Botswana Bonding.

Thursday 12th December

We were slowly packing and sorting when there is a knock at the door. Our pick up time has changed from 11.30 to 10. So we pick up the pace and are still easily ready in time. We’re the only ones in the van and we head off towards Botswana. Our driver is an Arsenal fan so Greg and he get into a detailed conversation about different players. Then an elephant crosses the road. Wow. Reality check. Our driver is then aware we this is our first elephant so he slows for a bit and then stops when we spot several giraffe. They stop eating and stare at us as intently as we stare at them. We do drive on though, our driver laughing it is a mini safari not just a transfer. The roads are flat and straight and we eat up the 70km to the border in no time. There we get our passports stamped to exit Zimbabwe and carry our bags to another driver. He then drives us to immigration. There is a long queue and we join the end. Suddenly our driver appears and pulls us out of the line and around the other side of the building to what we presume is the emigration side. A girl checks our passport and stamps them. We’re all good to go. Another new and exciting country. Our new driver then delivers us to Kalihari tour offices which is where our safari group is meeting. We are 45 minutes early but if we’d stuck to the 11.30 pick up we would have been 45 minutes late. We sit under a tree in the cafe area and drink what will likely be our last barista made coffee for 7 days. Not sure Greg has realised this yet.

Shortly TH arrives to collect us and takes us a short distance to a supermarket to buy water, snacks and drinks. We meet the rest of our group. It’s the second time, they were in front of us at the border. There is an Aussie family, David, Jacinta, Nathan & Jarred. Then a British uni student, Harry and a British lady, Sharmi.

Once we’ve all stocked up we drive to the gate to Chobe National Park and have lunch. Then it’s into the park. It’s so green, shady trees, dense bushes, lush grass. Not what I was expecting at all. We’re told two weeks ago there was no green at all. This is the effect of the rains.

We start seeing the animals. Lots and lots of Impala. Lots of babies. The unconfirmed theory is Impala can delay birth for up to 30 days waiting for the rainy season. If the rains don’t come they will abort. We see Giraffe, Baboons, Elephant , Mongoose and lots of different birds.

We watch Dung Beetles rolling a huge ball along.

Huge birds of prey, Fish Eagles and Snake Eagles among others. Impressive wing spans when they take off.

Elephants languidly walking away from you towards some small bushes and seemingly vanishing before your eyes.

We go to our camp area and set up our tents and unload the trailer. Our truck has 9 seats in three rows of three. In the cab sits TH and Noga (in English it means snake). He’s our camp cook.

After that we unhook the trailer and go for an evening drive down to the river. More Elephants , Giraffes and Impala. Crocs on the river banks and Hippos in the water. We see some Hippos on land which isn’t common during the day as they get sunburnt very easily. We have to do a quick reverse when an Elephant takes exception to us looking at him. Just before we get back to camp, as the sun is disappearing, Greg spots a Lion sleeping in the grass just beside the track. He’s not bothered by us, opens an eye to look then closes it again. The only movement his tail flicking. We learn there is only one pride in the park.

Back to camp and dinner is waiting. Spaghetti Bolognaise with one pot of meat and one with lentils and veggies. Harry is vegan so we’re not the odd ones. It was Sharmi’s 50th birthday a few days ago and TH brings out a cake complete with candles.

13th December

Up at 5am to break camp and have breakfast. Noga baked camp oven bread last night and it’s been toasted this morning. Tastes divine. We’re on the road again before 7, carrying on through the park.

We get a couple of wow moments- Giraffe having a drink. Spreading it’s legs very wide and reaching down with its long neck.

Then at a water hole several elephants are having a good bath.

Zebra crossing the river, a mother shepherding her young foal. These are Plain Zebra, the national animal of Botswana. They have a shadow stripe. A light brown stripe between the black ones.

We see leopard footprints but no sign of the actual animal.

Then it’s out of the park, back onto sealed roads. The animals now are mostly cattle, scrawny looking beasts with their ribs showing. The land is so flat. Trees the only bumps on the horizon. The sealed road doesn’t last long and becomes a single width sand track. From that we turn onto a wider sand track. TH pauses to deflate the tyres. Then it’s a long straight bumpy drive, the only animals a couple of Giraffes. They stop and stare at us.

