, and walks right by my jeep no more then 5 ft away. My flash is on and the picture comes out dark, and by the time I turn off the flash the lion is 20 ft away. Very exciting end of the day!