D59….Sounds of Silence.

We are in a very unique place. As I tried to describe yesterday we are next to one of the worlds largest salt pans, the same size as Switzerland. It was once the largest lake in Africa, bigger even, than the old lady Lake Victoria. Super, our guide who mixes with the stars, invited us again to step out alone into this vast featureless expanse and enjoy the silence. Where in the world can you sit quietly and not hear a whisper. We are completely unused to silence. 99 per cent of the time the noise surrounding us is man-made and ugly. Cars, trains, planes overhead, the radio, tv, wretched iPhones and Blackberries and general city, or office, hubbub. If not man-made it is the sea, or birds or wind. And where else can you experience zero pollution. No litter, no lights, no noise, no fumes. We all enjoyed our 30 minutes of solitude in such an untainted environment.

The evening meal is held on a long table under an almost Arabic-like tent. It reminds me a little of the Pig. Lots of unique pieces of aged furniture, curious artifacts and old paintings and photos. It is actually one of 6 registered museums in Botswana. Many fossils have been exposed in the pans, some of which are in glass cases lining the walls, including old human skulls and even a sabre tooth tiger head.

On the subject of the Pig there was a nice couple from LA, Gregg and Lucy, also resident at Jacks Camp tonight. Lucy does some acting and is a travel agent. She discovered that Robin was in ‘hotels’, to which she says “do you know I have heard that the hottest thing in the UK, is the Pig. Do you know it?!!!” Small world.

And on the subject of Stelios, we were obliged to say our sad farewells. An end of an era of good wines and bad jokes!! We have had a ball during the Stelios phase and he will be missed. J