During lunch the big boat cruised down river. Before lunch was over, we received word the launch would not be fixed in time for a fishing excursion. I would be forced to spend the afternoon sitting in the lap of luxury, watching different species of African wildlife while lifting weights 12 ounces at a time. Dang. We did make out for a late afternoon game/sundown cruise. We witnessed some hippos arguing. I got most of it on video, including the audio of their swear words. We also saw the biggest crocodile I have ever seen. The guide estimated it at around 5-6 meters (about 15-18 feet) and 550-600 kilograms (± 1300 pounds). That was really cool, until it dawned on me the boat I was in was only 7 meters. Oops. We watched the crocs and hippos until it was time for the actual sundown pictures. After the last of the sun’s rays dipped below the horizon and darkness started closing in, we headed back to the Chobe Princess. After cleaning up a bit, it was time for more sundowners and the chance to know our shipmates better. During sundowners the head steward came out and announced the diner menu. Dinner would be beef filets cooked to order (medium-rare for me), baked potato slices, cooked carrots, and some small green squash. After the menu was announced, I remembered the overly warm red wine from the night before and grabbed a few bottles of cabernet and put it in the cooler to try and drop it below the 85 degree air temperature. I hoped it would cool to a more pleasing temperature while we finished our cocktails. Dinner was wonderful. First up was a starter made from chickpeas. Whenever I hear the word “chickpeas”, my “this can’t be good because it is good for you alarm” goes off. The appetizer was made from putting the chickpea mixture in a pastry crust (making it look like a golf ball), baking it and serving it with a chutney dipping sauce. Even though I was skeptical, it ended up being very tasty. The filets were cooked to perfection and allowed to rest the proper amount of time after cooking. For those unfamiliar with the term “resting” in conjunction with meat, it is pretty simple. After removing the meat from the cooking surface, it is covered and allowed to rest for ten minutes or so. This allows all the juices to remain in the meat keeping it juicy and full of flavor. I was so happy I had chilled the wine as it complimented the beef perfectly. What a main course, it was delicious. Dessert was a vanilla pound cake with a glaze/syrup drizzled over the surface. One after-dinner brandy on the rear deck was all I needed to cap off a wonderful evening.
Game viewing form a skiff gets you up close and personal
Sneaking up on a huge crocodile with a not so huge of a boat.
According to our guide somewhere between 16 and 18 feet of crocodile.
Fitting wine for an African dinner don’t you think?
