http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Africa , Botswana en-us Fri, 13 Nov 09 02:27:30 +0000 Fri, 13 Nov 09 02:27:30 +0000 Written Monday November 9th 2009 at 1000pm I paid a visit to the local crocodile farm the other day which is a few kilometres away from Shakawe and home to 9000 crocodiles including a massive one named Sam. The purpose of the farm is to breed crocodiles and release them into the wild for tourism purposes and to produce crocodile leather which is then exported. I went there just to check it o http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/North-West/Okavango-Delta/blog-452034.html Not really a view from the kitchen tonight more a view from a sofa in Thakeham. Having returned home this morning I thought I'd close out a few loose ends from CWB Botswana 2009.Final Numbers TallyAfter a few recounts and checking of spoilt ballot papers as returning officer for Botswana I declare the results as followsNumber of child sessions conducted 1311Number of coaches trained http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/South-East/Gaborone/blog-450009.html As the Cricket Without Boundaries project in Botswana draws to a close it's a great chance to reflect on the fortnight that we as a group of intrepid cricket coaching volunteers from the UK have experienced in this wonderful land. Despite the underlying sadness due to the high prevalence here of HIVAids and the obvious suffering that this causes among many families hopes are high that in the http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/South-East/Gaborone/blog-449928.html After Leaving the natural wonder of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe we headed west into Botswana where the highlights were camping out in Chobe National Park and then two nights in the Okavango Delta. More animals and natural beauty abounds in this small country. Only about 1.6 million people there seems to be more wildlife than humans. Chobe is a large national park that is famous for its large elep http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/North-West/Okavango-Delta/blog-449435.html Cricket Without BulbsHi everyone itrsquos the Reeves duo. Just before we venture to the Wednesday happenings letrsquos recap on the Tuesday evening. Watching the Zimbabwe Sri Lanka game started like always with a few glasses of red and curry. The difference came when the lights went and didnrsquot come on. Even our technically skilled Mark had to admit that this time itrsquos the dead http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/South-East/Gaborone/blog-449272.html A very brief word from the kitchen tonight.Tonight we have been royally entertained by the BCA consequently today's Blog courtesy of the Hydration Minister and the Minister Without Porfolio aka Reeves Reeves will appear tomorrow sometime. Running TotalsChildren sessions run today amounted to around 78 bring our running total to around 845.We also completed assessments on a further 18 coache http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/South-East/Gaborone/blog-449014.html A short briefing from the kitchen tonight at the end of our first day's coaching in the Gaborone area. Running TotalsWill's blog for the day will appear tomorrow but I can reveal a bumper day with 18 new prospective coaches enrolling this morning and a further 144 child sessions run this afternoon.Our running total for kids has now broken the 700 barrier in just over a week. The promise is even bu http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/South-East/Gaborone/blog-448466.html The PrologueIt has occurred to me that as of yet no one has told our supporters back home in the UK what we actually do on a daily basis.06.45 Up and at em.07.15 Breakfast with a game of guess the sausage meat07.30 Daily joke from Mike Griggs followed by our noble leader Will who is doing a fantastic job instructing us on what the plan is for the day.07.45 If we are lucky Godfrey our dr http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/blog-448445.html This evening the Kitchen has been foresaken in favour of the lobby Sunday off means a fully charged laptop and a premidnight postingAs promised and by special request VftK brings you a Rogues Gallery of the CWB team in Botswana as seen this week in Mochudi and surrounding villages.The Meerkat's report on our first day off since coaching began will appear tomorrow.Cheers http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/South-East/Gaborone/blog-448164.html What a dayFresh from our Friday night curry again and although Ravi tried to ply us with copious amount of drink this was declined to ensure we were in tip top condition for Saturday morning.After an initial delay in getting to the Gaba cricket ground due to transport issues we were greeted by 148 kids ready for some cricket coaching. The kids included total beginners to Botswana under 11rsq http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/South-East/Gaborone/blog-448160.html Greetings from the kitchen where tonight the cats are absent and my only company is the snoozing security guard who lies prone on the floor gently snoring shoes off but still wearing his official uniform a white laboratory coat........ pictures will follow Tonight's pictures come from Friday's afternoon sessions in the Oodi area and extend our coverage of interesting footware to play cricke http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/South-East/Gaborone/blog-447918.html HOW MANY COACHES CAN YOU FIT IN A COMBIAt the beginning we thought that we had drawn the short straw because by Friday you would all be bored by the coaching points and sessions. However we managed to secure the best day because today we assessed our lsquostudentsrsquo and made them COACHESToday eighteen teachers some of them never played cricket before run their own coaching sessions http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/South-East/Gaborone/blog-447906.html After spending a few days in Maun getting ourselves organised and the Land rover fixed ready for our trip through the centre of Botswana 550 miles through Moremi Savuti and Chobe. We would spend 8 nights travelling through these areas which can only be described as wilderness areas. They are all national parks with lots of game and very rough 4 by 4 tracks but no food water or petrol so we h http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/North-West/Moremi-Game-Reserve/blog-447811.html After Diamonds and maybe Tourism Beef is one of Botswana's largest industries. Since I have been here I have consumed more beef than I care to mention and have seen cows roaming in fields across highways and through neighborhood streets. That was why it was so exciting to see the middle of the beef industry where live animals turn into the meat I eat everyday. If you are sensitive to gory de http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/blog-447760.html Thursday 22nd OctoberWill spoke too soon yesterday as doggiesrsquo bits were back on the menu this morning but it was not from the blimming dog next door as he barked all night Surprisingly Godfrey our combi driver was bang on time this morning trying to redeem himself from yesterdayrsquos extra long detour No such luck. Innocent as we are we were all hopeful we could start the d http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/South-East/Gaborone/blog-447617.html As we go to press we are unsure of the result of tonight's big match at the GABSA as we had to leave before finish. This was in part due to rainwell what passes for it at this time of the year in Botswana delaying the start of play and then of all things a floodlight failure part way through the Zimbabwe reply something you never see in Sussex.........Once the generator radiator was refille http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/South-East/blog-447339.html Cricket Botswana the perfect CombiNationWednesday 21st OctoberFollowing a cracking evening at our the local Portugese restaurant an earliish night for most of us and a limit on the girlsrsquo wine intake things began much the same as usualhellip.Mike G arose tired and a little grumpy having endured another broken nights sleep fighting against Tonyrsquos foghorn snoring whilst the re http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/South-East/Gaborone/blog-447329.html Final Safari DayDuring the night we heard lions roaring several times. Apparently their sound carries quite some distance and it's hard to tell how far away or how close they really are. Until morning that is. If there are fresh tracks in or around camp we know they were there. As usual we were up early for a morning game drive along the Chobe River flood plain. We saw lots of cape buffalo and http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/North-West/Chobe-National-Park/blog-447179.html Savute to Chobe RiverWe left camp early for the morning game drive 600 AM and almost right away spotted two lions resting under an acacia tree. At one point along the way a huge male elephant came directly towards us where his track crossed our track. Guess who got priority for crossingWe followed a firebreak for quite a while going over many sand ridges that changed colour from deep red to l http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/North-West/Chobe-National-Park/blog-447170.html View from the KitchenA short note tonight.Will's day 3 post will arrive tomorrow as we have been out with Her Majesty's Deputy High Commissioner to Botswana this evening.There was trouble at the old ' Bull and Bush' tonight with some party members being somewhat dissatisfied with the quality of food and service. More anon.Running totals stand at Coaches 55 sessions deliveredChildren 255 se http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/South-East/Gaborone/blog-447065.html