Home » Zambia » Day 5. Wed 21st April Planet Baobab.

We are up at 5:30 and on the road by six, as we hope to have time to visit the Mkgadikgadi Pans this evening. But first we must cross the Zambezi into Botswana. Looking at the map it appears that four countries, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe, and two rivers, the Chobe and the Zambesi, all meet at a single point at the tiny settlement of Kazungula. In fact the border is between Zambia and Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe being a few miles west and east respectively and crossing the Zambesi is done by ferry.

Day 5. Wed 21st April Planet Baobab.

DaveMidgley
2005-10-22 10:10:02

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so is the general standard of living.
We stop off at Kasane to buy Pula, the currency of Botswana, and food. We are getting into the pans now and after the heavy rains the ground is like swamp.
We have not booked accomodation for tonight. Ken wants to try a new place just outside Gweta called Planet Baobab. We arrive around four and are greeted by the Manageress, a South African called Amanda with an incredibly throaty voice (probably due to the amount she smokes), and she and Ken are soon gabbling away in Africaans. She tells us that with the ground so wet it is impossible to visit the Mghadighadi pans today as it will take at least 5 hours to get in and out - that's assuming we don't get stuck completely, so we grab a couple of beers and take a walk into the bush and have sundowners amongst the frogs and listen to the jackals crying.

The lodge is very tastefully set up, with a thatched roof, a lovely bar with pictures of Africa on the walls and chandeliers made of Ansell's lager bottles. It is twice the price that Ken has budgeted for, but he stands the cost. The "mud hut" chalets are basic but comfortable, set well away from the main building. As tour guide, Ken stays for free, but gets a grass hut, which is very basic, with a mud floor, hammock bed, and no windows or "en suite". They want to charge a supplement for singles, so Blondie and I throw propriety to the winds and bunk in together.

After a shower we sit around the open fire until supper. Amanda has recommended curry, and what Amanda recommends is what you get! She also recommends her special home-made apple pie. This is a strange concoction with no pastry and a very odd flavour, which is explained when she tells us that she made it with pears because she was out of apples.

The mosquitoes are out in force tonight, which is strange this close to the desert. Ken says he has never seen it so green.

The bar doesn't stock Jack Daniels, so we get an early night.

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