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23rd april - 9th may

Overlanding across Afica in our Land Rover Defender: Botswana

Andy Lees
2006-05-16 15:19:02

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exists. it was time for our first genuine bush repair. once we figured out the problem lay with the ignition switch, a tightly tied loop of string was all it took to get us on our way.

it was late by the time we reached the perimeter fence of the central kalahari game reserve. from rakops the going was tough; more deep sand and a sand ridge made going slower than we would have liked. we wanted to enter the park first thing in the morning to save a day's park fees but the question was where to stay. a camp had been signposted 99kms from rakops, positioned outside the park fence and with showers and a pool. after being out in the dry salt pans it sounded too good to be true. the park entrance gate was only 45km away so we were doubling our journey by heading for the camp. we followed the perimeter fence first north passing the entrance to the park, and then crossed a veterinary gate to then go west. we were driving between three fences, one to our right, two to our left. we passed distraught hartebeest trapped between the fences to our left.

signs for the camp had ceased but we had a rough idea of its positioning. at intervals fenced gates broke the ceaselessness of the fence itself. at what felt like 100kms we found a sign identifying the entrance to the camp, two huge gates chained and padlocked. there was no way to get in and no way of letting anyone know we were there. we were't happy - it had been a long and tiring day. if it hadn't been for the sign we never would have tried getting there. we went back the way we came. just short of the entrance gate we pulled off the road, drove around some shrubs and positioned the land rover behind some bushes for the night. no-one disturbed us, we did hear a truck rumble past at one point, and a torch light in the distance made us freeze momentarily but other than that we had no visitors.

central kalahari - 8th may

despite missing a shower, we'd enjoyed ...