) being with you on this trip.Still love your writing, still very entertaining and interesting to read.
Snug as a bug in a rug - like that a lot and will adopt it immediately.
How much does a bottle / can of beer cost in Bots?
Elephant Ears and Newbies
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Mel
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Re: Elephant Ears and Newbies
Very much enjoying myself (once again ) being with you on this trip.
Still love your writing, still very entertaining and interesting to read.
Snug as a bug in a rug - like that a lot and will adopt it immediately.
How much does a bottle / can of beer cost in Bots?
) being with you on this trip.Still love your writing, still very entertaining and interesting to read.
Snug as a bug in a rug - like that a lot and will adopt it immediately.
How much does a bottle / can of beer cost in Bots?
God put me on earth to accomplish a certain amount of things. Right now I'm so far behind that I'll never die.
Re: Elephant Ears and Newbies
Flutterby I think my pride was also bent a tad at getting sick.Having experienced it - I don't envy anyone who suffers on a regular basis
Nan - there was a lot of driving - a good few thousand kilos by the end of the trip. We were the only Coathangers i.e. from Gauteng - the others were from Natal so they had even more miles to cover - but worth it. Most of the driving is dirt or "water" excursions
Mel - the local beer ranges between P9.00 and P25.00 per 500 ml and imported between P10 and P25 (south african and others) for the normal 340 can. Converted to rand that would be between R10.00/R12.15 and R30.50 per can. Converted to USD between $1 - $2.80 per can. The beer drinkers will be able to give you our local prices but I think 500 ml bottle is between R12 and R15.
Maun being a tourist trap the beers are inclined to be on the high side.
Nan - there was a lot of driving - a good few thousand kilos by the end of the trip. We were the only Coathangers i.e. from Gauteng - the others were from Natal so they had even more miles to cover - but worth it. Most of the driving is dirt or "water" excursions
Mel - the local beer ranges between P9.00 and P25.00 per 500 ml and imported between P10 and P25 (south african and others) for the normal 340 can. Converted to rand that would be between R10.00/R12.15 and R30.50 per can. Converted to USD between $1 - $2.80 per can. The beer drinkers will be able to give you our local prices but I think 500 ml bottle is between R12 and R15.
Maun being a tourist trap the beers are inclined to be on the high side.Re: Elephant Ears and Newbies
wow really enjoying this trip report. I can relate to your experiences look below what can happen on the road out of kubu.
Re: Elephant Ears and Newbies
Eish - Kesheshe - what on earth happened? That is enough to destroy any holiday feelings! Hope no person was injured and it was only material damages.
Re: Elephant Ears and Newbies
thanks for the concern. We drove out of kubu north to the A3 a long hard drive. then drove on Kasane a long day. just as we were setting up camp at chobe safari lodge the window exploded as I was opening it. yes I got quite a few cuts but nothing to deep that plasters could not fix. After all this is Africa.
Was on a 6 week trip from this point onwards 5 weeks still to go we used black plastic dust bin bags as a back window.
To this day I have no idea why it exploded!
Was on a 6 week trip from this point onwards 5 weeks still to go we used black plastic dust bin bags as a back window.
To this day I have no idea why it exploded!
Re: Elephant Ears and Newbies
Kesheshe - the only time I saw anything like that was 100 years ago when I was still show jumping and I left an aerosol can in my car in summer. It exploded - not a single piece of the aerosol can was ever found but my car looked like a bomb had exploded on the back seat
It wasn't long before we were on the sand roads heading for our next stop over point.
AT the entrance gate all the drivers had to head for the reception desk - the rest of us dashed off to spend a penny and rinse down with some cold water.
Newbie feeling very chuffed with life
The cool morning had degenerated into an extremely hot day. Not even a bird was singing. If it hadn't been the the trees and bushes we would have thought we were in the middle of some desert.
