Lovely or Dangerous ? A red affair at the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

A few weeks ago I got a chance to return to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park for a much needed vacation away from the city. It was a different and more exciting experience this time around, mainly because I had not been travelling as much as I would love to.

The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (KTP) is one of the largest national parks in southern Africa made up of combined Gemsbok wildlife parks of neighbouring countries; Botswana and South Africa, and borders Namibia to the west. KTP is totally unfenced and this allows wildlife to move freely across the vast desert plains with sand dunes, water holes and semi-desert vegetation.

Having covered a distance of about 800kms from Gaborone by road we arrived at the Two Rivers border gate after a smooth and slow drive along the Tans Molopo highway. The drive came with a couple of pit stops for photo ops alongside dry beds and sand dunes which gave indcredible backdrops. Luckily for us, the road is a smooth tar-mark all the way from Gaborone up to Bokspits where we had to switch to a gravel road which was not in the best  condition considering the vehicle we were using. We drove there on a hatchback considering the fuel consumption efficiency it afforded us.

You can also use any vehicle as long as you don’t plan to traverse the park with it – there are no tarred roads in the wilderness. I would advise you to use a four wheel drive or use the Gemsbok border gate in Bokspits as an alternative route then follow the signage to the Transfrontier park Two rivers entrance from the South African side. The road is tarred on that side up to the park entrance.

About and hour later, we spotted a tall and dark gentleman on safari gear from a distance and from the safari vehicle behind him we guessed he was waiting for us…. we were right. He introduced himself as OT and helped us transfer our luggage from our vehicle into an open safari vehicle with shading and proceeded to our first destination within the park; Rooiputs.

It’s a distance of about 25km from the main park entrance (Two Rivers) to Rooiputs and it was during this drive where we got our initial understanding of the red affair. You might  be asking yourself what this red affair I keep referring to is. Rest assured that here we are not referring to the famous Telugu movie or the political party.

In Rooiputs there is an option of camping and not far from the campsite is this beautiful establishment called Tashebube Lodge’, that is where we booked for the duration of our stay. We reached Tashebube Rooiputs lodge at sunset and we got a warm welcome from the staff members who served us a cold drink and heartwarming smiles…oh the love!

The lodge is situated on a mature sand dune and the location offers panoramic views of the valley of acacia savannah and grassy plains. As I was downing my drink I was already amazed by the nothingness in the horizon. I was taken away by the quite environment more than anything else.

 

Moments later I whipped out my smartphone and tried to capture all this serenity and share with Instagram followers…. I should have known! There was no cellular network reception here. Mercy, the lodge manager noticed the disappointment on my face and told me they had WiFi connection. She connected my devices and warned me that connection was only limited to the main area. I did not mind.

What quickly followed was a session of sending messages informing friends and family of our safe arrival before being shown to our chalets. The chalets exceeded my expectations – a good size twin bed occupied the center of the room, which was elevated on a deck overlooking the waterhole, clear glass doors and no curtains. The outdoor shower was also a win for me. Imagine taking a shower under the Kgalagadi skyline…it felt like a dream. I just kept on falling in love with this place.

After enjoying a very delicious buffet style dinner (prepared by Chef Patience) with other guests who had just arrived from a game drive we sat at the main area enjoying different beverages of our choice while sharing our different travel experiences. One of my favorite things to do.

The park manager advised us to ask for one of the rangers to accompany us to our chalets when we wanted to call it a night as there could be animals roaming around.  “What kind of animals?” I asked. “Mostly lions” she responded. She then proceeded to show us one of the photo frames hanging on the wall in the center of the main area.

A photo frame of a lion (above) is one of the many that are said to frequent the place for random walk-bys. My heart started racing when they narrated some of their encounters with these lions. Some of the stories were about different types of snakes seen around the area especially during summer. As I sat there listening to these stories I nearly asked Margaret, the amazing waitress who served us with a smile throughout our stay, to pause refilling my goblet and substitute it for chamomile tea. What comforted me however was the reassurance that as long as you act calm and not panic, they will not charge at you. I got realise this throughout our stay in the KTP. Before this, love had to pause for a bit because of my thoughts of lions and snakes as dangerous animals.

