And that's a wrap: welcome to sunny Queensland - um, in the dark and chilly!

Sydney to Brisbane, Australia

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS

Welcome home to Australia and a new experience for us because we had ticked two "yes" boxes on the biosecurity questionnaire.

Easy passport validation, duty free purchases (scored an Amarula) and baggage collection and then it was a line-up for Customs and the Biosecurity check.

Didn't quite know what to expect for biosecurity - our bags were coated in red dust and sand and were looking a little bedraggled. But we were only asked had we washed our shoes off! And "yes" we had, I had even picked the burrs out of the soles and sprayed them with the Bearded Chap's hand sanitiser. 

 We had the shoes packed in the outside pouch of the luggage and were ready for inspection, but they weren't interested. Had a good laugh with the biosecurity guy - he asked @ Mac if he had taken his DAUGHTER to Africa! Figured I must have looked as bedraggled and gritty as our luggage for him to be cracking that joke.

Our day of transit had been easy. The only hold up we experienced was in the Qantas transit lounge waiting for the bus to get from the International Terminal to the Domestic Terminal. Sat there for 25 minutes with an increasingly anxious bunch who were not going to make their connecting flight. We had a good 30 minutes up our sleeve at the other end when the bus finally arrived and crammed everyone in - not so lucky for some others who were sprinting to make connecting flights. For a while there was a little confused, feeling Qantas operating on "Africa Time."

Our Friday arvo flight was packed and overhead locker space was at a premium. @Mac somehow squeezed our duty free alcohol in the bags so we could board without incident. I did my usual and fell asleep as the plane reversed out of the gate - think the hours are starting to take their toll.

Simple delights of home!

@Aunty Gail was there as our welcoming committee at the airport and must say that we were expecting a running commentary on the way home of the history of the landmarks, the culture of the people and details of the plants and animals - and fully expected to pull over to check scat and paw prints! Will need to readjust to "just a drive" rather than a "game drive" and also the distinct lack of elephants, giraffe, wildebeest and zebra!

Not only had @Auntry Gail put every light on in the house as a little beacon of welcome for us, but dinner for two nights was stacked in the fridge along with the essentials. Just dumped all the bags in the laundry, settled into pumpkin soup and garlic bread and washed it down with Vietnamese coffee and chocolate muffins. @Mac was quick to put on clean PJs and UGG slippers and even found some enthusiasm for Friday's form guide. Winners all round.

Not bad 20 hours door to door- thinking that was a short one and we should wake up refreshed tomorrow for the 4-week sprint until we take off again.

And Saturday's excitement! So much dirty stuff.

Truly loved our adventures away and thrilled to meet new people and forge new connections. Certainly appreciated our updates from home and the feedback that people provided as we shared our story. 

Can only affirm - if you get the chance - GO TO AFRICA! A truly remarkable experience.

PS a special thank you to the team that provided the support:

• Sharyn Bleakley for impeccable flight arrangements and insurance
• Jude Hartley - Home (masihambeafrika.co.nz) Masihambe Afrika for the off the beaten track, once in a lifetime experience
• Louis Loch - for the expertise and patience in making the dream a reality
• Aunty Gail and Paul for keeping the home fires burning
• Jenny Fugle and Lloyd Wilton for the inspiration at the beginning

Getting back home - you're never too old for Africa

Johannesburg to Sydney

Heading home - safari survivors - who said we were too old and had mobility issues?

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS:

Load shedding. You definitely wouldn't want to live in those conditions. Of course, no experience with it, so at 2 am when the power resumed, lights came on, heater whirred and TV promoting Johannesburg seemed to be blaring. The TV was so quiet when we rushed in to drop our bags off last night, was so quiet we hadn't realised it was on. That was a mad scurry to try and calm that chaos and an hour later we were being scalded by the heat of electric blankets and were dialling that down and shedding layers of clothing. Well, yes, @Mac only had one layer - but I had a mountain that kudu couldn't jump over!

Thank goodness for the Medistrom battery that just kicks in for @Mac when power is unavailable. Best investment.

Didn't want to sleep in because we were flying out this arvo and was more interested in being in a daze for the flight than drawing the zzzzzs at the Inn. Had a plan to beat the rush and use the shower and wash my hair at 6.30 but that was thwarted by absolutely icy cold water. 

Did have to the luxury of power - at least till 8 am - and after persistent coaxing, @Mac was able to encourage a generous flow of hot water out of the shower head.

Ha ha, @Roz and @Gill still with us

Breakfast together (so cold - we were all shivering at the table) and some tears as we started to disperse. @Gill and @Roz were the first as they headed out for private tour of Johannesburg - and NOT the airport.

Then, farewell to @Louis. He has been leading, guiding, educating and entertaining us no matter what the obstacle or challenge. Always armed with a smile and a plan within a plan with two or three backup plans, we have been in excellent hands. A safe driver (on road and off); great cook (in awe of the planning, prep and outcome) a master at Tetris (managed to fit luggage and passengers in limited spaces); an animated storyteller (loved our nightly Creation stories); and without doubt, a walking encyclopaedia of "stuff" that just brings all that you are seeing and experiencing into a focus that helps to build a deeper understanding of this country of contrasts. Thank you @Louis and our genuinely sincere wishes for great things to come.

Took a little walk to Le Kreamery and enjoyed a rerun of brekkie with the Kiwi Connection - this time in a heated dining area, with power and with internet connection.

Le Kreamery had it all!

The major challenge of the day was to repack the bags - and they were definitely bursting at the seams and zipping was only achieved by some minor miracle due to @Mac's persistence. We were going to ditch the $4.50 brown bags, but one of them at least has joined @Margi and @Tom as their "souvenir" bag to get the loot home for the grandies. A bit embarrassed actually because it was filthy after our 4 days in the bush in Botswana.

Was also very conscious of scrubbing off the dust, dirt and seed residue off the soles of the shoes and making sure that they were accessible for any border security check on arrival in Sydney. Our clothes wreak of smoke, our bags are stained and dirty and our shoes have seen better days. The glue on @Mac's dress shoes has held and I think they will be headed for the bin ASAP when we arrive home. 

Already a steady stream of messages on What'sApp as @Louis continues to check on The Crew's progress to the airport and tour arrangements and as the "tourists" share their new adventures. Fingers crossed that social media allows us to continue to share in the lives of The Crew.

Didn't quite make the noon checkout for @Cecelia- missed by about 15 minutes and then set ourselves up in the sitting room (no heating but did manage to get Wi-Fi access turned back on) to wait for our transfer after waving off the Kiwi Connection for their departure to Cape Town.