We stopped for a quick tea break and vehicle check then we were on the "road" again. Animal life was quiet but the odd bird did drift across the sky and an occasional burst of bird song could be heard. Every so often a feathered friend would be perched on a branch.
Closer to camp we did meet up with a larger creature of the mammal world.
At this stage Newbie was still inclined to drive way to close to the car in front of us. He had not as yet developed bush eyes and thought I was totally neurotic about elephants! The drive to XakanaKa was very pleasant. When we got there there was some type of merry mix up. Somehow they had managed to book us into one camp site for one night and another camp site for the next two nights. We were not ultra impressed about this - but eventually they agreed we would only have to move if and when the other party pitched up.
Whilst BIL and sis were trying to sort this out the rest of the crew sat at the one camp site debating the merits of the two different camp sites we had been allocated. The one we waited in was a lot closer to the ablution blocks and had more shade. The other was larger - closer to a water tap and had a better view. None of us were particularly perturbed about which one we eventually landed up in. Strolling around there was so many small things to be found. Seeds that looked like skulls, tiny insects that scuttled off as well as plants and flowers to keep me occupied.
We were very aware XakanaKa was "owned" by an elephant and has stamped his mark on the camp for many years - we had also been told if we strung a strand of nylon rope approximately elephant knee high he would would around it and not break through. I was definitely skeptical about this little lark but it was agreed we would give it a try.
Whilst the men were busy "fencing" - a game ranger walked past. He was stopped and he confirmed that the rope should work - but the trick was to get it at the correct height.
Finally camp was set up. Once again much debate about were people wanted their sleeping places. There was much concern about Newbie and I as we both had ground tents and the rest of the crew were worried about the elephant trashing them.
Finally my position had been decided for me. I took one look and said "not a chance" it is slam bang on the elephant trail and you can see where he rubs his head on the tree next to the path.
I was happy to camp off the trail and Newbie and I move our tents a little away from the tree and the path.
Eventually camp was set up and we could relax with a cold one before going out for an evening drive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKc_34AYwMY
If you watched the video you may notice the position of the tent - versus the position of Newbie and my tents!
It wasn't long before we were on the sand roads heading for our next stop over point.
AT the entrance gate all the drivers had to head for the reception desk - the rest of us dashed off to spend a penny and rinse down with some cold water.
Newbie feeling very chuffed with life
The cool morning had degenerated into an extremely hot day. Not even a bird was singing. If it hadn't been the the trees and bushes we would have thought we were in the middle of some desert.
We stopped for a quick tea break and vehicle check then we were on the "road" again. Animal life was quiet but the odd bird did drift across the sky and an occasional burst of bird song could be heard. Every so often a feathered friend would be perched on a branch.
Closer to camp we did meet up with a larger creature of the mammal world.
At this stage Newbie was still inclined to drive way to close to the car in front of us. He had not as yet developed bush eyes and thought I was totally neurotic about elephants! The drive to XakanaKa was very pleasant. When we got there there was some type of merry mix up. Somehow they had managed to book us into one camp site for one night and another camp site for the next two nights. We were not ultra impressed about this - but eventually they agreed we would only have to move if and when the other party pitched up.
Whilst BIL and sis were trying to sort this out the rest of the crew sat at the one camp site debating the merits of the two different camp sites we had been allocated. The one we waited in was a lot closer to the ablution blocks and had more shade. The other was larger - closer to a water tap and had a better view. None of us were particularly perturbed about which one we eventually landed up in. Strolling around there was so many small things to be found. Seeds that looked like skulls, tiny insects that scuttled off as well as plants and flowers to keep me occupied.
We were very aware XakanaKa was "owned" by an elephant and has stamped his mark on the camp for many years - we had also been told if we strung a strand of nylon rope approximately elephant knee high he would would around it and not break through. I was definitely skeptical about this little lark but it was agreed we would give it a try.
