It is now Sunday 2 December and we are already two nights in Guma Lagoon Camp near Etsha 6. Whether I can upload this story today I don’t know but then it will be at the next camp site tomorrow. Friday from Maun we left on the A3 towards the southwest after having done some shopping. The road was really excellent without any potholes which changed when we drove north after about 100 km. Sometimes the road was beautiful and sometimes you had to find the asphalt between the potholes. Oh well, we are used to it. Lisa saw a beautiful tree along the side of the road, see also the pictures of it. After about 300 km we were at Etsha 6 and we had to turn towards the camp site. The name of the place is really Etsha 6 and this originated in the Sixties when many people were fleeing from Angola and in Botswana for the civil war. The people here gave them food and a roof over their heads and after several years they also gave the land. Only they did not think well about the names of those places and they all called Etsha. Later, a number was added, 1 to 13.
The road to Guma Lagoon was rather fierce for me. I was stuck in the sand and wanted to turn back again, but Lisa convinced me to lower the tyre pressure. I do understand the technique but it really works because after that I drove in deep sand tracks to the campsite without many problems. Tomorrow back again…..
The campsite has an owl that rests during the day in one of the trees, see also the picture.
Today we sailed in the delta and over the Okavango River. Beautiful trip where we saw crocodiles and hippos but especially lots of birds. Giant eagles and small kingfishers. We sailed through very narrow creeks where the trees came in your face but also across the wide river itself with large houseboats along the side. From the guide we heard that the land where our campsite is on is owned by the locals who rent it out to a South African family. They run the campsite and the lodge with all the accompanying facilities such as boats and guides. On the way we speeded with 50 km/h over the water which was sometimes only one meter wider than the boat. Tom, you would have loved it!
Now it is Tuesday 4 December and we are in Namibia in the River Dance Lodge near Divundu on the border with Angola. It sounds boring but how beautiful it is, on the Okavango River overlooking Angola. At less than 200 m distance, on the other side, the Angolans are busy washing in the river. At night you can see great campfires everywhere and hear the drums… really! It is less hot today and perhaps even a speck of rain falls. The past few days were incredibly hot with temperatures well above 40 degrees and barely wind.
We sleep fine in our five star hotel but there is a big disadvantage and that is the nightly toilet visit. Unfortunately, there must always be 1 of us that has to go and then the other of course also. Except that descending a narrow staircase, in the middle of the night, does not go very smoothly, we are both aware of hippos strawling around. So we make a lot of noise and shine with the flashlight before we start the descent but at the least or slightest noise we run up the stairs again after which we, choking with laughter, realize that our imagination has gone with us. We become increasingly accustomed to circumferential small and large animals.
The ride from Camp Guma was trouble free although the first 15 km lasted almost an hour due to the deep sand tracks. Then the tyres had to be put back under pressure for the asphalt. Crossing the border between Botswana and Namibia was trouble-free and professional. Passport stamping, paying road tax and then driving. In Divundu, Namibia, we tried to withdraw money but the ATM could only give up to 800 dollars, something like 50 euros. In the end we could get extra money in a shop and we could change our Pula’s.
Today a rest day at the River Dance Lodge. Tomorrow we head towards Rundu. We hope to have a faster internet so we can call our children.
We are now in Rundu at camp HOGO (5 Dec)
For those interested in higher resolution pictures and some movies see below link. Today’s pictures still have to be uploaded
https://1drv.ms/f/s!Au0HRASncjXQ9j5OkuW4O-nolz0P
Hahahaha, dat verhaal over het nachtelijke toilet bezoek ?
Heb je een bandenpomp oid, bij je? Of gaat dat automatisch met een druk op de knop bij dat hok?
wat is het toch een prachtig land en wat voelen wij ons – hier grijs en nat – ver verwijderd van de dierenwereld. Tip voor plassen ‘s nachts: ‘s avonds niet meer drinken :)…
Kan je ons nog eens vertellen wat jullie zoal eten ‘s avonds van kok Lisa???
Ben zo benieuwd wat ze maakt op wat is het? houtvuur? elektrisch? of petroleumbrander??
Hoe ontbijten jullie…??? Er lopen geen kippetjes rond waar je een eitje kan pikken?
Eten jullie ook vis uit de vele meren??
Zo zie je maar, wie ver reist krijgt ook veel vragen van de thuisblijvers.
groetjes uit Alphen aan den Rijn (op z’n saaist op het ogenblik)…
Ja, we willen alles weten ??.
Mooie kampeerstekkies hoor, ik hou ervan, ondanks het klimmen en klauteren s nachts. Helemaal opkrullen wil nog wel eens helpen. In Europa nooit zo op hoeven letten, alhoewel de meeuwen in Noorwegen pittige duikvluchten naar je hoofd kunnen hebben. Canada natuurlijk de beren en omdat we vroeg in het seizoen waren de vrieskou. Nieuw Zeeland werden we 1x gewaarschuwd voor een agressieve possum (s).
Geniet verder van het samen reizen en de overweldigende natuur. Want soms zijn het bijna teveel indrukken.
Groet uit inderdaad nat en herfstig Nederland. Alhoewel ik afgelopen dinsdag nog buiten op terras zat bij de Badmeester aan de Wassenaarse Slag; uit de wind in de zon warme thee, dekentje over de benen.