Ons bevind onsself in 'n dorp genaamd Palapye (uitgespreek Palapie) in die sentraal-oostelike deel van Botswana. Die Dieners woon al 5 jaar hier, waar Coos by die universiteit van wetenskap en tegnologie (BIUST) as lektor werk. Met hul twee kids (3 jaar en 7 maande) is dit vir ons, ná amper twee maande alleen in die kar, iets heeltemal anders - 'n kleurvolle, besige (!) gesin.
Ná Chobe het ons afgetoer deur die Okovango delta en die laaste week in die Makgadikgadi panne spandeer. Ek was self nog nooit in Botswana nie alhoewel baie van die plekname (Moremi, Maun, Third Bridge), so te sê deel is van die populêre verbeelding, was dit vir my in baie opsigte anders as wat ek voorgestel het. Ons gebruik die lang stukke in die motor om op te lees oor waarheen ons gaan, die geskiedenis van die plekke of fauna en flora wat ons kan verwag. Vir my is dit lekker om die radio aan te sit in die plaaslike taal, die plaaslike kos te probeer en darem te probeer deel voel van die plek waar ons is, al lyk, en klink, ons hopeloos na toeriste.
Een van ons hoogtepunte was om die cruiser (ons skilpadhuis!) in 'n afgeleë village te los, en met net ons rugsakke in die Delta te gaan kamp. Ons 'poler' Cast, sowel as die jong vrou op die ander mokoro wie ons net leer ken het as 'B', kom albei van die village af, die laaste in 'n ry villages wat met afgeleë bruggies en watercrossings bereik word Cast gesels oor sy lewe, werk, 'poling' en lewe in die village.
Tussendeur hoor mens ander dinge, die skuur van die veselglas teen die papirus of die omflap van waterlelies soos ons deur die kanale wurm. Dan die kraak van waterbuffel of olifant iewers naby in die riete, of 'n groot bruin vleiloerie wat lomp tussen die polle vladder. Ná die poling stap Cast met ons deur die veld. Saggiese voete wat voor loop, enkelmarsjeer oor spore, grasse, mis en modder. Veld wat knars, nou en dan doodstop met sy wakker oë en letsel op sy wang. Ek het nooit gevra waar hy dit gekry het nie. Teen 'n miershoop klim ons op vir n beter view, op soek na die oorsprong van die diep gekreun wat ons al sedert gisteraand hoor.
Uiteindelik vind ons die leeus, wyfies en jonges, soos hul rustig langs die kanaal verby stap, met ons op die oorkant, tjoepstil en verwonderd. Cast kyk verder regs oor die landskap, dan skielik links en fluister dringend 'male lion!' Skerp links van ons, aan ons kant van die kanaal, staan die ou, vier voete na die rivier gerig, waarskynlik om by die res van die trop aan te sluit. Maanhare rooi en groot geel lyf. Nie dik dikgevreet en lui onder 'n boom nie, maar wakker, en majestieus en pragtig. Dis net 5 sekondes voor hy ons raaksien, skrik, omdraai en in die bosse verdwyn. Met ons wat nog besig is om tot vehaal te kom. En dan die wyfies wat ook geruisloos terug in die bos verdwyn, ons teenwoordigheid verklap.
Botswana was vol spesiale wildernis ervarings, en nou ook die spesiale kuier van sandput speel en prentjies teken en beskuit bak en gesels.
Ons beplan om hiervandaan oor te steek na Zambië, die Vic valle te gaan ervaar (Aug was al daar maar ek nog nie) en dan die land noord van die Zambezi bietjie te verken.
Hierdie aanhaling uit een van ons reisgidse het my bygebly:
"Leave home, leave the country, leave the familiar. Only then can routine experience - buying bread, eating vegetables, even saying hello - become new all over again."
Nuut en wonderlik en kleurvol en goed.
Jul kan fotos van die leeu en ander ervarings op Instagram kyk (jy hoef nie self die platform te gebruik nie). www.instagram.com/overlandtrip2021
En laat weet ons asb as jy enige raad of voorstelle vir Zambië het!
"It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to..."
20 July 2021
08 July 2021
Paar hoogtepunte van Noordelike Botswana
Hoogtepunte van die laaste week:
>
> -Om 4 wildehonde te sien draf deur die gras tydens 'n pragtige Savuti sonsondergang
> -Khwai rivier, toe 'n groot, statige olifant die rivier oorsteek by ons kamp (so 5m weg)
> -Die klank van hiënas en leeus vanuit die tent
> -Ontmoetings en interaksies met Setswana of met ander overlanders, soms kampvuurkuiers, soms net bietjie small talk met 'n gids of park ranger, maar altyd verrykend en goed
> -Rivierkruisings met die cruiser
> - Goatsmeat by shoprite gekry - proe bietjie soos tjoppies, net bietjie taaier
> - Het 'n safari company se voertuig help uitsleep, in ruil vir aanwysings na twee cheetas onder n boom
>
> Laagtepunte van die afgelope week
>
> - Ons het een van ons spaarwiele, wat onder die motor monteer was, verloor. Die kabel moes gebreek het met 'n rivierkruising of op n slegte pad. Het 60km op ons spore teruggery opsoek daarna (bande is duur) maar nie gekry nie.
> - 'n Paar stukke pad waarna mens voel jou brein is losgeskud. En lyfseer. #eerstewereldprobleme
> - Wanneer die stoele so op mekaar rattle dat dit klink of daar 'n tikmasjien in die kar is.
