Year: 2026

No driving today, total so far about 900 k’s. About 300 k’s to go to Chobe National Park in Northern Botswana.

A bit of cloud cover today so just a little cooler. Did some clothes washing before heading for the pool. Booked our guided trip at 16.30 to the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans and the Nata Bird Sanctuary. Sat around the pool most of the day watching, listening and photographing all the birds around the gardens. Left the lodge at16.30 for our 3 hour trip to the pans. Good rains last year so lots of water , 3 years ago when we were here there was none that we could access. Guide took us to areas around the pan that we were not allowed to go to last time on our own. Lots of lesser and greater Flamingos, great white Pelicans (from afar), Korhaan, lbj’s, Ostrich, Blue Wildebeest and Black Back Jackel etc. Returned about 19.15 and went straight to restaurant for dins.Spicy chicken livers to share and Both had chicken schnitzel for mains. Customary Pinotage. Great no cooking for us, luxury!!

Left Khama Rhino Sanctuary at 10.00 am for our 3 night stay at Nata Lodge Camping. Road to Francistown good and made good progress.

From Francistown to our stay at Nata was 180 Km’s of road reconstruction, definitely needed but health and safety not in the dictionary, so dangerous, saw one overturned truck. Converting an old dilapidated single lane road to Kasane to dual carriageway. A huge project.Topped up with diesel, our only stop, not as if there was any other place to stop. Arrived at 15.30 in 39 degrees. Checked in and went for a beer in the lodge. Sat around the pool.Grilled steak and salad for dins.

Hot hot but cooling off a bit at 9pm when composing Blog.

Two days now with no driving. 😀🍺

Sunny and max today was 37 degrees

Left Big Fig at 9.30 ish for Botswana border crossing at Martins Drift.

As usual literally miles of trucks waiting to cross the border. Spoke to one guy and he had been a week in the queue. Bizarre.

Crossing took us an hour.

On our way by 10.30 to Palapye where we needed to stock up for the next 4/5 days. Went to “Shopright” , OK supermarket and got most of what we needed including a small mirror for Irene ( make up ) and some Botswana Pula from an ATM.

Then made our way to second night stop at Sergaigai farm Travelled 10 k’s on gravel and sand only to find the farm gate closed and to ring a number which only went to answer phone. UGH. ! So dilemma. One possibility to carry on north to a stop at a camp we have used before or stop at a much closer site that we have used before

Phoned both but no answer so opted for the closer one “Khama Rhino Sanctuary “ a larger and very nice “real bush” site. Lots of birds making a real racket. Not that busy so got a nice pitch easily. Not the best of starts but now listening to all the night sounds under the stars. Cold chicken and salad plus a glass of red of course.

Long day to Nata Bird Sanctuary camp tomorrow A three night stop to relax a bit around their pool.

Sunny and warm 26 degrees

J&C took us to pick up camper at 8am at Midrand.

Formalities etc done by 11.45 and on our way to first night stop near Botswana border.

Made a hash of Nat Nav so arrived at Big Fig Oasis Camp at 18.00 about an hour later than expected. BBQ chicken and salad with a bottle of Pinotage. Only people camping, nice grass site with electric. Long day 400 KM’s driving. 32 degrees on arrival but cooled a bit when sun went down. Very pleasant.

Shopping for provisions for the journey at Woolworth and Checkers. Went to butchers for biltong. Nice day , sunny and 27 degrees.