This and That

Thanks for all the concern.  Mercifully my toothache seems to have disappeared and I have three more antibiotic tablets to take.

Not much been happening.  I stayed at Drotsky's camping site (Botswana) for two nights and relaxed and then a night at Ngepi Camp (Namibia).  These two are 50kms apart on the same side of the river in the panhandle of the Okavango Delta.  The river is called Okavango in Botswana and Kavango in Nambia - don't think the fish, crocodiles, birds and like have got passports nor do they care about the name.  As long as the food is good . . .  Oh ja, I did get to see a PurpleBanded Sunbird which was great!

The Lav-A-Tree at Ngepi, a bit disconcerting in the dark wee hours of the morning!

The campers next to me arrived at dusk last night and I didn't really see them all.  Just before I left Ngepi, one of the women came over to ask me about travelling alone and we got chatting.  I wish we hadn't.  Turns out they were a group of 8 travelling in 4 vehicles and in Moremi (North Bridge or Khwai Bridge) last week.  Six of them went on a game drive and the other 2 stayed to prepare dinner.  There was a freak accident and the donkey boiler (basically a wood fire underneath a geyser which pipes hot water to the ablutions) exploded and the geyser killed the woman cooking dinner 100m away.  Her husband suffered severe injuries.  I won't go into more details, but you can read it here.  The group have had a tough time and finally decided to carry on with the trip as part of a healing process.  They have been slated by some, but have plenty issues to deal with.  I do support their decision to carry on with the trip.

On a more pleasant note, one of my foodie friends has asked if I'm eating properly.  She often invites me around for home cooked balanced meals (until you factor in the wine).  Well LindiLoo I don't think I eat properly in Joburg but I'm doing okay on my trip.  I start each morning with a cup or two of coffee and a rusk.  If I'm not travelling that day, I'll have bacon and eggs or an omlette or something mid morning.  If I am travelling I'll have a yoghurt and some muesli on the way.  Lunch - whatever I can find that's quick.  Often a leftover.  When the veterinary officials stop confiscating food because of foot-and-mouth outbreaks, I'll get back into a routine.  They confiscate any raw meats, all forms of pork and any opened cartons of milk.  They've ignored the yoghurts so far. Go figure.

I usually braai wors (sausage) and eat it as lunch somewhere.  Yesterday was the first time I bought rolls and cooked sliced ham so that was lunch today.  I have enjoyed some fine meals - the home cooked one Tauria cooked for me in Vic Falls, the kudu at Elephant Valley Lodge, pizza with Val at the Old House and a reasonable dinner of Crumbed Beef Fillet with fresh veggies including potato bake at Drotsky's.   Dinners I make are pretty much the Cook-In-Sauce and I use the Tastic Rice ready made things. Anything that's quick.  I occasionally make popcorn - which I love!

Dinners at the camp sites are very expensive - it's how they make their money so they're to be avoided from now on.  I haven't eaten baked beans yet - I do have one small can in my grocery box.  Sadly no great recipes concocted yet LindiLoo . . .

I've been away from home for over 20 days so far and travelled over 3,700kms.

Things I've found out:

1. Baked potatoes in foil on the coals take MUCH LONGER than you think

2. Gem Squash in foil on the coals cook MUCH QUICKER than you think

3.  LOTS of firelighters is the answer to getting a good fire going

4. It IS coldest seconds before the sun makes an appearance on the horizon in the mornings

5. I do get bored, but not lonely

6. Multi, according to the Customs Officials at a Botswana Border Post, means two.  "Single is one, multi is two because it's more than one."  When I said "so is three more than one" I had my head bitten off!  I am not to use the word WRONG in his or any other Customs Office I was curtly told.

I continually update my photo album in Facebook which anyone can access by clicking HERE.  Please visit there too.

So far, my friends, so good.

Till next time . . . .