Botswana Bound

Bonjour,

Although we spent most of our time in sub-Saharan Africa in South Africa and Namibia, we really wanted to see some of Botswana too. And we had left open several days in our trip to give us the flexibility to do that.

So, after visiting northern Namibia, we crossed the border into Botswana and headed to the Okavango Delta. We thought we'd just patch together a little safari in our front-wheel-drive car. (Because, after all, renting a 4 x 4 vehicle in Namibia is much more expensive than just renting a regular car. And the roads in Namibia aren't bad. And you can get a nice front-wheel drive car for a great price. And we've never been ones to spend much money on cars. It all seemed like such a good plan....)

The first lodge we visited at the edge of the Delta was really lovely. But it was also fully booked.

The helpful proprietor sent us on to the neighboring lodge. After searching for too long on unmarked dirt (sandy) roads, we finally stumbled onto the lodge, only to discover this place is not lovely but almost a ghost town, with no other guests.

We took off again, searching for something a bit better, although by now it's getting late and we have no Botswana money and no place to stay.

Bob, mind you, loves this kind of travel. I do not.

We drive another 40 km, to the next lodge. We're almost there when we fail to notice that all of the freshest car tracks are on the side of the widening road. We then hit maybe 18 inches of loose sand.

We get stuck. Really stuck.

I start walking to try to find the lodge, and I see a truck with three guys. I flag them down, do my distressed routine, and they agree to help.

We eventually get the car out of the sand, although in the process I hit a large rock. I hit that rock hard. But we give our good samaritans some Namibian money (they were happy to take it), continue to the lodge, and, thankfully, this lodge has both signs of life and available rooms. I decide to ignore the red indicator light now going off in the car.

For the next few days, we relax by the river.


We take a boat into the Delta.

We see monster crocs. (They can reach 30 feet and do eat people).

We spot flying eagles.

We hear but never see the hippos (big bummer but most of them live deeper in the Delta).

I learn about -- and see -- the mistreatment of our overworked black staff at the lodge and try to figure out if and how we can help them with the obnoxious white owner. (Suggestions welcomed).

We even get used to the big, nearly palm-sized spiders that live in the straw roof of our room (after killing one, Bob tells the kids not to worry because they have "territories" and won't come down again...although I spot four of them scurrying on the bathroom wall that night).

Botswana really has much to offer. Since gaining independence in 1966, it has had a model government. Instead of enriching themselves, top government officials have invested money from new diamond finds into the country's infrastructure, schools and health care system. Botswana is now considered one of Africa's success stories, although it too has been devastated by the AIDS epidemic and one-third of its population remains very poor.

It is also an excellent place to go on safari, especially if you have a 4 x 4 vehicle.

We would have preferred to explore further in the Delta and to see more of the country. But we clearly went as far as our (now really hurting) car would let us go. Maybe next time, we'll actually spring for the 4 x 4 vehicle.

But probably not.

A bientot,

Kim