> - Ydi se eerste poging tot roosterkoek
> - Dat selfoonfotos nie vasvang hoe groot olifante regtig is nie
>
>
>
> -Om 4 wildehonde te sien draf deur die gras tydens 'n pragtige Savuti sonsondergang
> -Khwai rivier, toe 'n groot, statige olifant die rivier oorsteek by ons kamp (so 5m weg)
> -Die klank van hiënas en leeus vanuit die tent
> -Ontmoetings en interaksies met Setswana of met ander overlanders, soms kampvuurkuiers, soms net bietjie small talk met 'n gids of park ranger, maar altyd verrykend en goed
> -Rivierkruisings met die cruiser
> - Goatsmeat by shoprite gekry - proe bietjie soos tjoppies, net bietjie taaier
> - Het 'n safari company se voertuig help uitsleep, in ruil vir aanwysings na twee cheetas onder n boom
>
> Laagtepunte van die afgelope week
>
> - Ons het een van ons spaarwiele, wat onder die motor monteer was, verloor. Die kabel moes gebreek het met 'n rivierkruising of op n slegte pad. Het 60km op ons spore teruggery opsoek daarna (bande is duur) maar nie gekry nie.
> - 'n Paar stukke pad waarna mens voel jou brein is losgeskud. En lyfseer. #eerstewereldprobleme
> - Wanneer die stoele so op mekaar rattle dat dit klink of daar 'n tikmasjien in die kar is.
> - Ydi se eerste poging tot roosterkoek
> - Dat selfoonfotos nie vasvang hoe groot olifante regtig is nie
>
>
02 July 2021
Game drives and open eyes
People have different reasons for raving about game drives and getting up close with wildlife, birds and animals.
For me, and August I think, it is twofold.
To some degree it is about knowledge and conservation. We love learning how the bush functions as a system; the role of each plant, animal, insect and bird, and how each do what they do in a seamless dance of give and take. Most human systems are frustrating and immature in comparison to how beautifully nature functions, if given half a chance of course. Our time with conservationist Johan van Jaarsveld has given us much perspective in this regard. Humans seem to be the only dance partner 'out of step' with the rest of the earth's amazing symphony, and we're missing out, rather than ruling the roost.
So we love going to parks, seeing bird and beast properly respected and protected, just doing their thing, and learning from them. A good outdoor education might save your life too. Aug and I have both been in tricky situations where reading the weather, the lie of the landscape and sometimes the behaviour of the beasties have saved us from some nasty outcomes (...mostly self-inflicted, lol, but it makes for good stories).
Secondly, being in the bush isn't very different from being at home. Because we are neither separate fom nature nor independent from it. What do I mean by this? Well the cuppuccino on your table is a forest of trees (beans) a field of cattle (milk) a quarry of clay (ceramics) and possibly a few barrels of oil and some coal resources. We interact with nature every moment of our lives. In the city we're just less conscious of it. And we need nature to be 'doing nature' in order for us to stay alive and thrive (...and drink coffee). For me its not so much about 'being green' or saving the planet. Being in the veld, identifying birds, learning about spoor and plants and being able to navigate with sun and stars is just a normal part of being a human creature on a planet filled with other life forms.
Chobe game reserve (Botswana) spoilt us with some wonderful animal encounters, and it was a treat to learn from Johan, both about wildlife and about photography. Currently we're in Savuti (just saw a heap of round-bellied lions asleep under a tree), witnessed herds of buffalo and elephant too plentiful to count (Thobelo's reserve), and marked off many, many birds and small mammals on our lists. The camping is getting wilder and wilder, and the calendar days passing way to quickly.
Our thoughts are with all our friends and family with the increased covid restrictions, limitations and/or recovery from illness. May the mini 'wildlife reserves' in your back yard or outside your office window inspire you, reminding you of the flamboyance, resilience and intelligence of nature, of which you are part.
For me, and August I think, it is twofold.
To some degree it is about knowledge and conservation. We love learning how the bush functions as a system; the role of each plant, animal, insect and bird, and how each do what they do in a seamless dance of give and take. Most human systems are frustrating and immature in comparison to how beautifully nature functions, if given half a chance of course. Our time with conservationist Johan van Jaarsveld has given us much perspective in this regard. Humans seem to be the only dance partner 'out of step' with the rest of the earth's amazing symphony, and we're missing out, rather than ruling the roost.
So we love going to parks, seeing bird and beast properly respected and protected, just doing their thing, and learning from them. A good outdoor education might save your life too. Aug and I have both been in tricky situations where reading the weather, the lie of the landscape and sometimes the behaviour of the beasties have saved us from some nasty outcomes (...mostly self-inflicted, lol, but it makes for good stories).
Secondly, being in the bush isn't very different from being at home. Because we are neither separate fom nature nor independent from it. What do I mean by this? Well the cuppuccino on your table is a forest of trees (beans) a field of cattle (milk) a quarry of clay (ceramics) and possibly a few barrels of oil and some coal resources. We interact with nature every moment of our lives. In the city we're just less conscious of it. And we need nature to be 'doing nature' in order for us to stay alive and thrive (...and drink coffee). For me its not so much about 'being green' or saving the planet. Being in the veld, identifying birds, learning about spoor and plants and being able to navigate with sun and stars is just a normal part of being a human creature on a planet filled with other life forms.
Chobe game reserve (Botswana) spoilt us with some wonderful animal encounters, and it was a treat to learn from Johan, both about wildlife and about photography. Currently we're in Savuti (just saw a heap of round-bellied lions asleep under a tree), witnessed herds of buffalo and elephant too plentiful to count (Thobelo's reserve), and marked off many, many birds and small mammals on our lists. The camping is getting wilder and wilder, and the calendar days passing way to quickly.
Our thoughts are with all our friends and family with the increased covid restrictions, limitations and/or recovery from illness. May the mini 'wildlife reserves' in your back yard or outside your office window inspire you, reminding you of the flamboyance, resilience and intelligence of nature, of which you are part.
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