Khaudum - December 2011

Sylvia and I were invited to join Retief and Desiree van der Reyden on a trip to Khaudum in the rainy season. This was the third time we had been invited to join them - truly amazing. Tragically Retief's Land Cruiser was affirmatively shopped just a few days before our planned departure date and he and Desiree decided that they had to remain at home.

Desiree is a booker of trips "par excellence" - this we knew from the previous two trips and this one proved to be no exception.

First John Thome and Louise were to join us, then later Johan Kriel and his son Jantie.

The camp sites along the Kavango were surprisingly empty.

The weather was cool a lot of the time.

On Christmas night it was cold and jackets were required.

The sand to Khaudum was deep. It seemed quite churned up and as we left we discovered one of the reasons - some people come through with two wheel drives and they are dragged most of the way by friends in a 4x4.

Christmas was celebrated at our camp site when Louise and John brought Christmas decorations and crackers. This was a lovely surprise. Hams and other savories were eagerly chewed. On the morning after we were visited by five elephants including a very large female who came close to our tent. It was exciting and we watched in awe as she gathered grass and ate.

The bird life was good along the river beds at Khaudum Camp and at Sikereti Camp.

The Horse Flies (note the capital letters) at Sikereti were unbelievable. They were everywhere and there was no escaping them. On one occasion I walked a few meters to take a picture and they descended on my little legs unprotected by long pants and swatting hysterically with a Zapper and jumping up and down did not deter them at all from biting me.

The plan was to spend three nights at Sikereti and I had paid in full - no way was I going to throw this away and anyway I wanted to see the place. However we could not do part of the route as it was muddy and alone this could just mean trouble. The ranger at Sikereti told us there was a strong possibility we could get stuck and I believed him. I believed him even more when we got to the edge of the muddy areas.

We left Khaudum on 31 December after packing at first light to try and avoid the Horse Flies - but on that morning they had risen early to enjoy an end of year snack.

The Horse Flies had not reached Tsumkwe but we were told that they were on the way - that was a good reason to leave.

The plan was to go via Gcwihaba Caves (Drotsky's) after leaving Tsumkwe - but it had rained - lots and lots. We were told a party took twenty seven hours to do twenty kilometers and We decided that perhaps we should not attempt this alone.

We found a lovely new road - unmarked on the gps - going due south and as usual took a short cut near the end. The vehicle began to overheat and Sylvia had to do her rally stuff out of there to try and keep cool.

As we crossed back into Botswana near Gobabis - the rear wheel bearing went. (There is a whole saga around this which if ever I do a page on vehicle repairs, breakdowns and maintenance - this will be mentioned.)

We limped to Zeerust at 60kph over two days. It was New Year and a public holiday in Botswana.

Sylvia has tried to identify some of the fowl pictures - maybe someone can offer more information and let me know what to change on the page.

John Thome kindly sent me a few pictures to add in and I have placed them together at the end.

The pictures are held on Picasa at https://picasaweb.google.com/100212136101166492201/KhaudumDecember2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCOmRs77ziJyYGw and by clicking on that link you can choose to see smaller thumbnails or enlarge the pictures.

The trip route

Our chalet

The path from the chalet to the dining room in the evening

John busy with a nail brush - Land Cruiser people are fastidious

Louise and John

Camp site at Drotsky's

the trees are tall here

Bushbuck in the camp area

Louise, John and Sylvia about to set off up the river

Monitor Lizard - Leguaan

Giant Egret

Malachite Kingfishers

Grey Louries (Go Away Birds now I am told)

Little Bee-eater

Jakana

Water lily

Darter

African Fish Eagle

Dikkop

Part of a Pells Fishing Owl - rare so any evidence is good

Looking for elusive birds in the verdant growth

Nunda Lodge - I thought it was a magic place

The bedroom at Nunda

The bathroom at Nunda. We met people who hated their stay there and after some consideration I could understand why - note the absence of windows that close. Had there been biting insects, which there were not while we were there, it may have been unpleasant.

A sign near the camp sites - the camp sites looked lovely

Pretty tap

The chewers

and still more

A slug

The lovely swimming pool

Squako heron

Graves at Buffalo Game Reserve

A boat out of water

Tree with a vine around the trunk

It was wet

Wattled Cranes

In the past it was probably quite dangerous to drive in the Buffalo Camp area

Jacana

Our tent at Mahangu

Coppery-tailed Coucall

Coucall with baby bird in its beak - photograph by Sylvia

Lilac-breasted Roller

Hammerkop

Sitting Giraffe

Three-banded Plover

Sandpiper

Important road sign

The spot where we chose to pitch our tent.

The Christmas decorations thoughtfully brought along by Louise and John

The Christmas party

One of the visitors who came close on Boxing Day

Land Snail - they are large

Carmine Bee-eater

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

Carmine Bee-eaters

Carmine Bee-eater

Racket-tailed Roller

Roller

Carmine Bee-eater

Roan Antelope

Ground Hornbill in flight

Our campsite at Sikareti - note the mosquito net - clever Sylvia - the Horse Flies wanted to eat us alive

Roller

Only after the sun had set was it safe to move around out of the net

Horse Flies - taken through the closed window in the rear view mirror - there were hordes of them.

Open-billed Storks

Bee-eater

The track

More track

Thank you Tracks4Africa

Sandgrouse

Elephants tend to leave bits of tree in the road - sometimes the bits are so heavy that you have to make a route around the left overs

Picture from a tower at a water hole - here the vehicle overheated - viscous coupling on the fan gone

Elephants drinking in the road ahead

Long-crested Eagle

Lilac-breasted Roller

Baobab - Dorsland Trekkers - all pictures through the window - Horse Flies like you can not believe

Note the elephant footprint - it is big and we fortunately found a detour path

Tsumkwe Lodge

The bar at Tsumkwe - New Year's Eve

Bushman dancers doing their bit for the tourists

Baobab

Baobab with yellow flowers on the ground

Still wet in places

Long straight road ahead

This sign nearly landed us in trouble - I think "Border" is a village - has nothing to do with a border crossing from one country to another

The back wheel bearing has gone (I do not know this but do not like the noises from the rear) and we camp at a "Community Camp Site". Facilities easy to describe - none. Note the pop-up tent - very useful.

Part of the "community" who came to be fed

Me at Kalahari Country Lodge Kang with Zapper and Portable Air Conditioner

Paolo Spangi beside his equipment. By the time we met Paulo the wheel was talking lots and he kindly offered to assist where he could. Thank you Paolo.

Picture by John Thome taken of us as he and Louise and Johan and Jantie fled from us.

Picture by John Thome of the rain coming off the roof.

Picture by John Thome of us feeling up a crocodile.

Picture by John Thome of me holding up my hands in admiration of some tree or bush.

Picture by John Thome of us relaxing under a tree while gazing over the water.

Picture by John Thome of some caps including a Land Cruiser Club cap.

Picture by John Thome of Christopher (Ngepi Legend) in a fiberglass mokoro.

Picture by John Thome of his vehicle (it has been cleaner).