Last Thursday, Noelia and I left for Gaborone, Botswana which is located 4 1/2 hours north of Potchefstroom. We had thought about taking a bus (9 hours ) or taking a flight ( abt $ 300) and decided that the best and cheapest option was to rent a car (yes, that is a Chevy). Noelia did not brought her license from Argentina so I was the lone driver. Not only was I driving in two foreign countries, but in both they drive on the opposite side of the road so not only was it scary but could be an interesting new experience. When we stopped at customs at the Botswana border we were given four sheets of paper: one permit for this trip, one permit for 3 months, a receipt, and a permit to give to the guards. The customs officer just kept writing!
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| The inside of our chalet |
We arrived in Gaborone around 4:30 and set our stuff down in our chalet (a.k.a. rondeval) at the Mokolodi Backpacker and made a plan of action. On the grounds of the backpacker there are several animals that roam the grounds (2 dogs, a pig called Newyear, roosters, and birds). The backpacker is located about a 1K from a the Mokolodi Nature Reserve which 12500 acre reserve with all types of wild animals and is about 15K from outside the city limits (http://www.mokolodi.com/index.php?sec=2). The Reserve has a restaurant, and we both had not eaten lunch, so we both opted to walk down the road and see what it had to offer. As we walked the sun was setting and the weather was a perfect 19 C (about 67 F). The restaurant is located at the entrance of the reserve and is covered by a thatched roof. The restaurant looks over the reserve and the mountains around Gaborone. We sat down ordered a beer and out of nowhere in front of us a warthog comes out of the bush and starts eating the hay that has been placed for them (see pic). A few springboks came out as well. But the most exciting were the three rhino's that came (see pic). We had no idea but I guess they do this every night until the rainy season. There is a stone wall (about 4 feet high) that separates you from the wildlife. They are not domesticated but they are aware that there is hay every night about 6:00 pm. Two of the rhinos started fighting over the food (see pic) so we got to see it up close. So we watched the rhinos eat, the sunset and drank a beer! Totally crazy. A good first night in Gabs for sure!
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| Sunset in Mokolodi |
Friday we opted to get up early and tour the city (the roosters were nice enough to walk around the chalet and give us an earlier wake-up call)! We caught a ride into the city with the backpacker owner, Hendrik who hails from Potch, and he left us off at the major mall (Gamecity) where we were able to exchange our money, pick up a couple things, and grab a coffee while trying to figure out our plan of action. We decided to catch a cab and head to the National Art Museum and complex. We saw the national history exhibit, art museum, the national resource library, and were interviewed by a local TV station (see pics). The national history museum (see pics) was very small but told the history of Botswana's people and the terrain. The art museum had some amazing paintings but instead of the plaque on the wall saying who it was by, what the medium was and a brief history, it just said the artist, the title and the price. All the painting were for sale (and way above my budget)! When we walked into the gallery (which had an exhibit of pottery, jewelry, and baskets) there was a local news crew interviewing one of the artists so they decided that we needed to be interviewed too. Not sure where and when it aired but we were on local TV (see pic of Noelia)! After that we walked over to UB (the University of Botswana) which was very interesting. We walked around the campus, explored the bookstore, and decided that we could definitely come back! After we walked back over to the museum complex, caught a cab to Broadhurst Industrial Park, which is an area with a ton of warehouses, but there is also a small craft market. There were about 10 stores that had pottery, baskets, African chotchkies, and a small Italian deli. Around 4:15 we walked over to the major road and caught a combi (a mini-bus where they fit way too many people- see pic) to the central bus station to catch the bus (where they fit more people see pic) back to the backpacker. Public transportation in Gaborone is very safe and easy to use so it took a while to get back to the backpacker (it was Friday and after 5) but we were thankful for cheap public transportation. We had a couple drinks at the backpacker and then went with two of the guys from Mokolodi (Dutch Chris and Brooklyn Chris) to a local Bar (the Bull and Bush) and had dinner, drinks, and danced.
Saturday was an early morning (6:30) because we had to be ready to leave at 7:30 so we could get a ride back to the Nature Reserve for our morning of giraffe tracking, cheetah petting, and breakfast! We decided since we are heading up to another game reserve this coming weekend, we would save the safari for then and just track the giraffes at Mokoladi. Our guide was Vivian and our tracker was Obi. They actually told us before we began that they would try to make sure we saw other animals as well the giraffes. We hopped into the truck and we were on our way (it was rather cold). Throughout the drive we did get to see some antelopes, warthogs, ostriches, springboks and rhinos as well as a giraffe. About an hour and a half into the drive we saw a male giraffe and we all got out to follow it (Obi had his rifle just in case) through the bush which was totally cool (see pics). We were so close!
As part of the morning, we were able to pet the cheetahs that they have on the reserve. The two cheetah's
(Duma and Letotse) have grown up there because they were abandoned as cubs and have become as Vivian said "fat, lazy, cats" because they are fed everyday at 4pm. It was an experience! After the cheetahs, we ate a late breakfast by the lake with our guides. The afternoon consisted of heading back to the mall to do some postcard and souvenir shopping as well as meeting up with my friend Jared who lives about 1 hour outside of the city. We sat down for coffee (at Mugg & Bean) and chatted a bit but then talked him into coming back with us to watch the rhinos and have a drink (see pics). Around 8 we headed back to the mall to grab dinner with Jared before he headed home ad we went back to Mokolodi.
We took our time on Sunday getting ready and made a stop or two on the way home (customs on the way back took 5 minutes) and were back in Potch by 3. We drove the car back to Budget and walked home both exhausted but very pleased with our impromptu weekend to Gaborone. I would love to explore the city more as well as the rest of the country because there is so much there and so much to see. Maybe next trip to ZA!
