Botswana Archives - TRAVELBUCKET

HOW TO ACT AROUND WILD ANIMALS

Your trip is planned and you are about to set off on your overland trip! Excitement is big and contagious, but on the other end of the scale you are also a bit nervous as you are unsure how to act around wild animals. Let me, as an experienced and seasoned African traveller, give some basic do’s and don’ts when you are out there: Zip up your tent – no matter how hot it is in side, zip up for various reasons. It keeps out bugs, mosquitoes and slithering things like snakes. A lion will not bother you in your tent. They do not realise that they can rip open the canvas with a quick stroke of the paw and no, an elephant will not trip over your tent. Elephants are amazingly gracious when they walk. When you go to bed stow all food (and garbage) either in your tent… Read more >

GOING SOLO OFF THE BEATEN TRACK?

Going solo off the beaten track is not for every off-road traveller whether you visit Botswana, Namibia or venture further into Africa past Zambia, going north. There are pros and cons to it so you need to consider everything. If you are a social person and like the company of fellow travellers and hate being alone then going solo is definitely not for you. Groups also provide some security and you can share costs of planned activities. If you like your own company and have some travel savvy then going solo is for you. Going solo gives you freedom of choice and total independence to change your travel plans on the spur of the moment if something interests you on the wayside. Things that you need to consider when planning your next solo African trip are the following. You will need the ability to navigate. There are not many countries… Read more >

SEEKING SOLITUDE

If you look on a map you will see that Botswana is dotted with many salt pans, but early morning on Deception pan is a magical place. It is cold (if you visit during winter) and it is quiet. It is time to reflect on life while you wait for the sun to show its face on the horizon, but soon you will be taking off your jersey and enjoy life under the Botswana sun. First things first. As always when you are in the bush you first need to scan your surroundings, while standing close to the vehicle, to see what is moving or not moving …. You never know what lurks in the grass and is watching your from their hideout! As the soft light of the rising sun turns the landscape of the pans into all sorts of beautiful colours it is time to take out the… Read more >

BRAAI – A WAY OF LIFE!

We have just celebrated Nasionale Braai Dag (National Braai Day) or, as it is officially declared as part of the public holiday system in South Africa, Heritage Day. This is a yearly celebration on the 24th of September. I think you can imagine what we as a nation do on this day – we braai! Although we have 11 official languages in our country the word braai is understood across the board. Now there are no ”official” rules for having a braai. The people of the Rainbow Nation each has his/her own preference on the when, how and what to braai. Some of us like to have a basic fire place where you can sit as close as possible to the fire when it is cold – and do not mind smelling like smoke – and some of us like to do a classy braai in a build-in fireplace inside… Read more >

CROSSING THE BORDER (PART IV) – FOOD

This is always a tricky topic as it is mostly country-specific. Botswana with its in-country vet fences is a classic example which affect the movement of raw meat and pork. We never take all our food from home as this just adds weight to your vehicle which increases fuel consumption and with Shoprite branches in the major cities in Africa you will find most of the food stuff needs – some at a price, but you will find it. Weigh up the pro’s and cons and decide where you find your balance! Be realistic when planning your food. Everything is not always as fresh as back home or as readily available especially when planning some or other exotic dish for dinner. Remember that you are doing this trip to experience Africa. Sometimes you have to think out of the box to create a wholesome dish in the bush. Before you… Read more >

CROSSING THE BORDER (PART III) – ARRIVING AT THE BORDER

You have made it to the border post! Now you need to keep calm and work through the process. Remember each country has its own rules. Which border post? In all our years of travel we found that it is much easier to enter/exit at smaller border posts. At the bigger border posts, the officials are sometimes tired and irritated and will take their time to work through the processes. Our experience is at the smaller posts they are friendlier and welcome a chat while doing their work. When? Try to avoid peak times, if possible, like month end, late Friday afternoon or popular public holidays like Easter. Everybody is in a hurry and the queues are longer, the tempers flare quicker and willingness is shorter. Be positive! No matter how frustrated you get, try to smile and be friendly. They are only doing their job. A positive attitude goes… Read more >

INCREDIBLE AFRICAN ANIMALS

AFRICAN WILD DOG The sound of an African wild dog will send shivers down your spine if you hear it for the first time. One of it’s most striking features is it’s very large round ears. The ears are not only perfect for hearing calls over large distances but are also important for heat loss to regulate their body’s temperature. They are very efficient and agile hunters capable of reaching speeds of up to 55km/h. So watch out for them! Like the African civet, each of these dogs has a unique coat but they also stand out because of their interesting toes. While all other canid species have five toes, the African wild dog only has four. Bucket list: Ticked 🙂 Status at the moment: Endangered (estimated 5 500 left on the content) ooOoo AFRICAN CIVET These beautiful creatures are nocturnal and you have an off chance that you will… Read more >

Tag Archive: Botswana