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Fri Jun 13 2003 (Maun to Kasane)

Up at 6.40, pack tent and walking by 7.15. Arrive at bus station around 7.35. Next bus to Nata is at 8.30. Lady puts pack onto bus for me, then find out she is conductor. Nip across to petrol station for fruitcakes, Eet Sum Mor shortbread, fruit juice and water. Meet lady who got first hitch yesterday. Away at 8.30 on the dot, have 3 seats to myself. Snooze on way, arrive Nata around 11.40. Get fish and chips, and Ngami times. Article about footballers being cursed. Couple of flatbed trucks packed full of school kids with their teacher. Quite a few odd people hanging around (woman dancing and bloke with dreadlocks staring at everyone). Talking to bloke who wants to start his own tour business. Starting to think about hitching again, bus finally arrives at 1.20pm, although wouldn't have stopped if girl hadn't flagged it down. Bus pretty full, sit in window seat next to lady, can't get out of sun. SNoozing again, woken up by conductor to pay (P27). Bus breaks down at bar. Clutch fluid leaking from break in pipe. Takes them about 90 mins to fix, by which time several people have hitched. Get into Kasane around 6.30pm. Drop me off near entrance to Chobe Safari Lodge. Commotion as buffalo is standing opposite gate and none of staff want to leave. Check in, rondavel P425, camping P40, but fancy proper bed and en-suite bathroom and don't want to put tent up in dark. Receptionist takes me to rondavel, next to water where beautiful sunset is ending. Throw bags in then go to take photo of sunset and bump into monkey. Couple of notices inside room warning of elephant, hippos and crocs wandering around site. Get shower and laze on bed for a while. Can hear hippos a few hundred yards away. Woman keeps making announcement by megaphone which I think is to warn about animals but can't hear it properly. Go down to restaurant next to pool and on waterside. Has feel of an expensive hotel with expensive guests and I don't like it. Have buffet (P80) which is nice but don't really feel comfortable, everyone seems arrogant and grumpy. Then go to bar, same feel. Why does the quality of service go down the more expensive a place is? Don't hang around too long, back to room, using torch to check for crocs and hippos (danger signs everywhere). Rondavel spider on wall. Put radio on, find a Botswana talk show, crash not too long after. Photos from today