Botswana - 8 Days in Exile

Arriving at Johannesburg airport we were so pumped for the South African leg of our trip – getting a car and self driving instead of long sweaty buses – how first world of us!! Unfortunately all our aircon dreams came crashing down at immigration when we were told that because we had come from diseased Rwanda and we did not have our yellow fever vaccination cards we were not being permitted entry into South Africa.

The next few hours played out like most border security episodes…. us pleading with a power tripping, egotistical airport employee and her relishing in the moment when it was decided we would either be held up for the night or allowed to fly elsewhere. So many appealing choices it was hard to decide! Deported it was, but not back to Rwanda because we no longer had a valid visa from there – where could two potentially diseased Aussies go with no yellow fever cards? Botswana. So that same night we flew to the two horse town of Gaborone.

Luckily Ren made friends with a middle aged business man on the plane who was sympathetic to our unjust expulsion and put us up in his swanky apartment for the night until we got our bearings – we were sort of worried about being murdered in the night but everyone knows tightarse backpackers never say no to a free nights accommodation!

The next few days were extremely testing on several long haul, sweat laden bus trips to the Zimbabwe border. I was so wiped from the extreme heat that I woke up to find myself nuzzled into a huge African mamma decked out elaborately in what I have coined ‘Afro-colonial wear’. She must have thought I was cold in the 40 degree bus because she had also wrapped me in a blanket – John was most amused. Finally we arrived in Kasane and then crossed over to Zimbabwe.

Our time in Zimbabwe was focused and busy - the goal was to try to blow as much cash as possible in only a few days, well it seemed like that was the goal anyway. All our activities were centered around the very impressive Victoria Falls – the world’s largest waterfall.

Misty-er than Misty Hyman

Water.

Living on the edge!

After exploring the falls by foot we headed across to Zambia to throw ourselves off the Victoria Bridge: all the more scary simply because it was run by some very relaxed Africans and surrounded by sleaze-ball Zambian touts selling copper bracelets. We literally jumped off the world’s third highest bungy to catch calls of “we will pray for you” and “do you want to buy a bracelet from me if you survive?”

Victoria Bridge

'Just look out that way..,'

Ren - Bungy Away!

John - 'I hope the rope is strong...'

After surviving both the bungy and the copper bracelet sales we headed to do a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River. We spent the night drinking gin and tonics and watching the hippos play as the sun went down. We also spent the evening bonding with the most bizarre American Christian couple from the states – Kent and Cindy! Stay tuned for when we go to their church with them in states at the end of Feb in Georgia…..John has a whole comedy show planned already!

Hippo Love

With a tinge of a hangover we woke the next day for a full day of white water rafting in some of the roughest rapids we have ever been in – bruises are aplenty. It was an awesome day on the river with definitely the most picturesque surroundings in the Zambezi gorge. Not a bad way to spend another sweltering day in the sun!

The mighty Zambezi!

After another long haul bus trip back into Botswana which ended in broken thongs from the melting roads (god damn you Haviannas!), we finally reached Maun – the launch town to the Okavango Delta.

The sleepy Delta

Boat trippin!

What a beautiful place! We were disappointed to only have a few nights here but with the lure of the South African ban being lifted in only a few days we went about making the most of our time in the world’s largest delta.

Entering the Delta

Frog!

Being polled.

We set off in a traditional boat called a mokoro which is essentially a dug out tree canoe – not the most stable mode of transport for hippo infested waters but definitely the most fun. The mokoro is 'polled' along by a poler with a pole. This process is called being 'polled' and is most enjoyable.

The best lillypad SINCE big day out 2010.

Elephant on grass.

The delta was kind of like a water filled avatar movie scene filled with water lilies, frogs on lilly pads and at night there was one million fireflies too. Camping on one of the islands in the middle of the delta was a definite highlight with the full moon, a fire and roasted marshmallows - Why would anyone ever want to grow up?

I am man, hear me roar. Rah.

Art.

More art.

After another day hunting out animals in the delta (largely unsuccessfully, but hilarious - Check out the photo of our Dutch comrades footwear!) we returned to Maun for the the overnight bus to South Africa where I am happy to announce we were finally permitted entry.

All in all it was not a bad week or so in exile. Now for the aircon road trip we were planning………yeow!

Thanks for reading!
Renee and John :)

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