Now what?

[Moggiedog]

When does a travel tail.........tale start? There are a couple of answers to this question.

12 months in advance when you book your adventure - or in some peoples case (we won't say who) - attempting to get a booking 5 days before departure date (sometimes the day before!!)
The days you do shopping and hope you haven't forgotten the basics
The day/days you start packing the vehicle (unless you one of those super efficient characters that back the afternoon prior to departure - or the morning of departure)
Or does it start when you drive out of your front gate, with a car loaded with anticipation, excitement and in some cases camping equipment and the long road ahead of you.
Perhaps it starts on the arrival at the entrance gate of your intended destination.

We all have our own way of thinking.

In seven more sleeps Jax (some of you may remember my intrepid travel companion) will be driving though my gates for a one night stop over before we hit the road for the long haul to KTP.

This is not one of my last minute bookings but started a year ago. From the offset we had our itinerary well planned and all our ducks in a row. Botswana had other ideas. I received a frantic phone call from Jax saying that the middle 10 days of our trip, the bookings had vanished. Poof - gone. So now what - we have our first few days - our last days booked and confirmed and nothing in the middle. Not only that, she is unable to contact Botswana. I eventually managed to get hold of the booking office - will at some stage compile a dictionary of the language used, caused by frustration - only to be told they were fully booked.
This I refused to accept. Eventually, after much wrangling, some flattery and a lot of sweet talk, our middle 10 days were once again booked and confirmed. Unfortunately not exactly the camps we originally requested - but hey - who cares - we would be out in the wild with no fences confining us and hopefully only the stars and the creatures of the wild to keep us company.

The 11 months since those frustrating phone calls have gone in a flash and our departure is just around the corner.

All going well, in just over a week, we should be relaxing round a fire at Leeupan before the final hop to Two Rivers for our first night in a place that once you get it's sand between your toes, you keep going back over and over again.

On that note - hopefully by the time I get back I will remember that I started a story of two old bags heading for the wild - anybody in the area - watch out - here we come!

[harrys]

[Flutterby]

Sounds like you have an amazing trip planned!!

[Richprins]

Excellent start, Moggie!

[Lisbeth]

If this is going to be anything like the last one the two of you did together, it is going to be a great adventure

[All-Nature]

Ready and waiting!

[nan]

it's sand between your toes, you keep going back over and over again.

so right

ready too

[PRWIN]

Hi Moggiedog,

We've just returned from Kgalagadi and can give you some tips for the trip ahead. The weather can change very quickly from nice 30 deg in the day to 5 - 10 deg C in the morning to a chilling minus 6 degrees in the morning with water, LPG and diesel freezing.

We did not visit Mabua and only stayed at Polentswa and Rooiputs. Lots of mice at Polentswa campsite joining you for every meal running over your feet and under the chairs. At Rooiputs a rodent or another animal that likes tent guide ropes chewed through the rope and walked off with it. Luckily only on the last night.

Had some hyaena encounter at Polentswa too. They did run away when we shouted or shined the torch light towards them. Had to chase them away with a heavy object (jerry can) so be careful after 7:30.

You must enjoy the trip and love to hear what happened when you return. Wish you many exciting sightings and few corrugated roads. (Worst I've seen from Kousant to Leijersdraai.

[nan]

welcome back PRWIN
nice to hear news from the Kgalagadi

[Moggiedog]

Nan, All-Nature, Lisbeth, Richprins, FLutterby, PRwin - thanks for joining at such an early stage. Apologies if I left anyone off the list

Hopefully the gray matter remains in tact and a trip report will continue once I get back - sometime in August. Seeing as we are still anticipating the start of the trip, not contemplating the return as yet - so not sure when we actually get back - just know it is in August some time.

PRwin - thanks for the update. We didn't have too many mice (meece, Mices, mouses) on our last trip at Polentswa but we did have elephant shrew - but that what makes the KTP so magical - it changes and evolves and you never know what will happen when one gets there. We have found tazers work very well in getting rid of unwanted visitors - the sound is enough to send me running into the bush howling like a banshee! If I do have to use mine I still jump every time I fire it We are well prepared for the cold as -6 in a tent is not T-shirt and flip-flop weather. Fortunately (if I go on our last trip) by the time our second week comes it is normally a lot warmer (Unless Botswana has hidden under ground heaters) OB's is one of the first things that will be packed.

Vehicle is ready with everything needed except for the travelers and their personal belongs.

The Kalahari express is good to go!