We hope you enjoy our latest adventure and news.Monet,   Pauls 22 year old daughter joined us for the first 2 weeks.As her first Africa trip she shares her experience in our newsletter.Chobe was the highlight so far. We saw herds of Elephant, giraffe, buffalo,  zebra - an African utopia!Well done Botswana for preserving our heritage. While the boys were tiger fishing us girls went to Victoria Falls and then to remote Chundu Island. Amazing experience!

As I get to my wits end with dirt and dust thankfully we arrived at Nunda on the Okavango river!Green grass and great ablutions!

Andre and I excited to visit theBotha”s family farm, Tokai, near  Otjiwarongo tomorrow. We both have fond memories visiting there as children.

The next 10 days we will drive through NAMIBIA joining up with Johnny and Annalise Waller on the Orange River for the last few days through Namaqualand and coast.Will be home on the 22 AugustLoveJolene

Monet Butler writes

Kealeboga Africa - thank you Africa.

I can tell you this much, be prepared to sit buttttt, the adventure is worth it. The first leg of the trip is all about covering great distances, we’re talking 3000km through our culturally rich country.

On the 15th of July we stopped over in Keimoes were we stayed in “Ou Skool”. This renovated farm school offered crisp white linen and delectable date treats. Lunch at the characterful “Pienk Padstal” is worth stopping for. Thus we carry on driving for dayssss.

We head for Park Town North, Johannesburg where we were spoilt by Jolene’s cousin, Adrian du Plessis’s hospitality. ‘Miami style dining at the Grillhouse’ was such a treat. Dikhololo offered two lazy days walking around and enjoying game drives.

Hlatini goes North West , Botswana and

Namibia July and August 2014

Next up Bela Bela warmbaths, a mineral spring of at least 25°C. Now it’s already the 22nd of July and I’ve already forgot for how long we have been driving for. One can get used to this. One of Jolene’s brothers first girlfriends, joined us, going back forty four years shared her nutty crunch rusk recipes with us and spoilt us with various macadamia nut products.

One night at the Khama Rhino sanctuary and I sneak into the bush and spot a grey concrete block, with a stubble for a horn following his grazing mothers close by. Elephant Sands is most definitely my favourite part of this trip. We arrive late Friday afternoon and there they stand, those graceful giants drinking. Jolene befriends a lion researcher camping behind us. I mean now really, these guys are as rare as the lions themselves. What a privilege is was to be invited to see the mighty cat. The pride had killed a young elephant and ate until they were engorged.

Now guys, how lucky can I be? . . . My first trip into Africa and I catch a glimpse of a leopard. Yes people I have seen the Big Five. It makes me so excited! Can it even get better? The answer is yes. A mother showed us her three, approximately eight week old cubs. Just for a laugh!!! a shrew made himself at home in my suitcase. Dad rescues the critter and he barely scurries away and BOOM! he becomes a hornbills’ breakfast.

The Old Hunters road has made me realise how vast and unforgiving Africa can be. The Chobe sunset cruise was a romantic ending to my special stay.

Gosiame - goodbye

Monet

3 weeks on the road and in the groove. 7 August

Monet has summed up the first and sometimes never ending drive north, about the only negative of living in the Cape. Hlatini was carefully packed for a 2 month trip up as far as the Zambezi to try my hand at tiger fishing with one extra passenger, Jolene and I usually seem to have plenty of space but add one more and the challenge is on to utilize every nook and cranny. The last we recall of cold weather was a frosty stop over in Vryburg and ever since have been in shorts and sandals plus contending with ever present dust.

Kasane in Botswana was to be the end of the road for Monet who flew back to Cape Town and Jo’s brother Andre and I were to cross into Zambia for 5 days of tiger fishing while Anita and Jo went to play at Vic Falls. We crossed the Zambezi at Kazangula ferry point on foot to meet the rest of the group in Zambia, only 1 ferry was operating which meant a 3km backlog of extra heavy vehicles travelling north, a driver said he had been held up for 4 days - no problem, this is Africa. I must say entering Zambia on foot is easy, we had to clear our vehicle in 2 years earlier and the same chaos exists.

No one can prepare you for the first time a tiger fish attacks, they do not give any notice and bang, the game is on, no need to strike just keep your rod down and still he jumps, tails walks and puts up the most impressive fight even if only a 4 or 6 pounder. Being a total novice I lost the first 3 fish and then a 14 pounder, a mean brute that is so beautiful out of the water. Ilombe Lodge caters solely for tiger fishermen and is so organized, you and your partner get a boat, 20L of petrol, local guide and miles of river. Breakfast at sunrise, lunch pack if too far out for the day and a great dinner where you meet up around the bush TV - a log fire in a pit around which the one that got away is bragged about then dodging ellies on your way to bed. Does Africa get any better?