Whilst the men were busy "fencing" - a game ranger walked past. He was stopped and he confirmed that the rope should work - but the trick was to get it at the correct height.
Finally camp was set up. Once again much debate about were people wanted their sleeping places. There was much concern about Newbie and I as we both had ground tents and the rest of the crew were worried about the elephant trashing them.
Finally my position had been decided for me. I took one look and said "not a chance" it is slam bang on the elephant trail and you can see where he rubs his head on the tree next to the path.
I was happy to camp off the trail and Newbie and I move our tents a little away from the tree and the path.
Eventually camp was set up and we could relax with a cold one before going out for an evening drive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKc_34AYwMY
If you watched the video you may notice the position of the tent - versus the position of Newbie and my tents!
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Flutterby
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Re: Elephant Ears and Newbies
Wow, that ellie got close...hope you didn't leave apples in your tent! 
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Bushveld Jock
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Re: Elephant Ears and Newbies
Hi Moggiedog,
Still on tour with you and enjoyed the video you added. We will be camping at Xakanaka in July and will prepare us selves for elie invasion. Can you perhaps help me to find campsite number 8. I cannot find it on a map and wonder if you might have stayed closed to this site. Seems like No 1 - 4 is close to the ablutions and No 8 the furthest away hopefully next to No 7.
What was the road like from South Gate to Xakanaka. We will enter the park at the same gate and will take the diagonal road and avoid heading up to Kwai and then west to Xakanaxa.
Lovely images from Botswana and looks like a very enjoyable trip.
Still on tour with you and enjoyed the video you added. We will be camping at Xakanaka in July and will prepare us selves for elie invasion. Can you perhaps help me to find campsite number 8. I cannot find it on a map and wonder if you might have stayed closed to this site. Seems like No 1 - 4 is close to the ablutions and No 8 the furthest away hopefully next to No 7.
What was the road like from South Gate to Xakanaka. We will enter the park at the same gate and will take the diagonal road and avoid heading up to Kwai and then west to Xakanaxa.
Lovely images from Botswana and looks like a very enjoyable trip.
Kgalagadi: Dec 2015
KNP Maroela, Shingwedzi & Pretoriuskop: March 2016
KNP Maroela, Shingwedzi & Pretoriuskop: March 2016
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nan
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Re: Elephant Ears and Newbies
I was there... at Moremi... but don't know if it was the same entrance... have to search 
we did the same... but against Hippos in Uganda
again superb souvenirs
... thank you
we did the same... but against Hippos in Uganda
again superb souvenirs
... thank you Kgalagadi lover… for ever
https://safrounet.piwigo.com/
https://safrounet.piwigo.com/
Re: Elephant Ears and Newbies
Flutterby - Only apples/fruit we had was our apple pie :) and make no mistake we had every intention of eating it ASAP
Bushvel Jock - I honestly have no idea what camp number we were in or which numbers are "on top" of the ablution blocks. I know 1 and two are close to the first ablutions - we were comparatively close to the second ablution block - but we did drive down after dark. I think distance is relative - different people have different ideas of what is close.
The roads were sandy and soft - but nothing that caused any problems. The problems come in when you hit "water" - and although it is a road you never know whether there is a hippo pool hidden in the middle of the road under the water - but these we encountered more on our game drives than when we were on a mission from camp to camp.
Nan - it is always a blessing to be able to spend time on a trip like this.
Bushvel Jock - I honestly have no idea what camp number we were in or which numbers are "on top" of the ablution blocks. I know 1 and two are close to the first ablutions - we were comparatively close to the second ablution block - but we did drive down after dark. I think distance is relative - different people have different ideas of what is close.
The roads were sandy and soft - but nothing that caused any problems. The problems come in when you hit "water" - and although it is a road you never know whether there is a hippo pool hidden in the middle of the road under the water - but these we encountered more on our game drives than when we were on a mission from camp to camp.
Nan - it is always a blessing to be able to spend time on a trip like this.