We all know that the red colour is synonymous with love and danger, among other things. The red colour is very symbolic especially around this area of the KTP. Rooiputs means a red well/borehole in Afrikaans (a very common language in the area). You can even tell from the villages around this area just around the park which include Bokspits, Rappelspan, Vaalhoek, Struizendam and others. The other element of redness in this area is the rolling sand dunes which are a common sight. As if that is not enough connections to the colour red, Tashebube means “welcome to the red sand”.

All of these stories and experiences basically summed up the red affair. That is why I keep referring to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park as a red affair. So the question remains; Lovely or Dangerous? I say lovely beyond words can describe.

For more of the photos and videos of my KTP experience, follow me on Instagram and on facebook

Throwback to my Indian Safar

On my feels! Oh Goodness, let me tell you why October 24th is a special day for me. It was on this day about four years ago (I cannot believe it’s been that long) when I packed my bags and left Botswana to go on a voyage, ke tsaya loeto….to the unknown. I deliberately chose the word Safar for the title of this blog post because of it’s meaning, for it means ‘journey’ in Urdu language.

Anyway, back to the story….
A few months prior to this safar I had just come back from China and wanted to go back and live abroad. I applied for scholarships, Internships, jobs and all in between just so I could return to China. Time was running out, I thought… I was unsure about a lot of things but what I knew for sure was that I wanted to leave my country (which I love very much) for sometime. Because I’ve always been fascinated by Asia, I expanded my search and ended up getting an offer to move to India.

I was so excited and made sure I left as soon as I could. I remember at some point I was searching for direct flights to Gurgaon (well, I knew nothing about the NCR. lol) which was about to be my new place of sleep, work and play.

I remember the goodbye hug I gave my friend, Joy at Abu Dhabi airport where we went separate ways after traveling together from Gaborone via Johannesburg. She had one last connection before she could reach Pune, her final destination. For me, this was my last connection to Delhi.
I did not know much about where I was going. All I knew was that I will find people waiting for me at the airport and they will take me to the hotel which had been booked for me for the next two weeks while I was finding my feet. It was such a warm welcome. You can read more about this on my blog post about my first day in India.

I continued to have an incredible experience in this wonderful country of no in-betweens. It was either rich or poor, love or hate, and so on and so forth. A lot of those experiences can be found on this blog for your reading pleasure.

It was in India where I felt like I got a fresh start all over again and it was such a great and fulfilling feeling, I kid you not.
I found my families, friends and life long connections. I fell in love, got confused and tried all over again (not necessarily in that order).
I got a chance to live among the most amazing expat communities as well as the warmest locals.
I partied till I dropped, cried till there were no more tears, gave so much of myself till I had nothing left to give. Like I mentioned earlier on, no in betweens.

Four years later I am sitting at home as I type this, thinking about my next move. A couple of things aren’t clear as yet, but they will be with time. As much as this is the case, it gives me hope as I reflect on bold steps I have previously taken (such as the leap of faith of moving to India), and when I see where they lead me, it’s always been worth it.

Namaste!

Top 5 things to do in Maun

Top 5 things to do in Maun

It is a beautiful place located in the north western area of Botswana. Plenty of wildlife, white sand, lots of water and excessive heat are just some of the things the area is known for. Some call it the gateway to the Okavango delta; 1000th UNESCO world heritage site and to some, as I got to learn, is just a party capital.

A few weeks ago I decided to pack my bags and travel all the way to the north to explore this wonderful place. Getting there was quite easy, I booked an overnight bus which left Gaborone at night and reached Maun first thing in the morning. Comfortably reclining seats and WiFi connectivity made the entire trip a breeze.

During my stay in Botswana’s tourism capital I got the chance to explore some of the sights the town has to offer and to be quite honest, I fell in love with it each and everyday. Below I have listed a couple of things to do when in Maun. Let me highlight that these are personal preferences and are in no particular order.

