Woolly says – We were up with the dawn chorus and ready for our 7am pick up, sadly this meant missing breakfast and the human had forgotten to get something for us the day before, so we set off with our tummies gently rumbling.

Our driver was on time and we headed out of Livingstone and onto the border road, ten minutes into the journey and we stopped to pick up a strange man, I could feel that Jo wasn’t overly happy about this but we have had it happen when traveling in SE Asia so we sat back and hoped for the best. Another ten minutes passed,and the bus stopped again in the middle of nowhere.

The driver got out and looked under his bonnet before coming back to us and explaining that the fan belt had broken. Jo and I looked at each other, next thing we knew the driver had flagged down a passing car and us and the strange man we had picked up were told to get in and that they would take us to the border.

I didn’t have time to think before the new vehicle set off with us and the strange man in the back and two men in the front, stupid or what.

Woolly says – I tried to mammoth up and grabbed onto my human’s hand not knowing what to do but knowing that Zoe had told me adamantly to look after Jo no matter what, I just wasn’t sure what the what was though at that point.

I tried to keep swallow breathing and not to panic as the circulation in my hand started to decrease due to my small companion’s obvious panic. My mobile phone was in my back pocket so handy if needed, the only thing I could think of was to get my bunch of keys out of my bag and quietly place them between my fingers and then hope for the best.

Woolly says – the miles flashed by, and we kept giving each other reassuring looks and hand squeezes, as I saw a sign for the border post, we turned onto the correct road it looked as though we might get there. A few more minutes and the car pulled up and out we tumbled to be met by one of the group leaders, phew, we both started to breathe normally again.

Within five minutes we were stamped out of Zambia and into Botswana and safely inside one of the safari jeeps.

Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kalahari Desert. It is bordered by South Africa to the south and southeast, Namibia to the west and north, and Zimbabwe to the northeast. It is connected by the Kazungula Bridge to Zambia, across the world’s shortest border between two countries. It was also different to Zambia, the sand had changed from a golden colour to a much redder nearly copper tone, the country seemed to be sandy but with lots of modern shops around.

A short drive later and we entered the Chobe National Park, Botswana’s first national park, and also the most biologically diverse. Located in the north of the country, it is Botswana’s third largest park, after Central Kalahari Game Reserve and Gemsbok National Park. This park is noted for having a population of lions which prey on elephants, mostly calves or juveniles, but also subadults. Unlike the park we had visited in South Africa there were no fences, and the animals could cross borders without the need for a passport stamp.

With our ranger signed in we set off, flying down a small road following a tip he had received about a rare sighting of Painted African dogs.

Well from there it just got better and better, below is around a third of the pictures taken so sit back and enjoy the elephants, impala’s, lions and so much more.

Covered in dust but delighted with our morning we headed to a nearby waterfront restaurant for a buffet lunch which was rather good and much need after missing breakfast.

With bellies full we headed onto a small boat for the river cruise part of our trip. The Chobe River flows through six different countries and as we boarded form the Botswana side we could see Namibia just across the water.

The boat set off and we were filled with more delights, from even more elephants to hippo’s and Nile crocodiles, so here’s a few more pictures…..

Wind whipped and slightly soggy from the spray we arrived back at the marina completely happy and content with everything we had been able to see.

Off we headed to the border once more and within minutes we were stamped out of Zimbabwe and back into Zambia. As we left the immigration offices our driver from the morning appeared with the same bus, having had such a good day Jo and I were up for giving him a second chance.

The driver told us that the fan belt had been fixed as we climbed in and set off back to Livingstone. A few minutes later he admitted that his fuel pipe was leaking, and he didn’t have enough petrol, this was not what we wanted to hear.  Stopping at a fuel station that had nothing in the pumps we tried the next one only to be told that their fuel line into the pump was being mended and it would be around twenty minutes before anything was available. I wasn’t happy, in fact I was cross.

Woolly says – We sat and waited as the smell of petrol got stronger and stronger, twenty five minutes later and still no fuel the driver set off again, his engine light on and the stench of petrol filling my trunk. We pulled up at a small shack where a young man filled up a couple of oil bottles with the required liquid which he then poured into the vehicle. At least we had something to get us back, as the two of us sat in the back with all the windows wide open I could see that Jo was in a savage mood which like myself wasn’t aided by the headache the smell was giving us.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity we arrived back in Livingstone and jumped out of the van and I’m sorry to say that I very rudely said nothing to the driver as I was worried about what might pour out of my mouth by this point.

A quick shower, some food and a message to Zoe to let her know we were safe, and I spent the next hour in contact with the tour company regarding our ride.

Woolly says – Trying to lighten our mood we had an hour or so of looking through the amazing pictures we had taken and trying not to let the one situation reflect badly on what had been an amazing day.

Following our conversation with the operators we have been reassured that the driver will not be allowed to work for the company again and offered a voucher for another tour for when we want to use it.

Should we have got into the strange car, not of course not but sometimes you don’t feel that you have a choice, even seasoned travellers make mistakes and its not one that we will make again.

Woolly says – Today finds us leaving Zambia and heading to all things spicey!