Toad's Wild Ride

Solo Self-Drive Safari: Day Four

It’s still dark, and I am awakened by the loud roar and growl of a large cat, followed by the even louder roar of a larger cat. I push the light on my watch, it’s 5:30am, and a lay there very still for a moment, then drift off back to sleep. Awoken again by the dawn, and the movement of my neighbors from Belgium, who I know are headed off to Naxi pans park today, I peak outside and figure the big cats have gone by now and join my friends for a cup of coffee, before they hit the road. We explore the camp and find large cat paw prints all around the ablution building and our camp site, and rather than being scared, we want to see the cats too. Crazy?

I bid farewell to my friends, and adopt their site, because I like it’s location better, and I’m told no one else is coming to the camp tonight, in fact, everyone is leaving but for me, and one other couple who’s in the camp next to me.

I'm a sucker for monkeys, I just find them amusing to watch, even the word "monkey" is amusing to me. — I’m a sucker for monkeys, I just find them amusing to watch, even the word “monkey” is amusing to me.

The ablution next to my site is being worked on today, so I have to use the one at the other side of the camp, and it’s far enough, I don’t like the idea of walking that far alone. The buildings were built by the Swiss government as part of a fund they established to help Botswana attract more tourism. They are very well made, but rather complicated and as such seem to require a lot of maintenance with the plumbing, and biggest issue is they were designed to be totally “green” so they are 100% solar-powered. Which is great but the pumps for the flush toilets don’t begin working until around 11am, and obviously by then they have been used a lot. Large bottles of water are placed in the buildings for people to fill the tank on the toilet to make them flush, but all too often no one knows how to do this, or the bottles of water are empty, and it gets gross, the toilets clog, and then the pipes clog, and then the whole thing has to be cleaned out.

The water is also heated for the showers by solar, but this wasn’t a problem as I preferred to shower at the end of the day, before getting my fire going and settling in for the night anyways. But, certainly the Swiss could have come up with some other options, like a battery backup maybe?

I take a much longer trek today as it’s been reported there’s a den of lions feeding on a zebra out near the park boundary. After an hour of driving, on a road that’s not so deep with sand (still can’t figure out why my Land Cruiser doesn’t handle the sand that well) I find the zebra, by watching the vultures overhead, or what’s left of it which is a head and a couple of hoofs. I’m reminded of the fragility of life, not just out here but in general. Sadly, no lions.

I discover with Zebra that they will stand and watch you if you keep moving in your vehicle, once you stop they turn and run. So, trick is to photograph them as you are moving, not so easy when you are driving, and you are not exactly on a "road". — I discover with Zebra that they will stand and watch you if you keep moving in your vehicle, once you stop they turn and run. So, trick is to photograph them as you are moving, not so easy when you are driving, and you are not exactly on a “road”.

Zebra Herd

Helmeted Guinea Fowl, I just thought it had interesting coloring. Turns out it's a very popular fowl among hunters. — Helmeted Guinea Fowl, I just thought it had interesting coloring. Turns out it’s a very popular fowl among hunters.

I take a wide path back toward camp, spending the bulk of the day out in the bush, exploring and finding various animals, swamps, termite mounds that are in the process of devouring entire trees. The sun is bright, and intense, but the temperature remains cool enough to enjoy. My journey takes me back to the river, which I begin to follow back toward camp, and am stopped by a dozen elephants bathing and drinking on the other side of the river.

Elephant herd found on river returning back to camp.

I stop to take pictures, and notice on the top of the hill next to me six giraffes and a few dozen zebra…now I’m between elephants and other animals, and just in complete awe.

Giraffes and Zebra on top of the hill. The sun is behind them, so the shot is a mess.

As I wait, I notice the elephants are heading across the river toward me, but at least it also seems the giraffes are leaving too, so I not getting sandwiched, I don’t want to move and interfere with the animal’s movements.

As I wait though, the bull elephant that seems to be the leader of the herd comes across the river and stops right in front of me, and now it’s too late to move, as when I even try to he raises and lowers his foot to indicate to me: stay where you are or I’ll squash you! So, I did!

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Papa bull crossing the river, leading his herd back from the river.

