Leopard

That day (Saturday, 23 June 2018), I stayed in G to watch World Cup. The games were not super exciting and I, when packing, intentionally picked up my engraving kit. It is one of my things to do. There is one shop in Shoprite in the middle of the island which sells various pre-printed images, like animals, famous sites, ships, etc. I have done quite a few, probably more than twenty during my time in Mauritius. It is a monotonous work, requiring patience, attention to details, focus and concentration. It is a meticulous work, whereby small but consistent strokes and cuts turn into a full and nice image once completed. I quite like the idea of analysing various art objects, dismantling them in your head into small and simple pieces, such as a line, a dot, a circle. Connecting those pieces into a complete image or an object is an act of creation, always something extra-ordinary. I need to say that I am good in copying though. I am still learning and enjoy it.

That day, I was engraving a leopard as shown on Exhibit 1 (unfinished at the time of a photo). It took me probably good 3-5 hours over the weekend to complete the whole thing. While engraving, I already decided to give it as a present to Lisa, a colleague of mine. I always give those completed away. Not that I do not like the completed items, not at all. I just really enjoy the process of creation, the process of engraving. I think I have given away all of them, including but not limited to ships, dolphins, wolves, Coliseum, tigers, cats and so many more. This time it was a leopard’s time to part. This time, L was selected a victim and she was to receive a gift.

At the back, I have written a message to L. It was something like: “Have you ever seen a leopard in the wild? I hope I will see one someday”. I left it on L’s desk on Sunday, 24 June 2018. As I finished engraving a leopard, I left G and went back home to pack for my South Africa business trip.

I took a few days off in-between my Durban work and meetings and decided to go and see Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Victoria Falls has a great location, with Zimbabwe and Zambia sharing the border. It is also very close to Kazangula, which is considered as a quadripoint or a point where the borders of four different countries meet: Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia. The idea of seeing three different countries in one go seemed really cool (I have been only to Namibia before). Zimbabwe and Zambia allow to obtain visa on their borders. For Botswana, it is a logistical nightmare for me, while staying in Mauritius. As a Ukrainian national, I require, a visa to Botswana. As the number of embassies on the island are limited, I would need to go to Pretoria in SA to get a visa. Botswana does not issue visas on their borders.

When planning my Victoria Falls trip, I noted that there were one day trips from Victoria Falls over the border to the Chobe National Park in Botswana. Would be great to visit but for visas, borders and other bureaucratic hurdles. So I had to give up the idea at inception, as I always do.

30 June 2018 (Day 1). On arrival to Victoria Falls International, I requested a multi-entry visa to Zimbabwe so that I could also visit Zambia to see the other side of Victoria Falls. I explained to the official what I want and he said that I would be granted a Kaza visa which is good to travel multiple times between Zambia and Zimbabwe. Kaza stands for The Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area and is meant to promote regional tourism in the area. The official also mentioned that Kaza visa is good to visit Bostwana on a day trip to say Chobe. This made me incredibly happy since not only I saved on visas between Zimbabwe and Zambia, but now I could go to Botswana. Kaza visa cost is USD 50. Sweet.

As I arrived to Shearwaters, a big travel agency, based in Victoria Falls, I reviewed my previous activities bookings. Now knowing the opportunity for Botswana in mind, I have added a full day trip to the Chobe National Park located in Botswana just across the border with Zimbabwe.

3 July 2018 (Day 4). Left Zimbabwe. Entered Bostwana border control. I gave my passport to an official who first put the stamp in my passport. Then he looked at the back of my passport. Oh oh, he said. We have a problem. He said that I need a visa. I told him that Kaza visa provides for a visa free trip to Botswana. I actually re-checked about Kaza on government websites of Zimbabwe and Zambia. I was sure that I could get into the country without any hassles. Almost.

He took off and went into a separate room. I waited for 10 minutes. Then, he called me and invited me to the room. I explained to him all my logic again, I begged him on my knees, I promised I will not take anything from the Park except for photos, I will leave nothing behind but footprints, that I will not even tell anyone that I will have been in Botswana. All in vain. I did not really threaten or intimidate him (maybe I should have). Seemed like his own interpretation of Kaza visa regulation was quite different from mine, was different from the official position and it smelt like someone wanted to collect a penalty on the spot.

We left the border. We did a boat ride. We did a game drive. I saw a leopard. He allowed us to watch him for about 10 minutes. He was walking along the river. He went down to drink some water. 5-7 vehicles watching him. He ignored annoying humans. He had his own staff to do. We all watched him. And then we left. I was absolutely amazed. I was so happy. It is so rare to see a leopard. Virtually impossible. That was such a luck.

As one of the greats once said: “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is”.