29th Sept. Graskop, High Veldt.
Good to get the car serviced and those few niggles sorted out. Buying a bakkie unsighted was always a bit of a risk but the work required was mainly routine with a bit of wear and tear items thrown in. When you consider the types of roads it must have been driven on as a hire car there is no wonder some work had to be done. It goes well now, no rattles, ready for another venture next year.
Leaving Polokwane in the afternoon we headed east to Tzaneen and then on to the bottom of the eastern Drakensburg escarpment. Not that interesting country apart from the knowledge that the events leading up to Breaker Morant’s execution happened in this area. There is a memorial to the event, unfortunately we couldn’t find it.
This morning we climbed out of the low veldt, over the Drakensburg range to the high veldt where we became tourists ogling at truly amazing panoramas and attractions along the escarpment. It is the South African school holidays at the moment and some of the places were quite crowded.
There is a decided difference to the attitude the black Africans show when we wave or greet them compared to that in both Botswana and Namibia. In those countries there is an open acknowledgement to our greeting with perhaps a smile thrown in. Here, often no acknowledgement and if any, very off hand. Yet, when we talk to them and they realize we are from another country they open up, ask questions, and seem to relax somewhat. South Africa is a wonderful country and has so much going for it. But the gap between the haves, both white but more increasingly black, and the have nots is causing so much resentment. It is a problem that is going to take a long time to remedy. They expected so much with Mandela and are disillusioned with what has happened. The result is they are taking it out on the whites especially the land owners of which many have been killed in the last few years. Yet, I can see why people who emigrate become so very home sick for SA. It is a great place.
This could be my last blog. We head to Pretoria over the next few days and will spend the last couple of nights with Len and Ria, the couple we met 2 years ago. A lovely couple who we get on with so well and have kindly offered for us to store the bakkie at their place until we come back. We look forward to catching up with them again
I hope anyone reading has enjoyed what I have written. I enjoy doing it even if as only a written memory for Joan and me. I sometimes look back at the earlier ones, they bring back good memories. Maybe one day we will get too decrepit to travel like we do, we both hope that day is a long way off.
Next year we are looking at heading north from Pretoria, visit the Kruger NP then on into Mozambique where we will relax somewhere on the beach and take in the succulent seafood of which they are famous, then on back into Malawi and then Tanzania where we want to visit Zanzibar. Have tried to get there on two occasions without luck, maybe this time.
Friday, October 8, 2010
27th Sept Polokwane
27th Sept. Polokwane, Limpopo, Sth Africa.
Well, it’s all coming to an end. A week’s time we will be packing ready to fly home. We crossed into Sth Africa a few days ago and have been at Polokwane since then. On Saturday we booked the bakkie in to be serviced today and camped at the Municipal Game Reserve the first night but last night and tonight we are staying in on of their rondavel chalets. Very comfortable and the first real bed we have slept in since July. It appears they have to replace some bushes and other work which will take until tomorrow. After that we will wend our way south to Pretoria through, we believe, some beautiful country. We thought it best to have it serviced so when we come back next year it will be ready to take off.
The game reserve here is the biggest municipal one in the country; we went for a drive last night and saw our first rhinos on this trip as well as sable antelope, a type we hadn’t seen before.
Polokwane is the capital of the Limpopo Province. Joan wanted to do a bit of shopping at one of the new malls. It was out in the more prestigious areas and seemed to have more whites shopping than blacks. However the next mall we went to in the middle of town I think we were the only whites in the place. It was quite amusing. Queues of people everywhere with a paucity of baskets. Even to get too a checkout took 15 minutes of queuing.
I was getting short of reading matter, the bookshop we went to had on its shelves the South African classic, ‘Jock of the Bushveld’. By Sir Percy Fitzpatrick. The story of a man and his dog in the north east of the country in the late 1800s. I mention it because we used to have the book in the house when I was a kid. Not sure how my mother got it but at the time I was a bit young to read such an adult book. The edition I bought was a 100 year anniversary of it being written and as we are going into the area where it was set I am finding it an easy, interesting read. In those times game was plentiful, 2 metre fencing would have been unheard of and bullock carts were the mode of transport.
