I was excited. Zimba and I were on our way to the Khwai Community. This local community is the gateway within the national parks going east, west, north, and south.

More importantly, the Khwai River and its floodways engulf a few shops, an airport, and multiple options to stay.

The river and its swampy wetlands attract all kinds of birds and animals sooner or later, which then attracts us.

Hippos are right at home here.

This regional township is surrounded by national parks without being officially incorporated.

What does that mean? It means that visitors don’t need to pay per day to stay. Hooray.

The costs to sleep aren’t cheap, just like anywhere in this vicinity. Most of the accommodations include camping options in prime wildlife-viewing habitats. Various and spacious campsites are dotted along the river’s edge.

The ‘usual’ wildlife caution and precautions are in place.

It was steaming hot again, the humidity was almost unbearable. A pair of giraffes tried to keep their long necks in the shade, which is not an easy undertaking, but rather an overtaking.

It is revealed that the unusual markings giraffes carry are covered with blood vessels.

These are the giraffes’ cooling systems as the body pumps out more blood cells in some natural phenomenon.

Dozens of elephants were drawn to the water’s edge of the Khwai River on my arrival. This spot in particular was popular with old and young, big and small.

I nicknamed this lustrous location ‘the elephant pools’. A few smaller groups of females lead their youngsters to the animal playground.

They had an absolutely amazing time in the cooling waters.

I could feel the excitement all around me as teenagers and their families enjoyed the cooling waters. Not all young ones were excited.

My attention drifted to this very young elephant and his mother.

This gorgeous baby elephant was too young to know what excitement meant. The fact that mom wasn’t surrounded by her family group concludes that this drop-dead gorgeous kid was only just born. Many animal mothers separate from the herd for birth and keep their babies away for a few days.

It is so that the newborns get used to sounds and smells from their mothers. Mom had just showered her with mud to prevent overheating.

She looked very shaky on her young feet. She looked precarious in her mind.

She was thirsty. She was tired. She was gorgeous. And just like that, she dropped to the floor.

If I hadn’t seen her hitting the dirt, I would have feared the worst.

Her mom, bless her, had all the patience in the world.

She stood nearby and watched the world go by. Or rather, her friends and family pass by.

Her trunk acted as a leg so she could cross her behind legs for the time being. Little Dumbo was passed out for some time. Right in track spur, right in the beating sun.

In a way, it was good that a Safari vehicle spooked the little one to get her out of the sun.

‘I thought she was dead’ the driver said.

Reunited, mother and daughter slowly trotted off.

The size difference is just immense.

On a more peculiar note is this lone old bull. He casually sipped in the water while the wee one was lying on the track.

He slowly moved out for a mud shower when they reunited.

Amazingly, he blocked my path as the cute pair walked off.

It wasn’t a coincidence that he stood there as he looked straight at me, telling me not to move. He lifted his ears and shook his head as to say: ‘I am in charge’!

I wouldn’t dare. Who would argue with him?

Splish and splash time had also finished for the other herds as they moved towards us.

We found ourselves in the middle of giants again.

And some not-so-giant ones.

How gorgeous.