Botswana Pioneering Trip 2012

The last post

annaryan — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 16:42:00 GMT

Cant believe it has been nearly two months since we left the UK, we have had a great time in Cape Town for the last few days with old friends enjoying good food and good weather.

Had one bad experience, let's just say we will be traveling home lighter than when we arrived, but it was a good reminder that the world is not getting any better.

Also have been spending time with my gran, who is very old and frail, poor thing.

Back to Joberg later today then back into UK on Monday and back at work on Tuesday, looking forward to seeing all our family and friends in the UK soon.

Hope you enjoyed a few of the highlights of our trip...

Wyspa Kubu

annaryan — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 02:10:00 GMT

Jak najszybciej moglimy wrocilismy do Botswany. Co za ulga. Teraz jeszcze bardziej docaniam ten kraj i ludzi. Okolo trzeciej po poludniu dotarlismy do Kubu. Skalistej wyspy w samym srodku Makgadigadi pans. Nie polec sie jechac przez ten teren w okresie deszczowym, poniewaz na pewno sie zakopiesz i prawdopodobnie musisz czekac kilka dni zanim ktos bedzie przejezdzal ta sama trasa. Dojechalismy tam ok niewiele mokrych miejsc, ale oczywiscie po kilkudziesieciu minutach jak tylko rozpakowalismy sie, zerwala sie ogromna burza i zamoczyla nam namioty. Musielismy je suszyc pozniej przy ognisku. Poniewaz deszcz byl dosc intensywny w drodze powrotnej musielimy jechac po wodzie, panikujac, ze sie zakopiemy. Wszystko skonczylo sie dobrze nie tylko nie wpadlismy w zadna dziure, ale tez pomoglismy tutejszym mieszkancom, ktorzy sie zakopali wydostac sie z blota.

Kubu Island

annaryan — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 02:09:00 GMT

We drove back from Zim to Botswana on Friday, what a relief to get back into Bots, we appreciate this place even more after experiencing Zim, and did two big days driving back to Kubu Island and the Makgadigadi salt pans. They do not recommend you going near the pans in the wet season, and just our luck it rained the day before we arrived, and we had a massive rain storm the night we were camping in the pan, so we had an awesome 4x4 experience, one stretch of about 10miles, with no exact road as it was all underwater. What awesome fun, pictures dont do it justice but have some cool video of the girls screaming and us helping a stuck local out the mud. Arrived back in Joberg today, a day early, which was great as it has given us a chance to settle back into civilisation, and will take the rental 4x4 back tomorrow, and get re-packed for our trip to Cape Town on Wednesday.

Zimbabwe what a pain...

annaryan — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 02:07:00 GMT

Decided to visit Zimbabwe what a beautiful place, but what a horrible experience, the border crossing is run by criminals, no one tells you what to do or what to fill in or in what order, so basically you stand around for 20 minutes at each counter until someone grunts at you what to do. Then once we had spent $200 and where about to enter into the country the very kind border guard, tried to get a 'CID officer' to fleece us for a bribe, we told him to go jump in a lake, and eventually got into Zim, drove to Vic Fall's definitely deserving of it's position as one of the seven wonders of the world. And worth every dollar and hassle to go see it, but be prepared for corrupt customs and police, and desperate people, trying to sell you anything they can, or swop you anything for shoes and clothes. And they do not give up, the same guys tried for more than an hour trying to sell us curios. That said did buy a 200,000,000,000(Yes 200 trillion) Zimbabwe dollar note, no surprise they decided to move to US dollars. But everything is so expensive. We did find a nice lodge though and as it was late in the day, we negotiated a good rate and had a great night in the lodge, with spectacular views over the Vic Fall National Park. And enjoyed our regular cocktail a Malawi Shandy(Ginger Ale, Lemonade and Bitters)...

