THIS BLOG'S ABOUT BOGS (Well a bit is anyway)

It was good to be in Maun, staying in a lodge instead of the tent and the luxury of sprung beds but it also feels good to be back on the road. Our new fridge/freezer had been delivered and fitted into the car and we had connected it to the mains for a night to cool it all down. On our last day in Maun I had gone to the butchers and ordered a few pieces of meat, some sirloin, steak, a Kudu T Bone steak and some chicken all to be individually vacuum packed and frozen so we could collect the next day on our way out. We had already stocked up with vegetables and dried goods and all was packed into the ammo boxes on the racks. After 3 nights of 3 course meals served by waiters it would be back to cooking over the fire again.

We decided to leave Botswana from Maun and drive the 400Kms up the Western side of the Okavango Delta and into Namibia at the Mohembo border crossing. It was then only 20 Kms to Ngepi Camp where Jan and I had stayed back in 2013 and our daughter, Karen,  also stayed there during her Overlanding trip last year. The border crossing was simple, sign out from Botswana and then sign in, complete customs formalities and pay your money to get into Namibia.

Ngepi Camp is a fantastic place, a very “quirky “ camp where you can stay in treehouses that have full en-suite facilities, Thatched lodge type buildings or individual campsites. The whole site s run on an “Eco-Friendly” system with all electricity by solar power. The Camp also asks for all your Green waste to be put in special containers so they can compost it and put on the large vegetable garden they run. The most “Quirky” and fun part is the ablutions. There are many placed about the site from showers, bathrooms, toilets and even the washing up and laundry places. All are very different and have “fun” names such as “Poopa Falls” for the tower with a toilet at the top. (Popa Falls are the name of the rapids on the Okavango River close to Ngepi)

Quirky Ngepi Camp 

A High Throne

Throne with a view

This was our bath at the camp

Poopa Falls

The Vegetable Garden

Ngepi Camp is also adjacent to the Mahengo Game Reserve and Bwabwata National Park so it is easy to get out in the mornings and evenings for game drives to find Elephant, Hippo and lots of bird life amongst many of the land, water and air creatures.

Bearded Woodpecker

Large Family

African Jacana

The Grass was as high as the ......

African Elephant

Dust Bath

Tired?

"Friendly" Hippo

We spent 2 nights at Ngepi then moved on again across The Caprivi Strip in North East Namibia to Livingstones Camp in Nkasa Rupara National Park. The Caprivi Strip is still a disputed piece of land that is a hang-over from British and German colonial rule back in the 19^th and early 20^th century. Look it up on the internet. It is only in the last few years that it became safe for tourists to travel in the area.

Drongo looking for insects at the edge of a Forest Fire

Livingstone’s Camp is a beautiful place, on the edge of the Linyati Marshes. It is next to Sangwali village where we were lucky enough to be at the same time as they had a “Royal” Village festival. Many locals came from miles around, many (especially the ladies) dressed in beautiful and colourful clothes. The local dignitaries from not just the villages but some of the towns over 130 Kms away came. The top VIP seemed to be the local chief and he had pride of place with a procession that was preceded by his many wives. There seemed to be many police and army officials in attendance as well but Jan and were free to walk anywhere. At one point the police stopped to talk to us, called an official over and then much to our surprise we were asked to have seats in the VIP area. We declined these as we wanted to walk around and see what was going on and watch the dancing and talk to the many local people around. We did get a couple of seats but in the “massed” throng area. We had actually sat on the ground before an official walked over with 2 chairs for us to use. It was a great morning, lots of colour and great African music and tribal dancing.

The Tribal Chief

The Wives Procession

Some of the Chief's Wives

The head of the procession

Tribal Dancing

Part of the crowd

I want a Potjies this size

After Leaving Livingstone’s Camp we decided to move along again and try to cross the border back into Zambia and head to the town of Livingstone, the site of the Victoria Falls.

We always new that this border crossing would probably be the most difficult and lengthy of our trip. Getting out of Namibia was easy again but as we suspected the Zambian side was quite a lengthy affair. 1^st go to the health side and sign forms and be checked with regards to Ebola, pay some money. Next go to Immigration sign forms, hand over our work permit applications and other documents. We have to sign into Immigration every month and our current one should be on 5^th August. At the border they would not extend it so we are here to 5^th August (tomorrow) so today we have to go to Immigration Office in Livingstone to get it extended. This we do not have to pay for nor did we at the border. Move to next counter and sort out the car on a hire agreement. Fill in forms ging all the details on the car such as Reg No, Vin No, Engine No, and many other things, Pay money and collect a signed receipt. Move onto next desk where we now sort out road tax so fill in same forms with Reg No, Vin No…….. yes you get it, pay money and move to next counter for carbon Tax. Fill in forms again, same details, pay money and move on. Well this time we were told we had finished and could go so walking out the door we were stopped and told to go to another counter where we need to buy insurance for the car. Yes you guessed it more forms giving same details and this time pay lots money and now we had finished…. OK not quite because now we get to the border gate itself and have to show all the forms and receipts we have collected. All good so we can go… after we have paid more money at this gate. Yes!!! We are now back in our adopted home country of Zambia and on our way to Livingstone where we are right now.

Sunsets like these are what we like

Today will be spent at the immigration office hopefully getting our passports stamped for another month and that will get us back to Ndola.