The Silent Travellers

A month nearly passed..and no news. That's the result of frenetic packing and traveling to South Africa..and being back in the rat race of Johannesburg and Pretoria for a few weeks.

Kiddy returned from Holland on the 20th Feb and I drove down..in our old Toyota Hilux pick-up. I wondered if she would make the trip, not having been out of Kasane area for several years now. But old faithful cruised along fine. I must post a picture - will have to go outside and take one! The vehicle is now 24 years old, over half a million kilometres on the clock and goes well.

I said farewell to our friends, Bill and Susan Oliver, when they left Kasane and flew off from Livingstone in Zambia, headed for their two month holiday in Mexico. Til our next get-together.

Kiddy's return has been full of photographs and stories. We have had time to get together with the family in Johannesburg and Pretoria, as well as do some catching up with friends.

It's been a long time since we have stayed in these environs; apart from more construction of offices, housing and shops, not much has changed. The products and selection of goods in stores seems about the same, too. The 'excitement' one used to feel at coming through to the "Big City" to see all of this, has faded (fortunately!). It's ok to do it, but that's where it ends.

However, as for restaurants and the choice of good eating spots, finding new ones where the fare is delicious...well that can't be beat! We continue to love that aspect of visiting here. Favourite Portuguese, seafood, Chinese and Italian spots continue to serve us lovely tasty, reasonably priced meals. And I thought I was on track to lose some of my extra centimetres...

Marti, our Jack Russell, accompanied us on this trip - who could have left him alone at home?? He has staked out his turf at the home of our friend where we stay and is happy to have our company - not to mention that he now has a long fence facing onto a street where he can bark at the neighbours dogs, passing pedestrians and anyone who comes to the gate! He received a whole heap of presents from Kiddy on her return and boy was he happy to see her.

If it's Tuesday..

Well, it seems that life in the small town of Kasane is not all that relaxed - or it is so relaxed that is fels busy! We have been subjected to the onslaught of tours - both private holiday makers and tour operators from Botswana, South Africa,Namibia and furhter afield - and tourists in their droves coming across from Zambia for a day visit to the Chobe, which has lasted through November and December. And..suddenly, town is quiet again! I am not the only one who has been saying "You know, I had to wait for seven cars to pass before I could enter the main road!" Shocking! Why,I nearly encountered another car on our quiet side street the other day as I was leaving home.. More seriously, it is lovely to have the quiet for a while, but it seems that each season, the town grows a bit more, and we lose the quiet that used to be here. That said, it means that we are "on the map" more than before, and that, despite a downturn in ecomonies, there are still a lot of people coming to visit Victoria Falls (on the Zambian side mostly) and the Chobe National Park.

The rain clouds have closed in again and we have had several days of thunder showers, with some good downpours. The good news is that some of this rain is and has also fallen in the Central Kalahari - now there's something to see when the rains have come down! And I am off there with safari clients and friends in 9 weeks time.It could be sooner. Here's a pic of the Kalahari taken by friends on a trip there 2 years ago..rainy as heck but so rewarding in tems of game viewing and scenery.

This evening Kiddy flew out of Johannesburg on her way to the Netherlands - arrives tomorrow in pretty cold conditions for us Botswaners. Me, dogs and cats all alone at home. But we start tomorrow preparing for a short safari into the Chobe Park this weekend, and friends ar arriving on Friday. We will be busy..

For those interested, we will be out on the river (in between rain storms and showers), seeking out game on drives along the Chobe River and going to visit Pandamatenga - all in a relaxed manner over the next week and a half. Isn't that the only way to be? Relaxed? I think so.. African time - a marvellous invention. The other picture is of a lvely Kalahari black maned lion - also from two years ago.

Enjoy!!