The last week has been a bit of a strange one. In spite of our misgivings about having missed the weather window we were aiming for as we headed north, we decided to at least give Botswana and the Okavango Delta a go, especially as some travel friends (Felix and Sandra) were going to a lot of trouble to include us in their plans. We crossed the border last Tuesday, which turned out to be a public holiday in Botswana for Independence Day. The border at Mohembo was very quiet and everything went smoothly.
We took the (free) Mohembo Ferry across the Okavango and then drove down a reasonable gravel/sand road to Seronga, where we wanted to take a trip in a mokoro (a traditional canoe). Our guidebook recommended the Okavango Poler’s Trust operating out of Mbiroba Camp, so that’s where we went. It was a disappointment: we were the only visitors, the camp and chalets had seen better days, and the price for a mokoro trip was even more than we expected. We should have trusted our instincts and got out of there. But we spent a pleasant afternoon sitting in the shade looking out over the water and enjoying the sights and sounds. There were lots of birds to see, and also cows grazing in the water. It was very nice. Later on, when it got dark, we found it more of a struggle as there were so many mosquitos, and we couldn’t really cool down the inside of the truck sufficiently to be comfortable.
On Wednesday morning we met our guide, Lets, at the appointed time, and set off in a truck to Xao to get on with our mokoro trip. It was already very hot but the views across the water were appealing. We put on lots of sunblock and set off. It was absolutely roasting all day long, but truly the boat trip was gorgeous none the less. Lets poled us along at a sedate pace and we had plenty of time to enjoy the water lilies, the bird life, an elephant on the shore and just the feeling of being on the Okavango. There were amazing numbers of African Fish Eagle, and we even saw a pair tumbling in the sky, which was an incredible sight. Lunchtime was a bit weird, though. We landed on an island and had a short “bush walk”. Honestly I had never imagined that it was possible to make such slow progress in spite of seeing so little game. It was absolutely farcical. Then after our packed lunch Lets informed us that we had an hour to rest until we set off again (which was probably a good idea as the heat was at its height). The afternoon ride was even hotter than the morning, of course, but we still had a bit of a breeze from the movement of the boat. The water was beautifully still.
When we got back to Seronga the day was spoiled, really, by the extortionate exchange rate that the office gave us for our Namibian dollars, which made an overpriced trip into a complete rip-off. We would not recommend this particular outfit at all!!! The day was capped off by finding an enormous and repulsive spider in the outdoor shower. We were both feeling unhappy for various reasons and decided to head to Drotsky’s Cabins the next day to consider our options.
On Thursday we travelled back along the dusty road and on the Mohembo ferry, then turned south to Shakawe, where we were able to get cash and some top-up groceries, before continuing to Drotsky’s. What a contrast when we got there! We found a beautiful, shady pole-and-thatch lodge, where Eileen Drotsky herself greeted us, got us a drink and made us feel very welcome. We also met Jan and Peter Drotsky and Itsaneng, who were all equally lovely. After a very nice chat we made our way to the campsite. It was a bit tricky getting the truck through the trees and we had to cut down a branch that was hanging too low. By this time we were getting rather frazzled and hungry, but help arrived in the form of groundsman Kebotshabe, who leapt on top of the truck, took the saw out of Barney’s hand and soon had the branch down. We had a late lunch. Annoyingly we lost our last piece of cheese (quite a big chunk too) to a vervet monkey. Various campers have been feeding them at the site and now they are a bit of a nuisance. Oh well. We took a map along to the campsite bar at the water’s edge, which has some wonderful carved features, but failed to come up with a plan. We went to bed early but slept poorly due to the heat.
On Friday morning we asked Cedric at the campsite office about the possibility of a boat trip – it was looking hopeful, but not definite. We met Adrienne and Darren, two Kiwis happily driving their new Landrover and rooftop tent. We continued to struggle with the heat and our uncertainty about what best to do. In the afternoon we went up to the lodge to enjoy a drink in the shade and cool breeze inside. We had a float in the pool, chatting with Eileen and throwing an empty bottle for the dog to chase. It was a lovely relaxing afternoon, surrounded by the green lawns and taking in the views of the lodge and the river. We talked over our dilemmas with Eileen and she invited us to stay at their house in the Seychelles instead. We got chatting to Francois and his wife, from Cape Town. They were also trying their new car and rooftop tent. After cooking and eating our dinner we went to join them at their campsite and they gave us chocolate vodka (we supplied our last bit of not-as-good-as-you’d-like chenin blanc). We had a very nice time talking with them and went to bed rather late, but at least the box had cooled down and we slept well.
