Friday 25th February, 2011
Maun, Botswana
A week ago we drove through the border (after giving border
control the details of serial numbers for the laptop, ipod and camera so that
on our return we are not hit for duty – as if we’d bought them here!) and
arrived at friend Mike’s home in the Botswana capital of Gaborone for an
overnight stopover. After a catch up and
dinner at an Indian restaurant we left early the next morning along the Trans
Kalahari route, headed for Maun.
We drove up the west side of the Kalahari, which is like a sea
of yellow – wildflowers everywhere following the recent rains. These rains must be the last drop left in the
sky that didn’t fall on Darwin last week…phew…440mm in a day…what more can
mother nature do to us??
After a stopover at Ghanzi to have “lunch” we were reminded
later to always check what it is that you eat….we think the oil used for our
(what else in this country?) beef stew was used once too often and so we had
squirmy tummies for the next 3 days.
Nothing serious and all is good again!
We have a first aid kit loaded with everything but haven’t relied on its
contents yet.
We were welcomed at an old friend's home by the Thamalakane river
in Maun by 7 licky, yappy friendly dogs, one cat and 2 kittens that we know
niece Emma would love ;)
Sunday morning and we were out on the river…see the photos to
believe it! A surprise birthday cruise
for a 65 yo! We joined the cruise from their boat and enjoyed a braii (BBQ) on board, wine and views of water lilies,
birdlife and one solitary hippo in the distance.
On Monday we spent time at “Orange” getting new Botswana sim
cards as the others failed over the border…international roaming was only good
for calls…not internet…hmm…should have known…this is Africa, after all…
New numbers: Jim +267 765 7391 Janet +267 765 3972
We still turn on the Telstra numbers Jim +61 439 852107 Janet
+61 409 313478 each day to check if any important messages from Oz, but
obviously cannot access voice mail (sms to these is fine).
We’re still in Maun enjoying many things…a photographic
exhibition of the San people at the Museum, the wireless café at Maun Lodge (buying many sodas and coffees whilst we access the
internet exchanging emails about the state of our house in Darwin) and tomorrow
we’ve booked an overnight stay at Moremi Game Reserve with hopes of seeing
elephants, lions, zebra and buck. We’ll
need to keep our toes tightly tucked up in the roof-top tent on the Hi-Lux as
we’re just at nibble height for the mature, man-masticating giraffes…let’s hope
they go for the desert princess first, eh!
The plan is to start the overland trek through to Tanzania next
week. Stay tuned for the next stage….internet
access will be poor no doubt so the journal may lapse. We’re still chewing over whether to attempt a
conquest of Kilimanjaro on this trip…all depends on whether we can get hold of
enough burly, uncomplaining porters to carry us and our booze supplies up…we
think about 30 should do it…