 

1. Nhabe Museum

Located a few meters from the airport and a walking distance from the new mall, Nhabe museum has more than one could imagine on offer. It is a centre for groups group that are actively involved in the promotion and preservation of culture, crafts and arts.

The main building houses an impressive gallery with mostly photographs of the flora and fauna found in the area. It is best to visit this place for a bit of an “orientation” before proceeding into the Okavango delta. Apart from the museum itself where we were welcomed by the energetic lady named Joyce, who enthusiastically showed us around, there is also a newly refurbished studio which is some sort of an incubation centre for artists. These artists’ work range from bead-work, producing artifacts made of recycled material and more.

The exterior of Kana Jang restaurant, eatery at Nhabe Musem

Another interesting addition to the hub is a vibrant restaurant; Kana Jang? which is also a meeting place for weekly installments of poetry sessions. The restaurant offers a variety of mouthwatering food choices and is open daily to the public. Customers have an option of dining outside in the leafy, decorated outdoor area or the inside area which has a very earthy cum metropolitan decor elements. Their signature iced tea is definitely the answer to cooling off the Maun heat, ask for it! You won’t regret it.

2. Sundowners with a view

Temperatures in Maun are generally high and can go up 46 degrees on some days especially in summer. It is not surprising that refreshments by the river banks and poolsides seem to be a norm from the afternoon leading to evening and night time. You will find yourself performing this ritual somehow.

While enjoying your drinks, please make it a point to actually watch the sunset. You will experience breathtaking views as the sun reflects in the water, glasses and everything else. More often than not I found myself caught up in the moment and forgot to freeze such moments in photographs because I just let the moments be. You know what they say; sunsets are never the same. This is very true!

Old Bridge Backpackers – a perfect spot for Sundowners

Time and again some animals like giraffes, hippos and others do pop in for a water break and you are in for a treat.

Popular establishments for this include the Old Bridge backpackers, Mophane bar at the newly opened Cresta Maun, Cresta Riley’s hotel, Sedia hotel, to mention some.

If you are not too keen on water and stuff like that, I advise you move into the interior to places like Cappello where you can enjoy views of flights landing and taking off at one of Southern Africa’s busiest airports.

3. Mokoro Ride

There is no way you can visit Maun and not tick this off your bucket list. A lot of tour operators offer a wide range of packages that include mokoro trips and can even go up to the Okavango delta. For the benefit of those who do not know, mokoro is is a type of canoe commonly used in the area. It is propelled through the shallow waters of the delta by standing in the stern and pushing with a pole. One travelaholic has likened the experience to unprotected sex because of the risk associated with it. I mean, there are hippos and crocodiles in the same water you are cruising through and anything could happen.

A photo taken while enjoying a mokoro ride

For those who might not have the guts, patience and time for longer mokoro trips looking for just a photo op, you can just visit some spots along the Thamalakane river where you can find ‘mokoro daily taxi services’. They ferry locals from one side of the river to the other daily and are always open for specials.

4. Arts & Crafts Market

The Maun area is famous for producing some of Botswana’s best arts and crafts especially weaved baskets. It is no surprise that you will find art and craft shops in almost every corner and a curio shops at local hotels. Some of the vendors even set pop up stalls along busy roads daily and sell items ranging from printed fabric, weaved baskets, sculptures and many other items. There is no way you can miss them, so make sure you visit and buy some gifts or souvenirs.

Arts and crafts by the roadside near New Mall

5. Camping

Camping is definitely one of the things to do when visiting Maun. We managed to secure a spot at a campsite for some nights and it was just so beautiful especially because of the full moon. Camping facilities are offered at different camps and some hotels have provisions as well with rates ranging from at little as BWP 70 when proving your own camping material. There is just nothing like setting up a camp and sleeping to beautiful animal sounds and waking up to birds singing, all of this in the wilderness. It’s such a wonderful experience.