Something I forgot to mention when we were staying at Kasane, in the north of Botswana: the camp we were staying in was on the banks of the Chobe River. The afternoon we were there we walked through the acacia to the river bank to see if hippos or crocs were in the area. On the bank of the river was a massive dead croc. Or he would have been massive if he still had his head which seemed to have been sawn off. It was too neat to have been bitten off by a hippo. We asked the friendly lady in the office who wasn’t aware of its presence. She thought it may have been killed and its head used in some ritual, they were still common in the area she said. Religion is very strong in Southern Africa but you wonder how far below the Christian beliefs animism is still practiced.
Well, it’s all coming to an end. A week’s time we will be packing ready to fly home. We crossed into Sth Africa a few days ago and have been at Polokwane since then. On Saturday we booked the bakkie in to be serviced today and camped at the Municipal Game Reserve the first night but last night and tonight we are staying in on of their rondavel chalets. Very comfortable and the first real bed we have slept in since July. It appears they have to replace some bushes and other work which will take until tomorrow. After that we will wend our way south to Pretoria through, we believe, some beautiful country. We thought it best to have it serviced so when we come back next year it will be ready to take off.
The game reserve here is the biggest municipal one in the country; we went for a drive last night and saw our first rhinos on this trip as well as sable antelope, a type we hadn’t seen before.
Polokwane is the capital of the Limpopo Province. Joan wanted to do a bit of shopping at one of the new malls. It was out in the more prestigious areas and seemed to have more whites shopping than blacks. However the next mall we went to in the middle of town I think we were the only whites in the place. It was quite amusing. Queues of people everywhere with a paucity of baskets. Even to get too a checkout took 15 minutes of queuing.
I was getting short of reading matter, the bookshop we went to had on its shelves the South African classic, ‘Jock of the Bushveld’. By Sir Percy Fitzpatrick. The story of a man and his dog in the north east of the country in the late 1800s. I mention it because we used to have the book in the house when I was a kid. Not sure how my mother got it but at the time I was a bit young to read such an adult book. The edition I bought was a 100 year anniversary of it being written and as we are going into the area where it was set I am finding it an easy, interesting read. In those times game was plentiful, 2 metre fencing would have been unheard of and bullock carts were the mode of transport.
Something I forgot to mention when we were staying at Kasane, in the north of Botswana: the camp we were staying in was on the banks of the Chobe River. The afternoon we were there we walked through the acacia to the river bank to see if hippos or crocs were in the area. On the bank of the river was a massive dead croc. Or he would have been massive if he still had his head which seemed to have been sawn off. It was too neat to have been bitten off by a hippo. We asked the friendly lady in the office who wasn’t aware of its presence. She thought it may have been killed and its head used in some ritual, they were still common in the area she said. Religion is very strong in Southern Africa but you wonder how far below the Christian beliefs animism is still practiced.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
30th Sept. Graskop. Sth Africa
30th Sept.
Hi, A few photos uploaded but having trouble with text. Will try again later.
Gary
Hi, A few photos uploaded but having trouble with text. Will try again later.
Gary
Thursday, September 23, 2010
22nd Sept. Nata Bird Sanctuary
22nd Sept. Nata Bird Sanctuary.
I guess you might say we started heading home today. We left Kasane this morning and drove south some 300kms over uninspiring country apart from a couple of Elephant herds close to the road, and made it as far as Nata, an uninspiring town on a major intersection. Some 20kms out of town though was this bird sanctuary started up by a local community group to protect the area’s birds and also make a bit of money for themselves.