We were ready - where's @Francoise?

We waited for @Francoise to pick us up at the gate and did get a little nervous when he was 15 minutes later than expected but had an easy run to the airport. Were informed at check-in that the plane home was "full" and "unfortunately" the audio on @Mac's allocated seat wasn't working. Oh well, we'll just swap. 

Double trouble as he was pulled over at the Security Check because there was still water in the water bottle in his black bag. He just tipped the bottle up and drank the water. I set the alarm off with my knee - no worries just waited for the scan and the pat down and offered a smile and warm conversation. Just like @Louis - no problem- we have a plan and can readily pull out the charm offensive when needed.

Toasted sangas and chippies with coffees - all smiles at the prospect of home

A little souvenir at the airport, some lunch and at 5 pm we were rolling on the stockings for the 10 hour and 48 minute flight to Sydney. A couple of movies (loved it - i watched "Lion King"), a couple of meals, a couple of trips to the loo, a couple of swaperoos to share the working audio and even a couple of hours sleep and it was welcome to Sydney. 

A much faster trip on the way home

Not much love for the food from either traveller - but there was wine!

Safari Day 25: Heading back to civilization (Africa style), load shedding and flight confusion for some

Tuli Game Reserve to Johannesburg (South Africa)

Plenty of room in this big day of driving - luxury!

This was definitely the long run to home and involved 600 + kms of driving from the Serolo Camp in the Tuli Block, through the border crossing (very fancy, all automated on the South African side, complete with passport scanners and flushing toilets) and back to Johannesburg. No trailer for this big vehicle - instead the luggage was piled in the back seats and The Crew still had room to spread out with a row each and two drivers in the 22 seater Sprinter van.

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS:

Left on the dot of 8:38 after a final cooked breakfast from @Kennedy and the ladies (gosh the pork sausages were a hit) and were joined by @Bennett our driver who had brought the van for the rerun journey. The warthogs turned up to enjoy the waterhole to give their biggest fan @Margi her final photo shoot.

Always a little consternation on leaving a venue on what to do about tipping. Lots of talking and comparing notes - and by that, I mean working out what currency you actually have left in your stash. Have US $, Rand and Pula. The Crew is always grateful for the fabulous support we receive at each of the camps and understand that a small tip may make a difference to the teams we leave behind.

Last tent camp and warthog came out to say goodbye 

On exiting the security checkout, we seemed to encounter our very own guard of honour of elephants. The breeding herds lined both sides of the dusty track an gave us a wave of their ears and a raised trunk in what seemed an appropriate tribute to our return journey to our normal lives.

Did have to endure the rough and tumble of a 90-minute drive at a crawling pace over the rutted and corrugated dirt roads. Extremely rough going and there must have been something wrong with the seal in the rear door of the #Sprinter because the inside of the van was enveloped in a red haze of choking dust. @Margi and @Tom were literally lost from view at one stage and we might need to vacuum the luggage before trying to re-enter Australia and New Zealand.

Roadworks - seemed ironic

Platjan border crossing was our first stop to complete our border formalities to get an exit stamp from Botswana. And then a few metres later we were the proud owners of an entry stamp back into South Africa. Worth noting, it was freezing cold under the cloud covered sky.  If you think Africa = hot - need to reassess. In this huge continent there are definite extremes of temperature.

Immediately noted the use of the land for irrigated crops including maize, soya beans and wheat. All getting their water supply from the "green, greasy Limpopo" and protected from the elephants by three strand towering electric fences. 

It was also home to the breeders of exotic game where genetics have been changed to breed specific colours in the game and then offered as trophies used in game hunting. This is big money - with the record for a buffalo bull sitting at $2.7 million AUD. Breeds include black faced impala, copper springbok as well as black and white impala and golden gnu. This 29 km stretch of our final bit of dirt road was home to dozens of game hunting lodges.

After our three weeks of watching and learning about these amazing animals, it is hard to empathise with the passion of those who want to sit in a vehicle, with a mounted gun and pull the trigger to fell one of these beautiful animals. Well, I suppose, that's Africa.

Big round of applause from The Crew when we turned towards Allday's and hit the bitumen road - AT LAST. This town was built around a big fig tree that the old prospectors said they could sit around all day. Hence the name. Citrus farming, sheep and goat farming and also excellent trophy hunting.

Seeing mountains now including Blouberg (Blue Mountain) which has spiritual significance for some tribes. Passed the highest peak of Sau Pan Mountains with 380 species of birds including the Cape Culture (white coat over closed wings) - a nature lover's dream. Also includes a legendary golf course, where you fly in helicopter and then tee off to the valley below. 

 We are passed through Vivo, meaning speed, a tiny village of 300, where the wind gushes through the valley at great speed. Lots of lodges, with hunting with bow and arrow as well as chrome and diamond mining. 

Retraced our steps over the Tropic of Capricorn - but a little more quietly this time. Thinking The Crew was a little travel weary, lots of nodding off and very little conversation. The high seats and the room in the #Sprinter has us separated and in our own private little pods. We are casting our minds forward to the trip home tomorrow and the rest of the group were making plans for their three day stay in Cape Town.

Familiar - Tropic of Capricorn and Fish n chips

A quick stop over in Polokwane for lunch. A recent name change that means "place of safety." A large urban centre of 155 000 people and is the capital of the Limpopo Municipality, a very large urban area with a large soccer stadium named after one of the freedom fighters and it is a major town on Cape Town to Cairo route (10 000+ kms.) 

Moria is just to the west and hosts an annual migration of 2 million Zionists who descend for Easter worship and celebration. It presents as a sea of yellow as the migration progresses bus after bus and apparently drum after drum of money is then transported to the banks after the followers make their offerings to the church. According to @Louis "organised chaos." I wonder if @Joe attends - he was proudly sporting his membership badge and said he had been a member of his church for 42 years.

Joined the N1 for the run to Pretoria and Cape Town. This is divided Highway - 4 lanes each way and only slowed by toll roads and peak hour traffic.

