In the Tuli Block, Botswana, Jacci Babich goes looking for little creatures - and gets to see the arrival of a giant: the mighty Limpopo "It's a kill," hissed our ranger, coming to an abrupt halt during a night drive in the Madikwe Game Reserve. Hearts thumping, we peered around.The kill was taking place in the dust right next to the vehicle. Our guide's trained eyes had spotted the tiny red pinpricks of reflected light in the eyes of a spider which just happened to be locked in mortal combat with a centipede.The stupendous battle had us totally enthralled. By the end of our stay, we too were able to spot tell-tale, minuscule, shiny red eye specks.story_article_left1Others may yearn to see the big five but we crave more unusual sightings. Among the small stuff on our bucket list are bat-eared foxes, black-footed cats, pangolin and aardvark. And we are determined.So it was with high hopes that we left Johannesburg, battered by a week of heavy rain, and headed north towards Polokwane and the Pontdrift Border Post to Botswana. It poured all the way.Thankfully, sunshine greeted us on our arrival at customs. We headed for officialdom, brilliantly framed in bougainvillea, only to find the office as deserted as the Mary Celeste. We hallooed and yoo-hooed to no avail. Eventually we found the Pont Drift population all watching the spectacle of the Limpopo River roaring by in full flood."That's something hey," was the greeting. "The river just came down like a wall of water!"While awed by the mighty river, our hearts sank. "How are we going to get across?""No worries. They'll pull you across in the cage."And the cage it was. We dragged our suitcases down to a platform at the edge of the river. Amid whistles and waves, we heard a donkey engine splutter into life and a cage appeared, dangling on a cable over the rushing, roaring water. It docked on our side, we slung in our bags and bounced and bobbed our way across feeling as intrepid as David Livingstone.What a thrilling way to arrive in the Tuli Block in the Limpopo River Valley!We hopped into a waiting Land Rover and set off for the Tumelo Game Lodge, a small and unpretentious place on the banks of the "great, grey-green, greasy Limpopo River".full_story_image_hright1Spring in Botswana is a magical time. As we bowled along we felt drunk on air filled with perfume as the once bare veld was awash with flowers. Our ears became attuned to the rise and fall of the haunting calls of scores of monotonous larks and the shrilling of cicadas.On our arrival, an initial foray revealed just a dry bed of sand. "Where's the water?" we enquired of our host." "Don't worry," he chuckled. "It will take a couple of days at least before all that water you crossed over reaches here."We relished each day filled with wonderful sights, among them seeing three countries at once, South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe at the confluence of the Limpopo and the Shashe rivers.Our best sighting, of course, was the sought-after bat-eared foxes during a night drive. Our guide had switched off the engine so we could listen to lions calling in the distance.We sat wrapped in the warmth of the perfumed darkness, listening to the lions roaring their hearts out, accompanied by an orchestra of insects zapping and zinging around our headlights.story_article_right2As if by magic, a family of bat-eared foxes arrived on the scene, drawn by the largesse of mesmerised food on the wing. It was like watching a ballet, or Fred Astaire with four legs, as these enchanting creatures leaped, twisted and cavorted in the centre of our spotlight, jaws snapping in delight as they feasted on the unexpected bounty.We had almost forgotten about the supposed arrival of the river. After breakfast the following morning we went to check the dry riverbed. Screwing up our eyes in the morning light, we saw a faint flicker of silver in the distance.The flicker became a trickle - then another. Slowly, the trickles increased, hunting out the hollows, joining forces to push grass, twigs and other detritus along.We danced and splashed like crazy creatures in that water in the dry river bed. We shouted and laughed in the sheer joy of being alive and there to witness the miracle.Eventually a thin sheet of water spanned the whole river bed from bank to bank. Slowly it grew deeper and deeper. Eventually we could see whole trees bobbing by as the roaring force sped on its life-giving way down to the sea.• Share your travel experiences with us in 'Readers' World'. Send your photos - at least 500KB - and a story of no more than 800 words. ALL winners receive R1,000. Only winning entrants will be contacted. Email travelmag@sundaytimes.co.za..