After a half hour all the elephants were out of the river, and on their way up the hill, and big bull papa just headed up the hill behind them, letting me be on my way. None too soon, as the sun would be setting soon, and I wanted to shower, and get a fire going.

After my shower, and walking back to my camp I noticed something hanging near the inside of the right rear tire on my Land Cruiser. Crouching down behind the bumper I see that the leaf springs on the right side have broken, and some are even missing half the spring! What’s dangling is part of one spring that is about to fall out.

Broken right rear springs. This is bad, it’s very bad, there’s only one spring left that is holding up the right side of the vehicle. As a precaution, I drain the water holding tank, and had been using the rearward most fuel tank to empty that as well.

P1000158 P1000162 P1000845

As I’m under the vehicle checking the springs and taking pictures, and here a movement off to side, and I slowly crawl out from under the Land Cruiser, and see an elephant walking right by. At first startled, I get in the truck, and then less afraid, I decide to take a few pictures.

I hadn't even noticed he had wandered into camp. But, when I looked from under the truck and this guy, I was a bit startled. — I hadn’t even noticed he had wandered into camp. But, when I looked from under the truck and this guy was walking by me, I was a bit startled.

After my elephant distraction, I look at the time, and decide I need to call Britz in Johannesburg. When I had taken the vehicle they assured me that in case of break down, they would have a replacement vehicle for me in a day. This wasn’t ideal, but I could stay here another day, and then head up to Moremi reserve a day later, they are both SKL camps so should be able to coordinate that from here.

After a series of phone calls back and forth, which ended up costing me $126 (which has never been reimbursed) Britz would only offer that I take the vehicle to the city of Maun on the way or Moremi, and get the spring replaced. They assure me have made arrangements with the shop for the repair and the expenses. I wasn’t happy to spend any part of my adventure in a tire shop waiting for my vehicle, but couldn’t see much of any way around this.

So, change of plans a bit, I’d get to bed early tonight, and head to Maun at first light in the morning. Get the repair over with as early as I could, and then be on my way to Moremi. So, back to my evening! Time to build that fire.

And a fire did I build, I was alone in my campsite, with only the aloof Germans next door, so I wasn’t taking any chances and built a nice large, smoky fire. Grilled another steak, and wrapped a potato in foil to bake on the coals. I was impressed with the beef in Botswana, high quality and grass-fed, very tender…and cheap. It was a great night, I was getting more comfortable with the idea that I was camping in the bush. I camped a lot as a kid and into my youth, but the only predators we had were occasional bears, wolves and mountain lions/cougars, but having grown up with these I knew their habits, and what to do to minimize the threats. This was a new and different environment and there is a learning process which demands an abundance of caution.

Solo Self-Drive Safari: Day Three

Click! The lights come on with the rising sun. Must be a crossed wire or switch that tells the lights they can work with a solar sensor, problem is the switch is in reverse, so the lights only come on when the sun is up. My new cooker top worked great though, hot coffee is served, as I watch the birds.

New cooker top, and hot coffee! Happy morning to me!

My German friends were up very early, and already on the road. I crawl under the Land Cruiser to inspect the source of the oil leak, and find it’s the drain plug in the oil pan, and it’s not something the rental place didn’t know about, because someone has attempted to seal with silicone smeared around the plug. Fail. That’s not how you fix it folks.

Source of oil leak: And oil drain plug, sealed with silicone. This is not a Toyota approved method of repairing a leaking oil plug.

The engine seems to be holding most the oil in, and it’s only a few tablespoons that drip out over night, I’ll just keep an eye on it, but it bothers me to drip oil in the reserves I’ll be headed to. Tuuthebe camp wasn’t exactly thrilled about the spot on the concrete parking pad either, not that I can blame them.

The concrete pad at the Tuuthebe campsite.

Today’s drive is to go to Kumaga Camp in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park.

Tuuthebe Lodge & Camping, Botswana to Unnamed Road, Xhumaga, Botswana – Google Maps

In the months preceding my visit the government of Botswana was in the middle of transitioning the camps to privatization. SKL Camps are now running some of the sites in the National Parks of Makgadikgadi & Naxi Pans (Kumaga), Moremi Game Reserve (Khwai Campground) and Chobe (Savute and Linyanti Campgrounds).

