Community Discussions

While observing how much difficulty moderators of large subreddits have directing users towards the appropriate ones, I concluded that one of the major reasons for this is the difficulty new users have accessing info on non-default subreddits. reddit.com/reddits is tedious to go deep into, and single page lists like those on stattit aren't much better because the data isn't well filtered for that purpose.

So I decided to take a shot at going through the list of Subreddits by Activity on stattit and categorizing the (non-porn) subreddits. So far I've done those in the top 200. I would like to make it more comprehensive and will probably cap it at the top 500. If anything like this has been done before, I haven't seen it but would like to. I am also curious if anyone has any thoughts on the way I categorized them or how I should consider doing so going forward.

The first potential change I have in mind is splitting "Lifestyle and Help" and "Images" each into two. When I increase it to 500 there is probably going to need to be some kind of nesting, as there will be a much greater proportion of highly specific subreddits (e.g. there is no reason why someone reading through Sports who skipped r/hockey and r/nhl should have to read r/bostonbruins and r/losangeleskings). I know official subreddit nesting is something that's been talked about for a while, that the admins alluded to plans for, but that has never materialized in the years since.

Another, perhaps unfeasible, change would be to make it based on a definition of activity that includes a broader time frame. Activity is better than subscribers because "subscribers" includes too much old data, but the one from /reddits (which stattit uses) doesn't have enough. I have strong reason to believe that the non-publicized formula for "Activity" is based just on data from the last 7 days. Something like "Activity over the last 365 days" would be better. For instance, r/nfl should probably be ranked ahead of r/hockey, but the first is in the offseason and the second is in its playoffs, so naturally the second has more activity over that sample.

These would be good ideas for multis, but I haven't taken the time to actually make any out of them yet. If anyone else wants to make some of them and get the r/multibeta link karma before I can, feel free.

Forum: r/TheoryOfReddit

Review: Duba Plains Camp by Great Plains Conservation in Botswana

Main Post:

Hi Travel Friends!

After our fantasyland trip to Kudadoo, I wasn’t sure how anything could top the overwater-villa-meets-unlimited-massage experience. So naturally it was time for a safari. Our latest adventure to Duba Plains Camp in Botswana proved you can trade ocean blues for wetlands and still walk away grinning ear to ear.

tl;dr I think if you're safari-curious, safari-obsessed, or safari-jaded and looking for a place that recalibrates your internal nature compass then Duba Plains can be for you.

As always happy to answer questions or whatever in the comments below! I have a zillion more photos and videos, including of the room / property if those help but defaulted to my favorite animals

The Overview

We spent our first 3 nights at Duba Plains in Botswana as part of a two-week Africa itinerary. Duba is part of the Great Plains Conservation reserve portfolio which means it joins Zarafa, Selinda, and Sitatunga as being affiliated with Relais & Châteaux (my nemesis, jk jk, but iykyk).

Duba Plains is located in the northern Okavango Delta on about 77,000 acres so it’s very remote, wild, and, yes, only accessible by bush plane. If you go May-Sept when the water is high enough you can even go boating!

The cost. Ugh... We went at absolute peak season + had a private vehicle so it can absolutely be less expensive if you make different choices. Our bill was roughly $9,000 per night for two people and included everything: charter flight to camp, game drives, meals + snacks + minibar, alcohol, daily laundry, fancy camera equipment (a true differentiator), and excellent guiding (hooray!).

The Camp

In terms of design, Duba is about as close to the “old-school safari fantasy” as I think one can get while still having all my expected creature comforts: “air-conditioning”, plunge pools (brrr.), rosé, and wifi. How else could I text u/middlename_adventure a play-by-play off ALL THE ANIMALS I SAW?!? (see below).

The camp was completely rebuilt in 2017, and like I alluded to above, blends classic 1920s safari aesthetics with close-to modern luxury. Each suite is massive and open-plan, with floor-to-ceiling mesh and canvas that let the Delta breeze in (or roll down if you want to use the AC). We had a king-sized bed with mosquito netting, a cozy lounge area, a writing desk, and an outdoor plunge pool facing the water. There’s a deep copper bathtub, both indoor and outdoor showers, and yummy bath products.

One thing to know: this is not an ultra-modern resort like Singita (or so they tell me bc I haven’t been to Singita). Duba is stylish and beautiful but it leans rustic-luxe, if that’s a thing. I felt similarly about Islas Secas. It’s best for people who prioritize the experience over the thread count and who want the magic of the setting to be the luxury.