The land here is flat, grassy, leading down to a large soda ash pan. On first impression we thought it might turn out a waste of time as all we saw the first few kms were a couple of ostriches. But as we made our way to the dry river bed that flows into the pan in the wet season we came upon a series of water holes filled with sand pipers, pied avocets, pipits, plovers and the odd duck thrown in. Our overnight pass allowed us to stay wherever we wanted to in the sanctuary. So here we are, on the banks of a dry river bed, waterholes either side of us, and a procession of birds any twitcher would be envious to see. As the night lengthens the twittering continues with the odd splash of some newcomer. When the river flows into the pan the area is full of lesser flamingoes and other birds after the crustaceans in the pan.
We had to park close to the track leading to the river mouth as the grass was long and prickly. As the sun began to drop we suddenly had a line of safari vehicles passing by heading to the mouth to watch the sun set. We felt obliged to greet all and everyone as they were literally a metre away. We even were the object of a couple of camera clickers. Once they had headed off it was just us once more, and the birds. An idyllic situation and quite unexpected. A memory that will last.
I guess you might say we started heading home today. We left Kasane this morning and drove south some 300kms over uninspiring country apart from a couple of Elephant herds close to the road, and made it as far as Nata, an uninspiring town on a major intersection. Some 20kms out of town though was this bird sanctuary started up by a local community group to protect the area’s birds and also make a bit of money for themselves.
The land here is flat, grassy, leading down to a large soda ash pan. On first impression we thought it might turn out a waste of time as all we saw the first few kms were a couple of ostriches. But as we made our way to the dry river bed that flows into the pan in the wet season we came upon a series of water holes filled with sand pipers, pied avocets, pipits, plovers and the odd duck thrown in. Our overnight pass allowed us to stay wherever we wanted to in the sanctuary. So here we are, on the banks of a dry river bed, waterholes either side of us, and a procession of birds any twitcher would be envious to see. As the night lengthens the twittering continues with the odd splash of some newcomer. When the river flows into the pan the area is full of lesser flamingoes and other birds after the crustaceans in the pan.
We had to park close to the track leading to the river mouth as the grass was long and prickly. As the sun began to drop we suddenly had a line of safari vehicles passing by heading to the mouth to watch the sun set. We felt obliged to greet all and everyone as they were literally a metre away. We even were the object of a couple of camera clickers. Once they had headed off it was just us once more, and the birds. An idyllic situation and quite unexpected. A memory that will last.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
20th Sept
Hi there,
Managed to finally get some posts and photos on board. Hope it is interesting.
Take Care, Joan & Gary
20th Sept. Kasane, Nrthrn Botswana.
It has been a full on 5 days. The three days at 3rd Bridge in Moremi Game Reserve were relaxing in as much as we had a bit of time up our sleeve instead of rushing around taking it all in. But yesterday, because we didn’t have a booking for Savuti Camp which was half way through Chobe NP, meant we had to get to the exit gate of Chobe in the one day, And the whole of the day’s driving would be in sand, sometimes quite deep. Not counting the river crossings one of which had water surging over the bonnet as I eased the bakkie over in low range first. Our faith in the vehicle had been enhanced many times over on this trip.
Chobe, one of the jewels in the Botswana crown disappointed us. Apart from a couple of greater kudus and dik diks, we saw no animals. We were tired and tried to cadge a place in Savuti but at US$50 per head as well as the park fees, and that was to share a sight, we said ‘no thanks’ and drove on into more deep sand. Not long after leaving the park and still in the forest reserve we turned a corner and there ahead of us were 8 African hunting dogs relaxing on the road before heading off on their evening hunt. We hadn’t seen them before and were intrigued as they were one of the animals REST was trying to protect. Much maligned, their numbers have been reduced horribly until there are only a few thousand left. Their numbers are not helped by their strange reproduction arrangements as the alpha female is the only bitch of the clan that bear off spring, the father being the alpha male. The whole clan looks after the pups. They are a beautiful animal with golden colourations on their fur. That wasn’t the end of what we saw as we had to wait for a herd of elephants to cross the road, giraffes nonchalantly watching us, greater kudu, impala and dik diks abounding and as we stopped for the night, free camping, a magnificent eland showed up down the road. The largest of the antelopes they are still able to clear A 2 metre fence. All this outside the park.