This week is being spent doing interviews (more to come next week) and putting some work together for school. I head out again on Thursday to Pretoria (the capital) to see a new city and explore another part of the country!
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Our Chalet A.K.A. Rondeval
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| Box wine at the bar! |
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| The Bull and Bush |
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Sunset in Gabs
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| A combi |
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| One of the ostrich's we saw while on the game drive. |
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Up close and personal
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| Waiting in line at the bus station |
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| Very cold on the game drive! |
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| University of Botswana |
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| So graceful! |
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| Our tracker Obi |
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| He was being playful but I am not so sure! |
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| They wanted to get to know the people at the bar better so they got really close! |
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| Part of the Natural History Museum |
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Pretending to touch a rhino
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Last Thursday, Noelia and I left for Gaborone, Botswana which is located 4 1/2 hours north of Potchefstroom. We had thought about taking a bus (9 hours ) or taking a flight ( abt $ 300) and decided that the best and cheapest option was to rent a car (yes, that is a Chevy). Noelia did not brought her license from Argentina so I was the lone driver. Not only was I driving in two foreign countries, but in both they drive on the opposite side of the road so not only was it scary but could be an interesting new experience. When we stopped at customs at the Botswana border we were given four sheets of paper: one permit for this trip, one permit for 3 months, a receipt, and a permit to give to the guards. The customs officer just kept writing! 
We arrived in Gaborone around 4:30 and set our stuff down in our chalet (a.k.a. rondeval) at the Mokolodi Backpacker and made a plan of action. On the grounds of the backpacker there are several animals that roam the grounds (2 dogs, a pig called Newyear, roosters, and birds). The backpacker is located about a 1K from a the Mokolodi Nature Reserve which 12500 acre reserve with all types of wild animals and is about 15K from outside the city limits (http://www.mokolodi.com/index.php?sec=2). The Reserve has a restaurant, and we both had not eaten lunch, so we both opted to walk down the road and see what it had to offer. As we walked the sun was setting and the weather was a perfect 19 C (about 67 F). The restaurant is located at the entrance of the reserve and is covered by a thatched roof. The restaurant looks over the reserve and the mountains around Gaborone. We sat down ordered a beer and out of nowhere in front of us a warthog comes out of the bush and starts eating the hay that has been placed for them (see pic). A few springboks came out as well. But the most exciting were the three rhino's that came (see pic). We had no idea but I guess they do this every night until the rainy season. There is a stone wall (about 4 feet high) that separates you from the wildlife. They are not domesticated but they are aware that there is hay every night about 6:00 pm. Two of the rhinos started fighting over the food (see pic) so we got to see it up close. So we watched the rhinos eat, the sunset and drank a beer! Totally crazy. A good first night in Gabs for sure!
Friday we opted to get up early and tour the city (the roosters were nice enough to walk around the chalet and give us an earlier wake-up call)! We caught a ride into the city with the backpacker owner, Hendrik who hails from Potch, and he left us off at the major mall (Gamecity) where we were able to exchange our money, pick up a couple things, and grab a coffee while trying to figure out our plan of action. We decided to catch a cab and head to the National Art Museum and complex. We saw the national history exhibit, art museum, the national resource library, and were interviewed by a local TV station (see pics). The national history museum (see pics) was very small but told the history of Botswana's people and the terrain. The art museum had some amazing paintings but instead of the plaque on the wall saying who it was by, what the medium was and a brief history, it just said the artist, the title and the price. All the painting were for sale (and way above my budget)! When we walked into the gallery (which had an exhibit of pottery, jewelry, and baskets) there was a local news crew interviewing one of the artists so they decided that we needed to be interviewed too. Not sure where and when it aired but we were on local TV (see pic of Noelia)! After that we walked over to UB (the University of Botswana) which was very interesting. We walked around the campus, explored the bookstore, and decided that we could definitely come back! After we walked back over to the museum complex, caught a cab to Broadhurst Industrial Park, which is an area with a ton of warehouses, but there is also a small craft market. There were about 10 stores that had pottery, baskets, African chotchkies, and a small Italian deli. Around 4:15 we walked over to the major road and caught a combi (a mini-bus where they fit way too many people- see pic) to the central bus station to catch the bus (where they fit more people see pic) back to the backpacker. Public transportation in Gaborone is very safe and easy to use so it took a while to get back to the backpacker (it was Friday and after 5) but we were thankful for cheap public transportation. We had a couple drinks at the backpacker and then went with two of the guys from Mokolodi (Dutch Chris and Brooklyn Chris) to a local Bar (the Bull and Bush) and had dinner, drinks, and danced.
Saturday was an early morning (6:30) because we had to be ready to leave at 7:30 so we could get a ride back to the Nature Reserve for our morning of giraffe tracking, cheetah petting, and breakfast! We decided since we are heading up to another game reserve this coming weekend, we would save the safari for then and just track the giraffes at Mokoladi. Our guide was Vivian and our tracker was Obi. They actually told us before we began that they would try to make sure we saw other animals as well the giraffes. We hopped into the truck and we were on our way (it was rather cold). Throughout the drive we did get to see some antelopes, warthogs, ostriches, springboks and rhinos as well as a giraffe. About an hour and a half into the drive we saw a male giraffe and we all got out to follow it (Obi had his rifle just in case) through the bush which was totally cool (see pics). We were so close! 
What an amazing weekend you had!!! So glad you had such a great time. LOVE your pictures. They're fabulous.
ReplyDeleteOMG you got to pet cheetahs!!! Were they like giant kittens???
ReplyDeleteYes, they were like giant kittens but I wasn't allergic which was awesome! However, they still have all their teeth so when they wanted to play I was a bit scared!
ReplyDelete