Year: 2016

Set off for Moremi and the Okavango at 8.30 after refuelling. About 40 k’s of tar then sand. Deflated tyres once more. So much easier and a better ride. Arrived Xakanaxa camp about 12.30.seriuosly hot about 41 degrees. Couple of guys from Switzerland asked if we would like to share a boat for a water trip and set off at 4.30 for a 2 hour trip. Skies brewing up for rain. Lots of thunder and lightning and rain in some parts. We had a little on the water. Very atmospheric light. Lots of birds, hippo and elephant. Great sunset over the water. Good trip.
Animals all around the camp, elephant, birds, buck and buffalo. We had wild dogs chasing a buck right through the camp. This was a unique sighting apparently so we were very privileged. After dark I had my head torch on, went to the back of the vehicle and oh f*** two eyes looking at me, a bloody great hippo looking at me standing 3 metres away munching the grass. Fantastic.

We were all woken at one in the morning by an elephant ransacking our metal rubbish bin it’s bum a few metres away from L&M. It had a proper metal top but it turned the whole thing upside down. Took a while to get back to sleep. Lots of night noises. Fab.

27th

Drove to 3rd Bridge and back. The most exciting event was crossing the log bridge and into the deep water. Not much game about. Chilled for the afternoon in the shade under the trees but still very hot. Watched the elephants come and go. Steaks for dinner and the two Swiss lads came over for sundowners. Marianne has ALL their details!! Quiet night.

28th

Early drive to Paradise Pools. Very pretty place with lots of birds, various game but still have not seen any cats. Back to camp for breakfast and ablutions. Hung around the camp most of the day watching the elephants that seemed to descend upon us. Went for a late afternoon drive and saw lots of birds around various pools. Chicken tonight

 

 

Last day and night at Rileys. Sat around pool most of the day. Got a bit of a problem with the external shower on Lod’s vehicle, no big deal but contacted the rep in Maun and he collected it and hope to get it back soon. Stocked up again for the next three nights in the Moremi Park. The booze cost more than the food.

This will be the last post for a while, could be 4 days but is likely to be when we return to SA.

After six days we are back in Wi Fi and mobile territory so have posted a lot below. Will be ok for tomorrow and we will be out of site for a while after.  This is quite an adventure and have seen some great sites already

 

 

Special day today as we have two nights at Rileys Hotel in Maun
Left about nine for our hour an a half trip on the sand back to the tar road
Had a fright when we seemed not to be able to get momentum after slowing and changing down a gear and the car stopped. It felt as though the hand brake was engaged when it wasn’t so could not get forward momentum. Lod winched us back a few meters in case we were “stuck” in the sand. Decided to get the tow rope out for a possible tow when we decided to try low ratio first which did the trick although it didn’t appear we were in very deep sand. Few.
Arrived lunchtime at hotel. Rooms not quite ready so had lunch in the restaurant
At last Wi Fi hence I can finally post some blog. Not very fast so no photos at present but will endeavour to try later.

Left for our one night stop at Nxai Pan after filling tanks with water. Very, very hot and we are drinking water by the gallon. Gate to Pan about 60 kilometres on tar. Arrived at gate and deflated tyres for the soft sand. Hour and a half slow drive in soft deep sand to South Camp. Had a late lunch and set off for an evening drive around the pans only one of which had water but did attract some game. Elephant, giraffe, springbok, and as luck would have it two beautiful male lions. Beautiful site. We all woken in the middle of the night by a very loud elephant roar right next to our camp but couldn’t actually see it. Various other game noises during the night. Good ablution block.

 

 

 

Early morning walk onto the Pan after breakfast of eggs, beans and boerewors.
Packed up and drove on Sau Pan around the “Island” for ten minutes and then set off to Gweta across NtwetwePan.
Took a wrong route 3/4 of the way and ended up on a very narrow track, through the middle of remote villages, thorn bushes scraping the sides and top of the camper, real off road stuff. No idea at the time where we were other than going in approximately the right direction. Used the trusty compass. Who needs a Satnav. Finally found the main road to Maun and Gweta. Survived.
After a stop in Gweta for drinking water arrived at Planet Baobab at about 3pm for our nights camp
Great place with a bar, pool and restaurant. Had beer in the bar, set up camp, went for a swim. The “two maids” did some washing. Spatchcock chicken on the Barbie tonight.

 

 

Got on the road at 8am for our trip into the Makgikgadi Pan . Arrived on the outskirts of the pan and set GPS coordinates for Kubu Island where we stay for the night. Almost immediately lost our gps track but kept going where no man has trod before, nearly wrecked the vehicle, but after half an hour we found our track again. Another 25 K’s arrived at Kubu Island. Only one other traveller at the site so could help ourselves to any spot. Found good place overlooking the pan when about 12 Landrovers arrived in convoy and proceeded to set camp right next to us. Plonkers!
We then de-camped and moved to another spot.
No ablutions here at all, just smelly “long drop” toilets.
God it’s hot !!
Lots of huge Baobab trees here so a very unique place only accessible by 4×4’s and a 4-5 hour off road drive. Very tasty chicken casserole for supper.
Had a 4am hike to the long drop to accompany Irene who was caught short at this very daunting hour of early morning. Unloaded a few days food ?

 

Up crack of dawn to the sound of squawking and fighting birds. Reasonable sleep for first night. We sorted out the camper and it’s equipment and put away all our clothing and bits and pieces. Storage space is great. Such good vehicles.
After a leisurely cooked brekkie we ventured back to Serowe to fill up will diesel, get Pula from an ATM and do a little more shopping. L&M bought some head torches because Em forgot to pack the ones they bought in the UK. Arranged for a guided drive around the Rhino sanctuary late afternoon.

Back for lunch at the camp. Beer, cold meats and salad and lounged until 4pm for our drive

Very interesting and informative drive. Saw loads of White Rhino, various buck, wildebeest etc. The Black Rhino are rare to see in the park but we were lucky to see one just before we returned.

Hot sunny day finished off with BBQ steak and veg + some pink and red.

 

Leisurely breakfast. Lodge and rooms super. Drove back to Modimolle to stock up on provisions and booze. Spent a bit too much time over breakfast and shopping. On the road at midday for our trip the Khama Rhino Reserve in Botswana for our first two nights stay atop the vehicles. Stopped in Lephalale for lunch for sushi and chips which took even more time and we were still a long way to the Botswana border. Spent about an hour at the border and by this time realised we were going to be very late at Khama. Phoned ahead to let them know. Arrived at 7pm in the pitch black and went straight into the restaurant for steak and a touch of the red stuff. Now the fun of setting up camp in the pitch black for first time. Managed ok but a bit disorganised, decided to save the organising until the morning. Comfortable and cosy tent. Nice camp pitch, number 5 of 7 and very secluded about 200m apart. Quite windy

No wifi now for about 6 days

Arrived Joburg at 11.30 am 4 hours late. Met by Bushlore driver and taken to depot to pick up vehicles. After a lot of paperwork and a long vehicle briefing  finally got underway to Modimolle to the Silver Streams Lodge for  our first night . Great rooms and nice dinner under the stars in the Waterburg . Marianne feeling a little fragile .

 

 

 

Left Coleford at 10.30 this morning and decided to stop in Windsor for lunch and meet  up with L&M

Arrived T5 at about 4pm and then relaxed in the Aspire lounge. Bloody  flight delayed hour and a half.