21 February
Well after sunrise we set off for Doornrivier on our way to join the Khutse trip. I was getting concerned as we stayed at Doornrivier with Andre van der Merwe last year and from the postings I saw on the web and the lack of reply from Andre I thought we might not get accommodation there.
We arrived around lunch time and had lunch at the Wimpy in Zeerust so I could chat to the people there about our intended breakfast meeting the following morning. So far some people had not let me know what they wanted to chew yet but I was assured this was no problem.
After a lunch snack we drove to Doornrivier and met up with Adri, Hannes and Marilise Swanepoel who were already at the camp site with Gert and Antionette. We got our cabin and happily settled in at our cabin.
After unloading we joined the campers.
During the afternoon we drove up the southern side of the farm and noticed how much thicker the bush was than last year. In spite of this we saw quite a few animals. The local dog accompanied us on the ride and we were concerned that it would overheat but it seemed to enjoy being with us and every now and then it chased the few animals we saw if it also noticed them.
On our return later that afternoon Shaun, Lynn, James and Kaye had arrived We greeted everyone and I asked Shaun to test my radio as I had not used it before. This was a lucky decision.
We set off on the northern side to enjoy a sundowner on the mountain top. We knew the route from last year and set off jabbering on the radio to Shaun every now and then to see how the radio worked. The path up looked muddy so we decided not to take that route. Instead we drove along the river bed. A bit later with my expert guidance I got Sylvia horribly stuck. Fortunately Shaun was near to the radio and I gave him our position on the GPS and he set off with James to rescue us.
We were pulled out well before sunset as it is not nice to play in the mud in the dark. Thank you Shaun and James.
22 February
Early in the morning we all set off for the Wimpy where we found a large table set in anticipation of our visit. The following pictures show that people were fed - this was important to record as I was in charge of breakfast bookings!
The rest of the group arrived and Shaun erected the flag before we set off for the border.
The border crossing was pleasant and easy.
We let the group know that we would fill up with petrol as an extra large tank out the queue would save time. Shortly after we set off for Khutse. The road is good and the drive was pleasant. We arrived first at the gate. Keith had the papers (we hoped) as these were needed before any writing could begin. Well the flies in the office have to be experienced to be believed and when the others arrived confusion reigned and calculations were made and cash was handed over and counted. Eventually the forms were issued and we set off to choose a camp.
After setting up camp I went for a little walk and noticed that there were lots of ticks in the area.
When on these expeditions do not think for a moment that there is no fashion!
23 February
Early we set off on our game drive and at around 7am we saw a python crossing the road. Out came the camera but by then the snake's head had disappeared into the bushes. I am tired of pictures of snake's tails so I decided to gently pull it back by the tail. I am not sure whether the pictures would have been sharper had the snake not placed its head so close to my hand so fast. There is something that I am not getting in those television programs where they pick up the snakes by the tail - I will have to pay more attention.
The skid near the tail is where I pulled it back. The skid near the head is where it tried to bite me.
I was lucky enough to get a picture of a Tawny Eagle. (The relevance is they eat snakes I am sure.)
24 February
During the afternoon I enjoyed Keith's Bombay Sapphire gin (since then I have bought a bottle) while watching the springbok in the distance. We all met at Keith's camp in the evening and had a get together and that was lovely.
25 February
Camp sites were packed up and cleaned as we contemplated the rest of our journey. On our way out we came across a wildebeest at a waterhole that had been formed that morning in the rain.
Many decided to have breakfast at Khutse lodge where we had planned to spend the day and night. As we drove up to the Lodge we decided to press on to Khama Rhino Sanctuary.. Coordinates were changed and we set off on a sand track - lots and plenty of kilometres long. We turned off at Lethlakeng in an easterly direction and ended on a long pretty sand track which looked as if it had not been used for days. As the petrol gauge fell I navigated towards Serowe which we reached with petrol to spare.
At Khama we set up our new automatic tent. Joy of joys - flip-flap and it is set up. Next the double air mattress. Hmm - door too small - never mind deflate and inflate in tent. Slight problem mattress is about to rip tent apart as it expands to full size. Why oh why do we not test these things properly at home? After deflating the mattress again I got an idea - inflate it again and put it under the tent. Voila - headroom increased and it worked wonderfully.