Our boat trip on Saturday morning started at 7.15. We shared the boat with the Kiwis and a young Dutch couple who were also camping at Drotsky’s. The boat trip was wonderful!!! Our guide knew where to go and what to show us and we saw a lot of really wonderful birds, including a Pel’s Fishing Owl resting in a tree, and quite a few African Skimmers, some on the nest, two birds I had really been wanting to see. We also saw a good few crocs and hippos. All in all it was magical, and much better value than the mokoro trip we had taken. Afterwards we all sat drinking tea at the bar and swapping travel tips and tales. Nice people. We met up with Adrienne and Darren again in the evening for a chat, after a bit of a wild goose chase with them looking for us and us looking for them. At least we got a night-time cruise on the river in the process! By this time we had made the difficult decision to turn round, store the truck in Windhoek, and call this our “practice trip”. Neither of us is thrilled about this decision, but it’s clear that we can’t cope with the summer conditions here and we need to come back and try again next winter. Fingers crossed that our plan works out!
Sunday – back through Shakawe for a few groceries, then back to the border, which again went smoothly. Back in Namibia we made a quick loop through Mahangu National Park, which is tiny. We visited the giant baobab (very impressive) and saw a pod of about 14 hippos grazing peacefully. We also saw roan antelope and sable antelope, which we hadn’t seen before. On the way back to Divundu, we bumped into the Kiwis again, who told us they had reserved us a space at Nunda River Lodge, as it was filling up fast. We arrived there and were warmly greeted by Cameron, who showed us that it was 44C in the shade! No wonder we feel hot! We popped into Divundu to fill up the tank, as there is a big truckers strike on in SA and we don’t want to get stranded without fuel. However, we later found out that this probably won’t affect Namibia, although it probably will affect Botswana, so maybe we would have had a difficult time if we’d continued to travel there. We’ll never know.
Monday 8th October. We got a ride in the Kiwi’s landrover into Buffalo National Park, which is another small one nearby in the Caprivi strip. It was a really good visit, as we saw loads of buffalo and birds and three wild dogs, one with a tracking collar on. We were all very happy to have seen them. In the afternoon we had a lounge in and out of the pool at the lodge. Barney and I cooked our supper of bargain price sirloin bought in Shakawe. It was as tough as old boots, so we will try to potjie it and see if that makes it edible. Meanwhile, we noticed some vast cockroaches had come out after dark, so we will try to cook early in future. Then at least we will see which bugs are around. A very hot night.
Tuesday 9th October. We are waiting to hear from the RAC whether or not we must take the vehicle out of the Southern African Customs Union before leaving it in storage. Until we know this we can’t really move on (is this a familiar refrain?) as we don’t want to find that we have gone in the wrong direction and track back before tracking back again. Luckily this is a very nice lodge with a gorgeous pool and river view. The only problem is that the internet is very unreliable. Said farewell to the Kiwis this morning. They are off into Namibia to avoid possible fuel shortages in Botswana, so we may catch up with them in Windhoek later. A slow day, made easier by some clouds, which kept the heat down.
We took the (free) Mohembo Ferry across the Okavango and then drove down a reasonable gravel/sand road to Seronga, where we wanted to take a trip in a mokoro (a traditional canoe). Our guidebook recommended the Okavango Poler’s Trust operating out of Mbiroba Camp, so that’s where we went. It was a disappointment: we were the only visitors, the camp and chalets had seen better days, and the price for a mokoro trip was even more than we expected. We should have trusted our instincts and got out of there. But we spent a pleasant afternoon sitting in the shade looking out over the water and enjoying the sights and sounds. There were lots of birds to see, and also cows grazing in the water. It was very nice. Later on, when it got dark, we found it more of a struggle as there were so many mosquitos, and we couldn’t really cool down the inside of the truck sufficiently to be comfortable.
On Wednesday morning we met our guide, Lets, at the appointed time, and set off in a truck to Xao to get on with our mokoro trip. It was already very hot but the views across the water were appealing. We put on lots of sunblock and set off. It was absolutely roasting all day long, but truly the boat trip was gorgeous none the less. Lets poled us along at a sedate pace and we had plenty of time to enjoy the water lilies, the bird life, an elephant on the shore and just the feeling of being on the Okavango. There were amazing numbers of African Fish Eagle, and we even saw a pair tumbling in the sky, which was an incredible sight. Lunchtime was a bit weird, though. We landed on an island and had a short “bush walk”. Honestly I had never imagined that it was possible to make such slow progress in spite of seeing so little game. It was absolutely farcical. Then after our packed lunch Lets informed us that we had an hour to rest until we set off again (which was probably a good idea as the heat was at its height). The afternoon ride was even hotter than the morning, of course, but we still had a bit of a breeze from the movement of the boat. The water was beautifully still.
When we got back to Seronga the day was spoiled, really, by the extortionate exchange rate that the office gave us for our Namibian dollars, which made an overpriced trip into a complete rip-off. We would not recommend this particular outfit at all!!! The day was capped off by finding an enormous and repulsive spider in the outdoor shower. We were both feeling unhappy for various reasons and decided to head to Drotsky’s Cabins the next day to consider our options.
