The Lost Goat of Machaila

[HeyYou]

2nd night was at Botsalano Game Reserve, a very well kept secret.

http://www.tourismnorthwest.co.za/botsalano-game-reserve/#tab=tab-1

stayed there a few times now. Wild, no big predators, but everything else. Camp site is very basic, but so cool to have giraffe wondering through your came, rhino pretty close and loads of other game.

 

Can't find the pics, but will keep looking.

 

3rd night was just outside Gabs, on the road to Kasani. Can't remember the name, but a very well manicured campsite, expensive, but lovely. see pic below.

 

 

[HeyYou]

4th night was Nata Lodge, stayed there many, many times, very sandy, but convenient. In retrospect, we should have pushed on and off our track a bit, to stay at Planet Baobab. Might stay there next time, if it's still there!

 

Then on through Pandamatenga the next day, to Robins camp. Arrived about 2pm and our first game drive during a beautiful thunder & lightening storm.

 

 

[HeyYou]

Gate (what gate, long gone) closed at 6, but out early game viewing the next morning, through lots of puddles.

 

This is when we got stuck, my 13 year old daughter and I, another tale!!!!!

 

Arrive in the Falls on 23rd December, to spend Xmas with my brother, he lives there. My daughter wanted to do the touristy things, so I agreed to zip line.

 

Shizer, I wish I hadn't, I hated it, too top heavy, so spent most of it tying to stay upright!!!!

[Slowbee]

Awesome pics !!

 

Love looking at pics others post - really makes you want to do it alllllll over again.

 

Robins is a very different place to the one you remember. New management, new prices.

[DJR]

Since we are talking about Hwange:

 

Masuma Dam will forever be the "place of the elephant" for us. We set up dinner in the hide at sunset. There were maybe 30 elephant around the water hole........and then more arrived.....and more......by 9pm we counted at least 200! Yes, 200, the closest ones almost at touching distance. So close in fact that you could feel their tummies rumble, not just hear it! The noise and the hustle and bustle was just something out of a spectacular National Geographic documentary.....and we were literally in the middle of it. 

[DJR]

And since we are talking elephant: Elephant sign and elephant grass in the Caprivi

 

Edit: As you can see from the number of wheels on the roof rack, we've had bad luck with punctures.

Edited November 29, 2019 by DJR

[HeyYou]

Elephants in Addo, without fail.

 

 

[HeyYou]

Predators in the Kalahari, also without fail!!!

 

 

[Kranswurm]

Mongongo Tree camp site at the Gcwihaba Caves Western Botswana

Edited November 29, 2019 by Kranswurm

[Kranswurm]

Tsodilo Hills North Western Botswana

 

[Kranswurm]

Kubu Island and Arrow/Spear heads

[Kranswurm]

Mashatu second night .Pissed off Honey Badger charge at my son and visitors in the night under the Mashatu Tree

[Kranswurm]

Chapmans in its prime

 

Maybe with some humans added for perspective

Edited November 30, 2019 by Kranswurm

[Slowbee]

 

 

[Slowbee]

 

One of my more favourite places, Savuti

 

 

[DJR]

River Rats' story about the goat reminded me of a little adventure we had in Hwange. Since it is entirely his fault, I trust he won't mind me adding a tail to his tale:

 

The Invisible Lions of Hwange

It was midwinter in Zimbabwe and the grass was dry and the exact dusty yellow grey colour of lion. There were very few water holes left and the animals were concentrated close to those, but no matter how hard we searched the wilderness of Hwange National Park, the lion simply became invisible. We found their massive tracks at several places where they crossed the dusty dirt roads and at night we heard them roar in the distance, but laying eyes on the pride, was a different story. We spent 3 days fine combing the area South of Main Camp and had many other wonderful sightings, but the lion that were obviously all around us, we simply missed at every turn.

Our rule of camping in big 5 country is to pitch camp early, well before sunset, and then from dusk and especially once it is dark, to stay close to the fire. We were based at one of the wilderness picnic sites and we were the only people there. One evening we were sitting around the fire with the first gin and tonic after a long dusty day of driving horribly rough dirt roads, listening to the elusive lions roaring a few kilometres away, when a Zimparks game ranger walked unexpectedly into the dim circle of flickering firelight. I was unaware that there was anyone else around near our camp, so I was a little surprized, but not alarmed.

He politely apologized for intruding and then asked for help. They had managed to get their vehicle stuck in deep sand in an obscure little track and it was their only way of getting home after a long patrol. It wasn’t really convenient, because we were set for the night, but I decided to help because anyone brave enough to walk some distance through that country after dark, deserve respect and help. Daniel quickly folded up the roof top tent and I maneuvered the Landy carefully out of the camping set-up.

Just then, as we were about to leave, I first noticed a dark green cladded figure of a woman standing a few paces away with an AK47 over her shoulder. I know there was no real reason, but my blood went cold anyway. Old habits and triggers of adrenaline don’t disappear when the war has ended. She came closer, unslung the assault rifle, the very thing that gave me the chills. Rumours of poaching was at the order of the day. The country was more than a little bit restless.The rest of my family was still sitting around the fire. Luckily, before I reacted, she removed the magazine from the AK, and she came to stand next to me so that the firelight illuminated it and then she did something that amazed me completely. She spanned the rifle to show me that there was no round in the chamber and that it was safe. BEFORE getting into my Landy! Exactly the way my father taught me as a little boy!  The driver is the one in charge and you MUST show him that your firearm is safe before getting in or on his vehicle! No exceptions!

 
Suddenly, just like that, I was among friends.