We then enter the Savute area of the Chobe Park. This is a dry area so there are less impala and the lions hunt in larger packs so they can take down larger prey like elephants. First thing we see are some Roan Antelope. Apparently they are not often seen so we’re lucky. They’ve quite large, about the size of a pony. They are nervous of us so put a safe distance between us before they stop and watch us.

We move on to a spot under a baobab tree for lunch. In Botswana they are called Mawana. Pasta salad, green salad and a plate of tuna along with more of Noga’s bread and leftovers from last nights dinner. We’re certainly eating well.

We head to our campsite, pausing on the way to fill the tanks with water. So we reach our site, set up and half of us have a bucket shower. It’s unbelievable how good it feels. The rest will have a shower after we’ve done our evening drive.

On our evening drive we add Jackal, Ostrich, Slender Mongoose and Kori Bustards to our seen list. The Kori Bustard is the national bird. Nathan describes it as an alpaca on stork legs. We saw a lioness, asleep. We called back on her three times in the next 3 hours but she’s still sleep. She was likely pregnant.

We have couple of magical moments, one when a huge bull elephant came to a pool by us and enjoyed a good mud bath. He used his tusk to break down a termite mound mixing it with water at his feet, then spraying it over his body. He then moved to another spot and stomped it around a bit before lying down and rolling around. He stood back up and shook his ears like a dog.

We then headed onto the plains for a spectacular sunset. Then back to camp for dinner.

Heading for bed and a large bug crosses my path, just in front of our tent. I shine my torch on it and realise it’s a scorpion. Noga looks at it and says it’s a dangerous one. We watch as it heads off to some grass. Going to insure the zipper is tightly closed tonight.

14th December

About 12.30 I woke cold so pulled the cover over me and as I’m dropping back there is loud bird calls and I can hear lions roaring. It’s getting louder as they get closer, then quieter as as they pass by us. It’s hard to go back to sleep now as I listen to all the noises.

4.30 in the morning and I can hear lions again. It’s a similar volume to when I first heard them last night. Noga says they’re about 2km away.

We break down camp and go for a drive before loading the trailer. There isn’t a lot of animals about but radio chatter tell us of a few lionesses so we speed off and find them. They’re just settling down in the shade. TH bends the rule about staying on the track and we park beside one lioness and watch her yawn and stretch. She is particularly beautiful.

Then back to camp, hook on the trailer, coffee time then hit the road.

We drive along the edge of the plains. Lots and lots of elephants. And they are large ones.

The plains are as we mentally picture Africa being. Vast expanses of grassland. A hazy line of trees in the distance indicating the river.

Noga sees a leopard sitting under a tree. It’s a bit far to see easily but the zoom lens picks it out fine.

We’re all getting on really well and at Harry’s initiation we listen to music. Jarred is in charge of the speaker and whenever animals are spotted he hits mute. We have funny conversations about different words for things in Aussie, Kiwi and Brit. Also pronunciation.

I learn something interesting, and have to look out some books. Apparently people of Africa (& some other areas) didn’t industrialise like Europe because they didn’t have animals that could be domesticated. It’s an interesting thought about circumstances being fundamental to progress, and progress is nearly always small improvements on the previous technology.

I learned a few weeks ago that the homo sapien’s ability to neutralise alcohol in fermenting fruits meant it didn’t have to compete with monkeys, with better climbing abilities, and so lead to its survival.

Human dominance on earth is simply chance.

We have lunch at the Mababe Gate. The Chobe National Park is huge and varied. The afternoon drive is scrubland. Occasionally giraffe and elephants cross our paths before disappearing back into the bush. Greg spots a kudu but no one else does.

We exit the park by another gate and later enter Moremi Game Reserve over a long log bridge. It’s then another couple of hours drive to our campsite. Don’t like the word Game in that title. It makes me think about what we are doing. When we are watching a lion, we are wishing it will get up and do something. To entertain us. Footnote: I later learn that this was the first Nature Reserve in Botswana. In fact it’s older than the country being transferred to a Widlife preservation group in 1962. Botswana gained independence in 1966.

It’s a game of dodge the puddles or drive slowly through when we can’t. I’m in a side seat today. Working on my Truckies tan.