@Louis still had lots of info to share and picked his moment to be on the microphone. Definitely was giving The Crew time to catch some additional zzzzzs if they needed it. Interesting stories shared around:

• Waterbury Mountains (???) and its archaeological find
• Springbok Flats and today's absence of springboks.
• Jerusalem trekkers - and their quest to find Jesus and sighting of pyramids and Nyl (not even close)
• Mokopane (????) ladies with rings on their necks
• Modemolle and the legend of the sacred mountain - if you climb, never seen again
• Dunokeng Reserve - largest reserve within an urban area
• Pretoria 380000 student university, co capital, city of jacarandas,
• E-toll white elephant and refusal of population to pay

Our ten-hour trek door to door had loads of familiar tinges in it: overloaded trailers; speeding trucks; broken down vehicles; dry dusty verges; people randomly wandering on the side of the road hitch hiking; strong contrasts between rural and urban areas; electric fences for miles and miles.

Lunch (fish and chips) scoffed down and combined with a poshie poshie and we were back on track, enjoying the luxury of the glide over the smooth bitumen and wide divided road of the N1 and trying to hit Johannesburg before peak hour traffic delays. Did run into a few slow spots - but only minor.

Arrived at the Willow Inn in Johannesburg and its predicted cold with light to spare and thankfully very little to no peak hour traffic. But despite being "hopeful" of some change at the Inn there was no happy ending to this tale. Poor @Cecilia has to manage everything single handed - opens and closes the electronic gate (hence why the front door is always open despite the freezing conditions); welcome guests; allocate rooms; prepare, cook and serve the meals; service the rooms - no wonder there is no time to have the home fires stoked and burning.

The Willow Inn - we looked for a chimney and signs of heating! No luck.

It was a little "chaotic" on arrival. Only a handful of rooms here and I am not sure how it could all be so confusing - but it was. There were literally "no rooms at the inn." At one stage, it was only @Louis who had to pack his bags and head home for the night to Pretoria. But @Roz and @Gill who have had single rooms for the entire trip - suggested that they would "share" one room and that would enable @Louis to take the extra room allocated to them. Then the story changed - still no room for @Louis AND there was only a single room available for @Roz and @Gill. Meanwhile, the countdown to load shedding was on and we were congregated together in the front sitting room, caught between the open front door and the open back door. 

This went on for a good 30 minutes until @Cecilia suggested she could use the room of a 'long stay guest" who wasn't here tonight so that would mean two rooms were available. There are 12 official languages in South Africa - and I am in awe of anyone who speaks more that one - but do think that English was about @Cecilia's fifth language and communication was a barrier to sorting all this out. Anyway, we had downstairs Room 4, @Roz and @Gill shared, @Louis took the "long stay guest's" room - after @Cecilia had remade it up - and everyone was sorted at 5:58 - and load shedding kicked in on the dot of 6 pm for four hours.

Optimistic display of password in load shedding; candles are an essential and the only heat in the room; and @Cecilia did her best

Set up the room by the light of the trusty headlamps (we thought we had seen the last of them for a while) and reported to the ice-cold sitting room for pre-dinner drinks (wine supplies were low so the transfer driver @Francoise somehow materialised with bottles) and then shivered into the dining room for a lukewarm dinner. No idea how @Cecilia was managing all this - but she did. BTW, no mention of showers here because the water is still freezing! Might have to wait until power comes on tomorrow morning for an extended period before trying that one.

This was truly our last hurrah with the group, gathered at the dinner table and relived the highlights and craziness that was our 5 000 km trek touching on South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana in a fleet of vehicles encouraged, herded and organised by @Louis.

And then the night got a little crazy. The big focus for the last 24 hours has been @Louis verifying and hunting down the arrangements for each pair's transfer to the airport - for us to come home and for the others to get to Cape Town. He thought he had everything "tickety boo" and had even checked in with @Jude in New Zealand to ensure he wasn't overwriting any plans that may already have been in place. 

No power - so no internet connection provided by Willow Inn for each of us to access our arrangements. @Louis activated the hotspot on his phone and then went group to group so that we could all complete our check-in for flights. Pretty lucky that he did that actually, because "surprise, surprise" @Gill and @Roz had booked their transfers for 6 am tomorrow morning - when in fact they weren't leaving till the following day! Not sure what was more traumatic - the thought of turning up to the airport 24 hours early or the dread associated with enduring another 24 hours at the Inn.

@Francoise was cancelled for the 6 am trip, they booked a day of touring Johannesburg with @Mai (the great trip that @Del and @Steve had completed before the safari started) and did not hesitate in cancelling the Inn and rebooking alternate accommodation.

Found our way by torchlight to the room (no heater, no hot water, no double bed) and put on extra layers (that's one layer for @Mac) and voted to leave the packing for tomorrow's late checkout. Let there be light, hot water and connectivity! And please, let our stuff fit back into our suitcases. Pretty please.

Accommodation:Willow Inn (happy it's for one night only)

Wildlife spotting:

Impala

Rock kestrel

Wart hog: sounder of warthogs

Monkey: black face

Red billed ox weavers: stick nests in Cooperative breeders - only one pair breeds - others look after chick's and breeders

Southern Ground hornbill: large black bird with red wattle

Baboons

Zebra

Wildebeest 

African grey hornbill 

Baobab

Elephant

Rock hirex: closest relative of elephant - @Roz's python ate one

Domesticated animals

Cows

Goats

COLLECTIVE NOUNS revisited

• Bask, float crocofiles
• Implausibility of wildebeest
• Dazzle of zebra
• Sounder of warthogs
• Troop/congress baboons
• Parade of elephants
• Gang of buffalo
• Tower, journey, stride 
• Leap pf leopards
• Coalition cheetahs
• Pride of lions
• Cart load of monkeys
• Raft of hippos
• Crash if rhinos
• Flo k, swarm, party of birds
• Swarm of bees
• Orchestra of cicadas
• Slither of snakes
• Parliament or stare of owls

Just a final thought on Google Maps and the roads taken: don't think that there has been much driving completed on some of these routes and they must just be "estimates." The roads in the "bush" are "horrendous" and as an example today - that first part of the drive was completed at between 5 and 25 kms per hour. We often scoffed at the "speed limit" signs - as if it were even possible to do the proclaimed 60 or 80 kph that were displayed. 

Google Maps Day 25 Tuli Game Reserve to Johannesburg

Safari Day 24: Done and dusted (literally dusted!)

Tuli Game Reserve (Botswana)

Woke at 5:50 to the gentle tap tapping of RAIN on the canvas roof of the tent. Took a little while to make sense of the noise and actually held our breath thinking that the game drive might be cancelled. Did learn later that "game drives are never cancelled" - so I guess we are counting out lucky starts that  it was 10 minutes of sprinkles - can only imagine in my worst nightmares what a cold AND wet game drive might feel like.

