We started out on Sat morning early to drive to the Kalahari. It was Amos, Uma who just arrived the evening before from NY, Nha and I. We decided to take the long route so we could see more of Botswana and drive by the Jwaneng diamond mine. We went through Lobatse, Kayne and Jwaneng. We were looking for a dirt road to turn off at. We missed it and asked a woman at the combi stop. She told us we hadn't come to it yet. Of couse she was wrong. We turned back and turned at another road. We asked a local that was on a donkey cart and he told us we were on the right road. We went down the road a ways and there was a large group of female ostrich trotting down the road. We contnued on and there was a bend in the road. The road isn't marked at all. I asked where on the map does the road bend and Amos said we were fine. To me it seemed we were going in the wrong direction. I guess I should have stopped and checked but we continued on. We came to the end of the dirt road and ended back on the original highway type road we were already on back near Jwaneng. I couldn't believe it! That was so far away. We decided to go back to that town and fill up the tank with gas and have lunch. We had lunch and were looking at the map and the tour books when I discovered you have to book in advance to get into the Kutse Game Reserve in the Kalahari. The officv ein Gabs was closed so we called Maun. I couldn't understand the woman so I made Amos talk to her. She confirmed that we had to book in advance so we drove back to the apartment. It was a long drive that day but we did see the mine from far away and the ostriches.
The next day we got up early and went to Otse to the Mannyelanong Game Reserve. This is where the endangered Cape Vultures breed on the side of the cliff. The name Mannyelanong means where vultures defecate in Setswana and it is true, the side of the cliff is all white from all their poop. It was cool seeing all the vultures in the air. The cliff was too far away to get a good picture of the hanging out on the rocks but I got a bunch of good in flight.
After that we went to Mokolodi to drive around but there wasn't much out because it was already hot. We left there and went to the Gaborone Dam. You are supposed to get a permit to go there in advance but we didn't and tried anyway. The guard at the gate said he would let us in if we did something for him on the way out which we did, we gave him 30 pula. We drove to the Gaborone Yatch Club and walked around and took pictures then drove around the dirt paths. I did see a couple new birds. 1 I can't identify and the other was a Black Heron. We then went to the tea garden for lunch.
After cooling down on our lemonades we went to the 3 D'kosi monument near squaremart. I took pictures of birds while Nha and Uma listened to the guide. I had already been there twice so I didn't want to stand out in the sun and hear it again. Next we went to the Gaborone Game Reserve and drove around. That was the 3rd time I have been there and was suprised how much the water had gone down in the 2 weeks since I was last there. THe 1st time you couldn't drive down 1 road because the water was too high and was blocking it. When I went back the 2nd time we were able to drive throught the water to access the other rode. This time there was hardly any water. I was so mad at myself I took a picture of a bird and said oh that is another sacrid Ibis so I didn't take another picture even though it was blurry. I got back to the apartment to look at the pictures and it was a juvinal lesser flamingo. Hopefully I will see another one to get a better picture. It was a fun weekend!
The next day we got up early and went to Otse to the Mannyelanong Game Reserve. This is where the endangered Cape Vultures breed on the side of the cliff. The name Mannyelanong means where vultures defecate in Setswana and it is true, the side of the cliff is all white from all their poop. It was cool seeing all the vultures in the air. The cliff was too far away to get a good picture of the hanging out on the rocks but I got a bunch of good in flight.
After that we went to Mokolodi to drive around but there wasn't much out because it was already hot. We left there and went to the Gaborone Dam. You are supposed to get a permit to go there in advance but we didn't and tried anyway. The guard at the gate said he would let us in if we did something for him on the way out which we did, we gave him 30 pula. We drove to the Gaborone Yatch Club and walked around and took pictures then drove around the dirt paths. I did see a couple new birds. 1 I can't identify and the other was a Black Heron. We then went to the tea garden for lunch.
After cooling down on our lemonades we went to the 3 D'kosi monument near squaremart. I took pictures of birds while Nha and Uma listened to the guide. I had already been there twice so I didn't want to stand out in the sun and hear it again. Next we went to the Gaborone Game Reserve and drove around. That was the 3rd time I have been there and was suprised how much the water had gone down in the 2 weeks since I was last there. THe 1st time you couldn't drive down 1 road because the water was too high and was blocking it. When I went back the 2nd time we were able to drive throught the water to access the other rode. This time there was hardly any water. I was so mad at myself I took a picture of a bird and said oh that is another sacrid Ibis so I didn't take another picture even though it was blurry. I got back to the apartment to look at the pictures and it was a juvinal lesser flamingo. Hopefully I will see another one to get a better picture. It was a fun weekend!
No comments:
Post a Comment