None of the navigation systems I had were of much help in finding the ferry landing used to cross the river to get to Kumaga (sometimes Khumaga) camp. I was using Google maps offline, as well as Garmin and the Tracks4Africa android app. I’ve attempted to add the destination to Google Maps, but I’m not sure when or if they will ever get around to it. For reference I’ve attached a map with a “star” of where the ferry landing it, once you’ve reached the village of Xhumaga. And there’s a photo below of the ferry landing as well.

The small star indicates where the ferry crossing is to get to the Khumaga Camp.

If you have found your way, the ferry landing will look like this.

Once across the river, you’ll drive up the hill to the entrance station for the National Park, where you’ll fill out a few forms, and pay park fees per person and per vehicle. These fees combined with the SKL camp fees, will end up costing around $70 per night/per person to use a camp site. At the end of my trip I met four young men who were students from Germany studying at Cape Town University, they were just beginning their trip, and had no idea, it was per person, for the four of them each night would be costing $280 a night! You would think they would at least provide firewood for this price, which would be smart for them to do anyways, so people aren’t gathering wood in the preserve (which you are not supposed to do, but it seems most everyone does).

After the official government registrations, you then head a little further up the road, where you will register with the SKL office for the camping site. For safety reasons they tell you not to share sites with someone else, which was another rule I didn’t exactly follow. As this was the first day, and I got here around 11 in the morning, and decided to go exploring, when I was shocked had how poorly the Land Cruiser was handling the sandy tracks within the park, and these weren’t even the worst of the sandy tracks I was told to expect later on in the other parks.

I plodded my way down to the river area, where there’s a small hippo pool, and sure enough there were hippos, quite a few of them! I was amazed! I stopped on a small area, but stayed in my vehicle as I had been instructed to do. After about 20 minutes, a couple in a Toyota HiLux pickup outfitted with a very cool bush camping package, pulled up alongside me, and asked if I was ok. I was so appreciative that people check up on other people out here. When I said, I was just watching the Hippos, they just said oh, ok, and proceeded to get out of their truck. They told me they get out if they are in open space, and can see a good distance around them, no thick brush, etc. COOL! I was more than willing to join them out in the sun feeling the breeze.

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Now you see some of them, but never assume you see them all.

Extra "fluffy" or expecting? — Extra “fluffy” or expecting?

We all gathered a bit of firewood, and they headed their way, and I went further down river, where I thought I saw an elephant. Expressing the thrill of seeing elephants for the first time in your life in the wild isn’t possible in words. I’ve seen them in zoos, and at the circus (now I wish they weren’t in those places at all). I’ve seen them in Thailand, and India, where they are used to give tourists rides…again, now it pains me to think of them kept this way. Though admittedly, I’ve ridden camels in the deserts of the Middle East for week-long Bedouin camps, and road in a dog sled in Sweden, and maybe that’s no different, but for some reason, it seems different to me. These majestic animals, are so powerful, and yet seem so gentle; though they are not, as is evidenced by the destruction of fallen trees they leave in their wake (which also makes it quite easy to find firewood).

It turns out I did see an elephant, in fact two of them.

Wildebeest, not pretty, but pretty cool for sure!

Anyone want to tell him he's missing a horn? — Anyone want to tell him he’s missing a horn?

Noticing the sun beginning to set, I decide to head back to the camp, remembering I need to get a fire going before dark, and I have steak for dinner to cook up.

My first bush camp site, did seem a bit isolated. So I jumped at the opportunity to join a nice couple from Belgium at their site. — My first bush camp site did seem a bit isolated. So I jumped at the opportunity to join a nice couple from Belgium at their site.

Arriving in camp, I see the couple I’d chatted with at the hippo pool, and they invited me to join them in their camp, since this was my first night camping in the bush, I jumped at the invitation. We pooled our food and drink, I had vodka, which Bridgette was craving, and Peter, thought the steak sounded pretty good too. They were from Belgium, and we had a great evening, as we were watching the fire, an elephant came up from the river, and walked right by us! I wasn’t sure what to do, but they just sat still, and watched the elephant walk by. I could sure see why they say not to use the toilets after dark though; you wouldn’t want to be waking from your camp and back, who knows what’s going to show up! Still, we did see three people wander over to the ablution, we just marveled at their carelessness, we were the closest camp to the ablution and there was no way any of us were going, that’s what the empty beer cans were for in my camper, before you say “ugh disgusting” remember this blog is as much about a “how to” as it is a travel blog.

