We're up early for a beautiful breakfast then off for our long van ride to San Carlos. We stop at a roadside fruit stand and have fresh coconut water right out of the coconut---not something I can get in Maine on a regular basis! I admit it, I also bought a whole watermelon (my favorite fruit) and very strange looking candy for the ride.
A policeman with an AK 47 makes sure our bathroom stop along the way is safe for us. It seems a little ironic. Somehow here you just go along with the occasional thing that at home would make you run for the hills.
We have amazing whole grilled fish for lunch in San Carlos and meet our boat on the Rio San Juan. We hit a bad rainy patch and cover up entirely in blue plastic slickers held even over our faces to stop the torrent of rain from hitting us but we still manage to see 3 kinds of monkeys, many birds and a sloth!
Andy and Hope amuse themselves by trading sightings of things they claim to see on the river that the other one missed including a gorilla in the mist and a mermaid. We also decide we need nicknames for ourselves on the trip and I somehow become the Laughing Falcon which is a bird with a big blonde head. Hard to argue with that one I suppose.
The Holiday of Purisima is still underway when we arrive at El Castillo and everyone in the town walks to visit the shrine set up by one family where candy is given to the children so we walk up and watch the action. We don't exactly blend in, but everyone treats us warmly.
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
2 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.