Blogs from Botswana, Africa - page 8

Chobe National Park, Botswana We stayed at Chobe Chilwero Lodge overlooking the Chobe River and the Caprivi flood planes. In the morning we did a morning game drive along the Chobe River. Lots of elephants with some new babies. The babies were always surrounded by several adults to provide protection. We also encountered a pride of lions that had killed a buffalo that morning. Interesting that 3 other buffalo came very close to the pride. Our guide said that were pissed off, before we were aware of the buffalo the male lion was the first to react and then several of the female lions rose. This did not stop the lions from feeding, but I guess the buffalo wanted to make some kind of statement. At dusk we did a cruise on the Chobe River, lots ... read more

. Going down to breakfast we watched the red wing starlings and spur winged geese. In the dining room there was humour in watching the staff continually chasing out the velvet monkeys. We ate a hearty breakfast and then we loaded up into the vans ready for our day trip to Botswana. . The road was long but not winding and the warthogs were out in force. We almost had a collision with a yellow billed hornbill. At last we saw the lime-vested border police. . We had learned that Botswana gained independence in 1966 but the old colonial bureaucracy was still extant. We lined up to walk through the hut which passed as the immigration office. The staff were incredibly friendly. Once we had cleared immigration we noticed that on the road leading from Botswana ... read more

I left Bulawayo by bus and crossed into Botswana. Very rich in diamonds, Africa’s safest and most prosperous country has just over 2 million inhabitants. The language mostly spoken is Setswana and the currency is the Pula. After passing border control the bus continued towards Francistown, the second largest city, for a break where I had lunch. Originally I wanted to visit the north first, but everything seemed pretty expensive there. I guess I’ll have to visit the Okavango Delta another time, when I’m not on a budget. It seems like they don’t want mass tourism and therefore it’s kept expensive and exclusive. I decided to visit just Gaborone. Botswana’s capital, called “Gabs” by most people, has about 250.000 inhabitants. That’s much more than Willemstad, yet Willemstad seems like a bigger place. A lot is being ... read more

Rest of Zambia It rained heavily on Thursday night with lots of thunder, a bit hard to hear over the roar of the generator. I was snug in my tent, all safely zipped in- an insect-free zone. And the hotel provides a little plastic water paper bin, or wee bucket, so I could stay in all night. The day dawns dry with some cloud. It's hard to get into relaxing mode, I'm used to being busy. Sitting on a sunny terrace by a river, with a book to hand is lovely but I'm just waiting for my breakfast dip in Devil's Pool to begin. It's a boat ride from another hotel (the ,Royal Livingstone - very posh) to Livingstone island, to the edge of the falls where you can see the rainbow, then a swim across ... read more

When I returned to civilization the next day I was refreshed and ready for the next adventure, which would show itself sooner than later… I enquired at the reception as to whether or not there officially was a night bus to Livingstone in Zambia because I got conflicting info between a guide book and the other reception lady. I got confirmation that there was a bus that left at 9:30 straight to the border town of Kasane. I got another surprise when I asked if a refund on my already paid for night was possible and they said yes! Woa! That’s the first time in many months and many places that a refund or giving any amount of money back was even in the cards. So I got my money back and had about ... read more