Solo Self-Drive Safari: Day Two

I’m awoken by a click, and the lights coming on inside the pop top sleeping area, which I find strange as the sun is coming up outside. I flick the switches off, and jump down to the floor of the truck, and take a peak outside (still not sure what lurks) before opening the door, and getting about to making some coffee.

P1000035 — My first view of where I spent the night.

I pull out the cooker top, and propane bottle screw the cooker on the bottle, and twist the valve holding a match to it, and POOF flame shoots out the bottom of the cooker top, and across the valve right at my hand! For a guy jonesing for that first cup of joe, I exhibit surprisingly quick reflexes as I jerk my hand away. Watching the flame, thinking this can’t be good, and I have to get the valve turned off somehow, or the bottle could explode. I get two sticks, and twist the valve till I can get it off, that crisis averted I get my gloves and unscrew the cooker top to inspect it, and notice a rubber seal is missing on the bottom…great, I’m not loving the Britz inspection process.

Still needing my coffee, I go make friends with my neighbors, who let me use their burner to get my water hot, and we chat about what it’s like camping out here, and I learned, I needn’t be completely paranoid about animals lurking at every turn, but indeed be careful, and never explore alone on foot. They were nice guys from South Africa, when I apologized for my late arrival the night before, and told them I hope I didn’t wake them with the Land Cruiser, they asked if I was the one with the music…”wasn’t me” I said, and they said, “yeah you didn’t bother us then, but those jerks with the music sure did.” I think I like the directness of the South African’s.

I found out where the ablutions are, and take a shower, enjoy another cup of coffee, with a new friend, isn’t he cute?

P1000044

I pack up and head out to make my first safari exploration ever in the confines of the reserve. Of course hoping to see Rhinos, but when I see my first giraffe I’m so thrilled, I just marvel at the idea, I’m seeing a giraffe in the wild! Then I find zebra, warthogs, impalas, water buffalo and wildebeest.

The lighting was terrible, but these were the first giraffes I have ever seen in nature!

Warthog 1 — When Warthogs run, their tail stands straight up like an antenna.

I keep looking for the rhinos, but in the end, I’m told, it’s too early for them to be out much, and I have to get on the road soon to my next destination, especially since now I have to go find a cooker top! I’m impressed with my Land Cruiser, but I find the ride to be hard, and when it goes over a bump I think it feels like it’s hitting harder than it should. But, it is a modified vehicle, which I have little experience with, so it could be perfectly normal.

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Zebras at the watering hole. At this moment I can't believe where I am. — Zebras at the watering hole. At this moment I can’t believe where I am.

I back track to the town of Serowe, where I fuel up, and find a section of town, that seems like a hardware store belongs in one of these shops, where I feel I’m standing out more wandering around with my cooker top in hand than because I’m the only white guy in this part of town. I hadn’t even noticed before, but I’m sure that’s been the case often since arriving. I’m bringing it with me because I don’t know what they are called here (we call them burners). I find a shop with a nice lady behind the counter who goes and gets me a new cook top, price: 95 Botswanan Pula ($9) which seems like quite a bit, and I wonder how people here manage to pay that much for something I’m sure is a basic necessity. When in a totally foreign situation, it’s easy to become proud for accomplishing a simple task, such as buying a new cooker top.

Heading further north I found a place called Tuuthebe which was ideally located and didn’t require a herculean drive effort for a day. Also, it was still day light, and I figured maybe I could sort a few things out on this camper, since they had power at the campsite maybe I could figure out the lights.

Khama Rhino Rest Camp to Tuuthebe Lodge & Camping, Botswana – Google Maps

This place isn’t a charming or adventurous kind of camping, in fact they have everything you could need, but for a bit of a recharge, it was perfect. I bought a frozen steak from their supplies, and set myself up for a nice braai (BBQ). As, I was cooking an older German couple camping up the road a bit, dropped by and chatted, and to point out that my Land Cruiser was leaking oil! I would investigate this new discovery in the morning. They invited me over to their camp after dinner for drinks and cheese.

