meanderstravels

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.

Deflating the tyres

big jumbo right next to our camp

At the waterhole

You big beauty

On the way to water

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.

This goes on for miles. Breathtaking in 40 deg heat

Made it across the Pan. Got lost soon after this!

A lonely tree in the wilderness

Planet Baobab

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 ?

Onto the Pan
Can we find our way?

Off we go

Hell of a Baobab

Hell of a long drop and even more hell when the door is closed

No way Marianne was going in there

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.

White Rhinos

Well earned beer

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.

20th June

Last full day at the gite and it is overcast and raining. Took a trip to Bruniquel another of the beautiful perched mediaeval villages. Sadly rain spoiling trip so came back to gite. Cleared after lunch so went up to Castelnau de Montmiral to have a good look around for the first time since our arrival. Sun came and sat round the pool for a couple of hours. Slim preparing lamb for dinner.

Castelnau de Montmiral Place

Bruniquel Village

Gite from afar

Gite from across the valley

Castelnau church

17 th June

Visited  the beautiful perched village of Cordes de Ceil. Quite a steep climb to the top but worth it. Beers all round at the top then a wander around the village. Great views. Chez Sob’s for lunch and afternoon around the pool. BBQ of chicken kebabs, sausages, sardines and roasted veggies for dinner. Late evening  walk around the lake after. Star gazing and aircraft spotting by Slim & Fred.

18th June

Chill out day today with no planned visits. Slim and Stevie chez Sob’s in the morning . Ob’s went on a rondonnee about 5 miles. Nice varied walk, some open spaces and woodland. Me and Er relaxed around the pool PM whilst them went shopping in Gaillac for bibs and bobs. Oliver’s served dinner of stuffed peppers and salmon.

Our early morning coffee and cognac venue in Castelnau de Montmiral

Rondonnee

15th June

Went to Gaillac in the morning. St Michael ‘s Abbey was closed . Wandered. Stopped for a beer and then went to Leclerc to do shopping. Lunch at the Gite and slopped around the pool in the afternoon. Fred prepped and cooked fish stew for dinner. Great.

Saw Coypu in the lake and the mighty sounds of the frogs. 

Après Dinner

16th June

Rainy day so hung about for a few hours chez Sob’s.  Went off to visit Albi the largest city in the Tarn . Walked the lovely old town streets, the Cathedral and the Toulouse Lautrec Museum. Amazing Cathedral and the museum good value with lots to see . Lunch, where the pig’s had to have cassoulet washed down with the local Gaillac red . Dinner prepared by Slim, pork  stroganoff. Stuffed!!

Saturday 13th

Arrived  Toulouse Airport at 3.45 pm , picked up hire cars , Irene and I did the shopping in Gaillac and arrived at the Gite at about 6.30. Raining. Pasta for dinner.

Sunday 14th

Woke up to cool weather and pouring rain

Went to St Antonin  Noble Val to the market , bought wine, veg, and other goodies for Parmigiano dinner.

Weather cleared in the afternoon and sat around pool and had a swim. Started to rain again after dark.

Week-end away with the “Boys” to Milan

Watched AC Milan play Roma at the San Siro. Disappointing crowd, only 35,000

The “Boys” – Nick, Snips, Martin, Dave M, Dave W, Fred, John and Myself.

The usual open top bus trips as the weather was great

Long week-end in Dublin with 15 others from club including wives

Hop On/Off bus trips, Guinness Factory visit, Celtic Evening and generally walking the City

The Annual skiing week in Fusch,  Austria staying at the Lampenhausl

Rich, Joelle, Peter , Chantal and Yvette arrived from France

Very mild conditions again this year but snow OK at higher levels

Skied the resort, Maria Alm, Saalbach and Kitzbuel

Yours truly had accident on the 4th day at Kitzbuel. Fracture to knee, MCL ligament damage and tears to meniscus. Insurance got me home OK on original flight with 3 seats for me to stretch my leg which was in plaster

Week later had operation to do repairs at RD&E Hostpital