All smiles for morning drive - girls admitting that hot water bottles are an added layer 

But that 1 000 spits of rain was over before it had even begun and we were busy layering up for the morning drive. No denying that it was cold, but with the wind abated and a covering of cloud, it was nothing like last night.

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS:

Left our laundry bag on the bed, grabbed a light breakfast and it was all aboard for the 7 am getaway. Main goal this morning was to find the brown hyena. Long shaggy brown coat with a stunning white face. @Joe did all the magic in the vehicle and crawled by the dens but did not see hide nor hair of the hyena.

Tracking early morning, up and down dry riverbeds

Managed to stumble across two female lions catching some sunlight and did see them perk to attention and stalk off into the distance as a herd of impala approached. They melted into that woodland - no hurry - just quietly and stealthily took a wide circle to head off their next take-away.

Just waiting for their "take away" impala to arrive (McDonald's M on the impala's bottom always gets a laugh) - the lions literally melted into that bushland and became totally invisible

The mopani woodland here looks as if a hedge trimmer has been through. The elephants seem to trim them to an even height and eat and shape them to a stumpy bush all separated by the dusty path they make as they move through the trees. And until the elephant moves, believe it or not, amongst all that shadow you don't really see them until they move.

Hedge trimmers

Still in awe of how quiet these giants are and how slowly they seem to move. Their giant feet are placed silently in the dusty surface and they are surrounding you one moment and then have glided by to completely disappear. 

At one stage the path was covered by a log that had been removed by an elephant. Meant @Joe had to reluctantly get out of the vehicle to remove it in this area of closed woodland. The perfect stalking area for the lions. Apparently, in the vehicle, we present as a large, unthreatening and complete outline for predators - and are ignored. Out of the vehicle, on two legs, we become prey. He was very purposeful, but very slow. He scanned all the nearby stunted mopane and was agile in his re-entry to the truck. Was unnerving how watchful and cautious he was - I'm glad he didn't call for volunteers.

This was an up down gully - front of vehicle going up and back still going down - roller coaster. The brownacriss windscreen is @Joe's "big gun"

He did find us a safe place to stop for a cup of tea and a bushie bushie. A wide-open space, perched above the dry river beds @Joe and @Louis had great vision in all directions and @Joe had the gun on hand - which he said he could access and fire within 20 seconds. I can only imagine the paperwork involved if a tourist were hurt - so do believe they were committed. And just saying - the bushie bushie options are being taken closer and closer to the vehicle - no wandering off here to get that extra bit of privacy.

Bushie bushie with clear views and not much coverage for privacy 

Plenty of wildlife to keep us entertained for our three-and-a-half-hour drive and then it was back to camp for brunch. And what a treat. @Roz's dreams came true as @Kennedy whipped up a batch of FatCakes (magwinya)! They did not disappoint - were served HOT straight from his pot of oil and were filled with salad and tuna. Very versatile. @Kennedy had mentioned that the staff would share in the batch - um, he underestimated our enthusiasm - we devoured every one on offer.

Eating FatCakes - because we can.

Free time to watch the animals visit the water hole or to sit in the sun and thaw out. We were keen to hit the shower, and after letting the water run for 10 minutes (we timed it) the hot water eventually arrived and it was amazing! So much dust on these drives it feels like a cleansing.

Afternoon tea at 3.00 set us up for the evening drive and we were all wearing our maximum layers for the last game drive of the trip. Left in high spirits and comfortably warm this evening  we did the laps in the daylight, to the setting sun and finally by spotlight.

Spotlighting

Instead of heading home at 7 pm @Joe directed the vehicle towards the light of a series of blazing fires in the distance. This was a large cleared area, marked by a ring of lanterns, with tables set under the stars. Out farewell dinner. @Kennedy and the team had set up a bar, the long dining table, a server and camp chairs around the fire.

Of course, bushie bushie  was till the go here and did have a laugh. Definitely not permitted to go beyond the border of the campsite and the far side of the safari vehicle was the "shelter." @Joe had been stopping regularly and marking his territory - there was a line of little territory markers down the side of the vehicle tonight - glad I had my headlamp on - definitely would want to put my foot in it! Think I would have confused the trackers with the male and female count - #Sheweena makes it look like there is an extra male in camp.

Dinner in the middle of the bush - farewell

Our New Zealand Choir ladies offered their duet, @Louis told stories and belted out the South African anthem and conversation and a three-course dinner were completed with the billion stars of the night sky as the hits of the evening. Easily spotted the Southern Cross and did give our minds permission to wander to thoughts of "home" - so close now.

Arrived in camp and were delighted to see that our transport option for tomorrow had arrived, escorted by @Joe safely to our tents to the background rumble of the lions tonight; hot water bottle and bed turn down accompanied by the African Coffee Cream as a night cap and now just one more stop before we pull up stakes and say farewell to Africa.

Accommodation: Serolo Safari Camp

Wildlife Spotting:

Black chested snake eagle

Elephant: border crossing elephants- swim over Limpopo at night to feed but return in day because if hunters higher ground

Stork saddle bill largest stork - 7 kgs -Male red eye, female yellow

Jackal - on yesterdays kill

Warthog: so named because of warty growths near tusk; male has two on each side which offer protection when fighting, females have one

Sage

Buffalo weaver

Green pigeon

Parrot

 Namaqua dove - long tail

Wildebeest 

 Zebra 

Giraffe

Sycamore tree

Chinese light bushman's candle

Mopane woodlands

Quelea red billed damage crops - large flocks flying in unison 

Klipspringer

Steenbok 

Nile Crocodile

White Crested helmet shrike - flock, flies through spider Web to collect Web for nest

Batelier eagle - drunk, trapeze walker

Nala Berry tree huge

Caper bush low round mound hide kill

Shephards bush

Eland

Guinea fowl - tough meat because they do so much walking, red meat

Lifer black stork

Tropical boubou: black, mimics

Lilac Crested roller

Water buck

Tree euphobia- looks like candelabra, extremely poisonous, black rhino and porcupine eat, - if touched causes rash on skin, can blind - white latex poisonohs

Squirrel 

Verreayx Giant eagle owl

Lion: stalking impala so quiet cover so much ground

Wildebeest

Corrie bustard

Impala

Dove

Bat eared fox: insect eating - ear to ground to hear movement

Baboon

Safari Day 23: Fat cakes and cold cheeks

Francistown to Tuli Game Reserve (Botswana)

Back seat game drive - more layers to come

Huddled around the toaster for our outside breakfast this morning at 7am. Any warmth was appreciated on this cold morning. I was huddled into my hot water bottle to chase away the chill. Was a perfect night's sleep though in this beautiful woodlands cabin. The deeply religious 3 generation background was evident everywhere in the camp with prayers and motivational phrases covering the walls and doors.

