Every trip I take I am reminded of why I love to travel. It’s the opportunity to see things from another perspective. The people you meet, the observations they share, and how it all comes together to form an experience that enriches my understanding of life.
My final day consisted of driving back to Johannesburg, once I refilled the air in the tires for pavement and highway speeds again. If you remove some air for the sand tracks of the bush, you have a little better traction and also the tires endure rocks and branches better.
Bush camping equipped vehicles usually come with these pumps. Make sure you get one, and that it works before heading out.
I called Britz, to make sure someone from management would be there upon my return, as we were clearly going to be having a discussion about the things that went wrong, and how their inspection processes could have missed them.
I won’t go through the entire list of things that failed or were broken here, because I want to maintain a positive tone to this blog. But, the most critical were the improper oil leak fix, and the broken springs, either of which could have been catastrophic in the wrong circumstances.
Donnay Landman, National Operations Manager of Tourism Holdings Rental SA (Pty) Ltd. which is a dealer for Britz, Maui, and KEA brands. Ms. Landman, was very apologetic, and genuine in her concern about my experience, I could tell, she was sincerely upset and empathetic.
After some long discussion, I was issued a partial refund, along with the promise of a free rental the next time I come to South Africa, and when I had the billing details for my mobile phone charges a refund of those as well. I did get the refund, but the reimbursement for my cell phone charges for calling Britz from Botswana never did materialize. If I do take another self-drive safari, I’ll be sure to update this page with the result of promise that as well.
Another part of the amends offered by Ms. Landman was a car and driver so I could see Pretoria, which I wanted to do on my way, back but needed to get the vehicle returned and meet with her first. It was nice to not have to drive myself around for tour of Pretoria. And I took the driver to a late lunch, but he was so shy he refused to order anything, so I ordered extra and then said, look I’m full, do you want the rest? Which, he was then happy to take.
Pretoria the capital of South Africa is on one hand beautiful with parks, and greenery, and on another hand run down, and showing neglect. The following pictures, show some of what I found there. The statue of Nelson Mandela is inspiring, and I tried to capture and respect that, but the sun was in the background, and made it impossible to do justice to the likeness of the father of modern South Africa.
Burgers Park is the oldest park in Pretoria, and perhaps South Africa. It was founded in the 1870’s and is named for Thomas François Burgers. Today, it’s a popular place to picnic and enjoy a daytime nap.
After spending the morning and early afternoon with the guys exploring the Rhino sanctuary hoping to find those illusive Rhinos, I bid farewell to my new friends and headed on south, my goal to get on the South African side of the border and find a place for the night before heading on to Johannesburg.
The border entry procedures coming back into South Africa were even more lengthy and confusing than those going into Botswana. Not a surprising, given how South Africa has become the melting pot of the African continent. While the official percentage of foreigners in South Africa is less than 3% it’s believed the unofficial number is closer to 15%. For this reason, and due to several riots where foreigners from other African nations are attacked, and even where they have attacked each other, South Africa is in the midst of changing its immigration policies. With the addition of a “health inspection” which consisted of finding the building where it’s done, surprisingly not easy to do, but if you don’t have a stamp from the health inspector on your entry form, you won’t even be seen by immigration. The inspection itself is conducted in a crowded temporary building, with several women standing on one side of a counter, while crowds of people push their way to their side of the counter. Once you make your way to the counter, these completely unmasked women aim a therm reader at your forehead, and if you don’t have a fever, they stamp your papers. I’m not a doctor, I don’t even pretend to be one on TV, but let’s just say someone in that crowd does have something, is this such a great system to coop them all up? At the time, the big worry was Ebola migrating from West Africa to the South.
Through the border, and with about 2 hours of daylight left, I notice a camp on my Garmin navigation system. There’s a phone number so I give a call, and indeed they have space available, they give some complicated instructions for gates, and etc. and after driving on roads that zig-zag around private property, I find a gate, and call in to get onto the property. Turns out, there’s only one space, its one camp, originally built as a hunting lodge by the current owners grandfather. Talk about alone! Now I’m camping at a bush camp with not another soul in sight.
Private bush camp in South Africa. With an emphasis on the word private.
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Final sunset on my bush adventure. Where I was this evening seemed so appropriate to end my trip reflecting on the past of South Africa, and its hopeful future.