That night we lit a big fire, free camping near so much wild life can be a little unsettling.
Today we headed to North Chobe NP. A sweep of land bordering the Chobe River. The border between Namibia and Botswana. Renowned for its elephants at first we were more worried by the deep sand after the gate entrance but after hitting the river we were very soon gobsmacked by what lay below us. The land above the river had been denuded by the elephant herds but the plains either side of the river were green and covered by hundreds of zebra and further upstream, thousands of elephants. Interspersed with these were cape buffalo, hippos, crocs, water buck, giraffes (30 in one group), kudu, impala, wart hogs, to name most. But it was the elephants that were the star whether they were feeding, drinking, taking mud baths, or just protecting their young, they are so interesting of beasts. It was an amazing day. We made it to Kisane where we are staying for a couple of nights, very tired.
Managed to finally get some posts and photos on board. Hope it is interesting.
Take Care, Joan & Gary
20th Sept. Kasane, Nrthrn Botswana.
It has been a full on 5 days. The three days at 3rd Bridge in Moremi Game Reserve were relaxing in as much as we had a bit of time up our sleeve instead of rushing around taking it all in. But yesterday, because we didn’t have a booking for Savuti Camp which was half way through Chobe NP, meant we had to get to the exit gate of Chobe in the one day, And the whole of the day’s driving would be in sand, sometimes quite deep. Not counting the river crossings one of which had water surging over the bonnet as I eased the bakkie over in low range first. Our faith in the vehicle had been enhanced many times over on this trip.
Chobe, one of the jewels in the Botswana crown disappointed us. Apart from a couple of greater kudus and dik diks, we saw no animals. We were tired and tried to cadge a place in Savuti but at US$50 per head as well as the park fees, and that was to share a sight, we said ‘no thanks’ and drove on into more deep sand. Not long after leaving the park and still in the forest reserve we turned a corner and there ahead of us were 8 African hunting dogs relaxing on the road before heading off on their evening hunt. We hadn’t seen them before and were intrigued as they were one of the animals REST was trying to protect. Much maligned, their numbers have been reduced horribly until there are only a few thousand left. Their numbers are not helped by their strange reproduction arrangements as the alpha female is the only bitch of the clan that bear off spring, the father being the alpha male. The whole clan looks after the pups. They are a beautiful animal with golden colourations on their fur. That wasn’t the end of what we saw as we had to wait for a herd of elephants to cross the road, giraffes nonchalantly watching us, greater kudu, impala and dik diks abounding and as we stopped for the night, free camping, a magnificent eland showed up down the road. The largest of the antelopes they are still able to clear A 2 metre fence. All this outside the park.
That night we lit a big fire, free camping near so much wild life can be a little unsettling.
Today we headed to North Chobe NP. A sweep of land bordering the Chobe River. The border between Namibia and Botswana. Renowned for its elephants at first we were more worried by the deep sand after the gate entrance but after hitting the river we were very soon gobsmacked by what lay below us. The land above the river had been denuded by the elephant herds but the plains either side of the river were green and covered by hundreds of zebra and further upstream, thousands of elephants. Interspersed with these were cape buffalo, hippos, crocs, water buck, giraffes (30 in one group), kudu, impala, wart hogs, to name most. But it was the elephants that were the star whether they were feeding, drinking, taking mud baths, or just protecting their young, they are so interesting of beasts. It was an amazing day. We made it to Kisane where we are staying for a couple of nights, very tired.
18th Sept. 3rd Bridge.
18th Sept. 3rd Bridge, Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana.
We had a bit of luck in Maun when we tried to get a place in one of the camp sites in Moremi GR. Usually bookings have to be made up to 12 months before but the 3rd Bridge camp site had availability for 3 nights commencing 2 days hence. We also wanted to stop off at Chobe NP but the camp at Savuti was full, there is a privately run one nearby and hope to make that tomorrow when we leave here.
