Botswana > To the Kalahari Desert

The night is quite chilly. It’s probably just a few degrees above freezing. Also, one of the air mattress chambers is leaking. Even simple tasks like a bathroom break become a real challenge. Breakfast is scheduled for 7:30, but we’re already awake at the first rays of sunlight. Water is boiled on the campfire for coffee. After a good breakfast, we break down the tents again. At 9:30, we leave the campsite. Thomas has hidden the food items, like cheese and sausage, as best as he can among the tents and luggage, since these goods are not allowed to be imported into Botswana.

Botswana - A Kudu at the border with Botswana

However, nothing is available for purchase along the route in Botswana. Soon we approach the border with Botswana. First, we have to exit Namibia with a small form and a stamp. Interestingly, some people have received the wrong stamp at the airport—the date they entered Namibia is later than their departure date. A little further, we stop at the Botswana border. Again, a form and a stamp. By now, we already know the bus license plate by heart. After completing the formalities, we enter Botswana. It’s one hour later here, so we adjust our watches. It’s not entirely clear how much money we’ll need for these days in Botswana, or whether we can pay in Rand or Dollars. Probably not much is needed for just a few days. We drive to the campsite. There, we can pay in all common currencies (ZAR, NAD, BWP, USD, and EUR). The exchange rate likely gives us enough of a benefit.

Botswana - The Bushmen of the San Tribe

At the campsite, we pay 2 euros for an upgrade to a stay in a traditional thatched hut. The hut contains two stretchers with mattresses, and a mosquito net (though with the night temperatures, it’s not really necessary). There is also electricity. While we set up the hut, Thomas prepares lunch. After lunch, we go out with the Bushmen of the San Tribe. This traditional tribe lives in the Kalahari Desert. During the guided walk around the area, they show how they survive in nature—how they apply poison to their arrows, extract water from fruits, and make fire. The demonstration is interesting, though communication is quite difficult. Around sunset, we return to the campsite. After showering, we organize our luggage on the veranda for the coming days. Here, there is enough space and light. In the Delta, we only need luggage for one day. After an excellent dinner and coffee by the campfire, we head to our hut around 10 PM. To close the doorway, we “borrow” a mattress from another hut. Although the bed sags a little, it’s great fun to sleep like this in the hut.