In June 1979, in the Okavango Delta in Botswana, I experienced for the first time in my life, how some humans have forgotten that they are also a part of nature.
After our daring flight, Pierre and I unpacked our belongings from the aeroplane, greeted the other guests and our hosts at the main camp and took up our tents. The plan was to leave the main camp for four nights and to »glide« through the swamps with the mokoros for our photo safari.
A mokoro is a dugout canoe about four meters long, made from the liverwurst tree and guided by a boatman with a long stick.
The biggest advantage over safari by off-road vehicle is that you make very little noise on the water and thus the animals do not perceive it as a threat. The locals have been using this means of transportation for generations. The disadvantage is that it is advisable to follow the smaller water channels mainly between papyrus and countless spider webs. The main, larger, and deeper waters are the habitat of the hippos and the Nile crocodile, which we respect.
We were asked by the manager if we would be so kind and take a lady with us. She was alone, heartbroken, just out of a relationship and she didn’t know how she wanted to spend her holiday.
We had taken food for six people, then it would probably be enough for seven. In facts, I felt sorry for her, I discussed the matter with my friends and we confirmed the lady’s wish.
We packed an additional mokoro with our equipment and food and off we went into the adventure, being one with nature, far away from everyday life and civilization.
During the trip with the mokoros, »my« guest kept herself the whole time hidden under a jacket. She was afraid of spiders and the spider webs were very disturbing for her.
Upon arrival on an island, we unpacked our goods and started, while it was still light enough, to set up our tents and make everything ready for the night. Of course, the lady did not help. Oh no, that’s a man’s job!
Later that night, I wanted to get some sleep too and I opened the zip to enter my tent. To my great surprise, the lady refused me to come in. No way, she said, shall I be sleeping next to her! So, I slept on the bare ground – my foam mat was under the lady in the tent – next to the fire under the starry sky.
The next morning the lady was up at sunrise. She did her cat-wash and washed her hair at the riverbank. Afterwards she asked where she could plug in her hair dryer and was quite surprised that we had not brought a generator in the extra mokoro. Fortunately, there was no smartphone at that time, otherwise we would have had another experience without finding words.
Every evening, each one of us went into the small river with the mokoro. The water was clearer and while one person was on the lookout in the mokoro for crocodiles and hippos, the other undressed and was able to wash like x thousand years ago. The prudish lady, of course, did not join in.
Despite the escapades of this lady, we had a good time. I did regret my choice for taking her with us without knowing more about her; but I was richer by one more life-experience. From then on, I made my trips into the wilderness only with nature-loving people.