Back in Bots we met the girls who had been to Zim for 4 days then took a chance on camping at Ihaha on the Chobe, all that was required was a little negotiation, great place, many animals but for the price terrible ablutions urgh!!!!! After seeing so many animals it was on to Namibia, quick stop for shopping at Katima Mulilo, have a look at a map to see just how far north this is. I had been told of Nambwe Camp on the Kwando river bordering the Caprivi, very isolated down a sandy 2 track path with potential lumbering “grey roadblocks”. Ellies, impala, leopard, hyena and hippos walk amongst the tents, a real gem. Anita and Andre had been for a shower when we hear a shriek, there the ellie was quietly going

about his nocturnal business when Anita almost walked in him, all he left was a puddle and large deposit in their campsite.

We think the West Coast road is long and straight, try the Nata to Kasane stretch or the trans Caprivi, km after km of mind numbing stuff to reach a very special place, Nunda on the Okavango where I am sitting writing plus catching up on admin. This shady deck overlooking the river is perfect, gardens immaculate, pool, private grassed camp sites ( Jo is in heaven, no dust ) plus the best ablutions so far. From here we turn south, our next fixed date is the 18th Aug to see the flowers in Namaqualand.

Rundu was to be a fuel and Wimpy stop, I have seen and drank more Wimpy coffee on this trip than in all my life combined, why? you may well ask. Wimpy has free wifi and internet is such a part of our lives even when we are “getting away from it all” Hlatini has now developed a soon to be patented inbuilt Wimpy detector!!! For those driving south from Rundu ensure that your co-driver is soon asleep as you will be subjected to ----- stop every few km to look at and purchase curios and wood carvings, mementos and so forth, remember we now had some extra space to fill now that we were only 2 in the vehicle and spaces needs to be filled!!! On this stretch before Grootfontein is Roy’s Camp which is a great stop over, as it was still early we pressed on to an Arab horse breeding farm outside Otavi, imagine 90 breeding mares in a field as large as some farms in SA and then another 60 or so yearling in another field?

Next day was to meet Andre and Anita on the farm Tokai outside Otjiwarongo where the Wicht children had spent memorable holidays, just getting from the main road comprises 10km of farm road, these farms are as large as some small countries. The farmers here have micro light aircraft not for fun but are a necessity to patrol and check up on their animals. Jayell and Nita spoilt us with a most precious evening being treated to watch the feeding of their exotic game such as nyala, tessebe, sable and roan antelope, a white kudu and more. Game farming is becoming a better option to cattle with a lot less problems.

Windhoek was a 2 day stop over with Marissa and Johan and children, friends of Jo’s from Saldanha who now live in Namibia, cannot blame them for moving as Windhoek and in fact Namibia is our favorite Southern African country. Again curio shops were an attraction and I must admit the Namcrafts shop was great, although a visit to Joe’s Beerhouse should not be missed, fantastic vibe with good food. On the road again south I occupied myself while driving by measuring the longest straight piece of road, 23km dead straight then a small kink and another 17km, mind numbing stuff but at least very good surface and no potholes.

Keetmanshoop and the Quiver free forest plus the rocks of Giants Playground on a farm outside town is special, spacious campsites, timeless views and a chance to witness the feeding of captive / rescued cheetah. As an alternative we drove the smoothest gravel road ever past Canyon Roadhouse and stopped for a swim at Ais Ais then back roads enroute to the Orange River and our rendezvous with Annelise and Johnny at Amanzi Camp. Shady grassed sites, own wash up facility etc and majestic cliff views across the river. We rented 2 canoes the next day and were dropped off 17km upstream for a leisurely drift / paddle down, a warm wind free day and some puny little rapids to negotiate, some banter, cold beers and snacks, swimming in the river, does life get any better.

Sunday and back to SA, the flowers getting better past Springbok until Kamieskroon where you leave the N7 for the Namaqua National Park, nothing prepares you for the fields and fields of flowers, a must do again next year. We overnighted in Die Hondehokke at Honderklip Baai. Bad weather was looming and camping was not an option, this is really the end of the world, a sleepy little fishing / diamond mining village. Our proposed camping on the Groenrivier coast was discarded and sights were set on home only to have a hiccup. Hlatini would not start and after a short tow from Johnny back on the road again until a fuel stop at Lutzville, where the fuel pump was protesting and finally gave up. Thankfully Johnny and Annelise towed us all the way back to Langebaan, a very tired ending to an 8500km journey. The fuel pump did expire and damage caused by water in the fuel, where did this occur? while filling in Kasane there was a shortage and we had to queue at Shell when the tanker arrived, so I suspect the garage tanks were nearly empty and pumped up the dregs into our fuel tank and jerry cans which we only used later on the way south.

When the bug of Africa gets to you these little setbacks are simply a part of the experience. Till next time - Paul18 August 2014