Moremi GR is smack bang in the middle of the Okavango Delta and is the only place where you don’t have to pay exorbitant prices although, now that the campsites have been privatized, AU$105 per night for the two of us for camping and park fee is not what you would call cheap. Still, the lodges here charge what they like and when you include the fly-in price as well, it is very expensive. We have been here two nights now, the drive from Maun was an experience, watching a variety of wildlife in the waterholes we drove near and yesterday we took a loop to the west that included an hour’s paddle on a mokoro poled by Action. The mokoros are slim flat bottomed river craft, holding a couple of people and poled by a bloke standing in the back. Before paying our money Action pointed out that we won’t see any animals but the vegetation is interesting and the tranquility of the water passing by. He was honest and we appreciated that. It will be one of the highlights of this trip; reeds on both sides, water lilies along the edges, clear water, silence apart from the birds and the pole slipping into the water. So relaxing.
This loop is noted for its elephant herds and on the way to the river we passed a couple, one fairly close to the road. But after the cruise we headed back and soon ran into a big herd that were feeding and wallowing in the nearby mud. Unfortunately three of them decided to feed on the road ahead of us. We had to back track a couple of times to give a couple of younger ones room when they showed their dislike of us being so close. But these three just ate on, 50 minutes later one by one they decided to browse elsewhere and we were at last able to get by. We checked later and were told that what we did was correct. Driving up to them and tooting the horn would be asking for disaster I would think as they are capable of flipping a car with one trunk tied behind its ear.
The camp site here is what is called a walk in site. There are no fences and the animals just walk in. We were warned against the baboons and hyenas helping themselves to food left out but last night we watched a lion about 500 metres away and the crowd in No 7 next door had a hippo sleep the night a few metres from their caravan. Two elephants were feeding near the reeds about 50 metres away yesterday morning and this afternoon the baboon troupe have been entertaining us with their antics in the tree above us then over at a vacant site where they spent hours playing and cavorting tne the trees.
The staff here have been excellent, helpful in advising us on viewing routes and up to date info on the road ahead. The Okavango Delta has had the best rain in the last 12 months for many years and flooding has only started to lessen. Many of the roads have been closed and others have had bypasses around the worst areas. Bit like Australia, when the rains come, everyone smiles.
We had a bit of luck in Maun when we tried to get a place in one of the camp sites in Moremi GR. Usually bookings have to be made up to 12 months before but the 3rd Bridge camp site had availability for 3 nights commencing 2 days hence. We also wanted to stop off at Chobe NP but the camp at Savuti was full, there is a privately run one nearby and hope to make that tomorrow when we leave here.
Moremi GR is smack bang in the middle of the Okavango Delta and is the only place where you don’t have to pay exorbitant prices although, now that the campsites have been privatized, AU$105 per night for the two of us for camping and park fee is not what you would call cheap. Still, the lodges here charge what they like and when you include the fly-in price as well, it is very expensive. We have been here two nights now, the drive from Maun was an experience, watching a variety of wildlife in the waterholes we drove near and yesterday we took a loop to the west that included an hour’s paddle on a mokoro poled by Action. The mokoros are slim flat bottomed river craft, holding a couple of people and poled by a bloke standing in the back. Before paying our money Action pointed out that we won’t see any animals but the vegetation is interesting and the tranquility of the water passing by. He was honest and we appreciated that. It will be one of the highlights of this trip; reeds on both sides, water lilies along the edges, clear water, silence apart from the birds and the pole slipping into the water. So relaxing.
This loop is noted for its elephant herds and on the way to the river we passed a couple, one fairly close to the road. But after the cruise we headed back and soon ran into a big herd that were feeding and wallowing in the nearby mud. Unfortunately three of them decided to feed on the road ahead of us. We had to back track a couple of times to give a couple of younger ones room when they showed their dislike of us being so close. But these three just ate on, 50 minutes later one by one they decided to browse elsewhere and we were at last able to get by. We checked later and were told that what we did was correct. Driving up to them and tooting the horn would be asking for disaster I would think as they are capable of flipping a car with one trunk tied behind its ear.