We get to our site and set up camp. Greg and I help with the long drop. Have a few tweaks to the set up. It smells really nice and we find it’s a type of jasmine growing on the ground. Next we head off to a hippo pool. There is a dead hippo floating, crocs circling looking for an easy bite to start.

On our drive back, we come to a quick halt. TH has spotted something. It turns out to be an hyena. Even he is impressed. Thanks to The Lion King portraying hyenas in a bad light, their numbers have dropped significantly.

15th December

We change the routine this morning and straight out of bed at 5:15 we head back to the pool. Plan to catch the sunrise and maybe more animals still active. We can smell the hippo before we can even see the pool. Once in sight, we see there is now another dead hippo. TH said they were probably fighting and the the ‘winner’ has later succumbed to its injuries. The second one is on its back, four legs stuck straight up.

There is a lion lying on the track, an impala stands close by. It knows the lion isn’t interested but it is still wary. We now know the alarm call of the impala, a chuffing noise. Whenever we hear it, we try to spot the danger.

We leave it and carry on around the pool, closer to the second dead hippo. The crocs are enjoying a great feed. We then go further around the pond so the sunrise is over the water.

We go back to the lion. Still no movement. We drive past then wow! The lion gets up, of course we reverse back to watch. He moves into the long grass and starts eating grass. Not what you expect. Then he’s vomiting. Also not what you expect to see lions doing. But I guess domestic cats do it so shouldn’t really be surprised. He then moves deeper into the bush.

We head back to camp for breakfast and pack up. We have a long drive today. On the way out of the park we see Waddle Cranes, an endangered species. We also see more Kudu then Water Buck and Reed Buck.

Out of the park via the bridge we entered by. Coffee stop by a river. It’s another long straight sandy roads. Bumpy. Occasionally slowed by large puddles.

We stop for lunch and firewood a little further on than planned. The chosen spot being already occupied, by elephants.

We pass through a foot and mouth control gate. We all have to walk through a pan of disinfectant. The truck tyres are sprayed. Then we all climb on board again. Next stop a service station to reinflate the tyres and stock up on water.

We reach the town of Maun. Sealed roads. We’re passing fenced (using that term loosely) properties. Always a tree with plastic chairs underneath. Single room buildings made with concrete blocks. The outhouse identifiable by its clasic shape. The remains of a car under another tree.

In front on the roadside there are shade cloth strung between poles every 100 metres or so, signs advertising car wash or welding. Small corrugated iron sheds offering hair cuts. Tables under trees selling food. People walking with a easy gait. Lots of cars on the roads. Intersections with stop signs at all points. Shops with air conditioning. We restock on water and drinks.

We’re in a campground, fairly basic but luxury compared to the bush. There is a pool. As soon as camp is set up we’re all in there. Chat to some South Africans. There is also wifi by the bar so we can check up on home, clear emails and do a couple of posts for Ellerslie intermarque. First tine since reaching Africa – slack lol.

16th December

I wake suddenly at 3.30. Not sure why. Then I hear the rain start. Bugger, I sit up and can feel the rain coming in through the open windows. Throw on my dress and get out of the tent, roll down the door and both windows. Grab the towels off the line and throw them in the door. I can hear TH and Noga doing their tents. Look over. Noga is heading to Sharmi’s tent. Harry’s tent is next to ours. No sign of life so I run over and do his windows and door. Then check the families tents, they’re all done so back into our tent. Double bugger. The rain is running in through the seams. We contemplate dragging our tent under the roof by the kitchen when TH beats us to it with his tent. Noga helps us put a fly on our tent and we rearrange stuff so everything is in the middle. Eventually we’re back in bed and go back to sleep.

Luckily we are getting a sleep in. Wake up is a leisurely 5.45. We’re staying here again tonight so don’t have to breakdown camp.