Zimbabwe

annaryan — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 02:07:00 GMT

Zdecydowalismy sie odwiedzic Zimbabwe. Co za okropne doswiadczenie. Przejscie graniczne jest obstawione przez naciagaczy i oszustow. Nikt nie powie ci jakich dokumentow potrzebujesz i jakie formy musisz wypelnic. Potem po oplaceniu wszystkiego i przejsciu odprawy celnej juz mamy przekraczac granice i w tym momencie podchodzi do nas gosciu i przedstawia sie jako "detektyw" i sugeruje ze mamy zaplacic mu lapowke mowiac: detektyw nie ma pieniedzy zeby sie napic dzisiaj wieczorem. Wiec mu powiedzielsmy, ze my tez nie mamy, bo wydalismy nasze ciezko zarobione i oszczedzone pieniadze na granicy, zeby w odwiedzic jego kraj. "Detektyw" sie wycofal i wjechalismy do Zimbabwe.

Wodospady Victorii bez watpienia wynagrodzily nam nasze przejscia na granicy. Nie naprozno jest to jeden z cudow swiata.

Kupilimy kilka banktotow tutejszej waluty, ktora nie ma juz zadnej wartosci nabywczej o nominale 200 trilionow. Nic dziwnego, ze placi sie tu w dolarach amerykanskich, przyjmuja tez funty, pula, rand i euro.

Zatrzymalismy sie tez na noc w bardzo fanjnym miejscu.

Kasane, Polnocna Botswana

annaryan — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 02:05:00 GMT

Jescze jeden super dzien w parku niedaleko miescowosci Kasane. Tym razem zatrzymalismy sie na kampingu Chobe River Lodge, ale moglismy tez skorzystac z hotelowej restauracji, basenu. Zdecydowalismy sie zostac tam jescze jedna noc i sie zrelaksowac. Tam tez wybralismy sie na przejazdzke lodzia po rzece Chobe i widzielismy krokodyle, hipopotamy z bardzo bliska i 8 lwow.

Kasane, Northern Botswana

annaryan — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 02:04:00 GMT

Another lekker drive out the park to Kasane, camped at Chobe River Lodge, and was so nice with a good restaurant and swimming pool that we decided to stay for two nights, just chilled out and on Wednesday we did a river cruise and saw croc's and hippo's close up, also a pride of 8 lion's

Park Narodowy Chobe

annaryan — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 02:04:00 GMT

Zaczynamy sie troche niecierpliwic, ze nie widac zadnych zwierzat. I niemozliwe stalo sie!!!! Ryan wjechal w dziure pelna blota i koniec.... nie moglismy sie wydostac. Ryan probowal kazdej sztuczki i juz mielismy wszyscy wysiadac, zeby podwazyc samochod - samochod czytaj wielka, cala zapakowana plus dwa namioty na dachu 4x4 Toyota - i w tej chwili zobaczylismy inny samochod jadacy w naszym kierunku. Zostalismy uratowani.

Tego dnia musielismy przejechac cztery godziny w gestym piachu i wreszcie dotarlismy do Parku Narodowego Chobe. I co za nagroda w ciagu kilku minut zobaczylismy cale stada sloni, zyrafy, antylopy, bufalo i lwy!!! Niesamowite!!!!!

Chobe National Park

annaryan — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 02:03:00 GMT

Getting a bit fed up of not seeing any animals, so started to think Botswana game parks were a bit rubbish, but after getting well and truly stuck about a mile out of Savuti camp, a local ranger pulled us out, and driving about 4 hours through thick sand we arrived up in Chobe north, and within minutes of entering North Gate, saw masses of Waterbuck, Sable, Elephant, Buffalo, Lion etc etc. UNBELIEVEABLE!!!!!!

Savuti

annaryan — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 02:02:00 GMT

Dojechalismy do obozu o nazwie Savuti. Nie widzielismy za wiele zwierzat, moze trzy slonie, buffalo i kila antylops. Poniewaz to jest koniec deszczowego sezonu woda jest wszedzie dostepna i roslinnosc jest tez bradzo gesta, niewiele widac. Chociaz kiedy rozlozylismy nasze namioty odwiedzil nas slon, ale byl bardziej zainteresowany wcinaniem lisci niz nami.

Kazdego dnia mamy cos dobrego do jedzenia. Zaopatrzylismy sie dobrze w mieso, kielbasi na grilla i inne rzeczy.