On Thursday we travelled back along the dusty road and on the Mohembo ferry, then turned south to Shakawe, where we were able to get cash and some top-up groceries, before continuing to Drotsky’s. What a contrast when we got there! We found a beautiful, shady pole-and-thatch lodge, where Eileen Drotsky herself greeted us, got us a drink and made us feel very welcome. We also met Jan and Peter Drotsky and Itsaneng, who were all equally lovely. After a very nice chat we made our way to the campsite. It was a bit tricky getting the truck through the trees and we had to cut down a branch that was hanging too low. By this time we were getting rather frazzled and hungry, but help arrived in the form of groundsman Kebotshabe, who leapt on top of the truck, took the saw out of Barney’s hand and soon had the branch down. We had a late lunch. Annoyingly we lost our last piece of cheese (quite a big chunk too) to a vervet monkey. Various campers have been feeding them at the site and now they are a bit of a nuisance. Oh well. We took a map along to the campsite bar at the water’s edge, which has some wonderful carved features, but failed to come up with a plan. We went to bed early but slept poorly due to the heat.
On Friday morning we asked Cedric at the campsite office about the possibility of a boat trip – it was looking hopeful, but not definite. We met Adrienne and Darren, two Kiwis happily driving their new Landrover and rooftop tent. We continued to struggle with the heat and our uncertainty about what best to do. In the afternoon we went up to the lodge to enjoy a drink in the shade and cool breeze inside. We had a float in the pool, chatting with Eileen and throwing an empty bottle for the dog to chase. It was a lovely relaxing afternoon, surrounded by the green lawns and taking in the views of the lodge and the river. We talked over our dilemmas with Eileen and she invited us to stay at their house in the Seychelles instead. We got chatting to Francois and his wife, from Cape Town. They were also trying their new car and rooftop tent. After cooking and eating our dinner we went to join them at their campsite and they gave us chocolate vodka (we supplied our last bit of not-as-good-as-you’d-like chenin blanc). We had a very nice time talking with them and went to bed rather late, but at least the box had cooled down and we slept well.
Our boat trip on Saturday morning started at 7.15. We shared the boat with the Kiwis and a young Dutch couple who were also camping at Drotsky’s. The boat trip was wonderful!!! Our guide knew where to go and what to show us and we saw a lot of really wonderful birds, including a Pel’s Fishing Owl resting in a tree, and quite a few African Skimmers, some on the nest, two birds I had really been wanting to see. We also saw a good few crocs and hippos. All in all it was magical, and much better value than the mokoro trip we had taken. Afterwards we all sat drinking tea at the bar and swapping travel tips and tales. Nice people. We met up with Adrienne and Darren again in the evening for a chat, after a bit of a wild goose chase with them looking for us and us looking for them. At least we got a night-time cruise on the river in the process! By this time we had made the difficult decision to turn round, store the truck in Windhoek, and call this our “practice trip”. Neither of us is thrilled about this decision, but it’s clear that we can’t cope with the summer conditions here and we need to come back and try again next winter. Fingers crossed that our plan works out!
Sunday – back through Shakawe for a few groceries, then back to the border, which again went smoothly. Back in Namibia we made a quick loop through Mahangu National Park, which is tiny. We visited the giant baobab (very impressive) and saw a pod of about 14 hippos grazing peacefully. We also saw roan antelope and sable antelope, which we hadn’t seen before. On the way back to Divundu, we bumped into the Kiwis again, who told us they had reserved us a space at Nunda River Lodge, as it was filling up fast. We arrived there and were warmly greeted by Cameron, who showed us that it was 44C in the shade! No wonder we feel hot! We popped into Divundu to fill up the tank, as there is a big truckers strike on in SA and we don’t want to get stranded without fuel. However, we later found out that this probably won’t affect Namibia, although it probably will affect Botswana, so maybe we would have had a difficult time if we’d continued to travel there. We’ll never know.
Monday 8th October. We got a ride in the Kiwi’s landrover into Buffalo National Park, which is another small one nearby in the Caprivi strip. It was a really good visit, as we saw loads of buffalo and birds and three wild dogs, one with a tracking collar on. We were all very happy to have seen them. In the afternoon we had a lounge in and out of the pool at the lodge. Barney and I cooked our supper of bargain price sirloin bought in Shakawe. It was as tough as old boots, so we will try to potjie it and see if that makes it edible. Meanwhile, we noticed some vast cockroaches had come out after dark, so we will try to cook early in future. Then at least we will see which bugs are around. A very hot night.
Tuesday 9th October. We are waiting to hear from the RAC whether or not we must take the vehicle out of the Southern African Customs Union before leaving it in storage. Until we know this we can’t really move on (is this a familiar refrain?) as we don’t want to find that we have gone in the wrong direction and track back before tracking back again. Luckily this is a very nice lodge with a gorgeous pool and river view. The only problem is that the internet is very unreliable. Said farewell to the Kiwis this morning. They are off into Namibia to avoid possible fuel shortages in Botswana, so we may catch up with them in Windhoek later. A slow day, made easier by some clouds, which kept the heat down.