We’re off to the Okavango Delta for rides in mokoros, traditional flat bottomed boats propelled by poles. The drive there goes through the Poler’s village, tents inside reed and stick walls. It’s temporary and moves as the water changes. Little kids wave as we pass. The delta is still low so we’re an hour further from Maun than the area the safari company normally goes. There is various negotiating going on and the selected Polers come over and introduce themselves. It’s two people in each moroko. Our Poler is called Craig. The mokoros are now made of fibreglass and cost 8000 pula or about 800US. Traditionally they were carved out of the Sausage Tree. Our one is white and not in good condition. There is a split between my legs that lets in water as I climb in. Doesn’t leak when we’re underway thankfully. We skirt around the edge of the big pool to avoid the hippos then through narrow canals, high reeds either side. There are smaller pools and water lilies. It’s very tranquil, dragonflies hover, butterflies skim the surface.

The three most important animals here are the hippos, elephants and the termites. The termites build mounds in the dry season which become islands in the wet and continue growing with plant seeds from birds droppings. The hippos create the canals and the elephants create the pools.

We pole up stream for an hour or so to a largish island and disembark for morning coffee. The polers get out a map and show us where we are and how the delta works. The map also shows everywhere we’re been so far in Botswana.

The ride back is faster with the current. Greg asks me to get out my umbrella for a photo. Even though I feel a bit stupid, it’s great shade so I continue to use it for the whole journey back. Both of us in our white linen shirts in a white boat with a brightly coloured umbrella, the others say we look like royalty lol.

We get back to camp mid afternoon and hit the pool again. Then the bar for wifi. We airdrop some phone photos and videos around. Noga has prepared another great meal over open fire. Seriously impressed with his cooking skills.

Early night for us all as tomorrow is a extra early start. Greg drops off to sleep quickly and as I’m just dropping off I hear thunder so jump up and grab the washing off the line. The windows were partway open so I fully closed them. A bit later I could hear the others doing the same. Last night I’d had a dress beside my bed so modesty was preserved when running around. Tonight it’s just a singlet so I’m not going far.

17th December

Extra early start this morning. 4.30am and full camp breakdown. Only coffee before we hit the road. We’re getting very efficient. Tonight we’re meant to be staying on the Salt Pans. Mightn’t happen because of the rain. TH will assess it when we arrive. The Salt Pans apparently get very wet quickly and very dry quickly. Also if you get stuck, it’s extremely hard to get unstuck, as in we couldn’t free the truck ourselves. The sides have been put on for this mornings drive and as it’s raining, no one’s complaining about the lack of view.

We go through another foot and mouth control gate. Jarred, who was asleep, only heard the end of the sentence and asks why is he having a dental check. The sides are rolled up before we continue. We can see again and there is a breeze. The rain has stopped and the day starts heating up.

Soon we reach the gate to Nxai pan and stop for breakfast. We leave the trailer there and go into the park. Zebra migrate here and we see plenty. We also see two lionesses sitting under a tree. We get right up beside them so it’s hushed voices and no sudden movements. They are panting in the heat. An area below the jaw moving rapidly. These lions are desert animals and can survive without water for long periods by drinking the blood of their kills.

In the near distance are Zebra fighting so we move closer. There is one by the track with a nasty looking wound between its back legs. TH explains that when the males fight for territory or the ladies, they will bite each other’s balls off. Closer inspection through the binoculars proves this one is now a gelding.

We see our first Springbok. They have white bums which they keep faced to the sun to reflect the heat of the day. They are desert animals and can survive just on the water they get from the grass they eat.

After lunch we head across some salt pans to see Baines Baobabs. Driving on the salt is interesting. If it looks wet, it definitely is and we go around but sometimes it looks dry but it is only the surface. The truck breaks through and the wheels spin. TH just has to keep us moving.

We reach the island with the massive baobabs. They are named after Thomas Baines, who ‘discovered’ and painted them in 1861. Comparing them to the painting now apparently only one branch has gone.

We pass elephants in a large waterhole. Two are touching foreheads, wrapping their trunks around each other’s tusks. It’s lovely to watch.

Then we head out of the park, collecting the trailer on the way.

As we drive along the highway, we can see a storm to our right. Then in front there is a wall of white. We’re all like, what the hell! And we enter it. It’s a dust storm. Once you’re in it, it’s not so white, just sort of hazy. The wind is impressive.

