17 – 22 April
Elephant Highway!
Sunday: 81km – crossing border into Botswana to Kasane
Monday: 159 km + 12km -> bush camp had to be moved because there were two lions and a python on the campsite where we were supposed to camp…
Tuesday: 158 km minus the 12 km – to Nata
Wednesday: 182 km to a Bush Camp
Thursday: 136 km to Maun
Friday: Rest day in Maun ;)
Crossing the border on the Kazungula ferry, from Zambia, you will find yourself within a few meters of a common point of the territories of four countries on the same time. That is Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia!
On the road to the ferry, leaving Zambia, we had an interesting encounter with an Elephant. Only a few weeks ago, the TDA owner – Mr Henry Gold was trampled by an elephant in India while riding sweep. He was badly injured, but it sounds like no permanent damage luckily. We were given a briefing on elephants on the road, to not come within 100meters of so from them. Elephants can reach speeds of 40 km/hr! So as a group of cyclists in front of us pass an elephant, he runs out of the bushes with his ears flapping, making loud noises. What was funny is that he then turns towards us, who is about 200m from that point, and start storming…. I was the first one to start cycling in the opposite direction! Hehe.. fastest I have ever gone. He then ambushed the next cyclist who tried to pass also. After about 10min he calmed down and we could pass.
That was also the last elephant I saw on the road, on this “elephant highway”.
The next day in Botswana, Darell, the lion and elephant walker joined us. He patrolled the road for lions and elephants during the day when we cycled and also the campsites. On Monday our camp had to be moved actually – because there was two lions and a python on our site… hmmm this is at least what Sharita told us.
The roads in Botswana are very flat... and very long… and the scenery did not change much.
I really enjoyed it to cycle with Deon. And off course it was also nice to not pitch my tent for a few weeks..
23 – 28 April
Saturday: 157 km – Maun to a Bush Camp
Sunday: 140 km – to Ghanxi
Monday: 207 km – to Buitenpos, just over the Namibian border TWO HUNDRED AND SEVEN KILOMETERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE MOST I HAVE EVER DONE IN A DAY
Tuesday: 162 km – to Witvlei
Wednesday: 159 km – to Windhoek
Thursday: Rest day in Windhoek
Deon left this morning at 8AM already. I am on my own again for the last two weeks...
The Sarge also lost his EFI this week unfortunately, because Namibia requires him to have a visa. He is from Trinidad. He now had to go back to Gaborone to the Namibian embassy there and will catch up with us as soon as he has his visa. I feel very sad for him, because he was very determined to cycle everything and now this. We all miss his enthusiasm around camp.
Strong cross and tail winds did not make the 207km day any easier. We made it to camp at 6PM with a few stops to help repair flat tyres and a long stop at the border.
Things have changed so much now. The camp sites are really luxurious and everything you need is readily available. I think I actually miss all the chaos… we are going back to all things “normal”, things we are used to again.
Elephant Highway!
Sunday: 81km – crossing border into Botswana to Kasane
Monday: 159 km + 12km -> bush camp had to be moved because there were two lions and a python on the campsite where we were supposed to camp…
Tuesday: 158 km minus the 12 km – to Nata
Wednesday: 182 km to a Bush Camp
Thursday: 136 km to Maun
Friday: Rest day in Maun ;)
Crossing the border on the Kazungula ferry, from Zambia, you will find yourself within a few meters of a common point of the territories of four countries on the same time. That is Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia!
On the road to the ferry, leaving Zambia, we had an interesting encounter with an Elephant. Only a few weeks ago, the TDA owner – Mr Henry Gold was trampled by an elephant in India while riding sweep. He was badly injured, but it sounds like no permanent damage luckily. We were given a briefing on elephants on the road, to not come within 100meters of so from them. Elephants can reach speeds of 40 km/hr! So as a group of cyclists in front of us pass an elephant, he runs out of the bushes with his ears flapping, making loud noises. What was funny is that he then turns towards us, who is about 200m from that point, and start storming…. I was the first one to start cycling in the opposite direction! Hehe.. fastest I have ever gone. He then ambushed the next cyclist who tried to pass also. After about 10min he calmed down and we could pass.
That was also the last elephant I saw on the road, on this “elephant highway”.
The next day in Botswana, Darell, the lion and elephant walker joined us. He patrolled the road for lions and elephants during the day when we cycled and also the campsites. On Monday our camp had to be moved actually – because there was two lions and a python on our site… hmmm this is at least what Sharita told us.
The roads in Botswana are very flat... and very long… and the scenery did not change much.
I really enjoyed it to cycle with Deon. And off course it was also nice to not pitch my tent for a few weeks..
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| sunset over the Okovango Delta - view from our plane |
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| the charging elephant -as we were leaving Zambia |
 |
| at the ferry crossing to botswana |
 |
| Sarge at a coke stop |
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| Deon on the road |
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| first sign showing SA!! |
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| Primitive modes of transport |
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| Amman, Ribca, Ram and CrisP... calling themselves: "Sharita's nightmare". They showed up like this in the camp. Shopping was done in Gobabis |
23 – 28 April
Saturday: 157 km – Maun to a Bush Camp
Sunday: 140 km – to Ghanxi
Monday: 207 km – to Buitenpos, just over the Namibian border TWO HUNDRED AND SEVEN KILOMETERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE MOST I HAVE EVER DONE IN A DAY
Tuesday: 162 km – to Witvlei
Wednesday: 159 km – to Windhoek
Thursday: Rest day in Windhoek
Deon left this morning at 8AM already. I am on my own again for the last two weeks...
The Sarge also lost his EFI this week unfortunately, because Namibia requires him to have a visa. He is from Trinidad. He now had to go back to Gaborone to the Namibian embassy there and will catch up with us as soon as he has his visa. I feel very sad for him, because he was very determined to cycle everything and now this. We all miss his enthusiasm around camp.
Strong cross and tail winds did not make the 207km day any easier. We made it to camp at 6PM with a few stops to help repair flat tyres and a long stop at the border.
Things have changed so much now. The camp sites are really luxurious and everything you need is readily available. I think I actually miss all the chaos… we are going back to all things “normal”, things we are used to again.
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