Saturday, October 2, 2010
Maun, Botswana
So welcome to my Nomad Tours overland through Botswana to Victoria Falls Zimbabwae.
Let me paint you a picture. Imagine if you will the chassis of a dump truck, then instead of the dumping part you took a steel shipping container with 22 seats and windows and slapped it on the back. I swear this is a touring tank! Tents and pads on the roof, full fold out kitchen and storage below and a rugged enough construction to withstand a SCUD missile attack.
This is my transport for the next eight days… Well at least mostly. The firs of this segment of the trips TIA moments is finding out that even though I was told I was getting the last slot on the accommodated tour and that this was the only tour option available, that indeed I was the ONLY accommodated passenger. Everyone else on the truck (its not a bus!) Is camping. Turns out to not be so bad as we are right next to each other except in the Okanvango Delta portion of the trip. There I will split from the tour group for two nights to fly deep into the delta to a base camp which has all the toilets and showers for the accommodated tour. I am NOT happy about being split off from the group as being with people was one of the express reasons for booking a tour anyway. But i decide to make the best of it! Patrick our guide and driver assures me it is really nice and that their will be other folks there.
Well the first day out is uneventful as we simply drive for like ten hour to cross the Botswanan border and arrive at our first camp in Palaypae. A nice enough location where we are introduced to the routine of setting up camp and assisting with the creation and cleanup of our meals cooked for us by Tbong. Tonight we had chicken curry with rice and veggies. After dinner we all got to know each other a little better over several beers in the camp bar. Let me introduce you:
Yurt and Melanie from outside Dusseldorf, Germany
Josephine (vet) and Philippe (software engineer) from Brugge, Belgium
Elise and Gerard (both med research) from Melbourne,Australia
Luke (estate manager) from London, UK
And… Myself 🙂
So the next morning we get up and get on our way..I’m telling you I’m not minding this accommodated thing so badly anymore as I can sleep in about 30 minutes longer than anyone else. We next go to the Rhino sanctuary for a COLD morning game drive. I mean I had my wind breaker with two layers on underneath and my hood pulled tight and I was COLD! The drive was nice with some descent viewing of zebra, impala and giraffe. However we did see one grey rhino for a few minutes before he wandered off.
Tonight we ended up in Maun. The rest of the campers went on a scenic flight over the Okanvango Delta. I stayed behind as I would be getting my flight the next day. So I took the opportunity to hit the computer, uploading pics, paying bills and researching flights back from vic falls. Then it is back to camp for shoe leather beef steaks and a nice bottle of Glen Carlou that Luke and I bought. Tomorrow I start my two day split from the group to head into the delta.
Just trying towrap my head around the fact that you have driven 10 hurs out in rustic conditions and still have a tent with computers! How? Bummer on the split from the group. Sometimes best laid plans …….$$#@!