Tuesday 5th March

Heading back south today towards Hwange National Park. Had to go and see the “Big Tree” which is a 1200 year old baobab. Went to ATM to get some dollars. Tried three cards before I got anything. Making payments with cards a nightmare. Economy is shot. Goods in supermarkets priced in old worthless currency , have to divide by 17,000 to get price in dollars. Bizarre. Expensive country. Diesel same price as UK , wine twice the price as SA, National park fees for 2 days $100. $230 to enter the country, all going to a corrupt government I suspect. People are charming and intelligent. Such a shame. Drought in all areas and small farmers have no food , maize crops up here non existent. Arrived Robins Camp in Hwange NP at 12.30. Nice camp and lodge area. Had a swim and went for a game drive at 4pm. Saw large herd of buffalo, Zebra and Waterbuck. Hot

Posted in 2024, Robins Camp, Zimbabwe

Monday 4th March

Earlyish breakfast so we could get to Vic Falls by 8am, all went well taxi picked us up at 7.45. We followed the track which leads you to several view points. It was amazingly big and noisy. We got very wet with the spray from the falls. Very majestic and impressive sight. The walk took us about 2 hours. The falls are very difficult to photograph, the sun not in the greatest position first thing in the morning and of course all the spray. Photos don’t do it justice. We finished with a coke on ice at the cafe by the gate. Our taxi picked us up, we spent an hour or so at the lodge before getting in the vehicle and going for a game drive. We went into Zambezi National Park, saw very little for a while then got into very close quarters with a herd of elephants. We were in before we realised and needed to make a quick retreat. There were some pretty big bull elephants!! Apart from seeing about 50 elephants, we saw zebra, impala, baboon, warthogs. The elephants were by the Zambezi, tearing down bushes, we thought we may be next, so got out of their way. Dinner at the lodge, I had stir fried crocodile, it was really very nice a cross between chicken and fish. Good WiFi at the lodge. Not sure what we are going to get for the next 4 days in Hwange. Whatch this space.

The Zambezi River Upstream.

Posted in 2024, Phezulu Lodge, Zimbabwe

Sunday 3rd March

Decamped from Mwandi View and left for Vic Falls. Stopped off in Kasane for diesel and a little shopping. Short drive to the border which went reasonably well but still a lot of people to do the jobs of one. $230.00 in all to enter Zimbabwe. $110 for visas and $120 for some sort of road tax? Generally officials polite and efficient unlike the equivalent in Botswana. Took about 45 mins. Straight road with no traffic to Vic Falls. About hour and a half. Checked into Phezula Lodge at about 1.45. Nice place and a real bed for two nights. Had a nice fish meal in the restaurant. Nice change from steak or chicken. Ordered taxi to take us to the Falls tomorrow at 7.45. Pleasant and efficient staff.

Mwandi View Deck

Posted in 2024, Phezulu Lodge, Zimbabwe

Saturday 2nd February

Chobe River sunset boat trip booked for 3.30 this afternoon. Chilled all morning around the pool. No game apart from some Zebra in the distance. Identified a few birds around and a lizard. Left for Kasane at 13.00 for our trip on the Chobe. A good and well informed trip. Lots of birds, elephants, hippo and birds. 3 hours in total. Very mixed companions. Half our age. Just made the gate through the Transit Road which closes at 7pm for registration. Totally crap non sensical system. Arrived back at camp at 20.00, not an easy drive in the dark as game all along the roads. Steak and salad again for dinner. Steak and chicken is generally the only option. No hippo in the camp waterhole this evening. Vic Falls tomorrow.

Posted in 2024, Botswana, Mwandi

Friday 1st February

Trip through the Chobe Waterfront of the National Park. . 80 km’s along the Chobe river. 6 hour drive. Never seen so many elephants all along the banks. Also herds of buffalo, impala and Zebra. Giraffe dotted about also. Lots of birds to try and identify large and small. Good day out. Arrived back at camp at 3.30. Dunked in the pool and had a drink. Ate in the lodge. Stuffed mushrooms, salad, steak (of course) with nice veg, choc brownie and ice cream. All very yummie. Best food in Botswana so far. Watched the hippos drinking and dunking again, also about 10 Waterbuck passed through. 

