Baby Blue wiggles over and starts pulling on my top. As he starts to feed I remember its Christmas Day! I hear the unmistakable sound of fidgeting on airbed from the side of me! Lego Boy was stirring soon the ciaos would start!

“Santa found us!” The shout wakes up the rest of the family. Before I knew it there was wrapping paper everywhere and squeals of delight ringing in the air.

Favorite presents in hand we headed to the small airport for our flight. Our pilot met us on the already warm tarmac. He couldn’t have been out of school long or maybe this was a holiday job. The plane was tiny! There was only 6 seats including the pilot’s.

The boys sat at the back, I took the Co pilot seat hoping that a Co pilot would not be needed! I’m not keen on heights and have been known to freeze with fear on occasion (top of the Sagrada Familia,  half way down a giant redwood in western Australia, just before sky diving over the great barrier reef, to name just a few). So having Daddy in the back with the kids meant I could concentrate on my own fear and not let the boys see!

As we started to taxi out Middle Man turned very pale! (Can you inherit fears?) Nothing really phases him but the noise and movement of the tiny plane was unsettling him. He moved next to Daddy as we waited our turn for take off. Our baby faced pilot was good and the take off was very smooth.

Once in the air and my heart rate had returned to normal I could enjoy the view. Both the boys were clearly enjoying it also, silently looking out the windows.

The Okavango Delta was truly stunning, the morning light reflecting off the curvy water ways, an unbroken green and blue expanse as far as the eye could see.

The only paths seen belonging to the animals of the delta. We saw herds of buffalo, wallowing hippos, drinking elephants, masses of grazing antelope, warthog, crocodiles, and running giraffe. Seeing animals from the air with there elongated morning shadows was magical.

Towards the end of the flight I get a tap on the shoulder. Middle Man’s nerves had obviously disappeared as he and and Baby Blue had fallen asleep! Another place to add to the list of strange places Middle Man has managed to sleep. My favorite so far is on the back of an elephant trecking through the Indian jungle.

As it was nearing time to land my heart rate increased. My nerves were misplaced however as our pilots landing was so smooth both boys remained asleep. During the taxi back to the airport our baby faced pilot took a selfie with the still sleeping boys in the back ground! Rightly proud of his flying skills.

Back at the lodge we had pancakes for breakfast, maybe the start of a new Christmas tradition. The boys still buzzing about the flight we settled down to enjoy the rest of our Christmas morning around the pool.

The lodge put on a Christmas lunch, it wasn’t the home cooked delights we were used to on Christmas day but nevertheless was very enjoyable. There was crackers, roast dinner and even a mince pie and cream for pudding.

The lodge had got a bigger room for us so we moved our stuff over and the rest of the afternoon was spent playing with new toys and swimming. Husband decided to have another go fitting the suspension bumpers.

A couple of hours later he came back looking truly pee’d off. He had got one on successfully but had managed to thread the bolt on the other. At least we would have one working bumper thing for the rest of our journey. Time for a drink in the bar!

The boys had Pancakes again for tea. With full stomachs, a big room to look forward to and the alcohol starting to flow we happily watched our young family play on the river bank. It had definitely been a Christmas day to remember!