A few weeks ago, Mr. Forrest, Ms. Sharon and a whole host of WIS students, myself among them, were lucky enough to visit the Okavango Delta in Botswana for a full two weeks, and I do not believe it to be an exaggeration to say that it was one of the best experiences I’ve had. Each day brought excitement, intrigue, knowledge and of course, a lot of elephants. And each night brought its own treats, be it in the form of shared stories and laughter around a crackling fire, seeing the glint of some shadowy animal’s eyes as it snuck through the grass, or the distant laughter of spotted hyenas echoing through the night. While the beauty of the Delta and its occupants was certainly a joy to experience, the people I found myself surrounded by during this adventure pleasantly surprised me with all they had to share as well. It is my pleasure to share just a smidge of that experience with the broader WIS community.
The Okavango Delta is a massive (2,023,590 Hectare!) inland delta right outside of Maun, and it is a truly wild and beautiful place, filled to the brim with wildlife from the elegant kudu and the dazzling zebra to the subtle, quick-footed leopard and of course the golden-maned king himself, the lion. The camp we called home, ‘Kwappa’ is a prime example of the wild and ‘up-close-and-personal’ nature of the Delta. The surrounding fence was constructed in such a manner as to allow any and all wildlife inside with the exception of elephants. It was not uncommon to find the tracks of a leopard within camp the next day (Or in Mr. Forest’s case, to see one in the flesh), nor to have late-night visitors, namely a particularly destructive porcupine with a knack for digging out and destroying important piping. There was also an elusive honey badger skulking and sniffing right outside our tents. One would think that with how exposed the camp is and with animals often visiting us in the dark hours of the night, that we’d feel unsafe or scared, yet it was quite the opposite. This was a consequence of the stern but fair presence and guidance of our very own Mr. Forrest & Ms. Sharon, alongside our wonderful guides: Tebla and Chippo.
In addition to the animal encounters that we had daily, many of the students impressed me during this trip, from Mario’s rapid growth of knowledge of and passion for the Delta and its ecology impressing both peer and teacher alike, to Mbongo’s bravery in the face of an elephant towering over him a mere seven meters away. There was also Martha and Leah’s admirable determination to perform to their very best in each and every class. Most of all, I was impressed by everyone’s love and excitement for the Delta. They all were willing to venture outside of their comfort zones and make the most of the experience. What a trip!
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