A lovely parkland setting, with watered lawns and gardens. The park was busy with families and children and our loquaciious South African neighbour was out to wish us farewell and safe travels.

Not much enthusiasm for the cram in the #BlueBox this morning with a 310 k trek across predictably rough roads, with lunch on the run and bushie bushie stops. Bit the bullet, because of the knowledge, was that at the end was two days in the one camp. Yippee.

No rush for #BlueBox squash

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS:

Had our introduction to Francistown which in 1869 saw the first official gold rush in southern Africa. Somehow people around the world heard and rushed for their chance at a fortune. Robert Moffatt brought religion and books and education. Almost 100 years later it was declared a city with 100 000 people. Lots of cobalt and nickle mining here and plenty of trade and business in evidence.

An interesting place - graves covered in concrete to prevent theft of bones and coffins; an International airport that only flies to limited international destinations; and a 25 000 seat stadium which was closed immediately after opening because stands were unstable; proliferation of free traders with their small buildings selling goods and services. Also called FatCake city - named after a small cake cooked in oil.

Pulled up in Francistown behind the mobile alcohol testing van and scooted in to get lunch. Big find here was the seasoning that @Louis had used on the braai last night - I bought two boxes to take home.

Robots (traffic lights), markets, stalls, big transport vehicles. It was a busy Monday morning in "F-Town" or "Town" as the locals refer to it. Also home to a university and an academic hospital. @IT shared that the government pays for your tuition, however, if you fail a module you have to pay for it yourself. Fingers cross @IT has educational aspirations for his newly born, two-month-old son, @Austin.

 Buildings, roads and general infrastructure all very western and modern in Francistown.

This is "modern" views

The big news in the #BlueBox this morning was it was SNOWING in Johannesburg- we were all traumatised by the cold at Willow Inn on our first night and do not want to endure another one even colder. Just checked that we had wood on board that we could take with us - might all be sleeping together huddled around the fire in the shared lounge area.

Passed over the Shesha River (still dry sandy tract) again and went through the farming village of Tonatha (translates to old people possess the great wisdom - ha ha, that would be us) where the village is supported by pumping water from underground. Five villages joined here to form this large town on the highway crossroad. Pulled over at roadside stall to try a bag of FatCakes at the grand price of one pula each. Have to agree with @Roz - they were yummy. We were on the hunt for more.

FatCakes!

The mopane trees where thick here and, as the story goes, during the summer months, the worms can be heard "munching in the trees" and actually wriggle and squirm their way across the road. And are actually harvested and sold. The worms, when left uncaptured, turn into a beautiful big brown moth.

Passed through Seruli, home to 3 000 people, right on the rail line. It is also the site of the only uranium mine in Botswana and is owned by the Chinese. Labour for the mine here is all Chinese - the African labour force is too expensive! Can you believe that given that the minimum wage here is something like 1500 pulas a month - less that AUD $200.

By 10.30 we passed through @IT's hometown of Selibe Phikwe complete with a fire station, secondary school and students out playing volleyball. Again, a mining town with housing built right on the edge of the road and up to the mine's gate. @Louis noted that the huts were all constructed with asbestos roofing.

 Pulled into the Cresta Hotel and @Louis talked his way through the boom gate so we could use the toilet facilities (a poshie poshie) and get a coffee. Gosh, it's still cold outside.. It was also a casino - but no time for an investigation of that little space.

Took advantage of the service station here to get "clean" petrol and then another 160 km to go. Each member of The Crew has taken a little time out to close their eyes - the bitumen road has been exceptional so far - no doubt thanks to the mining interests.

Napping except @Mac and @Del

Took our one turnoff at Bobonong, complete with speed bumps but no FatCkaes for @Roz, which signalled 70 kms to go so it was time to attack the bus lunch so we had room for the anticipated "high tea" when we arrived at the lodge.

Huge dam for mining and agriculture just appeared in the middle of nowhere. The wall of Thune Dam 1.7 kms long and drains from 54 metre high and completed in 2014. Businesses can buy water rights to access water and of course, it had totally changed the way the vegetation in the area looks.

Crossed the electrified fence onto the Tuli Block at 1 pm amd were immediately on the lookout for one of the 18 000 privately managed elephants in this park. First sighting was of an impala in mad pursuit of his female - it's rutting season! 

Tuli Block, between10 and 20 kms wide and 350 kms long, is a privately owned, unfenced wilderness and home 3 of the ig5 - no buffalo because of the risk of foot and myoth and no rhino because of danger of poachers. It was our home for two nights. Here we are again in one of the last true wilderness areas of southern Africa and will share our camp location with whatever decides to wander through.

Last 10 k of the road was red rock and sand and in some of the higher sections we could see the green trees marking the course of the Limpopo River and the border of South Africa. In fact, as the crow flies, tonight's camp was only 50 kms from our camp in Motopos that we visited 3 weeks ago. We are very close to completing our circular loop of Botswana and our return to South Africa.

Welcome from @Joe

The #BlueBox and trailer was scrapping bottom on the trail onto Serolo - we thought we weren't going to make it and were reluctant to even contemplate getting out to lighten the load or heaven forbid push!

We were welcomed into Serolo by @Joe who asked to stay on the paths in this open camp, to always travel in pairs in the daylight and after dark to be accompanied by one of the staff. Lions, elephants and leopards share the camp and frequent the waterhole and even the swimming pool. There was a Claxton horn in each cabin which could be sounded in an emergency and @Joe was armed. Not sure if this relaxes or terrifies - but we just follow the rules. The sandy pathways and surrounds are raked each day so that @Joe can use the "bush newspaper" to see who and what has dropped by.

Again, an impressive set up in the tent - huge space with ensuite bathroom, oodles of storage and a fridge.

The rhythm of the day here is a little different with meals offered to support the timetable of game drives. Guests are offered a 6 am cereal, fruit and rusks with tea and coffee amd then a "cooked" brunch at 10.30, a substantial high tea before the evening drive and then dinner at 7.30 on return. We arrived in time for 3 pm high tea followed by a game drive till 7 and then dinner.

We were rugged up and ready for our evening game drive. Someone should have twigged that the temperature had dropped dramatically and the wind had picked up. An open safari vehicle on a day with a maximum of 11 and a breeze is not all its cracked up to be - we were FREEZING and I mean BLOODY FREEZING. Still not sure how @Louis does this in shorts - because the crew was frozen.

