Boswana Cycle Trip - Day 8, 9 & 10

Johan and Howard's Botswana Cycle Trip - Day 8

A Saturday filled with road works and that steady NE headwind again, it just doesn't let go ... we kept ourselves entertained by watching the different teams work their different layers onto the new road ... Our afternoon tea break, normally a kettle on a small fire under a tree, was replaced by 4 bitterly cold cokes in a Pandamatega Shebeen and an interesting chat with the owner, Matthews.

This followed by another conversation next door with Elvis & Simon. Elvis a worried looking individual (also on a bike), who just couldn't get his head around our cycle ... "Ah, you are troubling yourselves, he said."

Simon a man of many years and hardly any teeth, is an ex BDF soldier, game scout and I strongly suspect a freelance poacher. However, he was also the first person to admit that the wild animals have got no problems - just people got the problem!

After completing 96km we dissappeared into the bush north of Pandamatenga to an awesome camp site under 2 huge trees, very clearly a regular elephant siesta spot!

Day 9

Day 9 started like any other, kettle on the fire and rusks in hand, followed by the obligatory boskak. Mine was cut short by 2 bull elephants that put in an unexptected appearance at possibly THE most inconvenient moment ...

Needless to say, on that session, I evacuated both my bowel and the area. Turns out a single bull ele had whispered through our campsite while we were lights out!

Another 96km later and lots of eles we trundled into Kazangula for another 4 cold cokes and the short pedal to Chobe Safari Lodge in Kasane, for our second shower and first night in a bed!

Day 10

Today we chill ... Our first rest day and it was filled with shopping and sorting kit. Have had to vacate our room for a campsite also at Chobe Safari Lodge. Tomorrow we hit the transit road through Chobe National Park and into Namibia's Caprivi Strip, which from where I am typing this looks like one vast floodplain!