There is definitely much more to do in Maun but these are just five things that were at the top of my head and of course the most memorable which I recommend to any person travelling there. Please note that these are to be done when in the city before proceeding into the Okavango delta itself where even more activities like game viewing/ game drives, bird watching, walking safari, fishing and other awesome activities can be enjoyed.

5 Cost Effective Souvenirs To Collect When Travelling

5 Cost Effective Souvenirs To Collect

Travelling is synonymous with souvenirs, mementos, keepsakes, tokens of remembrance or whatever else we decide to call them. These are those little (sometimes big) objects we usually get when travelling.

In simple terms a souvenir is defined as an object that is kept as a reminder of a person, place, or event. Some people are so big on souvenirs.

Most people love to collect them so much that they feel their trip is not complete until they have them. Most common examples are postcards and magnets.

For those travelling on a budget, there is usually stress that comes with what to bring as souvenirs. Imagine a situation when you are on a sabbatical or gap year and travelling to a lot of countries without returning back home in between. That usually rules out the possibility of having to buy large items like drums or a big Buddha statue unless you have the means to keep shipping them home. This is not usually the case especially if you are travelling on a budget.

Below are five ideas I’m throwing to think about on your next trip before overlooking the very same things that could potentially be the best souvenirs you can ever get with absolutely no dent to your budget.

1.Currency

Currency notes of the world collected so far and my passport

One of the most used commodities in life generally (including when travelling) is currency. This is why one of the first outlets we look for at the airport or border post is a Bureau de change – to convert the currency. We then use the currency to pay for goods and services during our travels. It does not hurt to keep some notes and coins at the end of the trip as some form of a memento.

Some of the coins collected

One other thing to consider is to exchange your home currency with people you meet from other countries. They can give you the currency they carry from their home countries and you give them yours in return. This is basically how I got some of my notes and coins for my collection. You do not have to wait till you visit other countries to obtain their currency.

2.Tickets

Some of the tickets collected from sightseeing excursions in India

For some, it could be that they loved their experience at a show or concert attended while travelling, that also qualifies. The list is just endless, as long as it’s a ticket.

3.Cards

Rapid transport cards collected. Shanghai Metro, Gautrain and Delhi Metro cards

What do we keep in our wallets or purses and use almost everyday? Cards! Rapid transit, otherwise known as metro/subway/tube/underground (which we use to get around when travelling in most big cities around the world) provide cards for passengers.

It could also be business cards or bank cards.  For me, I like to collect rapid transit cards. I know some people who go as far as keeping their hotel room access cards. Whichever works for you.

4.Natural Objects

Picking sea shells at the sea shore

Think of that beach sand from your favorite coastal destination. Those pebbles or sea shells by the sea shore you will never forget. Do not forget the sand from the dunes at your ideal destination like the Kgalagadi / Kalahari desert or maybe spring water from a sacred place like GooMoremi gorge. These are perfect souvenirs.

The most important thing to note before collecting any natural objects is to ensure that you are not contravening laws or rules of the establishment you are visiting. For example, in open air museums like GooMoremi gorge and Tsodilo Hills in Botswana you are not allowed to pick up some of the objects. It is always important to ask. Even at places where you are allowed to, just make sure that whatever souvenir you decide to go with will not get you in trouble, like  having sea water in a bottle on the side of your check-in backpack. That would not fly when you get to border security.

5.People

 

Hahaha! Not what you think. When travelling we meet people from all walks of life who touch us in different ways. Strangers who help us snap that perfect photo during excursions, or the ones we met at a restaurant and ended up having great conversations with or even those who helped us with directions and saved us from some unfortunate circumstances during a trip. Get their contacts, it could be their number or email or even social media profiles like facebook , Twitter and Instagram. You can always send a thank you message later or send them a message updating them how your trip went or even continue a conversation you had to cut short because of time. I have made lots of contacts with people through this and despite the brief moments shared, we have made great bonds.

So next time when travelling you might want to consider trying some (if not all) of these.

