After Victoria Falls and Zambia came Botswana, an African Independence success story and a country of about 2 million population with some amazing natural landscape, including the Okavango Delta, Chobe, the Magkadikadi Salt Pans and the Kalahari  Desert. We were both looking forward to seeing more than our last visit when we stayed only in the Okavango Delta. Botswana is  usually described in terms like dry, arid, blah blah, well not for us. It seems that the 1 in a hundred year double storm we experienced in Egypt was a strong indicator of things to come, the early rain and storms that persisted in Ethiopia (perhaps these went a little unnoticed because it was hailing rocks on us at the time) was yet another warning and just in case we missed those there was the entire washing away of villages, villagers and part of the landscape in Northern Kenya .... so my point, yes thats right a point .... it rained every day and/or night in Botswana, not just rain, but some mist (go figure), storms that surrounded us on 3 sides while riding, 1 evening storm that ran with lightning and thunder for about 6 hours directly overhead with a single thunderclap that woke every single person from their sleep with an intensity that sounded like it had actually occurred inside your tent. Then to top it all off as we arrived at the border one last storm delivered hail !!! ... and to quote 1 rider who raised eyes to the sky and said, “Hail ?! are you *ucking kidding me ” !!!
Outside of the rain there was some entertainment to be had in Botswana, the border is  crossed on an old fashioned punt or speedboat unloading from one dusty road onto another where 3 countries meet.

A day trip (which surprisingly only 12 riders elected to take) into the Okavango Delta. After a light aircraft flight (sensational because they fly so low & wildlife is easily visible) we were met and allocated 2 persons to a mokoro (a locally made wooden canoe) and spent some time being guided through the waterways getting exposure to the smallest examples of Delta life, an almost transparent frog, various birdlife, water lillies, then a lengthy walk of about 2 hours on an island attempting to ‘sneak up’ on warthog, baboon, various buck but the freakiest sighting was a Black Mamba. If you thought that snakes were not fast this guy will change your perception entirely and suddenly you understand the respect with which they are regarded !

The riding in Botswana was pretty crap all up to be honest .... long and flat or long and flat and wet. Low scrubby bushland just high enough for a rider not to be able to see over or for a change fields that stretched for acres to the horizon. Having said that we did experience a few Elephant moments by the roadside, giraffe and a buffalo herd were also seen. Our afternoon in Chobe was spent on a relaxing cruise from which we spotted Lion, Elephant, Hippo and various buck.

We stayed close to the Magkadikadi Salt Pans (another night it stormed) at a great lodge - have you noticed we are well and truly over the tent thing - but decided to forego the opportunity to see them as we want to return and spend more time here. It’s becoming quietly amusing now as so very many riders are regularly taking rooms where they are available and bolting from the limited and restrictive surrounds and offerings of TDA. The call of a comfortable bed, actually any bed at all and a hot shower is loud and clear and heard by many.
We did see and of course climb (well Sam and I did) the Giant Ardvark, (yep .. who knew a giant ardvark would be a crowd pleaser but there it was roadside) and along with Sam dropped into Planet Baobab for chocolate cake and Ice cream. Planet Baobab is a ‘lodge’ I had read about & so was keen to see.

While riding I like to observe the changes from country to country in living conditions outside of the main cities and towns. Each has it’s own style which seem to be developed by local social custom and native environment. Ethiopian,Sudanese,Tanzania,Zambia and Malawi all have their peculiarities, the villages or clusters in Botswana are no different. I kept my eye open for one that looked good and might be open for a visit and a few photos. With luck i found one that seem like it might suit, so I did the usual big wave, awaited a response and  when a favourable one was forthcoming I whirled the bike around and headed over. There had been a group of kids  waving at us by the roadside and as i headed toward the village so did they somewhat hastily as clearly they belonged here also. The person who had responded to my wave was Mavis, Mavis was a woman of indeterminate age but had enough english to answer my few questions. She explained that related family were living in this ‘compound’ and introduced some of them to me. She proudly showed me her small house, impeccably clean and featuring all that was hers and that was valuable to her. Her linen was crisp and spotlessly clean and her bed perfectly made. It was difficult not to be impressed by the ordered placement and care shown with every item and i found myself to be humbled by the experience. It can be the smallest things that make the biggest impact and this moment with Mavis has i’m glad to say stayed clearly with me. 

I was shown the chicken run which was also clearly of pride and value and today the washing was underway.
Then it was photo time for young and old with all the hilarity and antics that accompany it before i thanked Mavis and family (gave her all the protein bars i had with me) and made my farewell.

These experiences are the ones that add such a wealth to the ride.