This area has made such an impression on us, that we named our puppy, Savuti, after it and he is just wonderful, a well chosen name that he is so proud to carry!
The road started off relatively A ok! It then got progressively worse (a very mild term).
It is here that I must interject, with the fact that we were in a Tucson, just us and the wild. Sometimes too much knowledge is not good, in this instance; it was balls to the wall!
We ignored the rules about travelling in convoy. But the Tucson never let us down, bar for the one episode I will relate shortly.
One thing this trip was teaching us was that distances in the bush do not equate to distances on a map. Try quadrupling them and you may come close. We hit a branch of Ironwood (felt like a tree) and managed to losen part of the driveshaft bracket – yeah guys – I was getting quite good with the mechanics of a vehicle.
We sat on the side of the road awaiting rescue – from who knows who? Not one to sit around I unpacked and repacked the vehicle about ten times, much to Gav’s chagrin.
E….V..E..N..T..U..A..L..L..Y!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Along came a cruiser full of local inhabitants – they, if not their vehicle already tanked and full up!
The local “Bush Mechanic” and his four pound hammer (always carry one of these, it sorts out a multitude of problems) soon sorted our problem out! With one less bottle of Jack Daniels and a packet of liquorice allsorts we set forth to Savuti via South Gate.
Here I re-iterate about the distances, a three hour drive turned into six hours. Getting to the gate we asked the park attendant how good the roads were. He said just fine, they had been graded (when 10yrs ago?)
You cannot describe just how bad the non-existent roads were, bearing in mind that it was near the end of the rainy season.
The so-called Cotton Soil, slippery as an ice-rink, should be called Black Slime Mud. Did I say END of the rainy season? We then hear thunder and see lightning all around and it starts to rain.
At this point Gav take the wrong track and we get stuck in the mud. Time to dig us out. We are now knee deep in the gunk (at least Gav was, I had slipped on my nana and looked like a mud wrestler, sense of humour dissipating very quickly)
It was here we saw the most amazing light for photographers, we thought there was no subject to photograph, forgetting we could be the subject. ALWAYS have your camera ready, no matter what!
Gav, my ever resourceful hero got us out. We then drive on gunning through certain areas, and in others making our own road.
By this time it is getting dark, we are covered in mud, this road that was not a road was hard going, but thinking things cannot get worse we continue! Proverbial last words!
We then hit the LAKES, headlights under water, everything going black – submarine we are not – we got through – GO Tucson!
During the journey we saw, in the twilight, a herd of my beloved Elephants, 2 prides of Lion – one decided to do a mock charge, 3 x Bateared Fox and a Striped Polecat.
It sounds really like a well worn phrase, but, everything does happen for a reason, if all the events had not occurred we would never have seen these night-time visitors.
By now it is 21h00 and we meet up with a parks board vehicle, the driver says only 15km’s to camp. Never believe them – 15km’s took us 1hr.
Arrived at camp site wet and muddy, still having to set up the tent. “Stuff” the tent I was ready to sleep in the car. Anyway clearly this was not to happen. After a beer and a hot shower, yes hot, we could conquer the world.
Plenty of Spotted hyena round camp, heard them all night but never the less, slept like a log!
DR. DOOLITTLE I PRESUME
Awakened at 6am to the love of my life, surrounded by Francolin, Squirrels, Red and Yellowbilled Hornbill, Starlings, Sparrows, and Bradfield’s Hornbill. They were all looking for some breakfast.
It was a direct scene from Dr. Doolittle. We could not believe how accustomed they were to humans, even eating from your hand.
In retrospect this area demanded a few days to visit not an overnight stay.
According to local authority, the road to Kasane was fine, sure, we new exactly what that meant.
We were met with sand and lakes (no exaggeration, ok maybe a wee bit, but just).
The poor Tucson has layers of silver, black and white, less a number plate, left somewhere in the depths of a lake somewhere.
We saw, on the plus side, Black-Backed Jackal who was stalking some Blacksmith Plovers, Knob-Billed Duck, and Ostrich. Zeb’s, Impala and Ellies.
Once again if going to Savuti spend some time in this beautiful, wondrous place.
A 4hr trip to Kasane along very sandy roads – not for the faint-hearted!
CHOBE/KASANE
Finally we arrived at the Lodge in Kasane. At last a bit of luxury, along the magnificent Chobe River. We sat ourselves down and had one (or two) of the local beers – St. Louis – have to support the locals after all.
I read such a true statement in one of my journals: “There are adventurers, there are tourists and then there are day trippers”.
The next day was spent lazing at the pool, very little bird-life, the consensus being, the insecticide being sprayed for the mosquitoes. This is so true, in our Kloof garden we do not use insecticides and the birdlife (and insect life) is prolific as a result.
That afternoon we went for a river-cruise, the best way to spot game. Here’s a list for the birders:-
• Whitefaced Duck
• Great White Egret
• African Jacana
• African Darter
• Reed Cormorant
• Pied Kingfisher
• Whitefronted Bee-Eater
• Spurwing Geese
• Little Sparrowhawk
• Blacksmith Lapwing (Plover)
We had an amazing siting of a leopard in broad daylight. Soon after she showed herself she disappeared into the brush.
• Two really young bull Ellies, jousting with one another. No doubt training for the real thing
• Lion
• Kudu
• Impala
• Buffalo
• Hippo
That night we were treated to a sunset dinner, on the deck, just the two of us. How one’s heart swells to be able to share this with the love of your life.
Sitting at breakfast we saw:-
• Heuglin’s Robin
• Trumpeter Hornbill
• Brownhooded Kingfisher
• Senegal Coucal
• Larry the lounge/pool lizard
• Banded Mongoose family “jolling” (playing and having fun) on the lawns
We had dinner on the terrace, with blood-sucking vampire mosquitoes.
AMAZING SUNSET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tomorrow we drive on the tarred road to Nata Bird Sanctuary.
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