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Stage 5
To see the Okavango Delta you have to fly over it. The area is flat so from the road you have little idea what the delta looks like. Anytime of the year is good as the delta looks different depending on the water levels.
Schalk and Maarten arranged for a flight the moment we arrived in Maun. This turned out to be an excellent decision as the flight takes place at 7 in the morning. My concern was that it was overcast and rainy now.
Off we went to the offices of Sefofane Air Charters with the chap they had found in the main street standing on our running boards while he chirped about police possibly complaining about this. It was drizzling and this was done to speed up proceedings. More rain came and sylvia moved closer to me and he climned in beside her. (Why not allow him to sit in the back you may ask - well then you have no idea what our vehicle looks like on the move in the bush.) On arrival at the offices 2500 Pula divided by five as another flyer arrived during negotiations was handed to well dressed airline looking people. Somehow I feel slightly more was handed over due to other "consumables" like airport tax or something like that.
Of course passports are essential - flying over the delta is not like flying around some suburb.
24 November
At 6 we were on our way to the airport to make sure we were there by 6:30 for the planned 7:00 flight.
The pilot met us - someone else took our passports and wrote out "tickets".
We went through "security" - I do not do this often, in fact rarely, and I had key and a purse which tested the metal detector. I felt much safer knowing this especially as a stranger had joined our group.
Close to 7:00 we ascended into the air.
The flight was lovely as always.
Close to 8:00 we landed and taxied over to the fuel pumps. Thank goodness we had made it.
A golf cart thing arrived and transported us back tom the airport building and we returned to Audi Camp for our breakfast which was included in our tent fee.
Below are some of the many pictures I took.
Nick Gouws of 4x4 MegaWorld in Maun Botswana.
Nick's daughter Jaylene with a bush baby.
On the left Heather from Cornwall - near Bray - where we camped for the night before going home the next day.