Unforgettable

I suggested in an earlier post that our last night in Botswana was to be a very special one. We followed the hand-made fern arrows to the "mansion" where others were gathered with cocktails in hand and some cool urban African sounds on the stereo. Lori had arranged for a bon voyage soiree for our friends who had to get back to the states. Camp Okavango staff were invited to join us and we spent some time sharing laughs and capturing their images for posterity. And then all of a sudden we heard this thunderous distant sound. As it drew near we realized it was music and chanting from a gathering of on and off duty staffers. They corralled in front of us and shared their sacred traditions. The camp managers had their cameras poised and Benito was enthusiastically jubilant. I said, "you look like you've never seen this before" and he replied, "they've never done it before - I think you all inspired them". It was one of the most memorable nights of my life. They sang and danced and squealed. Ben, donning palm fronds around his shoulders like blades of a warrior, chanted a hand-written song backed up by the cat calls of the ladies. Then Limit took center stage with his reed grass skirt turned percussion instrument as he gyrated to another traditional song. We cheered them on until they ran out of songs. It was magical! They had us all join them in a sort of conga line and we all danced over to the dining room, stopping only for the baby mambo to scurry across our path. I haven't been able to load my video so here are a few stills of the dancers.

They had the dinner tables set up in one long formal banquet style table with white linens and many of the staff tabled with us. The chef presented the beautifully prepared talapia that Harold caught earlier in the evening. It was slim pickin's since it wasn't that big but boy was it good as was the rest of another exceptional meal.

After dinner we took an Amarula (a cocktail made from the fruit of the Marula tree) out to the fire pit and had some laughs and great conversation. You forget being from the Northern hemisphere that there is a whole other sky of constellations. And in the bush night where there is NO pollution of any kind to obscure your view it feels as though you can pluck the stars out of the universe. We observed the Southern Cross and Centaurus among others I'd never seen before. This is where I fell in love with Gabs. He is without question the most beautiful person I've set my eyes on - his perfect physical features that is. I didn't spend enough time with him to know his heart but I found him very intelligent and insightful during conversation even though he lacked charisma and that certain je ne sais quois. Oh well, I guess you can't have everything. Here's his gorgeous face. I have corresponded with Gabs since returning and will continue as a pen pal until I get the opportunity to host him in California. He told me that his only visit to the states was to Orlando, Florida, which is the worst representation of the USA. Hopefully he'll make it to the west coast someday.