Little did we know - the cold would hit after the sun went down

 But we kept our eyes open and ears peeled, while trying to control chatteri g teeth and shivering linbs, and were rewarded with a feeding pride of lions - they were on the other side of the sandy river basin and were sharing the spoils of the fallen wildebeest. 

There were three vehicles cruising the area and were relaying information back and forwards and even with these multiple sets of eyes the leopards, cheetah and brown hyenas were not spotted.

@Joe took us over all sorts of terrain and the open top land Rover never complained. Rutted tracks, narrow passes through mopane, down the steep sides of riverbanks and desperate crawls up the other side were combined with rocking and jerking descents and ascents of rocky passes. A rough ride that required you to hold on with both hands and to curl your toes around whatever was available.

South Africa on the other side of the Limpopo

We took a ride along the banks of the Limpopo and gazed at the crocs guarding rhe sand banks and were not tempted to cross to the nearby shore of South Africa. Even heard the loud crack of a Gunshot from the game park across the river. The single shot perhaps indicating a direct kill. @Joe told us that the elephants swim the river at night to browse and then return in the morning to the safety of Botswana. 

Spotting the usual suspects 

We easily found all the usual suspects and loads of birds. Continued with new snippets of information that both @Joe and @Louis shared but as the sun and the temperature dropped our optimism seemed to dissipate.

Young bull showing his stuff and sunsets before spotlighting

Next it was time for spotlights to came out for an 'in the dark' hunt for the tell-tale glow of the lions, leopards and cheetahs. But this successful spotting continues to elude us and chilled to the bone we made our way back to camp and the warmth of the fire.

Meals outside- it was cold

All meals here are served outdoors. @Kennedy and the kitchen team had the white tablecloths out on the long table, set underneath the expansive jackalberry tree. Not sure we were "in love" with the experience and could barely cut our food because of our misshapen bodies in our oompa loompa layers. Gobbled down dinner in the cold cold cold and then scurried to the sanctity of our tents escorted of course by @Joe.

They were surprisingly warm and each bed was turned down and deep under the heavy covers was the fastest hot water bottle. Snug in thermals and PJs wrapped around the hottie, we didn't let ourselves even contemplate the dawn drive of tomorrow - instead, treated ourselves to generous lashing of an African Cream Coffee . Warmed at last, inside and out. And with the grating sawing sound of the leopard in the background, we didn't need to be reminded to stay inside the tent.

Accommodation:Serolo Game Reserve

Wildlife Spotting:

Pink periwinkle: leaves ground and steeped in water as relief from pneumonia 

Southern white crowned shrike: prolific birds nests concentrated on one side if tree out of wind

Kalahari Apple Leaf: used for diarrhoea, rheumatism 

Water buck: white ring painted on rump

Corrie bustard

Jackal

Impala: mating season, listen for the noise

Red Crested Khooran

Kudu

Porcupine quill , no porcupine 

Lilac Crested roller

Elephants 

Squirrel

Spur fowl: calls early in the morning 

Emerald spotted wood dove

Crocodile

Crested barbet : spots - interesting call- special air SACS next to lungs

Eland

Klipspringer

Baboon

Mongoose

Guinea fowl

Apple Leaf tree: white bark

Burchell's starling

Warthog

Domesticated animals

Goats

Donkeys

Cows

Google Maps Day 23 Francistown to Tuli Game Reserve

Safari Day 22: On release from the nursing home at Woodlands

Makgadikgadi Pans to Francistown (Botswana)

Welcome to Woodlands Stopover - complete with gardens

A lovely, relaxed start this morning with a noon start for our 170 km on the main transport route of the copper and sulphur trucks for another one-night stopover.

Loved our stay at Nata Lodge. Even had a little shop that sold all sorts of stuff. The other couples were on "grandies" alert and had a big "gutsvup" - in a completely different purchasing vein - we settled on a butter dish!

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS:

The drive to Francistown passed in a heartbeat, punctuated by requests for temperature changes as the midday sun scorched the interior of the #BlueBox. My little possie in the rear left hand seat was in full sun and I was a definite candidate for some cool air.

Learnt something of the fenced Dukwi (?) refugee camp currently home to 3 500 residents. It is directly under the control of the President of Botswana and includes many Angolans and Sudanese. This camp has a bloody and sad history and played a role in the Anti-Apartheid Movement. It is a high security area even today and you need to give an explanation and seek permission to either gain entry or to leave. Another story I am interested in reading about.

This area is a nexus for the movement of people and is known for the variety of languages spoken here. Bushman, heraro, refugees with their languages and the miners - even phinagalor (????) - an almost made up mish mash of language - perhaps the equivalent of pigeon English.

The salt pans and grey dusty sand disappeared behind us and was replaced by an increasing proliferation of red sand as the oxidisation in the soil increased. Still very dry featuring spindly trees, blackened by fire and short straw like grasses. 

Came across one village Mosetse (2 500 population) that was very "western." It sits on the Mosetse River which we crossed as another wide waterless channel which is dry for the majority of the year, but apparently it runs underground. Still feels like we are in the middle of nowhere but noted houses that we would recognise in our neighbourhood. Very colourful. even sported air conditioning and satellite dishes. These are the houses of the copper miners - built and provided by the "investors."

Had a bit of a smile because even though it was Sunday, we came across crews completing roadworks. Haven't seen much roadworks really in our entire journey, but this had signs and equipment!

The infrastructure doesn't seem to include rubbish management and rubbish is still seen everywhere and it is predominately plastic. Thinking everything possible is going used and reused, but bottles, containers and bags are just scattered to float about in the dust and dirt. 

The Hunters Road and Woodlands 

Our destination was the Woodlands Stopover which was accessed by a dirt track that took us by a crocodile farm which caused a little consternation for the group in terms of the possibility of unwanted visitors. This was soon forgotten as we passed by the markers for the Old Hunters Road and entered the camp. Our first green grass in as long as we could remember. This truly was a little oasis. Green grass and carefully tended gardens filled with thriving plants and shrubs, BBQs and picnic spaces, duplex partnered blocks complete with river (dry sandy bed) views. Once again, immaculate accommodation, expansive rooms, kitchenette, tiled bathroom with steaming hot water, a balcony and so many chair choices. 

