Elephant Ears and Newbies

User avatar
Bushveld Jock
Posts: 2001
Joined: Sat Jun 02, 2012 3:52 pm
Contact:

Re: Elephant Ears and Newbies

Post by Bushveld Jock »

Makgadigadi adventure camp looks like a promising place to stop. Lovely pics of the BIG emptiness and the dust. ;-) We are stopping at Nata for 2 nights and would be thrilled to see the pans again.

Still wanted to ask the time you visited Botswana. My guess is August, but can be wrong, because the rain did take look before it finally came in Feb / March so it could be any time before Feb. -O-

Any GPS tips for us. What GPS did the leader use?


Kgalagadi: Dec 2015
KNP Maroela, Shingwedzi & Pretoriuskop: March 2016
User avatar
Pumbaa
Posts: 8152
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2012 8:53 pm
Contact:

Re: Elephant Ears and Newbies

Post by Pumbaa »

Sounds like an extreme adventurous trip, moggiedog ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^

Stunning rhino shots O/\ O/\ O/\


PuMbAa

Please visit our website: www.photomaniacs.de
Moggiedog
Posts: 624
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 9:54 pm
Contact:

Re: Elephant Ears and Newbies

Post by Moggiedog »

Bushveld Jock - It was in September. There were signs of some rains but still very, very dry - hot and dusty. We all had Garmins - any GPS will do the job but to have Tracks for Africa downloaded onto the GPS is a huge plus. Tracks for Africa give you all the funny little roads that unless you have explored before you wouldn't even know they are roads - lots of "short cuts" and interesting roads to drive. Some I certainly would not attempt if only a single vehicle :-)

Pumbaa - yup it was an adventure. Botswana always offers something even if it is in the middle of nothingness.


User avatar
Richprins
Committee Member
Posts: 76161
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Location: NELSPRUIT
Contact:

Re: Elephant Ears and Newbies

Post by Richprins »

Eish! Very brave! :shock:

We took the Maun road South of the pans...popped up to have a look, and scurried back in terror! (Complete with cow skeletons, vultures and the works as warning!) =O: =O: =O:

Noce pics and info, MD! \O


Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
Moggiedog
Posts: 624
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 9:54 pm
Contact:

Re: Elephant Ears and Newbies

Post by Moggiedog »

If we had been anywhere else - I would have though we were going to be engulfed in a veld fire. One of the biggest dust devils I have ever seen had gathered on the horizon. The convoy came to a stand still - wondering if we were going to have our cars sandblasted.
Image
Fortunately this devil decided to leave us alone and make its way across the pans without engulfing us in its wake.Image
The pans appear to be a baron waste land but it seems as if no matter how barren a place seems, there is always some form of life. This time there were no zebra or jackal but we did see life and of 'cause on any grasslands the inevitable cattle.
ImageImage

On our arrival at Kubu - newbie was so excited he almost left the car with it still in motion. He disappeared in a flash to go exploring. Sis and bil left us to our own devices and set off to find out camp sights.
ImageImage

After the obligatory photo's we followed the tracks to our designated camp sight. Hot, sticky and dirty I couldn't wait to duck behind the rear wheel of the car and have a bucket bath. One thing I was not concerned about - if any one happened to see me they would wonder why my "clothes" were so wrinkled and in need of an iron. At that stage of the game I couldn't care - all I wanted was to freshen up!
Amazing how little water is actually needed to make you feel like a million dollars and smell as fresh as a daisy!

The sky was cloudless so it would be a night under the stars for me. I through my mattress over a branch of a tree and waited for the rest of the crew to decide where they would be parking for the night. This always seems to take some time as the merits and demerits of each inch is discussed in detail. All I wanted was a bit of privacy and not too many rocks.

Time ambled by as we each amused ourselves in various ways - although all of us had a common interest - ice cold drinks!

Late afternoon and we wanted to watch the sunset from the edge of the pan. Grabbing sun downers we strolled the short distance to the pan edge and found a comfortable rock to settle on. Not for newbie. He was off like a grey hound onto a mini-mountain out on the pans.
Image
In retrospect I am sorry I didn't make the journey with him as he would have had a spectacular view of the rocks turning from gold, to purple to pink as the sun rays hit them from different angles. Although we had a stunning view of the pans and the rocks also the trees were a lot closer to photograph! Watching the rocks and the sunset was like looking through a kaleidoscope as the suns rays bounced off the rocks and baobabs in a stream of colours.
ImageImageImageImage
The sun having said goodbye and the night arriving with a beauty of its own, it was time to head back for some food and drinks.

With everyone finally set up for the night - I found a place to throw down my mattress and sleeping back. I packed some extra blankets next to me in case it turned cold and I needed extra warmth.

Crawling into my sleeping bag, it didn't take long for me to fall into a deep sleep. What awakened me I am not sure - then I heard newbie calling my name. He sounded a tad alarmed.


User avatar
Flutterby
Posts: 43990
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:28 pm
Country: South Africa
Location: Gauteng, South Africa
Contact:

Re: Elephant Ears and Newbies

Post by Flutterby »

Stunning vistas MD!! \O \O You're brave to sleep outside! O-/


User avatar
Lisbeth
Site Admin
Posts: 67345
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Lugano
Contact:

Re: Elephant Ears and Newbies

Post by Lisbeth »

Great scenery pics \O


"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
User avatar
PRWIN
Posts: 2293
Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2012 7:38 am
Contact:

Re: Elephant Ears and Newbies

Post by PRWIN »

I am watching this TR with great intrest :-)


http://prwinnan.wix.com/prwinnan-photography
User avatar
nan
Posts: 26480
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 9:41 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Central Europe
Contact:

Re: Elephant Ears and Newbies

Post by nan »

very desertic ;-)
seems to be nice to be in the middle of nowhere \O


Kgalagadi lover… for ever
https://safrounet.piwigo.com/
User avatar
Toko
Posts: 26615
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:29 pm
Country: -

Re: Elephant Ears and Newbies

Post by Toko »

Love the Baobab photo O:V O:V O:V

Hoodia currorii lugardii blooming is also a nice find \O

And you stayed in an "Adventure camp" :shock: :shock: :shock:


Post Reply

Return to “Travel Tales of Botswana Parks”