The camp site here is what is called a walk in site. There are no fences and the animals just walk in. We were warned against the baboons and hyenas helping themselves to food left out but last night we watched a lion about 500 metres away and the crowd in No 7 next door had a hippo sleep the night a few metres from their caravan. Two elephants were feeding near the reeds about 50 metres away yesterday morning and this afternoon the baboon troupe have been entertaining us with their antics in the tree above us then over at a vacant site where they spent hours playing and cavorting tne the trees.
The staff here have been excellent, helpful in advising us on viewing routes and up to date info on the road ahead. The Okavango Delta has had the best rain in the last 12 months for many years and flooding has only started to lessen. Many of the roads have been closed and others have had bypasses around the worst areas. Bit like Australia, when the rains come, everyone smiles.
14th Sept Maun
14th Sept. Maun, Okavango Delta, Botswana.
Botswana is flat and built on sand. As soon as you go off the sealed road it’s all sand.. We traveled almost 600kms yesterday and saw three hills, the highest about 50 metres tall. Yet there is water here, more than we saw in the 7 weeks in Namibia. We hope to get out to some of the national parks over the next couple of weeks but the parks board is similar to that in Namibia, saying all camps are full. We shall see today.
The trip to Windhoek was very successful, having the work done on the camper and a new battery fitted in the one day. We put a 102ah one in compared to the minuscule 60ah one that was already in. That means we should get 3-4 days without plugging in. Caught up with a couple of people, did the shopping the next day and were heading east to Botswana by lunch time. We made it to the Zelda Game Farm a few kms from the border but spent two days there as we both felt we needed to recuperate after REST.
It was good to have grass in the camp site again as those in Namibia are generally devoid of such a luxury. Also to walk around in bare feet, something the acacia thorns don’t allow you to do. They can pierce all but the thickest of shoe ware.
The Okavango Delta is well known as where a large river, the Okavango, divides into many channels then disappears into the sands of the Kalahari Desert. Most of the area is privately owned with very expensive lodges built to cater for the well off fly-in guests. The area for us plebs is the Moremi and Chobe National Parks. I see on the map there is one stretch getting to Moremi that takes 5 hours to do 45kms. That will be interesting.
These blogs may be delayed as I can’t use my Namibian dongle here in Botswana so will be making use of internet cafes etc.
Botswana is flat and built on sand. As soon as you go off the sealed road it’s all sand.. We traveled almost 600kms yesterday and saw three hills, the highest about 50 metres tall. Yet there is water here, more than we saw in the 7 weeks in Namibia. We hope to get out to some of the national parks over the next couple of weeks but the parks board is similar to that in Namibia, saying all camps are full. We shall see today.
The trip to Windhoek was very successful, having the work done on the camper and a new battery fitted in the one day. We put a 102ah one in compared to the minuscule 60ah one that was already in. That means we should get 3-4 days without plugging in. Caught up with a couple of people, did the shopping the next day and were heading east to Botswana by lunch time. We made it to the Zelda Game Farm a few kms from the border but spent two days there as we both felt we needed to recuperate after REST.
It was good to have grass in the camp site again as those in Namibia are generally devoid of such a luxury. Also to walk around in bare feet, something the acacia thorns don’t allow you to do. They can pierce all but the thickest of shoe ware.
The Okavango Delta is well known as where a large river, the Okavango, divides into many channels then disappears into the sands of the Kalahari Desert. Most of the area is privately owned with very expensive lodges built to cater for the well off fly-in guests. The area for us plebs is the Moremi and Chobe National Parks. I see on the map there is one stretch getting to Moremi that takes 5 hours to do 45kms. That will be interesting.
These blogs may be delayed as I can’t use my Namibian dongle here in Botswana so will be making use of internet cafes etc.
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