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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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view was good. in the patterned grassland below we could see what would be islands and channels, would be that is, if there was any water. the delta was dry. we knew it was the dry season, but we didn't expect it to be that dry. at least the lodge was situated beside the main channel, which was flowing. and there was even an elephant drinking from it as we arrived.

life at the lodge was easy and idyllic. fresh baked muffins were served at dawn before our mokoro trips and game walks, and full english breakfast on our return. we loved gliding about in the mokoros. they're surprisingly stable considering the fairly crude carving and width of less than 2 ft. they cut smoothly and silently through the glassy water and can be pushed through the lillys and reeds when necessary. a layer of straw cushions on the floor soaks up the water that trickles a little too easily through the cracks in the hull.

the mokoro rides were magical, but often too brief. the lack of water in the delta meant that the channels that were flowing were so densely packed with hippos that it became too dangerous for us to continue. instead we walked. mostly back inside the moremi game reserve; the park that had let us down just two days before. things are very different on foot though. we always had a guide with us, but he wasn't armed. we had to rely on his skill and judgement to keep us safe. the funny thing about tracking game on foot is that half of you still wants to see the big predators, whilst the other half is unsure whether coming face-to-face with a pride of lions is really the best thing to be hoping for. but as it turns out, we didn't see too much. though it was still good to be out there without the confines of the land rover. for some reason moremi seemed to be a bit of a jinx for us. but the game was out there, as proved by an american couple who walked in the same general areas as us, at the same times, and would always return with tales of the bountiful ...