Foto: The Canoe Journey through the Okavango Delta (bron: Ronald van der Veer)

Botswana - All our luggage is loaded into one speedboat. We board the other speedboat ourselves. Ten folding chairs are set up inside for our journey through the Okavango Delta. It looks a little rickety, but it’s surprisingly comfortable. It's only half past eight when we set off. The boat glides through narrow channels between the reeds. Along the way, we spot a crocodile lying on the riverbank. After nearly an hour of winding through the stunning waterways, we arrive at the transfer point. The polers have already moved our luggage into mokoros — small, flat-bottomed canoes used to navigate deeper into the Delta. Carefully, we climb into the mokoros two by two. Daniel is pushing ours. It’s a challenge for him, as he's poling two solidly built people, which means we sit lower in the water. Daniel guides the mokoro through the reeds and into the narrow waterway. The swampy landscape is beautiful — filled with reeds, water plants, and glowing sunlight. Along the way, we see many birds, and an African fish eagle soars above us. We’re leading at first, but Daniel lets the other mokoros pass us. This way, the vegetation gets pushed aside ahead of us, making it easier for our canoe to pass. Still, Daniel has to use a lot of force. Occasionally, water spills into the mokoro when he pushes hard. I’m seated in front, so I barely notice, but the back is already getting wet. At one point, a sudden shift from all three of us causes a big splash — water floods into the canoe. A significant layer of water now sloshes around inside. My travel companion, seated in the middle, is clearly not amused. His sleeping bag, which he’s leaning against, is completely soaked. Around eleven o’clock, we reach the island where we’ll spend the night. The mokoros are pulled ashore, and ours can finally be bailed out. The sleeping bag is also laid out to dry.

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