THE RAIN KEEPS ON KEEPING ON…
I’m sitting in my office here in Maun post another impressive storm typing this, the February Boteti Diary. Looking outside for inspiration for the next sentence I see an exotic mimosa tree. Another of its main branches has just broken, resting on the phone wires and fence. Snapped near the base by strong storm gusty winds that blew an hour ago, followed by heavy tropical rain. A black collared barbet home is now horizontal, a few hours ago it was vertical. The chicks are sitting on the walls of their nursery! They are peering out as if nothing extraordinary happened. Their hunger, anticipation of the next worm or caterpillar is priority. Not so much the state of their once high-rise home turned basement flat. The bush pilots living next door’s black cat senses an opportunity. Its balancing on the bull bar of my Land Rover parked outside, heat seeking missile guidance system eyes focus on the baby barbet head-popping from the neatly chiseled hole in the mimosa. The barbet mum and dad are a little anxious. Yes, the rain is still here, lots of it. And its bringing loads of fascinating experiences and sights.