SHINNanigans: Back in Gabs

After a low key Tuesday morning, Jon and Julie got to go see where Mr S works and then watch the girls have their tennis lessons. They take lessons at a local private primary school, so it was fun to see the grounds and the school. Students typically get to school around 7am and have academic classes until about 2pm. Then they have activities until about 5pm. Their school year starts in January and ends in December, with 2 midterm breaks during the year. Primary school is basically equivalent to our K thru 7 and secondary school is grade 8 thru 12.

Wednesday morning a friend took J&J bird watching. The birds were a bit elusive, but we still had a nice time walking through the brush and trails (I think it was public land that some people allow their cattle to range through), and the coffee and “biscuits” were wonderful (English shortbread, even better than Lorna Doones! Mom, I put that in there just for you!). And it was fun to get to know someone who has lived in Africa for about 40 years, and one of the marine wives who has been in Gabs for just about a year.

Thursday was a very exciting day! We got to pet cheetahs! (no, not a chia pet, pet cheetahs). At Mokolodi Game Reserve near Gabs they have 2 cheetah brothers that have been in captivity since their mom was killed in 1996 by a farmer when they were just a few months old. Cheetahs are often blamed (and thus killed) for the livestock killings that leopards and hyenas do, so that’s one reason their numbers are so low. It was so cool to see the one animal I (Julie) really wanted to see while here. Though not in the wild, it was so neat to be so close. They purr (loudly!) constantly.

Friday Jon, Julie and Mrs S got to tour a diamond mine. It’s about 2 hours from Gabs, in Jwaneng. It is owned by Debswana, an organization formed by De Beers and the Botswana gov’t when diamonds were first discovered in the country in the late 70s. The mine at Jwaneng is considered the richest in the world in regards to value. Other mines produce more volume, but this mine produces high quality diamonds and thus is the richest in regards to value. The pit is about 1.5 km in diameter and 450meters deep.

btw, if you’d like to see some pictures of our accommodations while in northern Botswana, check out these websites: Oddballs Camp (Okavango Delta) http://lodgesofbotswana.com/camps_lodges/oddballs. Chobe Safari Lodge http://www.chobesafarilodge.com/. No webcams on them like Bush House has, but still interesting pix of the grounds and buildings.