Campfire visitor

The night was upon us and we were getting ready for cocktails and dinner. A chaperone came to escort us to the dining room where a hearty, delicious gourmet meal awaits. For some reason I was feeling extraordinarily tired this night and could hardly keep my head up. I also kept running to the bathroom - probably all the delicious fresh fruit. I later learned that I was not the only one but everyone else thought they had cholera having just come from Zimbabwe. I generally have an iron stomach so I wasn't too concerned - it was just a tad inconvenient. Our group was 18 in number and we took over the whole camp at Moremi. The tables are beautifully set and arranged in a square u-shape around the room with a buffet table at the head. Some of the staff join each table for conversation as the soup is served and the meal is presented by the chef. It's a time of camaraderie and to learn something of the life of those who ardently keep us protected in the wild and provide a most amazing bush experience. Launce is the camp manager at Moremi and is a native of Botswana, in particular the town of Maun, a rustic but burgeoning town considered the gateway to the Delta. It was glaringly evident in Botswana that camp managers are white and the rest of the staff is black. (I'm not sure what to make of this observation. I don't know if it's racism or lack of educational opportunity or what but it was troubling to me and obvious. It didn't appear as though the staff much minded as everybody works equally hard and seemed to have a great rapport). I remember being a little annoyed this night because I was trying to hear what Setch, a local guy, was talking about but I was getting a repetitive historical account of what had just happened out on safari from the girls over-talking him. After dessert I decided just to turn in and try to get a few Zs - my roommate snores to beat the band and my earplugs would alternately fall out or wake me up with throbbing ears. This turned out to be a regrettable decision because after I'd gone to bed a few stayed behind and sat around the fire where a 6 foot cobra snake slithered past them. Daylight comes early in the Okavango Delta and daytime holds activities I am loathe to miss even for a snake sighting.