I had always dreamed of visiting Kruger National Park to experience a Safari. Well, we did that and it was a wonderful experience. But nothing compared to the Okavango Delta, to which we were shuttled within Botswana by prop-driven aircraft, and housed in five star individual tents, pampered like royalty and driven with private guides through sand packed roads in our own safari vehicle, for two solid days. We were able to observe animals in the wild: elephants, lions, giraffes, cheetahs, wildebeests, hippos and many others in their natural habitat – and with no other vehicles in sight! An experience that hardly can be described and cannot be forgotten.
We had wonderful riding through Botswana, Zambia and Namibia – a desert wonderland I never even realized existed, sort of an elegant Arizona with temperatures as high as 112 degrees F. We did some sand riding, with a couple of falls creating photo opportunities but no casualties. There was a morning climb of “Big Daddy,” the tallest sand dune in the region (although I chickened out half way up), and photo wonderland.
But perhaps the best aspect of this amazing adventure was the camaraderie I enjoyed with Aaron and the Bauers – Fred and Birgit – all now lifelong friends and riding colleagues in the upcoming World Tour in April. And of course, Helge, who kept me vertical most of the time.
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