I know it has been a while since my first post on this..http://sitheclimber.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/close-encounters-of-elephant-kindpt-1.html.
To pick the story up, Claire and I were about to have our full day on the Nxai Pan..and another amazing day it was. We got up early and went to see the watering hole at dawn..the Ellies were there as well, as were the other people staying on the adjacent campsite (they left after this). We were parked up and then along came a lioness with 3 little fluffy bundles of fur - her little cubs. She was about 100 m away from and walking towards the waterhole. The little ones were trotting along in fairly close order - the pictures are all up on the photobox site btw - they were so lovely. I am sure one of them would have liked to come along and have a cuddle with us and snooze on the bed back in Cumbria - it wouldn't have been too much of a shock for him!!
Looking through the binoculars from about 200m away I was then a little alarmed to see two other lionesses running towards us!! They weren't all out sprinting but they were certainly jogging - and certainly enough to make us put the windows up in Mo!! Fortunately, they were just coming to meet the cubs and say hello to them. We later learned from the rangers that it would have been the first time the cubs would have been introduced to the pride - hence the 'aunties' were so happy to see them.
Anyway, around 4.30 pm we went back for an afternoon trip to the waterhole - the lionesses and cubs were dozing in the sun. A lone bull elephant was wandering off in a line which would take him to near our camp; however I felt sure we would beat him back easily with the vehicle - which we did.
Safely back in camp - we moved things out of the elephant path and Claire was preparing the fire and supper whilst I was picking up the water containers to go and fill them up for the last time. I took 10 steps to clear the immediate campsite and looked left - to find a large grey being approaching! The large grey being was about 100m away at least - so I went to get Claire and we elected to take the longer way to the ablution block (which is of course, elephant proof!!). Having just turned onto that path it was not ideal to see another bull elephant loping along on that path. He wasn't charging rather jogging gently - however when one is 4m tall that is still rather quick!! A rapid change of plan was in order..involving us trying to scramble over the elephant trap and get to the block. Claire managed to make a hole in her foot doing so - which Howard had to patch when we got back - and I could barely do in my flimsy flip-flops. Rather relieved, we reached the block and waited about 15 mins or so in the hope that they had passed before going back (gingerly!!) to the camp.
As I said in my previous post - maybe I am very naive about this - but I was certainly less concerned than Claire was....it is doubtful that Usain Bolt could outrun a charging bull and we certainly couldn't!! However it was certainly a sharp reminder that camping in Botswana is not quite the same as camping in the Lakes or N. Wales - or even Scotland for that matter although they do have midges!!
Afternote: The 'safety' of the ablution block turned out to be slightly illusory as it happens...next morning there was no water and one of the pipes had been ripped off the wall and was spraying water all over, and a manhole cover was missing - clearly an ellie with a long trunk had got thirsty!! The water spraying out was actually presenting a challenge as it was starting to seep through the elephant trap and form a nice little puddle - and it had a nice little herd of lovely Springbok waiting for it!! As I decided I could do without a thirsty lion or two at that point! I was able to turn the stop tap off, we decamped and went home via telling the rangers (who weren't best pleased as the ellies had already rendered the other block hors d'combat ) and Baines Baobababs...see the photo site for the pictures...
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