Nicest people, Walter and Margaret shared with me their many years of self-drive safari experiences. They own a Toyota Land Cruiser that was converted to a small motor home. I’d never seen anything like it, but it looked pretty cool.

The coolest RV ever, can go anywhere, and has security and comfort.

They keep it in storage in South Africa, and come down once a year for a month or two to explore Africa, and have done so for 20 years. They were a fountain of knowledge for me going on the rest of my adventure, telling me the number one priority every night is FIRE, so I should buy or gather wood every day for a fire that night. I wasn’t sure how this was going to work once I was in the bush, which would be the next night, did you really just sit out by a fire? You won’t get eaten? Their “of course” response and assurances that if you’re alert and careful, it will be fine, was a great relief on many grounds. The idea of staying inside my vehicle each evening wasn’t at all appealing. My new, very experiences friends gave me a lot of pointers, like the fire, which they say the smoke annoys the large cats, so they don’t come around. Gathering wood, to be very careful, make sure there are no scorpions in it, and of course watch for snakes, though being the cooler winter in June, they will probably not be too active.

With my new-found knowledge, I felt much better about heading out into the bush and I thought back on what my German friends told me this evening over about three cold beers (love Germans, they always have good beer) many times on this trip.

Heading to bed, still no lights in the camper.

Solo Self-Drive Safari Day One

The Rubber Meets the Asphalt—FINALLY!

While I’ve been in South Africa for a night already, and already had my experience with the lunatic with the machete, I was counting this as day one.

My first night was to be spent at the Khama Rhino Sanctuary located near Serowe, Botswana, a drive of 593 km (368 miles) and it was now far later, than I really wanted to be hitting the road, I was just hoping upon hope that the border formalities crossing into Botswana wouldn’t take too long.

Britz to Khama Rhino Rest Camp, Serowe, Botswana – Google Maps

Cruising north, I progress though Pretoria without much drama, even with the evening traffic, I’m feeling good about making time, on highway N1 it’s a multi-lane expressway, where I can pretty much go as fast as the Land Cruiser will comfortably go without pushing it so hard it consumes vast quantities of fuel. Which given this is a normally aspirated three liter, six-cylinder diesel engine with a 5-speed manual transmission that has the aerodynamics of a brick wall isn’t much over the speed limit of 120 kph (75 mph).

After 340 km (211 miles) I lost my fast road, and began on the R33 a two lane road with occasional passing lanes, not making the same speeds, but on the plus side, also not consuming fuel at such an alarming rate either. After about 75 km on this road, I come upon a line of stationary vehicles, at first I think it’s just a bottle neck as we approach a town, but then after we don’t move for 5 minutes, and I see people getting out of the vehicles I know it’s not that simple. It turns out there was a very bad accident up ahead, and a helicopter came in, landed on the road, and evacuated the injured. I remember trying to think be glad it’s not me, and I’ve only suffered an hour delay, those poor people are suffering far more.

Traffic at a total stand still, on the highway.

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Helicopter evacuates the injured, after landing on the highway.

The sun was setting as I approached the Botswana border, it was around 6 pm, and I’m now accepting I’ll be driving in the dark for about 200 km (124 miles), something I was hoping to avoid. And the border crossing is NOT quick or simple. Very confusing in fact, as there are no “start here” signs and series of buildings in no particular order of where to begin. The longest line appears to be passport control and immigration, so I start there, and it’s about an hour to get through. Finally with my Botswana stamp in my passport, I go to the exit, only to be turned back around and told I need to register the vehicle for entry. This is a multi-step process, where you also must buy liability insurance, fortunately they take credit cards. As I leave, South Africa the road suddenly disappears. A major construction project has me rerouted on a dirt road with potholes large enough to swallow a small animal, and dust so thick it’s hard to see where you are going, I turned off the headlights, and at least that helped.

Reunited with the paved road again, after 40 km (25 miles) of slow dusty driving, I begin to notice another hazard, cows and donkeys on the road! It’s slow going, and a more stressful drive as a result, but finally, I see up ahead the lights of the town of Serowe and know my destination isn’t far now (if they are still open).