Savuti

annaryan — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 02:01:00 GMT

We drove to the 'legendary' Savuti Camp, today, didnt see anything maybe 3 elephants, a buffalo, and a few 'moremi sheep'-antelopes. I think as it is rainy season water is everywhere, and bush is very dense so you cant see much. That said when we got out the 4x4 in camp that night we had elephant about 10 metres away, but they did not bother us.

Everyday we have been super well fed as we stocked up on about 3kg fillet, boerwors, chicken kebabs, biltong etc etc, and it all cost less than a kg of fillet in UK. Biddy and Adrian also stocked us up very well on food and drinks, so we enjoyed G&T's most nights.

Park Narodowy Moremi

annaryan — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 01:59:00 GMT

Dzisiaj nasz plan jest dotrzec do obozu Xaxanake waska, piaszczysta droga przekraczamy pierwszy, drugi, trzeci i czwarty most. Niewiele zwierzat, ale fantastyczne widoki. Poniewaz to jest koniec okresu desczowego w Botswanie jest wiele wody na drogach.

Tutaj nie ma ogrodzen ani zabezpieczen, kazde miejsce gdzie sie zatrzymujemy ostrzega: dzikie zwierzeta - opuszczanie namiotu w nocy surowo zabronione.

Do dostarczylo nam interesujacych wrazen kiedy Ryan rozchorowal sie tej nocy - 24 godzinny wirus!!!

Wszystko byloby ok gdyby nie odglosy dwoch grup lwow niedalego od naszego obozu. To dostarczylo nam dodatkowych przezyc. Naszczescie lwy nie byly zainteresowane Ryanem chociaz on tez wydawal podobne do nich odglosy w lazience. Moj biedny maz.....

Moremi National Park

annaryan — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 01:58:00 GMT

Left today for Xaxanake in Moremi, driving via 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th bridge, not very much in the way of animals, but awesome drive, as it is the end of rainy season there was a lot of water, which made Adrian's first 4x4 driving experience exciting.

All the camps here are wild as in no fences, so signs at each campsite say, "Make sure you sleep in a closed tent, and do not leave your tent at night, or you will be eaten", which made it a fun night when I developed a really bad stomach and nausea, and had to leave the tent for the ablution block.

My night-time noises were added to by not one set of lions but three calling back and forth across the swamps, Adrian very kindly accompanied me back and forth. Was glad to get that night over and done with.

Safari

annaryan — Fri, 9 Mar 2012 01:57:00 GMT

No i w czworke zostawilismy Maun w tyle i wyruszylismy na safari. Mielismy do pokonania ponad 100 kilometrow i w koncu dotarlismy do miejsca o nazwie Mankwe na granicy Parku Narodowego Moremi. Kamping byl bardzo skromny, prysznic i toaleta i puszcza dookola

Safari

annaryan — Fri, 9 Mar 2012 01:56:00 GMT

The four of us left Maun today to start our safari up north, we drove roughly 100 miles from Maun to a campsite called Mankwe on the border of the Moremi National Park, stayed in an awesome camp, with outdoor shower and toilet, very posh. 8)

Heard elephants about 100m away in the bush, and where visited by a spotted hyena, who woke us up by drinking water from our shower bucket.

Czas powiedziec: "good bye"

annaryan — Mon, 5 Mar 2012 20:06:00 GMT

Nie mozemy uwierzyc, ze wyjezdzamy juz za cztery dni i zaczynamy juz zegnac sie z niektorymi znajomymi. Okropne uczucie, bo zdazylismy sie przywiazac do wielu braci i siostr i naszych studentow.

Nasza tuejsza afrykanska rodzina gosci nas w tym tygodniu, zeby sie z nami pozegnac, wiec jestesmy zapraszani na kolacje, grille itd. Jeden z tutejszych starszych zboru - Dean, ktory jest z USA, wlasnie wrocil ze Stanow, wiec bylo bardzo milo nam go poznac przed naszym wyjazdem.

Teraz tylko z niecierpliwoscia oczekujemy na przyjazd Bridgit i Adriana (Ryana starsza siostra i jej maz), ktorzy powinni do nas doloczyc w Srode.