Activities & Guide

Drives are morning and evening, with midday technically reserved for lounging, napping, or sipping something bubbly by your plunge pool. Unless you’re me. In which case: MORE GAME DRIVES. No, seriously, they served us lunch in the bush once because I really didn’t want to go back to camp. This is why I think the private vehicle upgrade (yes, it’s another $1K/day) is not just a nice-to-have, but a trip necessity. Who wants to fly halfway around the world only to negotiate with strangers over whether we stay with the lions or move on to the rhinos? Maybe I want to sit with the hippos for an hour. Maybe I’m over elephants today. Maybe I need an impromptu snack break at 5:17 p.m. and so on and so forth. The point is: I want to do what I want, when I want, and honestly aren’t you glad you weren’t stuck in a car with me? (HA.)

Beyond game drives, there are seasonal boat safaris too. We loved this because it’s a totally different experience to get to see the animals from that vantage point. And truly, dodging hippos like you’re playing frogger feels like a once in a lifetime experience. I highly recommend going when the water is high enough that you can take the boat out. We spent a half day on the boat and saw: hippos, crocs, rhino, a heard of 100+ buffalo, elephants, warthogs, and baboon. So it isn’t like you’re giving up wildlife viewing for a boat ride.

Our guide was incredible. He was not just a walking encyclopedia of animal behavior, but also subtly funny, warm, and attuned to our interests. He taught us how to read tracks, how to anticipate movement, and what to listen for when the air goes quiet. As a former field biologist I was legit impressed. Also? The photo setup is next-level. They actually provide high-end camera gear (way better than my iphone), help you frame the perfect shots, and then hand you a thumb drive with all your images at the end of the trip. It’s a genius touch and totally on brand for a camp founded by National Geographic filmmakers (Dereck and Beverly Joubert).

They also offer massages and spa treatments in your room but we didn’t do this.

The Wildlife

Let’s talk about game drives. Because that’s why you come here. The Okavango Delta is one of the most biologically rich places on Earth, and Duba is set in a private concession, which means no crowds. It’s only 5 suites total too so most days we didn’t see another vehicle. Just us, our guide, and whatever the bush decided to offer.

We saw the Big 5 within our first 24 hours. But here is the full “what we saw” list: baboon, banded mongoose, buffalo, bushback, crocodile, elephant, flamingo, hippo, jackal, kudu, lechwe, leopard, lion, monitor lizard, reedbuck, stripped skink, tree squirrel, tsesseba, warthog.

Key sightings... I am trying to limit myself to only telling you about the actual best-of-the-best. So apologies to all the animals who don’t make the cut:

As we checked into our suite, accompanied by a staff member bc you can’t walk by yourself anywhere at anytime, we were greeted by a mom and baby baboon on our roof... unfortunately the male in the tree got threatened as we entered and charged us full steam ahead. I’ll never forget the view of all those teeth but fortunately the Duba team member knew exactly what to do so we stayed safe and he turned away (spoiler: it’s swing a chair at them lol).

Ok cool so let’s go do a game drive (our first ever)... we get in the car and drive through the water which filled the car up to our seats (so fun) and see some banded mongoose being crazy off to the side. I am obsessed so we stop to watch them when our guide hears a noise and says “we have to go right now bc that’s a kudu alarm and I bet that means leopard”. We drive about two minutes and sure enough a leopard is walking across the water right in front of our truck... sees us and runs through the bush and effortlessly scales the tree. We sit and hang out, the only vehicle there, and watch the unsettled leopard run around this tree like it’s a playground.

Lions, so many sleeping. All the time. Lazy lions. It turns out this is relatively unremarkable haha... if you’ve been before you know what I am saying. But we also got a female lion hunting one morning (unsuccessful; but interesting to watch nonetheless) who ended up walking through the water which was also beautiful.

And another epic sighting of 3 adult lions lazing in the shade after a fresh kill which was mostly intact that subsequently got run off by a very brave baby rhino. It basically went like this: (1) baby approaches, (2) male lion slinks away without so much as a scuffle, (3) but he was mad and takes the stinkiest shit ever right at the rhino, (4) he then walks around and pees everywhere, (5) goes and drinks more water to “refill” and (6) then decides f’it I’ll sleep again and plops back down starting at the rhino. If that wasn’t cool enough all of this was happening as the sun was setting with more rhino, hippo, buffalo, elephants and warthogs, playing supporting roles in the background.

