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Tue Jun 10 2003 (Seronga - Mokoro)

Last night woke up completely parched. No water left, check watch, expected 4 or 5am. Not even mignight. Use filter to get about 2.5 litres of filtered swamp water, takes about 30 mins. Up at 6.30am. Breakfast of tinned guava halves. Head off before 8am to larger island for game walk. Keep having to divert as meet elephant. See zebra, warthog, baboon (buffalo fence). On way back, avoiding another elephant, Justin spots buffalo but they're downwind. This is not good. Had told me off earlier about lagging behind so I'm just a couple of steps behind. He legs it 90 deg left and I follow, about 100m to a couple of trees. Point out that elephant is now at next tree, just 100m behind us. Asks me "can you climb?". I nod. If they charge, we go up. OK. A few seconds later, thunderous roar and we jump in between trees. Buffalo hammer by, 25 metres from tree,like a freight train,12 of them. Straight towards elephant, who panics and runs like the clappers, just see huge arse and big ears flapping off into distance, straight into next set of trees about 0.5km away. We're laughing about this all the way back to the boat. Back to island, I manage to pass through a couple of spiders webs with my head. First time end up with hundreds of baby spiders on me, second time a golf ball sized spider on my cuff. Unable to land at camp as elephant there. Takes several pole slaps before they go away. Lunch at camp, baked beans and biscuits. Pack up and head back. See more elephant, 15 sightings in the two days. Croc splashing out of our way, impala. Truck meets us, but breaks down after a few minutes.Zebra with donkeys and cart. Back at camp, see Raj and meet Freeman the local police commander. Tells us rest of Africa has corrupt police. Grab shower, in two bedroomed chalet tonight. Have dinner with Tom and Raj, chips and beef with bread, chocolate mousse. Few beers then bed not long after 9pm. Photos from today