W ta srode bedzie nasze ostatnie zebranie, wiec postaramy sie zrobic sporo zdjec na Sali Krolestwa: sali i braci, za ktorymi bedziemy niezmiernie tesknic. Nawet teraz jak to pisze to chce mis ie plakac, ze musimy ich wszystkich zostawic tutaj.

W czwartek bedziemy caly dzien w sluzbie a potem pakujemy jeepa i wyruszamy na 10 dni przez park narodowy az do miejscowosci na samej polnocy - Kasane a potem do Zimambwe - do wodospadow Wiktorii.

What a wondeful few days....

annaryan — Mon, 5 Mar 2012 19:31:00 GMT

Sorry we havent posted anything we have had a manic few days, but absolutely lovely time.

We cant believe we leave Maun in four days time, we have been out in the ministry every day since getting back from our one night in the bush, and as we are leaving Maun in a few days we have the horrible job of starting to say goodbye to everyone, handing over calls and studies etc etc.

Our local 'family' have been having us over for lovely meals, braai's(BBQ's) and farewell's which has been lovely but also sad as we cant quite believe how fast the last 5 weeks have gone. One of the local elders, Dean, who is originally from the US, has also just come back from 5 months in the States so it was great to meet him also before we leave.

Very excited though because my sister, Bridgit, and bro-in-law, Adrian, leave Joberg tomorrow and will drive up to be with us on Wednesday.

Wednesday night will be our last meeting here, we will take a load of pictures and video so you can see what the Kingdom Hall looks like and can see the recent work including a water tank I helped put in. And most importantly you can see a few of the brothers and sisters who we are already so attached to.

We will spend Thursday with B&A in local ministry then pack up the 4x4 for our 10 day trip up to Kasane in the North and Zimbabwe. Thursday night we have a treat planned for B&A, as it was there anniversary a few days ago.

We will be out of contact for at least a week from Friday, with no internet or mobile phones. How nice!

Next update should be loads of Elephant and Lion stories, in fact a few days ago in Kasane they had lion's in the parking lot of the local Choppies supermarket.

Leopard!!!

annaryan — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 19:26:00 GMT

Wrocilismy do Maun i mielismy dlugi dzien w sluzbie. Cieszymy sie, ze moglismy sobie zrobic krotka przerwe. Pierwszy raz widzialam leoparda z malymi na wolnosci i to z tak bliska. Widzielismy tez slonie, zyrafy, zebry i lwy. Bradzo duzo przeroznego ptactwa roznych rozmiarow i kolorow.

Leopards!!!

annaryan — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:16:00 GMT

Back in Maun had a very nice long day in service. Chief's Camp was awesome, yesterday we followed a leopard and her two cubs for about a mile through the bush, and have some very cool photos. Also saw the usual elephant, impala, zebra etc, and then had two separate viewings of lion's. A big male and female, and then a pride of three young lion's and a cub. Bird life is also incredible if your into bird watching, have never seen so many colours and shapes and size.

Flew in and out on a tiny plane, I think I will stick to driving...

Chief's Camp, Botswana

annaryan — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 22:52:00 GMT

Well we are on a budget! But decided we cant come all the way out here and not experience the Okavango Delta, we flew out on a tiny plane over the Delta to Chief's Camp first thing this morning. And have now arrived at Chief's Camp. As I type Anna is lying in the sun with a G&T and there is a hippo about 30m in front of us and an impala a few metres to the right. INCREDIBLE!!!!!

It is such a small world, this morning before we got on the plane we were in the offices of the camp operators, and I got to chatting to an Irish lady that works there, she said she was married to a South African, I asked from where, Constantia in Cape Town, same as me, I asked how old he was 37, same as me, so asked his name on the off chance I know him. Turns out it is Charl Badenhorst, my old classmate who I have not seen for 21 years, so went to his office to say hello, he is the Operations Manager for the group that owns a number of camps here in Botswana. Crazy!

Have just been on a mokoro on the river, and had breakfast at 10, brunch at 11:30, and have high tea to look forward to at 3pm before we go off on safari, till 8 when we come back for dinner. I think the mission here is food, activity, food, activity, food, activity. But we are being good and have both lost weight. Might start a new diet regime when back in UK, malaria tablets, and dodgy water, 10kg a week weight loss guaranteed. 8)