My special thanks to Deon Venter of 4x4 Megaworld for the excellent lessons in folding the tent - it worked like a good dream. Hot water was in the showers and we saw more animals in an hour than we saw in three days at Khutse.
26 February
Early the next morning - after a game drive that is - we departed for Lekhubu Island. The GPS marking for Khubu is wrong but we had been there before so were not concerned. We took the road north and were later told that the track due east from the sign was too wet.
News must have got out that visitors had arrived and later that afternoon a two men arrived with a bakkie and greeted us. They drove off to fetch the receipt book and I noticed that the previous visitor had come and gone ten days ago. Here we slept in the "automatic" tent again with the mattress underneath it all.
27 February
After a restful night we set off for Nxai Pan where we were to spend two nights. We had thought of driving through the pans but were told they were too wet. This was evident when we reached the tar road and saw how much water was in the pans. We drove north along the edge of Sowa Pan and it was beautiful and green. It looked as if no one had been there for days either.
On reaching the tar we headed west and when we arrived at the Nxai turnoff the deep sand started
We passed Baines Baobabs turnoff and drove on to the gate where we were relegated to a campsite for the unbooked. This was a nice site where we set up the big tent - a decision made between a fear of mosquitoes and getting wet. At night we ate in the tent to avoid the biting insects. There was a shower and seat-less square concrete toilet. The paths here were extremely wet in parts and remembering the recent encounter we were as careful as there was no one nearby to help us if we got stuck. In some places the elephants had dug holes large enough to trap a car had you driven into one and when filled with water these were invisible.
We saw a lot of game here including lions and lovely spiders.
We drove to Khama Khama Pan and on the way had to pull a tree off the road. These paths were overgrown and we could not follow all the Tracks4Africa paths. The route around Khama Khama Pan was very overgrown and we turned back.
Also the lookout point in Nxai Pan has not been there for ages we were told. We tried this route for some considerable distance past the marked point in the hope that the track would rejoin the road but after a while we gave up and went back.
28 February
After a quick lion check we set off for Baines Baobabs.
Someone had been stuck on the pan and we avoided them completely. Without a GPS I think I would still be looking for the trees. We had thought of visiting the Baobabs on the way out - fortunately we did not do this as this proved to be quite a long drive.
29 February
Maun was next on the agenda. We planned to go to Moremi and Savuti but were told that the roads were impassable due to the rain. - And a flight over the delta! This was what we had hoped to do last year. We found Audi Camp and were told to book for Deception Valley at the Department of Wildlife in town which we did. We arranged to stay in a cabin the night before the delta trip as it would be easier to sort out packing the car when we left for our flight. Our accommodation looked like this -
Many thousands of Pula later our flight and accommodation for two days were booked. I went for a swim at Audi Camp and the pool water was lovely. Minutes later it rained. And it rained all night. And the thunder around midnight shook the floorboards of our cabin. And I had paid for our trip in full. And still it rained. Right through the hours of darkness.
People who had been told Moremi was not too bad had to return.
1 March
Breakfast is included in the lodge fee and with my Doxycycline I was very cheap to feed. The rain had stopped at daylight and there were even a few shards of sunlight. A vehicle like a local taxi took us off to the airport. The pilot had not arrived yet but was expected shortly. Soon we were x-rayed through departures and immediately found that we had no tickets which were required. Fortunately the office of the charter company was only a few yards away and soon we were clutching the required tickets.
Yippee - we were off the ground but there was still cloud cover in parts but we hoped it would clear.
An hour later we flew over the airstrip to check whether it was dry enough. On landing we were met by the Nguma Lodge S18.95311 E22.37329 staff and taken to our lodgings.
After offloading our luggage we were told the first activity was to be two hours on the mokoro. The mokoro was made of fibreglass and this helps preserve the big trees which they would otherwise be made of.
It was hot in the bright sun and it was an interesting experience being "poled" along over the water and through the floating plant matter.
The poler made Sylvia a water Lily necklace which lasted a few hours. It was very beautiful as the picture shows.
