|
Updated Information
|
Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
7km |
Meals
Chicken tikka masala ala Connie |
Weather |
Maun,
Botswana
Witt & Jen |
16 July,
2004 |
Bush Camp |
18°45.785’S x 21°45.015’E |
Odometer: 27499km |
Sunny, 88(F) Degrees, |
|
We spent a very pleasant and relaxing day
hiking and exploring the hills and the cave paintings. We hired a guide
who turned out to be less than stellar, but we were more interested in the
walking anyway. We spent the afternoon relaxing under some shade trees at
our camp, talking and reading. We tried enjoyed Connie’s chicken tikka
masala recipe for dinner and sat up for awhile stargazing. |
|
A drawing of a whale (lower
right) |
Ahh, lunch |
|
Updated Information
|
Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
32km |
Meals
Buffet w/kudu stew & curry |
Weather |
Maun,
Botswana
Graham & Connie |
16 July, 2004 |
Audi Camp |
19°56.073’S 23°30.537’E |
Odometer: 36432km |
Cold, am, Hot mid day, 85(F)
degrees |
|
Re-supply and relaxation day.
We got on the internet first thing to send emails and web updates.
Unfortunately the file with a lot of our updates got corrupted, and is
unreadable. So those looking for details on our time in Kruger, Swaziland
and Lesotho will have to wait a bit! We spent the afternoon shopping and
getting ready for a 5 day forsy into the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. We
had a nice dinner at Audi Camp, sampling their buffet. |
|
Camp at Audi Camp |
|
Updated Information
|
Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
425km |
Meals
Boerewors, breedi and pap |
Weather |
Mamili National Park,
Botswana
Witt & Jen |
17 July, 2004 |
Bush Camp |
18°19.710’S x 23°46.402’E |
Odometer: 27917km |
Sunny, 86(F)
degrees |
|
We left Tsodilo hills this morning after a
leisurely breakfast of French Toast (aka eggy bread). It took us 40
minutes to reach the main road and by 1130 we were in Namibia. Just across
the border the road took us through Mahango Game Park. A group of four
Roan antelope, a species we hadn’t seen before, crossed the road in front
of us as we drove. We stopped at popa falls for lunch. The falls are
really more a series of grade 3 rapids on the Okavango river, but they’re
pretty nonetheless. The campground there was nice and after lunch we made
the most of our $4 day use fee by showering. Smelling fresh and clean (for
a little while at least) we drove on stopping in Divundu for fuel, then
headed east across the Caprivi strip. At Kongola we turned south toward
Mamili National Park. The road to this seldom visited park was slow going
and we decided to bushcamp just outside the park entrance. We made dinner
and went to bed early in anticipation of a morning game drive. |
|
Popa Falls |
The highway across the Caprivi |
|
Updated Information
|
Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
255km |
Meals
Borewors, pap & breedie |
Weather |
|
Deception Valley,
Botswana
Connie & Graham |
17 July, 2004 |
CKD-3 Central Kalahari Game
Reserve camp site |
21°24.326’S 23°46.049’E |
Odometer: 36687km |
Cold in am, Hot at midday,
87(F)
degrees |
|
After a quick stop in Maun for money and
breakfast at the French Connection, we hit the road. Directions to Central
Kalahari are a bit vague. After not being allowed to cross a vet fence
because we had meat on board, we turned South along a cut line and headed
into the desert. We picked up the park boundary and made our way to the
gate. This park is far enough off the beaten track that there is no one at
the gate. You just let yourself in and are expected to check in at the
game scout camp (which we did). Or first camp was scheduled to be in
Deception Valley, and we had a fantastic drive out there. Central Kalahari
is wonderful if you want to get away from everything. The park covers
52800 square km making it one of the largest national parks in the world.
And it is so far off the beaten track that very few people visit. |
|
The long road in |
You have to let yourself into
the park! |
|
Updated Information
|
Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
274km |
Meals
Braai'd Chicken |
Weather |
Chobe Forest Reserve,
Botswana
Witt & Jen |
18 July, 2004 |
Bush Camp |
17°58.100’S
x 24°39.358’E |
Odometer: 28191km |
Sunny, 85(F)
degrees |
|
We awoke early and drove through Mamili park.
We saw loads of birds including the coppery tailed coucal which we hadn’t
seen before. Our plan was to make a loop through the park and drove out
what we thought was the main entrance to the park. We were outside the
park and within a couple of km from the main road when we encountered a
rather large and intimidating looking water crossing. Witt waded out into
the water with some locals looking on and assuring him that it was
possible to drive through. Just before the far side the (very cold) water
was nearly chest deep. The locals kept saying ‘no problem,’ but it was
clear that they were planning to stick around to watch us try it. Being a
single vehicle we elected to turn back and drove out the way we had come
in. We reached Katima just before lunch where we topped off our fuel and
food supplies. After a lunch stop on the bank of the Zambezi river, we
drove to the Botswana border at Ngoma. After stamping our feet on a
disinfectant pad and driving through a pool of disinfectant, we crossed
back into Botswana. We turned into the Chobe forest reserve, on our way to
our reservation tomorrow night in Chobe National Park. We found a nice
bushcamp on the bank of the Chobe river. Shortly after we stopped a herd
of cattle arrived at the water to drink, followed by the cattle herder
with his rifle. We offered him a beer and he said we could spend the night
there. After admonishing us to be careful of the crocodiles (that’s why he
had a rifle) he and his cattle were off. We lit a fire to keep the crocs
at bay and watched a beautiful sunset over the river. |
|
Checking the water... |
Sunset over the Chobe River |
|
Updated Information
|
Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
109km |
Meals
Espatada, baked potatoes on the braai |
Weather |
|
Letiahau Pan,
Botswana
Connie & Graham |
18 July, 2004 |
CKL-3 Central Kalahari Game
Reserve camp site |
21°36.550’S 23°33.375’E |
Odometer: 36797km |
Cold in
am, Hot at midday, 87(F)
degrees |
|
We made our way North after a late start to
Sunday Pan. We saw springbok, gemsbok and ostrich at the pan, and saw a
caracal and four jackals on our way down to Deception again. The scenery
is stunning, and the wildlife quite abundant. We stopped for lunch at
Deception Pan and then made camp early at Letiahau Pan where Graham
proceeded to re-adjust the rear tire rack. The rack is slowly destroying
the right corner of the car, so better weight distribution was needed.
|
That is a caracal looking at you@
|
|
July 19----> |
