Off to Makgadikgadi Salt Pans

And once again we are piled into our truck for the drive to Gweta via the road leading through to what was once upon a time Lake Makgadikgadi. 


Although we couldn’t go off road into the national parks either side of the road just driving along the main highway we had a few good viewing experiences of ostrich, zebra and way in the distance an elephant.  Having seen them all before it wasn’t so much the animals that excited me but the reactions of those that had not seen them before. Priceless. I suppose I was like that on my first safari too. https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1-amf9bqzZC-N59ooyIVXxv3CvW2qjeo2https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=15Wu5Tjk2co4IVpAi-yvByHRigXmp823c

The people on this trip are quite different to those on the last two where everyone was well travelled and we shared some great experiences of off the beaten track places. This time wound four of them are on their first safari experience and first time to Africa, and have mainly only travelled to more touristy type places. Of course there is always ‘one’ that knows everything and everything and refuses to accept that someone with a bit more experience might know more. My best solution to that is to let it go straight over my head before I punch her. 


We arrive at Gweta Lodge in the township of Gweta just in time for a meal of spaghetti and meatballs.   Yum, yum, yum. So good. We had a little time before our next venture so two of us went round the township for a nosey. Everywhere we looked were young smiley faces looking out at us; the white faced freak show was in town. https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=16xbNJzdNOn_E0usPDA3fUqzyqL89MyYLhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1wTVPR29YsrEL_npsve4fVmYvEgsIcq6bhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1JCTfnMIihZ8M5sKZzg8Qdk_mPZXjLdxlhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1rfijj_E_3XS4sustRm1pS-cEaKkhifED


A proper safari vehicle was waiting for us when we got back and we piled in to go see the Makgadikgadi salt pans, one of the largest salt pans in the world spread over an area of 12,000sq km. The pans used to be a lake but that sried up thousands of years ago. We were told that there was an endless supply of animals to be seen and were also hoping to see the meerkats that hang out in the area. 


Not quite what we expected in that there were no Meerkats, no other game animals,  the salt pans despite being huge were pretty uninspriring but we had a great trip through the thorny acacia bushes and the green leaved Mopani trees dodging the branches and thorns as the 4WD zoomed along the dirt tracks.  We did see lots of cows, goats, sheep, donkeys, horses and four zebra. Hardly a ‘game’ drive but fun. Also along the way we passed a massive Baobab tree which we were told was something like 4,000 years old????? I tried to get away from those damn trees in Senegal and now find they are here as well. 

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=107nXTB49zX1COi1f8-kBfM6WQxbsAirqhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1MOUomxbRrrwS8T9StjPG1HvNR29FV-6Rhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1aieoyOP6KWALP9XDeyFWaxEgJgxXPpElhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1KXwWlwGXaocVD_dXz5uOxPcWIDG-stFzhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1hK_DlFWxKZYsLilo8SBc5L6xAcCE9PNLhttps://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1-SHDWMRZoKePd60ddv60-GzrQjlNrSOA

We were back at the Lodge in time for dinner; roast beef, roast chicken, roast spuds and yorkies followed by a chocolate volcano oozing with hot chocolate lava.  Oh oh oh. What a way to end the day. 

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