Sharing the Adventure

Sharing the Adventure

After weeks of solitude driving through the more remote parts of Eastern Namibia, being in a happening spot is restorative. Northern Botswana is teeming with travelers and such an easy place to explore. We tested out a few camp sites in Maun before landing at the Old Bridge Backpackers, a lovely haunt right on the edge of the delta. Our first night we met 4 young Israelis who were driving a VW Bus - that is older than they were - from Capetown to Israel. I hope our paths cross again, they were so darling. The next night two 23 year old French business students, Martin and Giam, pulled in in a 1984 Renault mini wagon that they had driven down from Leone France! After our smiles subsided we got their story about driving through western Africa (the hard way down) in what Glenn deemed the most inappropriate overland vehicle yet. They plan on submitting their travelogue on ‘the business of adventure’ to their Uni when they return home. The day we met they were strategizing about their call home to their parents: with 1,000 miles to go they were out of money, out of food and the 24 year old Renault was in bad need of repairs. If you’re interested in their journey you can find them at afrikatrip.com.

During our week stay at the Old Bridge Backpacker we met tons of great travelers. We teamed up with Stan and Lyn, an Australian/French couple here on their honeymoon, and together we rented a small plane; the views of the delta from the air are spectacular. We spent three days paddling around the delta in small plastic kayaks, explored the bushveld on foot and learned the town from top to bottom. Upon our checkout the receptionist who had rented us the kayaks asked if we had encountered any hippos or crocks on our boating adventures. No. Why Glenn asked. Well, a couple of people had reported crock attacks. The crocodiles actually swam up and chomped on their boats. After a short discussion Glenn told her that information like that is best kept quiet until after the boats have been returned. And of course, he couldn’t WAIT to tell me all about it. I would have come unglued had that happened to my boat. SCARY!

With our American medical student, Sankulpo, in tow, we headed NW to the sacred mountains of Tsodilo. I am getting ahead of myself, but Sankulpo is a med student studying under an American Doctor friend of ours (from Hood River) who happens to be living in Botswana, who we happened to call one day while he and Sankulpo were flying back from a rural clinic somewhere in Botswana…Sankulpo happened to sit down next to me at a bar one night. I know, small world, long story.

Anyway, Glenn, Sankulpo and I spent a couple of days hiking what the locals call the Louvre of the Desert, an incredible upwelling of mountains in an otherwise flat semi-arid desert landscape. It is called the Louvre because there are around 4,000 rock paintings spread over a relatively small area consisting of mountains named:  Male, Female, Ex-wife and child one and child two. Tsodilo has been home to many groups of indigenous peoples for several thousand years, at one point, it was part of the delta, but today water is scarce and the landscape parched.

From Tsodilo we drove south the small town of Ghanze. From here we begin our expedition through the Central Kalahari Desert. We are driving northeast toward the Makgadigadi Pans, through eastern Bots then into Zimbabwe where the exchange rate can fluctuate between 1:250 – 1:250,000 is one week! Looks like we might have to make a few preparations for this country, but both of us are very interested in seeing the effects of a leader like Mugabe. Just imagine being a billionaire with 4,000.00 in your pocket.

Thank you so much for sharing in our adventures.

Happy travels...wherever you go,

Corrin

You can see more photos from our flight over the Okavango here: http://picasaweb.google.com/Corrincphillips/FlyingTheDelta#

You can see more photos from our hike around Tsodilo here: 

http://picasaweb.google.com/Corrincphillips/TsdiloHills#

Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana

We saw a leopard! We were driving down the final dusty stretch of road leading into the Moremi Wilderness, near the south gate entrance. Glenn pointed out the 'dog' in the road up ahead as a sign that we were nearing the park. I said, "I don't think that is a dog, it looks like a big cat." We drove a little closer and could see that it was a leopard stalking his dinner and paying us no attention, whatsoever. Just when we had almost 'forgotten' about seeing the more elusive animals, there they are. Such is life…send out the thoughts and they will manifest. Now I can focus my attention on Africa's wild dogs, one of the most endangered species on the continent. Here doggie, doggie, doggies.

On our first night in Moremi we were welcomed by a couple of spotted hyenas. By the look of things, they own the campground, making their nightly rounds kicking up anything they can easily drag away, sneaking into tents and pretty much scaring the bejezus out of the campers. I have to admit, it was one of our most entertaining nights yet.

Just to set the stage: GP and I are sitting near our little fire with a relatively small spot light, the size of a couple AA batteries, tucked into the drink holder of one of our camp chairs. We don't have florescent camp lights clipped to every tree, a bunch of tarps, rugs and ground sheets thrown around. We don't have any of those nifty camp dividers partitioning off our little chunk of dirt, nor do we have a bunch of shelving units, tables, cabinets, BBQs, microwaves or any of the other camp type accessories that the African's use to cordon off their site. We travel light. And when we are really going for it, we bust out our aluminum dinner table, clip our Darcy light to the top of a wine bottle, light a candle and voila! That is the extent of our camp. So here we sit - in the dark - soaking up the warmth of the fire.

Of course, in a campground, you are rarely the first person to spot a 'visitor'. You can see the flashlights from every other camp scanning the bushes long before the little fuzzer strolls over your way. From the radius of a dozen flashlights we could see the glowing outline of a spotted hyena trotting closer, followed by shrieks, hoots, clanging and all of the other silly things people do when they are scared; so you're rarely surprised.

