Today, we awake to a new location. We motored during the night and are now at Española Island. After a breakfast buffet of eggs, bacon, potatoes, cereals, and many different fruits, we gather our things and get ready to head to Española Island. We divide into two groups and are carefully loaded into the panga. I'm surprised at how easy it is for us to load and unload. There is always someone on the other side with an outstretched hand, waiting to help us on and off. On the island, we see hundreds of sea lions and marine iguanas. After about two hours on the island with our guide, we return to the Millennium. We relax a little before lunch and talk about what we've seen. After lunch, it's snorkel time! Once in the water, I immediately spot a sea turtle and begin following it. He leisurely glides through the water, untroubled by my presence. A few minutes later, I look up, only to realize that I'm VERY far from the rest of the group. I pout a little as a I swim back to the group, but my mood is lifted as I realize they are following a group of white-tipped reef sharks! Very cool! We are ravenous for dinner and are happy to see fresh shrimp, a delicious avocado salad and more food than we can possibly eat. Our bartender, Teo, serves up caipirinhas with dinner. The caipirinha is the official drink of Brazil and is made with cachaça, sugar and lime. They remind me of mojitos a little.
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
1 day ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.