80 |May2019go! Drive&Camp
READER STORYPieterwins aCamp CoverBundu Bagworth
R500.This multifuctional bag is designedto
be used as an emergencymedic al supplies
bag or simplyasuitcase.GocheckCamp
Cover’sfull range of protectivecovers on
theirwebsite. campcover.c o.za WINROARING RUSH.
If you’re relatively
closeby, yousimply
havetoplantovisit
theVictoriaFalls
inZimbabwe.But
crossing the border
from Botswana is
anexpensiveaffair
atR800 pervehicle,
so cram as many
people intoone as
possible.easy...and then it is greattobebackon
atarroad withour caravans.
Thenext gem on ourwayisDrotsky’s
Cabin. Here, next to the Okavango, is
probablyone ofthe mostbeautiful places
youwill ever find.It is alsowherewe
bookedaboattripontheOkavango. The
greatnessof thedelta and the incredible
scenery isoverwhelming. Ifyou’relucky,
you’llseeafish eagle... nexttotheboat!
From anotherangle
Theroad between here and Maun becomes
amatter of prayer. Inplacesyouare next
to theroad, thenyouroll aroundpotholes
–andsometimes theonlywayoutis to
slowlycrawlthroughtheholes. Afterthree
hoursontheroad,wehadto be satisfied
with barely1 05 km behind us, but shortly
afterwardseverythingwasnormalagain.
At Maun’sIsland Safari lodge,we were
onceagaindelighted with ampleandneat
ablution facilities. Ifyouhaveworkedwell
withyourbudget,youcanspoilyourself
here withaplane rideacrosstheOkavango
–departing fromthe MaunInternational
Airport.Wedid it andIcan honestlysay
untilyou see the Okavango outoftheair,
youhavenoideahowbigandwidethis
naturalwonderis.After that, takeashort
cut toPalapyeforaovernightstop inCamp
Ithumelabeforeheadinghome.
Theverdi ct
CanyouhaveaworthwhileBotswana
tour andyet mainlydriveontar?Yes,you
can. Butyoucanalsoalmost destroyyour
off-road trailer.Itall dependsonhowyou
respect this country’s roadconditions.
Theroadsrange from lovely tarmac with
yellowlinesto roadworksandreallybad
roads withlots of potholes.Thesecret to
survivingis to controlyourspeed.Drive
slowly, carefully, andcourteouswhen the
road conditions require it, andyouwill
havenoproblem.Theroad caravansin ourgroup came
backunharmedafter 4200 km andwe
are alreadyplanningournexttrip tothe
West Coast.
If youwantto exploreBotswana with
your caravan,youcan easilyfollowinour
tracks in 19 days. Itwastheexperience of
alifetime.
WouldIdoitagain withmyroad
caravan? Absolutely!