THANK YOU FROM JUSTINE & RICHARD
Trip Start
Jan 18, 2009
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18
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Trip End
Jan 18, 2010
GABERONE, Botswana
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Last year we met Malcolm and Judi when Richard broke his glasses and Malcolm found his repair kit in the Land Rover , to fix them . Each time we saw them after that was with an African map spread all over the floor with various coloured spots all over it . I have always fancied going to Africa and when i showed interest Malcolm and Judi said to Richard and i ' Why dont you come and stay with us for a couple of weeks ' .We immediately said we would love to , but being nearly a year away did not take it any furthur.
After having meals together and going for a day off roading with them and sharing the odd bottle of wine and meeting their great family, Africa was getting closer and we was asked again and so we started looking for flights and once Malcolm and Judi had finalised their dates we went to their house and we booked our flights for the 30th of March to Johannesburg , then a connecting flight up to Gaberone with South African Airways.So this was the start of our adventure to Africa for the first time.
31st March : We arrived at Gaberone airport at 9.30 am and Malcolm and Judi were waiting in arrivals , we couldnt believe we were actually in Botswana with them and the Land Rover . The sky was blue and it was hot , we went into Gaberone and sampled the supermarket and most importantly the bottle store , we went to Mokolodi for the first night to camp in the roof tent , the camp was absolutely amazing being rustic , natural and had great facilities on the pitch . Richard soon found out he had a passion for firelighting and fire making so was in charge of lighting the fire for the hot water for the showers .Our first lunch was Impala steak which was similar to pork and was delicous. Malcolm and Judi had organised everything to perfection and we knew immediately this was goiung to be a fantastic holiday for us.
1st April : We awoke at 6.15 am to the franklins in the camp, Malcolm made the tea in the storm kettle which i had never seen before , we went for a ride around the north of the park and saw Impala , Zebra , Giraffe , Warthog and Ostrich , this place was amazing , Amazing became our most used word for the whole holiday !
We had a fantastic lunch back at camp and spent the afternoon finding animals in the park.We found Kudu , Babboon , Guinea Fowl , Hippo and Red Hartebeast.We got back to camp just as it got dark and had T-Bone for tea.
2nd April : We packed up and left Mokolodi at 9 am and set off on the road to Palapye , we took turns in driving , although Malcolm and Richard did the most. We arrived at Itumela camp at 3.15 and got set up , the camp site was very diferent as you drove through the town and through a railway station yard , where i thought we were not allowed to be but then you see the sign that says 'soon the ugliness ends Itumela is just around the bend ' and yes it was . We could hear the donkeys bells all evening .
3rd April : We got up early , showered in the garden shower room , i was not keen on the spiders , and set off for the Kharma Rhino sanctuary at Serowe . When we arrived we set up and headed for the restaurant where i had burger and chips for lunch , the restaurant was fantastic , good food , good drink and off course good company , we were surprised to find how quiet it was here thinking that such a great place should be busier ? We drove around the park and found many Rhino including babies and many other animals mostly in the south and on the plains.We saw Steambuck and Eland as our new animals for that day.
4th April : Got up at 6 am and went offf around Kharma park. The camp again was very different , the pitches very large and good facilities , the squirrel took a liking to our garlic bread and ate through the mesh . We had an easy afternoon catching up on a spot of sunbathingand had an early evening ride.
5th April : We were up at 6.15 and on the road by 9 heading to Lekubu Island.The pans were amazing and like nothing we had ever seen before we had sundowners overlooking the pans and had a spooky looking Baobab tree opposite our pitch and we had drop toilets which were a lot better than i thought , i had visions of a hole in the ground !! We had an amazing tea of Pork chops and corn .
So this was the first week only just scratching the surface of where we have been and what we have done
Malcolm and Judi were so fantastic and had obviously spent a lot time and planning and put a lot of thought into our holiday every day just got better and better . It has took me ages to get around to putting the pictures on Malcolms blog as i took about 850 every day ! ok so some might have thought this is bizarre and maybe a little mad but hey , i can show everybody i know how amazing Botswana and Africa and Malcom and Judi are .
So this is part one and part two , the 2nd week will follow shortly.
Thank you so much Malcolm and Judi
From Richard and Justine x