I pull up to the gate, which is closed, but, it opens up and a nice older man comes out bundled up like an Eskimo. It is chilly, but I’d not call it cold, I sign in and am told which camp site I’ve been assigned to, and head in, wondering if I’ll see a Rhino right way (boy was I naïve).

I get into camp and am somewhat nervous stepping out of my vehicle, I have no idea what is around me or what animals might be lurking or slithering. I pop up the roof top, which contains my bed, and I snack on some trail mix, which I chase with a couple of cans of beer, all by light of my flash light as I can’t figure out why the camper lights won’t turn on, then I crawl into bed for my first night’s sleep in the bush “lite” of Botswana.

Solo Self-Drive Safari Intro

When I told my family and friends I was going to South Africa and Botswana, renting a four-wheel drive vehicle and heading on a self-drive safari alone they looked at me with wide-eyed expressions that clearly, this time they thought I might have passed adventurous and headed on to crazy.

I’ve driven in a lot of countries, and taken a good many solo trips all over the world, but safari alone does seem a bit daring and admittedly a little daft as well. I don’t recommend the solo aspect of this kind of adventure, for a couple of reasons; if you are to break down or get stuck, you’ll be alone in getting going again, not such a big deal, unless you are out there with animals that would like to eat you. Also, when you are alone it’s very hard to drive and also do an effective job of animal sighting.

On the positive side, I met some great people. Doing this alone, I had no trouble in each camp connecting with other people (except for the couple of nights, when I was in a camp alone), who were gracious, and bewildered I was out there alone. Responses ranged from Walter and his wife from Germany, who seemed envious and invited me over for beer or wine after I’d had my dinner, to another couple from Germany, who seemed to think I was stupid and couldn’t be bothered to say much more than, “nice fire” which they shouted from their camp site some 200-feet away.

Getting there

First of all, you’ll mostly find European visitors on safari in Southern Africa. From Europe it’s a relatively easy 10-12 hour flight, without much of a time change. Though you are swapping seasons, summer to winter, fall to spring…etc.

From the United States, especially the west coast, this isn’t an easy journey. Using Delta SkyMiles, I flew from Los Angeles to London on Delta with their new “Delta One” business class service and product. On this flight, I wasn’t too impressed with either the service or the product. While the seats do lay flat to make a bed, they have some uncomfortable bulges that don’t make it a terribly comfortable bed. Also, in the seated position, there’s very little storage for personal items, and the space feels confined. I found the leather seat covers don’t breathe which for sleeping only works if you keep the cabin pretty cool. The flight attendants were aloof, and actually a bit snobbish, finding “service” a bit below their perceived station in life.

The Delta flight arrived an hour late into Heathrow, shrinking my layover to four hours from five. Four hours though is still plenty of time to totally enjoy Virgin Atlantic’s amazing Club House lounge at Heathrow. I got a haircut, had a nice cooked-to-order meal that would have done many restaurants proud, a couple great English beers, a shower, and mini massage…this place is heaven inside an airport!

The Virgin Atlantic Club House in terminal 3. It was stunning when new, and has held up well as one of my lounge "benchmarks". — The Virgin Atlantic Club House in terminal 3. It was stunning when new, and has held up well as one of my lounge “benchmarks”.

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Virgin Atlantic's Club House lounge at terminal 3 in Heathrow, isn't even new, but it's held up well, and remains one of my lounge "benchmarks." — Virgin Atlantic’s Club House lounge at terminal 3 in Heathrow, isn’t even new, but it’s held up well, and remains one of my lounge “benchmarks.”

I flew from London to Johannesburg on Virgin Atlantic, in their Upper Class cabin, which was very nice! Their clever seat flips and tumbles so you sleep on surface other than the one you sit on, it’s comfortable and cozy. Virgin also provides pajamas so you’re not in your clothes as you sleep, a very nice touch usually reserved for First Class, but Virgin’s Upper Class is a business class hybrid that does combine a lot of First Class amenities, if not the exclusivity. The meals and wine choices are top-notch, and the flight attendants on this flight were friendly, and seemed to want to make your experience and flight wonderful.