Beautiful grounds

Dropped our gear, met our neighbours, walked the garden and congregated on the joint balcony of the Kiwi connection and cheered on @Louis as he created something from nothing as his final dinner prep. Once again he excelled. The best steak - cooked from medium rare to well done in a mouthwatering selection of flavours (literally melted in your mouth), served with garlic bread and baked veggies. Rounded out with a dessert combination that involved marshmallows and chocolate. Finger licking good and appreciated by all. And @Gill was right - took hours of prep and we literally inhaled it in what seemed like 10 minutes.

Conversation was easy and fun and was punctuated by the hilarity of our "neighbour's" comment. They shared our duplex, we were in 5 and they were in 6. He was a blunt and direct South African, self-proclaimed "hunter" and she was a quiet and diminutive, smiling a head shaking or nodding wife. And, he loved a chat, with beer in hand he was braai ready. At one stage, he had caught @Gill in conversation and his opening gambit was "Are you all from the same nursing home?" He had watched with amusement, as we had all tumbled from the #BlueBox, all bowed over so we don't hit our head alighting (even the short ones) with varying degrees of stiffness (even the young ones.) Talk about "direct, tell-it-like-it-is" South Africans - and can I say they were not exactly spring chickens themselves.

The Crew relaxing while @Louis created

That set us up for about a 90 minute pre dinner conversation, with lots of laughs and possible "in denial" moments about aged care and nursing home options that face all of us in the near future.

Abandoned the dishes with the Kiwi connection's assurance there wasn't room in the kitchen. This was our third night in a row of one night stands as we make our final push across Botswana. 

Domesticated animals

Cows

Goats

Donkeys

Accommodation:Woodlands Stopover and Lodge

Google Maps Day 22 Makgadikgadi Pans to Francistown

Safari Day 21: An experience of "nothing" in the middle of the Sowa Salt Pan

Maun to Makgadikgadi Pans (Botswana)

The Crew in @Louis's hat on the pans (picture by @Louis)

What a night. Think we stayed at party central for Friday night in Muan (or should that be "moan" - heard a bit of that through the walls in the early hours.) There was running up and down the hallways, fights and arguments, screaming, dance parties, banging on random doors, crying and even ladies of the night knocking on doors offering their services. And of course, the accompanying cigarette smoke and loud music. Might explain the wall of prophylactics in the ladies' loo and the convenient addition to the bedside drawers. 

But it is Africa - just need to keep smiling and enjoy breakfast. Headed out a little early to clean the shoes and settle last night's bill and joined the group for 8:30. I was filled to overflowing with over a litre of water to start the day so was more interested in the queue for the toilet than the custom-made omelettes on offer. A gentleman who must have been partying all night (probably outside @Del and @Steve's room) arrived "fresh" to breakfast with a cider bottle in hand.

The #BlueBox - looking like a locals taxi - nit much room needs oil and top right is my obstructed view.

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS:

Somehow managed to squeeze into the 8 seater #BueBox that was our allocated mode of transport driven by @IT (#Magogo nowhere in sight still - may have been permanently retired), hit the service station for petrol and Spar for lunch supplies.

Although we had been loaded in the bus at 9:15 by the time we finished all the morning pickups it was 9:45 before we were heading further into the desert.

The Makgadikgadi Pans which translates to "vast lifeless land" was our destination today. A collection of three pans make up this area of 4 900 square kms (which is visible from space) and has been a national park since 1992.

 As a contrast, in October-November this dry salt pan would look very different - a mass of water - and the second largest breeding ground for flamingos. Big herds of zebra and wildebeest, followed by lions would cover the pans. It is also home to the very shy aardvark and the baobab succulents which reach up to 58 m in diameter and were used as signposts for early explorers. 

The road was bitumen this morning and relatively pothole free but the continuity of the journey was broken by regular crossings of large herds of goats and cows. Remember, if you hit a domestic animal here, you are responsible for making repatriations to the owners - seems as if the animals 'know this' and rule the road.

Progressed from a covering of low trees and shrubs to a vast landscape of nothing but the protected baobab. 

Approached the Veterinary Checkpoint and had our two pairs of shoes ready for dipping and had to make sure that only cooked meat or cryovac-ed meat was on board - otherwise uncooked was confiscated. We had cryovac-ed but as a precaution moved it to an unlikely check spot just in case the inspection crew wanted extras for themselves. You just never know.

Had a bushie bushie stop (don't go too far there are elephants) that was combined with an oil top up for the vehicle - we could smell something but were reassured by driver @IT and @Louis that everything was "fine" - mind you overheard that the wire on top needed a "twitch." We are all on edge still after #Magogo and we regularly spot broken down vehicles on the side of the road as a commonplace occurrence. Not sure many of the vehicles we see would pass an Uber test.

 It was a bushie bushie not without drama - @Margie stepped in cow poo and @Gill was covered in prickles. 

Entered the designated national park area around 11 and the signage changed to warnings for elephants.

Elephants at work thwarting pipeline efforts.

 The water pipes running adjacent to the highway are protected by a large concrete surround and sealed with a concrete slab top. The elephants are relentless on their attack on the water pipeline. They push the block off the top and help themselves and subsequently provides water for other animals. This is happening right on the main highway. Every cement block seems to be tumbled at an angle and grateful animals are helping themselves to the contraband supplies.

This pipeline is an infrastructure initiative of the Chinese government to supply water to their mining interests. Go the elephants I say - they're protecting the Pans and Bots.

The pans are under threat from all fronts - mining, farming and tourism.

 Music festivals and dirt bike festivals, quad bikes and farmers encroaching on the edges of the national park are destroying the delicate blue green algae that holds the sand surface in place.

We were asked to keep our eyes peeled for the predators that follow the zebras. No luck- but a constant haze of dust on the horizon signalled that the herds were on the move.

Patched roads and bushie bushie dash.

Cars were pulled over with bonnets raised and tyres littered the side of the road. A harsh environment and we were constantly offering silent prayers that this vehicle would make the distance.

Long tall palm (mokolwane) trees dotted the distance and are important resource sources for basket weaving and have sweet nuts that sell out within minutes when in season. They stood tall in the distance at irregular intervals. The elephants shake the palms to dislodge the fruit and the locals follow the elephants to collect the leftovers.

@Steve got @Louis a beauty in the car today - replayed his "lions" gotcha. @Louis was on full alert, thought he was going to be spotting a big black maned Kalahari lion. In fact, @IT was pulling over and everyone was fooled. Good one @Steve.

Need to read about Thomas Bain, the Man with Theodolite Eyes - who had the uncanny ability to visualise the perfect routing for a mountain pass with the naked eye. He was responsible for creating passes using convict labour from Italy and France - hauling team in ox wagons and used locals to travel with them; took three weeks to traverse area and explorers carved initials on the trees (sounds a bit Burke and Wills.)