The camp is situated overlooking a deep ravine, and with woods all around. To, say I had the feeling of being vulnerable would be an understatement. First order of business is the fire, which was great, because part of the fee, is free firewood! After dinner, and getting a bit more comfortable with the solitude, of this camp despite constantly hearing movement in those woods, I hear a couple ATV’s coming down the ranch road. It’s the owner, and a few of his sons. They stay, and sit by the fire for a while, and I get the whole run down on the history of the camp, which is a fascinating history of South Africa as well! This Afrikaner family has had this property for several generations, and was among the first group of Dutch settlers that make up the cultural group of South Africans. While many Afrikaner’s have emigrated from South Africa due to violence against them, this family has no intentions to go anywhere, and nothing about the way the spoke indicated they were living in fear either, even though since 1994 some 3,000 white farmers have been killed in South Africa something the group Genocide Watch has theorized could be the early warning signs of genocide of Afrikaners.
With the bloody history, of apartheid, it’s difficult to empathize, but as I listen and learn, I’m reminded once again of my mother’s words: two wrongs do not make a right. Not only did this trip push me into new challenges, it also provided me with a deep insight to people, cultures, and the overall understanding that as humans, we all share and contribute to the beauty & fear, love & hatred, peace & conflict, richness & plight that makes up humanity itself.
I was somewhat surprised to see, just looking over my camp in the bright morning light.
Today, I actually had a guide, a very nice guy who asked me to call him Toke (toke-e) because there was no way I was going to get the “clicks” right with his born name. Such a great guy, he was even more determined than I was to find a lion! We drove out into the bush, I did the driving still, and he directed me, watching the sky and looking for tracks, suddenly he said, stop…got out, and told me to come see…and I’m thinking are you crazy, I’ll get eaten, I get out, and he shows me recent lion tracks on the road.
Tracks we’re so very close!
So we continued, until we came across, what had been the very recent breakfast of a group of lions, a mostly devoured zebra. I was just glad it wasn’t a giraffe, even though I know that’s the circle of life out here, a giraffe would have bothered me. But, alas no lions, but he said we should go, as the hyenas and dogs and vultures would be here soon to clean up. It had been such a fresh kill, that the vultures weren’t yet circling overhead.
Lilac-Breasted Roller, the national bird of Botswana.
I dropped my guide off, giving him another $20 for a tip, and headed back to where I spent my first night on my adventure the Khama Rhino Sanctuary. With, my day trekking, I arrive once again after dark. But, this time as I pulled up to the gate, I noticed another vehicle there. A couple of guys were standing around outside the vehicle, and I asked what’s happening, and they said they were worried the place was closed, I asked them to honk their horn, and the gate opened up, and we went in. As we registered, we decided to just share one space.
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The four young German men were all studying at an international law school in Cape Town, South Africa and taking a break between semesters to do a self-drive safari. I wasn’t entirely sure how comfortable they were in that 4-Door Toyota HiLux pickup, it looked pretty cozy in there to me, but they seemed like very easy-going guys overall and great friends. We gathered wood, and built a fire which I did my way, with twigs, and newspaper, rather than the fire starters they had brought. They had come very well prepared, but I’m not sure how much they had camped before, their dinner plan was spaghetti, which I have to admit sounded great (and it was), but not something I’d typically do camping with limited fuel for the stove, I mostly kept my propane use to the making of hot water for the coffee in the morning as I didn’t want to blacken the coffee kettle the outfitter had provided. For things like potatoes, meat, veggies, I’ll usually just grill them on the coals of the fire, wrap potatoes in aluminum foil, and just toss them in there for 40 minutes, pull them out, and they will keep cooking for another 20 minutes to perfection!
We chatted well into the night, and polished off the rest of the wine I had with me, and a bottle they had as well (oh no, I still have one more night! I think I can manage). The next morning, I was again very much the benefactor of their creature comfort camping practices; French press coffee! Yum, guys, thanks! After breakfast, two of the guys come out all dressed in running gear, and think um, I hope they aren’t thinking of going for a run? I tell them I don’t think it’s a good idea, or even allowed, but they insist on they exercise, about 20 minutes later the camp staff is delivering them back to camp. Folks do not run in the bush, something might find that you are quite fun to chase, and then you’re the breakfast.
Camp at Khama Rhino Sanctuary with Christian, Konstantin, Till and Tim
These guys were a lot of fun to hang out with, and it was in this moment that while I very much enjoyed my solo adventure, I realized if I ever did this again it would be with someone. It was cathartic, something I don’t even realize to what extent until I return home, and find myself feeling trapped or encumbered by all the things that make up “roots”.
A mini trek with the guys, as we leave the Rhino Sanctuary, we don’t see much.
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.
Naughty Toyota piddled on the driveway.The concrete pad at the Tuuthebe campsite.
Today’s drive is to go to Kumaga Camp in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park.
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.
Male Greater Kudu, antelope family.
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?
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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”.
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!
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.
