Wednesday, 01 February 2012

Another 3 hour drive along the sandy track and through swamps to get back onto the B8 highway to head for Katimo Mulilo.

The B8 highway took us through the Caprivi National Park where big signs warn of elephants crossing the road. We were giving up on seeing elephant until we noticed fresh elephant droppings. We eventually saw some elephant along the road.

Anyone that knows Lynne, will know that she is, well shall we say just a little ‘off-beat’ at the best of times… Lynne is “chameleon-crazy” (bit like cat-crazy – only weirder!) and whenever we take off into the bush, Lynne always combs the local vegetation for a chameleon. After ten thousand kilometres of searching, she had just about given up on ever finding one when, as we were driving along a tar road, she suddenly said stop! Poor Philip – but he had also seen it – a chameleon crossing the road! (This is not a chicken/chameleon joke!!) We couldn’t believe it and Philip immediately did a U-turn and we went back. Firstly, Lynne wanted to rescue the little creature before it got wiped out by a less caring motorist and secondly, she wanted to pick it up and have a photo taken before taking it safely across the road to the nearest bush. A local child, around 10 years old, suddenly appeared out of the bush and watched Lynne with a mixture of horror and amazement as she scooped up the chameleon, waited while Philip took a few photos and then put the chameleon back in the bush. (Local people are very superstitious and afraid of these creatures – I mean, would you trust someone if they changed colour at will?)