All of this started going down around dinnertime, another boon to being vegetarian: stuff isn't so much interested in our leafy offerings. All we had to do was wait it out. The African's really put the carne in carnivore; these guys cook up a veritable barnyard slaughter at every meal, so GP and I sat back with relative ease (except for one small incident) to watch the antics unfold. There were screams, herds of people shuttling one another to and from the bathrooms, men barking, people chasing the hyenas around in their cars, a flashlight 'laser' show scanning, scanning and all sorts of diversionary tactics. Those poor hyenas…the madness they have to put up with every night just to get a shoe or two.

After an hour or so the mayhem subsided and out came the cameras. But my favorite part of the entire evening was listening to Glenn shout over to the camp across the way, "Hey, he wants to go back to South Africa with you and be your dog", or "neighbor, your doggie's hungry," or my favorite, "fluffy wants a pet, here he comes." He was shouting this with such glee that I could not stop laughing. It was scary only because we don't have experience with these particular animals and what you hear about them is often so misleading, but watching other people who are more scared than you are, takes most of the scary away. They were just being hyenas!

The next morning I woke to a lion roaring…in our camp! The neighbors said they could feel it in their chests. Of course, I sleep just this side of comatose or death, so the fact that it woke ME gives you an idea just how loud it was. In the morning we heard reports from two other campers that the hyenas had raided their tents. One guy walked by wearing two different crocks (one less pair of Crocks in the world is not a bad thing). Apparently the hyena entered the tent with the guy's wife in it! These are no petty criminals, but seasoned campsite robbers…and entertaining beyond measure.

After a week in Moremi we are back in Maun for a few days to restock, recharge and get our front wheel bearings tightened. From here we are going NW into Botswana's Tsodilla Hills, the 'Louvre of the Desert,' to check out the San People's stone art. Apparently the villages along the delta are renowned for their basket making, so there will be a bit of shopping along the way. Maun is considered the tourist hub of the delta, so we are looking forward to getting back into the villages and away from the haunts of the rich and paranoid.

We love you big time!

C+ G

Here are some of our photos from our time in the delta. For more photos go to: http://picasaweb.google.com/Corrincphillips/TheOkavangoDelta?authkey=Gv1sRgCIKchfaNttWlOQ#

We’ve Found ‘That Lovin’ Feeling’

The other day we were driving from Francistown, Botswana, crossing the border at Plumtree and heading east into Zimbabwe toward Hwange Park. We had heard mixed reports on Zimbabwe, so we didn't know what to expect. But, just like the other crossings, it was laughably easy. We were even waved through, past the vehicle search bay and welcomed whole heartedly by the border guards.

It was Glenn who initially brought this to my attention our first afternoon in Hwange National Park. "You know that lovie feeling you immediately get with some people." He said as we stopped for lunch, "Well, I feel it now here with Vincent and Molly and had it back in Francistown when we met Steve and Mike" (see previous post). Yes, and don't forget last night where we stayed on a beautiful renovated old hunting lodge owned by Clive, June and their three smooching little pigs. Seems like nearly every person we meet these days gives us that lovin' feeling.

A couple weeks ago Louise (my darling Mother-in-Law) and I were emailing back and forth. Our conversations kept coming back to our experience with the African people. From Cape Town to Victoria Falls (where I am writing this post) we've had nothing but incredibly positive, memorable, heart-warming experiences. Louise had mentioned this fact to Betty Ann, a dear friend of hers, who has traveled extensively through Africa, visiting many of the places we have. Not having been to Africa herself Louise inquired about the nature of the people and Betty Ann suggested the draw is likely the African's sense of authenticity. Louise sent me another email asking if that was it. Was it their authenticity that appealed to Glenn and me? Yes, It is. Betty Ann is right on. But there is something else there, and underlying feeling that daily conversations matter in some emotionally significant way…it is a genuine regard, or interest in one another.

There is a way of being that is devoid of cultural reserve, expectations and ego, like the veneer has been peeled back and you are exposed in all of your genuine glory. There are no fears of inadequacy, cultural expectations or self doubt, there is only pure goodness. Now imagine that radiant being crosses your path and shines all of their beauty onto you. You light up. That is what it is like, everyday. Of course not every African is like this, but a disproportionate number of them are. And we are soaking it up!

We want to live this way. Glenn has adapted so completely that I have begun calling his Chatty Cakes. He takes time for EVERYONE. I know, it is sweet, but sometimes I am in a hurry to go and have to stand by and listen to his inquiries into his new friend's family, and how their day is going, etc, etc. Here, greetings happen before any business is conducted and he is a master of the greeting. I am yet to catch up, but I will. He is a highly evolved human being.

We are loving every minute of this new way of being.

Sending you radiant love and pure goodness,

Corrin + Glenn

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind"
- Dr. Seuss


Photos to come (unfortunately the upload wasn't happening, so check back later): Us with the pigs, Molly and Vincent in their 'new' chairs and the ultimate butt scratch in Hwange

More photos of us with June's pigs, Molly and Vincent and our time in Hwange National Park will posted as soon as we have an internet connection that is fast enough to upload…which may not happen while in Zimbabwe.