It was also this trip that developed a new found respect and love between Gav and I.
Read on to discover why!
We departed Durban, KZN on our expedition into the unknown at around 2pm on a sunny January afternoon (Expedition is not a loosely used word, as it was truly a leap into the Botswana UNKNOWN).
Driving through the night, a trip that lasted 26 long hrs, it really helped having two drivers and loads of coffee. The long hours of driving really became worthwhile when at sunrise we saw the full moon behind us setting and the sun rising in front.. (I no longer talk about the sun rising and setting anymore, after a talk held by the wonderful Dr Ian McCullum, who put into perspective, that it is the earth’s spin and tilt that result in this magnificent experience).
We digress though…..
We arrived at the Botswana border post at 6h30 the following morning. Our route was then to Gaberone and then via Mahalapye, Palapye, Soroye, Orapa, Mapidi and Raakops to Khumaga.
Raakops was the last chance to refuel before Maun and was my first introduction to the true African ‘long drop’. To those who have never encountered “the black hole”, this is it. It is a concrete block with a hole in it. A very deep hole, ok for the guys not so ok for girls. Problem is that when the light is shut off the flies at the bottom panic and head for the only exit, right between your legs. The flies are large in Botswana. Say no more.
KHUMAGA
We finally arrived at Khumaga at 17h00 (after having travelled for more than a day). Our campsite was at a place called “Xwaraga” campsite 5 under a huge Buffalo Thorn tree – I have no record of the meaning of Xwaraga – maybe someone reading this blog can assist with its’ meaning.
We now had limited time to set up camp. Having no experience in putting up our brand new tent with Chinese instructions, this was sure to be an adventure in itself.
True to form the tent became a major challenge and we reckoned that after this exercise we could enter the Amazing Race, considering we had not annihilated one another while arguing about which pole went where.
Our campsite was under this magnificent Buffalo Thorn tree which provided much needed shade during the hot hours of the day but made walking around without shoes a painful experience. Eventually we were all set up and after a good few glasses of red vino, had a comfortable first nights sleep in the Botswana bush.
THE INTREPID CAMPERS
The intrepid campers awoke to a beautiful sunny day, and after our first square cooked meal in 3 days, felt ready to conquer the erecting of the gazebo – which was at least colour-coded. Problem though Gav is quite colour-blind and I am geometrically disadvantaged. The poles all were colour-coded but all different lengths and angles. Anyway, this is when our “Amazing Race” partnership came into play, eventually getting the damn thing up. We were to be very grateful for the extra shade this gave us. I must say for “appie's” our campsite was pretty organised.
The interesting part of this trip was that none of our friends could believed that I would go camping, being quite a girly girl, boy were they in for a surprise. Stand back for Adventure Barbie.
Close to our camp site was a Purple-Pod Termanelia. The pods are a favoured food of a lot of birds and Squirrels too. We watched one day as a Glossy Starling chased a Squirrel in and out of three different trees before he escaped into a hole. The proverbial “nut-flasher was in trouble again.
The cheeky Glossy Starling even chased a Tree Monitor (Legevaan) – gee, it seemed that everyone was chasing everyone. Maybe we should be chasing one another round the tent. No, wait it may just collapse.
Above us were several Buffalo Weavers that chattered all day as they went about their nest maintenance, dropping thorny twigs all over the place.
The second night we had heard this grunting noise at about 3am and thought there were Wart Hogs outside, strangely though they would have to be winged Hogs as the noise was coming from above. We found the grunter bird in our bird book. It turned out to be a Verreaux (Giant) Eagle Owl.
I will list the other varied bird and animal life one is likely to see at Khumaga:-
• Grey (Turaco) Lourie
• Southern Yellowbilled Hornbill. The male was feeding the female. The breeding pair closes the female into a hole in the tree and seals it, leaving a tiny hole to feed her. The male then feeds her and later the chicks as well, until she is ready to come out. This is trust in its truest form.
• Swainson’s Spur Fowl
• Cardinal Woodpecker
• Redbilled Hornbill
• African Mourning Dove (another sound that will always remind me of the bush- (‘coooc-currr’ coooc-currr)
• Leopard Tortoise
• Threadwing/Lacewing - Ant-Lion
It was sundowner time and I put my watch away, so the only clue to the time was the movement of the sun.
The ‘Makgadikgadi birds’ (Buffalo Weavers) were really being treated to a wealth of nick-names. Khumaga is situated near the Makgadikgadi Pans and the sound of the Weavers really sounded like this, makgadi gadi, makgadi gadi all day long. They really had the ability to drive one crazy, what with their incessant din and their tent splotching. Hey! We want to be in the bush but we do not want the bush near us – COME ON!
A CLOSE CALL
I had gone into the tent to get a jacket or something, when SUDDENLY there was a FRANTIC call from outside – KAR, KAR!!!! Then I had Gav next to me saying there were three Lionesses outside +-15m away. (You must understand that in Botswana there are no fences around the campsites, that’s why you are warned not to wander around at night).
There were three Lionesses that we could see (the scary bit is always those that can’t be seen). They lay down and just checked us out, probably thinking - hmm, hmm. We managed to grab the camera which was on a tripod some way away and they lay there, until it was dark.
We shone the high power torch on them to get a photo. I being the “appie” got this wonderful task. In the pitch dark, with one light for miles around, I had ten gazillion insects bombarding me, Gavin shouting at me to keep the light still, Ja Boet, you try this with insects in your hair, up your nose etc. It was worth every “gogga” (SA for unknown creepy crawlies) to have these magnificent animals so near even though the pics were not very good.
We now laugh about the incident!
The next day we went to view the lion tracks, the size of a man’s hand and a bit wider.
While tracking the Lions down the sandy road we saw a Black Mamba (one of our most poisonous snakes in Africa). The only reason we became aware of the Mamba was because, the Starlings as usual were dive bombing him. (Bird alarm calls are great indicators of predators in the area).
The Mamba was rearing up as the Starlings bombarded him, this became too much for him and he eventually slithered off into the thick bush, the Starlings making sure everyone knew where the danger was.
We only found out later that our snake pal had visited our camp-site when we saw his tracks in the soft sand.
OTHER SIGHTINGS AND EVENTS
We were visited by Pat the ranger, greeted him in Swahili. They are so appreciative when you try and speak their language no matter how badly.
Some of the birds we saw around our campsite:
• Redbilled Francolin (the male has spurs on his feet).
• Identified the tseep-tseep as the Yellow Wagtail.
• Meyer’s Parrot with a chee-chee call in the tree above.
• Burchell’s Starling.
• African Pied Wagtail.
One other lesson learnt, is that nature comes to you, there is no need to chase after it!
We drove to Makgadikgadi Game Reserve in an attempt to see the pans but petrol limitations prevented us from going too far. I had my first experience at being shocked by a game fence while opening an electrified gate into the park– believe me you do not want to feel that shock – YEAH I know, funny if it’s not you!
Tomorrow we are off to the Okavango Delta to fulfil a lifelong dream.
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