We’re still in it as we pull off the highway and onto a salt flat. We drive across that one, over a ridge onto the next one. It’s huge. We’re close to an edge on our right and can make out some trees far, far on the left but in front there is nothing. We swing out and pull up beside an island. Well, a raised sand bed with a few thorny twigs. Nothing green for miles. This is our site for the night. Putting up the tents in a howling wind is very challenging. We set our doorways away from the wind and by the time we’ve set everything up, the wind has swung around lol.

The storm that had been on our right is providing a spectacular lightning show but with the wind change, it’s not going to head our way thankfully.

I have a pinch me moment as I sit on the roof of the truck with the boys, g&t in hand, dinner cooking on an open fire below and a storm flashing on the horizon. The salt lake is like a moonscape. Greg is at the edge of camp, camera set up taking long exposures. He’s in his happy place too. The wind and dust storm have gone.

It’s our last night and a magical one at that. We won’t be sleeping outside under the stars but the storm has certainly made up for that. Our group has been like an extended family and it will be strange carrying on without them. We do some thank you speeches, Noga sings us a song then we toast marshmallows, do the dishes and go to bed.

18th December

Greg and I get up at 4.30, wake up is 5. It’s still dark and our tent is a bit away from the others so we go outside naked with a big bottle of water and have sponge baths, try to get all the salt and grit off us. Feel so much better for it.

We start packing up. Then the sunrise starts putting colours on the sky. I tell Greg to get his camera and go. It’s easy to take down a tent on your own. Harry then finds a scorpion under his tent. Two actually, a mother and a baby. Greg takes a photo and the TH scoops them onto the spade and takes them off the island. I’m then a lot more cautious as I take down TH’s tent.

Final breakfast and we load the trailer. We then drive onto the salt pan for a group photo. Greg is director. Then we set course for the Zimbabwe border. Everyone except us are going back to Victoria Falls.

It’s a fairly boring drive. Only spotted a few elephant and some warthogs. We drop the others off with plenty of hugs. When we get decent wifi we’ll start a Facebook group to share photos and videos. Greg’s called us the Commonwealth Cruisers.

30 minutes later and we’ve collected our big bags and are at our b&b. Final hugs with TH & Noga. This was their last Safari for the season. They restart in March. Although they have company training in January.

Our b&b is called the Old House. When Chobe National Park was formed the sawmill town of Serondella was gradually shifted here. The building was built with the bricks from all the mill houses. We send off some laundry and hit the pool. A pretty chilled afternoon and evening.

19th December

Our last day in Botswana. Or rather, half day. Airport transfer at 12 for a 2pm flight. Namibia, here we come.

………….

I am missing out animals and things we’ve seen, my writing time is quite delayed from actual events. And there is so much happening. I know we saw a monitor but can’t remember where or when that was. I’m going to try and jot images as I see them.

Clouds of butterflies, rising and swarming as we pass.

Crimson necked bee-eaters, swooping and banking around a termite mound.

An Eagle perched in a skeletal tree, both silhouetted against the blue sky

Giraffe elegantly moving their long limbs as they walk, but awkwardly as they bend down to drink.

The brown bow wave spreading outwards from the truck wheels as we negotiate the track puddles.

Roan Antelope stumbling as it tries to get off the road quickly.

Kites riding the thermals high high overhead.

The heat of the sun fills the air, so moving through it is a bit like resistance training.

The energy of young Jarred, throwing a nerf at every stop.

Impala tails bobbing up and down as they bound along.

A baboon presenting her engorged red behind to a large male. He gets up and turns around, sitting back down with is back to the female. Not his type? Or too hot? Or just not interested with an audience?

Animal prints in the sand, all different shapes and sizes. Crisscrossing tyre tracks.

The sheer pleasure of standing under a bucket shower at the end of a hot day.

Lilies reflected in still water, dragonflies daintily perched on a reed.

Thunder, loud, cracking above us and rumbling like a freight train as it recedes into the distance.

Dead elephants, looking like semi deflated balloons.

The vastness of the plain dotted with low termite mounds echoed by the small clouds in the vast sky.

The sheer joy of TH seeing for the first time, the rare and endangered Grey Crowned Crane.

Giraffe running with a graceful elegance.

Green rocks dotted on a grey white crust as far as the eye can see.

Trees floating above a hazy blue white horizon.

The incredible variation in male genitalia, which all species seem to enjoy showing off, hahaha.