Elephants galore, but the most memorable was when we were in the boat and came across a massive bull male who actually approached us and got into the water right in front of us (seriously was basically close enough to hear him breathing). I guess he regretted that because after about twenty minutes of chilling with him he decided to trumpet at us which sent chills down my spine, full goosebumps, and I basically almost peed my pants. Apparently they don’t charge you in the water though; something I wish I knew in advance haha.

So while there’s never a guarantee with nature, Duba’s mix of open plains and floodplains means the chances of seeing big predators and other species are very good. I had crazy chihuahua energy the entire stay because we felt like we saw so much each game drive. BUT for those of you who are keeping count you won’t see: wild dogs, cheetah, giraffe, or zebra. They aren’t there. So you’ve got to pair Duba with another spot to have a more full experience.

The Food & Service

Let me start by saying I haven’t lost any of the weight I gained at Kudadoo and wasn’t expecting to be wowed with f&b in the middle of nowhere but the food at Duba is solid. It’s not the most memorable but there were some winners (oxtail at the boma dinner, for example) and nothing was close to being “bad”. In general, there’s no menu but they ask about your preferences and have enough variety that you can kinda pick and choose accordingly.

I appreciated their emphasis on local ingredients and that in a place where seafood is basically nonexistent they did grill us some tilapia one day. Anyway, there is nothing close to a complaint here but it also shouldn't be interpreted as a place you go to explicitly because you think the food will blow your mind. That said, maybe if you’ve just been to a less lux spot it will actually be remarkable. Just don’t compare it to what you can get in a major city or foodie spot. You know?

The wine list is thoughtful with an emphasis on South African wines, naturally, and the bar was always ready to whip up anything you wanted though they did much better with more simple drinks (think gin and tonic) than complex cocktails.

The service was intuitive and attentive without hovering. We loved all the staff and felt they were super friendly, paid attention to us, and took care of anything that needed to happen. It’s not the super pro-active, over the top service but it’s again definitely solid. You can also tell they’re really trying and I have some tendencies that make me an anomaly. For example, they really wanted to memorize my water preference. Well I don’t have one haha. I want still when I am super thirsty and need to pound water and I want sparkling when it’s a nice-to-have sip as background to my alcohol (unless my booze has bubbles then I can’t double bubble, lol). Anyway, it can’t be predicted. But as soon as they realized this they just would always bring both and kinda laugh and say what kind of water do you want right this second. Perfect service, imho for me. I also don’t hang out in the room and I wander around common spaces a lot perhaps because I have undiagnosed ADHD or something, who knows. And they kept trying to help me... so I explained, nope I probably don’t need anything and if I do I will ask but I just kinda pace and look at stuff because I am curious so you can chill bc I am fine. And again they laughed and said, oh ok now that we know that’s fine.

Booking + Support

As always our entire trip was booked with our amazing TA, u/sarahwlee. But I also want to give a major shoutout to u/Dowa_Don and u/Mike_on_Safari who are at Escape Safari Co (https://www.escapesafarico.com/) and provided all the logistical and itinerary support during planning and while we were on our trip. I cannot stress enough their passion, knowledge, and the care they took to make sure we had the absolute best time. They were super responsive on email, hopped on a zoom when I had questions, and were available via whatsapp while we were traveling. I will never book another Safari without Don and Mike! I also want to shout out u/middlename_adventure who runs r/FATSafari for being extra eyes and ears because she just really loves safari so much (I think she has been on like 16+ safari trips which is so cool) and so she wanted to know all about it and I am chatty so loved having someone to talk about everything with as it unfolded.

Final Thoughts

Duba Plains Camp is the kind of place that reminds you how big the world is and how completely magical it feels to watch the sun set. It’s elegant without being showy, remote without being uncomfortable, and deeply immersive in the way that only a few places in the world manage to be. So yes, I’d go back. In a heartbeat.

Top Comment: Another really enjoyable read! Amazing photos. Were all of these images with the camera gear provided or with your iPhone? Would love to see room/camp photos if you can share those!

Forum: r/FATTravel

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Review: Duba Plains Camp by Great Plains Conservation in Botswana

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