Posted in 2024, Botswana, Mwandi

Thursday 29th February

Up at 06.00 and watched the Wilderbeest, Zebra etc in a long line walking towards the water. Left Thobolo Lodge at about 8.30 as we wanted to get the solar rooftop panel cable fixed. We snapped it at Nata getting to close to a tree. The solar panel backs up the engine to charge the two batteries that runs the fridge and the camper lighting. Bushlore’s depot in Kazungula which we eventually found. Took them 45 mins and we were on our way. Did some shopping in Kasane then back the way we came to our next camp, Mwandi View. Very nice grassed site. Waterhole and nice little pool. Again we are the only ones here. Low season has some advantages. It’s 8.45 pm and on the deck overlooking the waterhole watching a family of hippo having a dunk and drink. We aren’t even in the National Park yet. Game just everywhere. Site owner booked us a sunset river cruise for Saturday. Chobe Waterfront tomorrow in the park itself.

Posted in 2024, Botswana, Mwandi

Wednesday 28th February

Up at 6.00 with the Dawn. Brewed a cuppa. First visitors were about 20 vultures , then Wilderbeest, zebra impala etc. They come , they go then come back again. Had a dunk in the pool (MeandEr that is) Partly cloudy and hot. A few giraffe visited. We sat around and watched it all going on. Magical place. No elephants. Ate in lodge. Soup, roasted chicken and milk pudding plus Rhino Run Pinotage. 

Posted in 2024, Botswana, Thobolo

Tuesday 27th February

Awake and  up at 6.00 with T. Watched the game migrate towards the waterholes. Wilderbeest, Impala, Zebra, Kudu , Warthogs , baboons, jackels, hyena. By 11.00 am they were all gone for the day. Stormy skies, lightning and thunder all day, some rain. Spent hour around the pool. Two further campers arrived pm. No game in the evening unfortunately. Braai meat and rice salad. Used rest of firewood. 

Posted in 2024, Botswana, Thobolo

Monday 26th February

Up at dawn and left at 7.30  for longish drive to Thobolo lodge in Chobe,  about 450 K’s. Better road from Nata northwards, a bit wider and not so many  potholes. Made good  progress. Arrived Kasane at 11.30. Did some shopping in Spa and filled with diesel.  Last 20 Km’s to Thobolo on sand and gravel. 4×4 only. Arrived at 2ish. Hot 38 degs. Lovely wild spot. Waterholes in front of raised deck of lodge. No fence around campsite. Again we are the only ones here. Lovely. Spent couple of hours on viewing deck overlooking waterhole. Impala, giraffe, warthogs , jackals,  maibeau storks and many other birds. Took photos. Nice sunset. Cold chicken and salad for dinner. Got some wood for campfires to last 2 evenings, 100 Pula which is quite expensive but so what, it’s the staff perks as they do the cutting up and delivery. I can hear animals around waterhole but it’s 10.15 so bedtime. Another exciting day tomorrow. ?

Posted in 2024, Botswana, Thobolo

Sunday 25th February

Last day at Nata Lodge. Chilled all day around pool. Light lunch and a beer. Braai pack BBQ for dinner.

Posted in 2024, Botswana, Nata Lodge

Saturday 24th February

Leisurely breakfast, checked tyre pressure for puncture which was ok and did some washing. Went to reception and gave them laundry to do. This is a real treat for us campers. The luxury of being able to camp at a lodge. Also the lovely pool of course. Bought a bird and mammals book and sort of tablecloth. Chilled around the pool and then went off to the Nata Bird Sanctuary  and the Pan. No water so very few birds. Saw some flamingos with binocs in the far distance. A few other birds and quite a few Wilderbeest. Back to the lodge and pool which is surprisingly cool. Great. Plus a cold beer of course. Decided to go back to the Bird Sanctuary and the pan for the sunset at about 6.30.  Tried out my new lightweight tripod. Left to get back to the gate for 19.00. Made it. Lots of Wilderbeest about on the way back. Mince and mixture of rice and veg for dinner quickly knocked up by Er. Bottle of red out the fridge. Camp fire. 

