See Rick’s previous blog, Where’s That Elephant Odyssey Ambassador Now?
May 2, 2009 (Saturday) – Day
Due to the limited number of flights (three per week between Gaborone and Kasane) Shea and I had to spend a day in Gaborone. We flew into Gaborone the night before and are going to fly out tomorrow morning, so we have today to ourselves—or so we thought.
Last night it rained quite a bit; however, this morning was gorgeous. The ground was still wet, but the clouds were breaking up a bit and the air smelled wonderfully fresh. We enjoyed a nice breakfast at the restaurant that is part of the hotel where we are staying and then went back to the airport. Seems odd, I know, since our flight to Kasane isn’t until tomorrow, but let me explain. When we arrived yesterday evening, five out of our six pieces of luggage didn’t arrive. (We have so many pieces of luggage because we are traveling with video equipment, cameras, etc.)
We are hopeful that the equipment will show up on the next flight from Johannesburg, and if not the morning flight, then hopefully the evening flight.
May 2, 2009 (Saturday) – Night
Just a quick note to let you all know our luggage has finally caught up with us. As of 6:45 p.m. (Botswana time), we had our luggage in hand, and after a brief stop through customs, we were back on the road to the hotel.Yay! I have never been so happy to see luggage before.
With everything in our possession, we are planning on keeping with our original schedule. In other words, we will be leaving the hotel at 6:40 a.m. to catch our flight to Kasane in northern Botswana. We have received an e-mail from Dr. Chase letting us know that he and his team will meet us at the airport, and we will be heading out into the field right away! The plan is to be back at the resort in Kasane by Wednesday night.
Please keep in mind I have yet to get the global broadband card to work. I do not know if that is because of the area we are in or if it is just not working. If it does not work once we are in the field, I will not be able to blog until Wednesday night. So if you do not hear from me until then, please know it is only because I do not have Internet access.
Until next time!
Rick Schwartz is the San Diego Zoo’s Elephant Odyssey Ambassador.
To support our elephant conservation work in Africa and learn more, visit the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy.
Read Rick’s previous post, Packing and Unpacking Pachyderms.
Rick – Thanks for all of your awesome posts. It is so enjoyable reading about all the places that you visit and especially all about the elephants. Good Luck in the field and I look forward to hearing all about your adventures!
Can we get a Punga and Kamile update?
Rick I so love elephants. They are my gentle giants. I am so thankful for you and all you do for elephants and thanks for the difficult times of getting back to us on your journeys. I saw the animal planet wild kingdom show with Dr. Mike Chase on tv. It is wonderfull what he does as ecologist and conservationist for helping elephants. The collaring of the elephants was a good idea, especially the big bull who will now lead the younger ellies into Angolia. It was smart how he figured how to keep so many elelphants from culling. I chat on line to Djuma reserve and kruger and they[rangers, guides & moderators & people who live there, say that in their area there are double elephants and they have to do culling, & there is no other way. They will do on rode not use by tourist rides , so they won’t know. I am so heart broken, cause I know there are so many, that it has to be done. We or any other country, can’t afford to take on that many elephants. In Africa they say that the elephants will be used for meat sold cheap for the people to eat. In a way, for that reason, it doesn’t seem so bad, because so many people starving over there. We kill many animals here for consumption , and we think nothing about that. Even our slaughter houses here are cruel to the animals here, so I can see the culling for that reason only. I doesn’t stop me from being upset about it though. Thanks again Rick
Isnt it amazing? We slaughter animals ALL THE TIME not to merely feed but also as luxuries (fillet mignon) and yet we fight to conserve animals that could possibly help feed the poor? WHo are these people? They will fight to save the animal in the park, while watch a mother and her baby die of starvation on the other side of the fence. Then self righteously say, Im just doing my job.
HOw about a conservation park…for humans.