When we returned we had lunch and then had a lie down until 4pm when we were taken on a boat ride on the lagoon. Here we saw a small crocodile and many birds. The smaller crocodiles do not move if you come across them suddenly and you can get quite close to them.
2 March
The day was spent mainly on the mokoro where we saw vast islands of papyrus.
We also walked on an island where elephant had been. We were lucky enough to see a female sititunga through the morning haze.
Sylvia was excited as our guide found a Pell's Fishing Owl which kept flying away as we approached it but we did get a clear view through the binoculars. I was just able to snap it on camera but the settings could have been better.
We saw a painted reed frog as we passed along.
The fish eagles soared in a beautiful sky.
The weather had remained good and my worries were unfounded. There was a shower in the afternoon - just enough to make us wet but it was actually refreshing and the sun soon dried us afterwards.
The squacco herons kept flying ahead of our boat.
There were a lot of white fronted bee eaters but they were too quick to photograph but I did manage to get a picture of a Malachite Kingfisher.
3 March
The next morning the plane came to fetch us and we flew high in a clear sky over the delta again. At height the flight was very smooth. After landing the plane taxied right to the domestic arrivals door where our bags were taken off.
At the airport there was a man to meet us carrying a board with our name on it. This was grand although we were the only people there to see it.
The car which had been parked under the trees near the bar at Audi had remained clean and the fridge was still fine.
A quick stop was made at the bottle store where I bought a few bottles of wine which were enjoyed every evening.
With booking forms in hand we headed for Deception Valley and chose the shorter route via 80 kilometres along the veterinary fence. This took us down a long track with loose sand alongside the fence. Near the Central Kalahari Game Reserve the GPS went off and I had a real job to get it started again. I think there is an auto-routing map problem. Eventually it came right and remained so.
Our camp site was clean and the grass had recently been cleared - there were still traces of water and the track would certainly have been more difficult to traverse a few days earlier.
The mud on Deception Pan was thick and the track closest to the centre of the pan was impassable. Fortunately we noticed this in time as suddenly a hard track became a quagmire deep enough to trap the unfortunate.
We saw lots of gemsbok and springbok including quite a few lions.
4 March
The trip via the Passage Valley stated with trees on the narrow track that scratched the vehicle all the way north but the pans to the south were lovely and had lots of gemsbok. We toured the area extensively and at one stage in the middle of nowhere the vehicle spluttered and we thought the engine was going to die on us - but it recovered. This would not have been a good spot to be alone with a vehicle that did not go. That evening we used the Cobb again on this trip and had chicken wings from Woolworth's - very nice.
5 March
Off to Piper Pan where we stopped for lunch and found that the people who were at camp 1 left it in a mess and had put their rubbish down the toilet. Around afternoon tea time we stopped at a picnic spot and I went off to take pictures. We had not noticed the four lions which had been watching us - but then had Sylvia not arrived with the car just think what wonderful action pictures I might have got.
6 March
We drove back from Deception valley to home in one run. In all we traveled around 4300 kilometres on this trip.
Further Comments:
The way I recall what happened each day is to look at the dates and times on my pictures. Overall I am happy with the pictures and I took many in raw to save card space on the camera. All the raw pictures have been converted in Thumbs+ to .jpeg and minimal editing has been done. This type of conversion and reduction in size of course ends up with quite significant quality loss.
At most of the places after Khutse we were the only tourists.
Due to the rains many of the tracks had scratchy trees that tore at the vehicle as we went.
Without Tracks4Africa on a GPS this trip would have been considerably more difficult to navigate. In fact Sylvia drove in most of the remote areas while I held my camera and navigated as required - (with only one mishap!)
The Cobb was very nice as it cooks chicken beautifully and uses only about eight charcoal brickettes per meal. At Audi when it rained we were able to move the Cobb which we had already lit when it started to rain. The Cobb heavy frying pan is also nice to use on a gas cooker.
The Automatic Tent was very fast to erect as you just take it out the bag and whoosh it is up. The mattress was the only problem and I am not sure how waterproof the tent would be in really heavy rain. It was certainly comfortable with the mattress underneath and this increased the headroom. In fact we will probably use it this way on our next trip.
The day after arriving home I booked the vehicle in for a service and asked them to replace all the belts. The next time I started the vehicle the air conditioning belt broke.