Arrival at Johannesburg, pro-travelers know you never want to hear your name announced in the baggage area; I heard my name being called, which can mean only one thing: somehow four hours wasn’t long enough to get bags transferred from my Delta flight to the Virgin flight in London, ugh. This is why I loathe checking luggage. But with this kind of trip, I didn’t see much option; I wanted to bring things like pocket knives and liquids greater than three ounces that aren’t allowed in carryon luggage. In the end my bag didn’t make it for another day, because it seems, that Delta somehow sent my bag to Atlanta instead of with me to London, D’OH!

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Local (mis)Adventure

For convenience I’d booked a room at the Aviator OR Tambo Hotel because there was a free airport shuttle, and it was also near the location of the rental company I was using for the safari vehicle. It’s a nice enough hotel with a good restaurant and friendly service, and works great for the location. Protips: The WiFi service is a bit spotty, and try to get a room that’s not located on the street side if you can.

Google maps indicated that the location of the rental place was only 1.6 miles (2.6 km) from the hotel, so I figured it’d be an easy walk to go over and get the preliminaries handled, so once my luggage showed up the next day, I could get on the road to Botswana quicker. Big mistake! Johannesburg is not a strolling down the street kind of city. Walking down one street I saw a lot of people gathered around cars in various states of disrepair parked along the side of the street so I decided to cross the street and walk down the other side, where there were no parked cars and an open park area rather than tenement buildings. It was about then, I noticed people spreading, and moving up the street, while looking behind them on occasion. I look down the street in the direction the people are running from, and see a very fit, muscular, man with an open green shirt his brown skin shiny with a film of sweat despite the cool day making threatening gestures, with exaggeratedly angry facial expressions, and hollering something in a language I don’t understand. But, the scariest part was the machete swinging from his right hand!!! Had I not been so jet lagged, I probably would have peed my pants. Without making any quick moves, I widened my arch and crossed through the park, only to find the park was fenced on the other side, as there was a gated community on the other side.

Fortunately, I found an opening in the fence with a gate, and a seated security guard, who let me pass into the community, when I told him I was just cutting through. Needless to say, I accepted the ride back to the hotel that was offered by the rental agency.

The Vehicle

I reserved a pop-top Toyota Land Cruiser 4×4. I chose this because it seemed the easiest to handle alone, in terms of being self contained and easy to set up for sleep each night, while having something capable to explore with by day. I used Drive South Africa to make the booking as it seemed the easiest, and finding direct hire contacts is not easy. I wouldn’t do it again though, they are a broker basically, and refer your booking to an actual rental agency, meaning if you have problems, you have two companies pointing fingers at each other.

During my visit to handle the paperwork, I was strongly encouraged to purchase the ultimate insurance protection. I was warned that if anything should happen with the vehicle I could be liable for thousands of dollars as these vehicles have expensive parts and repairs. I explained I would call my credit card company to confirm if I was covered, and let them know when I pick up the vehicle. In the end I declined all the “extra” coverage, though from listening in on many other presentations, noticed many people do buy this.

The cozy living room inspired Britz office where you conduct the paperwork part of your rental.

I was hoping to go over the familiarization run down of the vehicle and equipment that day, but apparently the vehicle I was to take hadn’t been prepared yet. Allow two hours to do this! Have the company show you the operation of everything, if for no other reason to confirm that everything they send you out with is in working order. You don’t want to get out there, and discover the air compressor they have sent you out with doesn’t work, or the interior lights of your camper…etc.

By the time Virgin Atlantic finally provided my luggage the next day, and I got to the rental agency to pick up the vehicle, it was well after noon, which was when I was hoping to hit the road…as always, best laid plans don’t always work out in the real world, and there is something called “Africa Time” where, things seem to happen according to another clock.

The familiarization run down was rushed through, and when the representative was having trouble getting the vehicle into 4×4 mode, I did become a little concerned. I loaded up my bags, and headed to the grocery store to load up on food, water, toilet paper, and other more vital necessities such as wine. On my way there I noticed there was no power to the cigarette lighter. While I don’t smoke, I did have a GPS I very much intended to keep charged up. I also noticed the fiberglass, roof on the Land Cruiser was making horrible popping, creaking and snapping noises. So, I headed back to the rental agency, where the fuses were checked, and replaced, and I was told the noises were “normal”. While I was relieved to have the lighter fixed, I was disappointed; I’d have to deal with the noise.