Passed through Gweto built on the underground river. Noted the increased mopane trees here as they too tapped into the underground water supply. About 3 000 in this village and it is stop over town that now offers the quad biking experience for tourists.

Termite lessons

Our aardvark make do sighting

With 40 kms to go to Nata, stopped in @IT's village along the way to pick up another bottle of oil to keep the vehicle going. Almost at the stage where nothing surprises me. Then had a slow drive along a road that was destroyed by a cyclone 5 years ago and no attempt has been made to repair it. We drove beside the road in the corrugated and rutted sandy verge as a smoother option than the highway surface.

Arrived in Nata just after 2 pm. It is a major crossroads to the Congo and there were plenty of transport vehicles on the road and lined up on the roadside. Alarmingly, still today, 35% of people here have aides - a major problem, with only one clinic in the town. 

Ladies in white robes waiting to go to church (Zionists) and every now and then a local waving at us thinking we are the local bus. 

Very dusty and dirty, lots of transport vehicles and two had toppled over and lost their loads. No regulations here for controlling long haul drivers - you can drive nonstop for as long as you can - and need to dodge domestic animal and wild animals on roads in such poor conditions.

Welcomed to Nata Lodge with a cool drink of guava juice and the night's menu. Needed to make our choices early because it was full house at the Lodge tonight. Flicked and ticked, then led to our (now predictably) beautiful, structured tent (complete with outdoor shower ensuite.) Easily made our 4 pm dry season tour of the pans with @Bee (if that is too long for you, just call me @Guava Juice.) He had the group relaxed and smiling straight away and we got a lesson on the pronunciation of the pan as Ma-ka-di-ka (complete with "click" that none of us have mastered) meaning vast dry, land of nothing.

This was a fun drive from Nata Lodge into the bird watching sanctuary. Nata Lodge had received a Tourism Initiative Award for the work undertaken here to establish the bird sanctuary and to protect the pans. We travelled on the Sowa Pan (first described to the world by David Livingstone - there he is again) across a grass covered flat which #Bee explained would be very different in summer - in fact, it would be under water.

We had met a couple of fellow Aussies on our way out of the Lodge and they had said "Bird watching? Don't waste your time - there's nothing out there!" Obviously, they didn't have the benefit of @Bee and @Louis as their guides. We saw plenty and with @Louis able to bring up the birds and their calls on his phone app we got to enjoy a fact filled drive. At one stage, there was lots of laughter as one poor bird was confused by the call emanating from the phone and was eagerly tracking the sound for a mate.

Observed the ever watchful and alert wildebeest at a waterhole. They had posted their two sentries to scan near and far for predators and to signal danger if a threat appeared. In contrast, the nearby domestic cattle herd all munched head down and were easy targets. 

With the fast-setting sun at our backs, we skirted by the few waterholes of the Nata at speed and eventually found a wallow for the raft of hippos. What a surprise here in the middle of the salt pans. Apparently, a number of years ago a pair had wandered in and settled in this waterhole and their numbers have steadily increased. Easy pickings for them in summer with the lush green grass right at their doorstep - a little further to forage at this time of the year. 

Within the blink of an eye, the low grass gave way to a vastness of nothing. Just an incredible expanse of dry, cracked sand with a thin hint of white salt on the surface.

The two safari vehicles pulled side by side, eskies were opened, and there, following that sinking red ball, it was photos and drinks. @Louis was the master at creative pics and captured the image of the group in his upturned hat, achieved by laying flat on his tummy (numerous times) in the dusty cracked surface of the Sowa Pan.

All aboard and we chased the ribbon of colour that was the African sunset back to the Lodge into the second half of Australia's demoralising performance in the Rugby. Wow, the South African crowd was raucous and jubilant. There were about 8 Aussies in the crowd and we gave a muffled round of applause for the final try. 

Dinner in the muted light of the restaurant seemed to be a meat feast for most of our group buoyed by the afternoon's suggestion that Botswana has the "best" steak. Think some of us were a little relieved that we couldn't see what we were eating because most of the meat, regardless of the request, was very rare. Nonetheless, tasty and enjoyable, washed down with cheesecake and Irish coffees.

A great day of such contrasts and the salt pan drive was a unique experience. Found ourselves snug in bed (complete with mosquito nets) and very content with the prospect of a later start to the day tomorrow.

Accommodation:Nata Lodge

Nata Lodge - again very special

Wildlife Spotting:

Motope Tree - Shepherd tree: root used for porridge; if cattle ate fruit their milk contaminated; can make a tea infusion and use for haemorrhoids and also treat eye sores in cattle

Blue green algae: high salt content of soil means this is only survivor

Elephants: testicles situated above tail on their backs

Ostrich: eat everything including rocks, cell phones, glasses; saw male with black waistcoat, eat rough 

Ant eating chat

Hippos: a raft - what a surprise, not endemic here, just two wandered in - a spring feeds waterhole -have to walk long distances for food in winter but a feasting ground in summer

Wildebeest: so many - creche - solitary males defending territory

Jackal

Magpie shrite

Dove

Black Northern KoRHAAN

Pied avocet

Yellow billed Storks - feeding - walk through water with beak open and then snap

Zebra: big herds congregating but actually small harems of 1 male and 6 to 8 females; dust on horizon is zebra migration

 Giraffe 

Termite mounds: larger than ant and looks like worm with head - no separation of head and thorax - mounds hundreds of years old - vegetarian need to grow fungus - 29 and 32 degrees all the time to maintain fungus; bottom royal chamber, queen lives for 20 years lays eggs every 3 seconds; king half size of queen and live for 14 years; nuptial flights of alites and built from scratch; 5 castes - genetically modified to perform different functions; workers; soldiers (ant biggest predator) - when queen is under threat of death releases pheromones to lay a single egg for new queen; locals mix termite mound with dung to build homes; put termite on wound to pinch together; Central chimney and side vents; lots if animals use as home

mokolwane palm trees

Domesticated animals 

Horses

Goats

Cattle - more evidence of "herds"  

DID NOT SEE - just statue - aardvark- 50 cm sticky tongue, sleeps in day, his house is used by up to 17 other animals at night, a shy 5 member so didn't see one but there was a statue, big ears and nose, name translates to "pig excavator"

300 km

27 - 3 degrees

NATA Lodge - ensuite tents 

Google Maps Day 21: Maun to Makgadikgadi Pans