Please any comments on the blog go to the “go go travelling” page and scroll down. emails do not show on the page. 

Posted in 2024, Botswana, Nata Lodge

Friday 23rd February

Left Woodlands about 9.30am. Travelled into Francistown to do a bit of food shopping. This will be our last major shop until we reach Victoria Falls in 12days time! Hit market day, got into a taxi rank of about 100 vehicles! Nothing moved for ages! About to give up shopping when we saw a mall with a Woolworths (Africa’s version of M and S). Parked, shopped in a tiny shop to find Pick and Pay ( supermarket) around the corner! Set off for Nata Lodge. Advice from owner of site was keep to 80kph and watch out for speed traps. Arrived in Nata about 3.15 pm at a balmy 40 degree’s, it’s very hot. Chose site, sat for a few mins and decided to take to the pool. Had a couple of cool off swims, very pleasant. Ate in the restaurant, typical Botswana menu, but OK . Off to bed around 9.30pm

Posted in 2024, Botswana, Nata Lodge

Thursday 22nd February

Getting used to early rises, 6.30 today. Leisurely brekkie, not far to travel today ,just outside Francistown to Woodlands Stopover Lodge. Stopped at Khama reception to make use of  wifi  and finally catch up on blog. iPad now charged. Charging is a real pain. 2 iPhones, iPad,  backup battery pack, camera batteries and really important electric toothbrushes. Three and a half hour  trip to Francistown along the A1. Main road for trucks to Zambia/Zimbabwe. Filled up with diesel at 90p a litre. Done about a 1000 K’s so far. Arrived Woodlands at 1.45. Really nice shady site with good swimming pool and ablutions. Birds and monkeys around. We are 10 k’s off main road and soon in the bush. Hottest day yet at 38 degs. Beanpot and rice for dinner plus Pinotage. Site electric so can finally give everything a good charge. We have weak WiFi so hopefully will download today’s blog. 

Posted in 2024, Botswana, Woodlands Stopover

Wednesday 21st February

6.45 rise because it’s light and bedtime earlier than usual 

Lots of birds about the camp in the trees making a real din. After breakfast went out to the reserve and saw a few rhino together with zebra, wilderbeast, giraffes, vultures and more. . Back to reception to make phone call to our domain name provider, missed subscription deadline, couldn’t do online because in different country. Sorted. A couple minor problems with camper so phoned Bushlore. Sorted. iPad out of charge and didn’t have pad to usb cable. Went shopping to Spa in  Serowe for wine glasses,matches,fruit and other bits and pieces. Found shop for cable. Great. Sorted. Back for another trip around reserve and a beer. More rhino around the pan than this morning. Pasta and Kanankop Pinotage for dinner. 37 degs , sunny. 

Posted in 2024, Botswana, Khama Rhino

Tuesday 20th February

Up at 6.30. Breakfast and cold shower. Wash up and tidied. Set off at 8.45 for Botswana border. Huge numbers of trucks. They take about 2 days in queue to cross the border. Cars are quicker but had to try and negotiate our way around them. No official to help. SA side no  problem. Botswana side totally rude officials. Took an hour to get through. Arrived Khama Rhino Sanctuary at 3.30. Hot 37 degs. Chilled ,showered and went off to site “restaurant “ to have dinner. Us and two others eating. Took forever but supped a bottle of red whilst trying to catch up with mails etc. No time for blog. WiFi worse than Coleford. No complaints. This is Africa!  

Posted in 2024, Botswana, Khama Rhino, South Africa