Delhi only! Favourite city in the world

 

I recently had a conversation with a friend about best cities in the world and why. This conversation took place at an upmarket restaurant in Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana over sun-downers. A couple of cities I have fond memories of came into mind, in no particular order; Cape Town, Maun, Mumbai, Johannesburg, Hyderabad, Francistown, Nairobi, Shanghai and before my memory sent me any further, Delhi! Delhi came to mind!
Delhi is the city I have lived in longer than my home city; Gaborone. It is a city I have hated and loved all at the same time. I keep trying to explain this and people do not get it….. unfortunately for them. I even find myself pushing limits in explaining it and I call it a “bubble’ for lack of a better word.

The first kiss
I remember it all; the day I stepped out of my flight from Abu Dhabi at Indira Gandhi airport. The noise that welcomed me as I stepped out of gate number six. My ears vibrate as I type this down, as is always the case when I re-live that moment. “Taxi! Bhaiya! Sir!” ..and a cocktail of other different words in different languages with the underlying melody as non-stop honking. That was me the first time I kissed Delhi. I’m convinced it was on the lips but I’m not sure if I enjoyed that very first kiss.
The folding of hands followed by the utterance of words “Namaste” at the lobby of Ibis Hotel in AeroCity, not so far away from the airport was a signal that the kiss was over and I had gone back into a bubble. Yes! Bubble, I was in a modern three star hotel.
At that particular juncture I did not know that I will need to live in this bubble time and again. For what reason? To escape realities of this city? Not sure. To protect my sanity? Maybe! Can you tell if you have fallen in love just from the first kiss? Maybe I had already fallen in love. I can bet a thousand Rupees these are questions that rush through the minds of foreign nationals arriving in India for the first time.

Fast forward to six months in the mix. I had already seen it all… well, almost. The daily metro commute from Malviya Nagar to Gurgaon by day. The dusty roads under construction with auto rickshaws packing over twelve men to Sikanderpur metro station. The beautiful, paved walkways of CyberHub, yuppies everywhere. These are experiences that would make me pinch myself and try to wake up from a dream, only to relaise later that it actually was far from.
I would get back into the rapid metro which will call us to attention to disembark just as I was trying to take it all in. The modernity! The sophistication! The efficiency! Goodness! Then bam! All of a sudden they were pushing me once again. Sikanderpur! Gurudronachrya!……nap!
“Agla station, Malviya Nagar hai!” were words that would prompt me I was home daily. Then the momo stands, the auto wallas, the beggars, they were all back, reminding me that there is another reality! Bless them!
That was before I started trips to Old Delhi! Goodness me! Tears would sometimes just be on a free flow. But that’s what love does right?
Sometimes it hurts, but you still stay.
Nights in hauz Khas village, Aurobindo market, Connaught Place, Vasant Kunj, Noida, Rajouri Garden. My! My! My! I think those were times for orgasm! The crescendo!
More often than not I found myself wondering if we flew out to Kinshasa, Paris, Ibiza, Bogota, Washington, Moscow, Berlin, Nairobi, Johannesburg and all these other party capitals.

At this point in time my friend is looking at me while I rumble and mumble in a laguange he definitely does not understand. Then I remembered, he has never been to India, let alone Delhi and I’m going on about these stories and I have not even afforded him a chance to ask, assuming that he understood.

“Delhi only! Delhi itself! That is my favourite city in the world.” I concluded.
After a moment of awkward silence and noticing that his glass was now empty while mine was still filled to the brim I asked to be excused and quickly rushed to the bathroom like I was about to catch the Noida bound blue line metro at Rajiv Chowk.

Extra Activities To Add To Your To-Do list at Khawa

The Khawa Dune Challenge & Cultural Festival has grown over the years to become one of the most anticipated Botswana calendar events. City dwellers always plan ahead for this escape away from the city for some fun time in the desert. It may appear as if Khawa is all about bikes making rounds in the sand dunes and the stunts but there also some activities which you do not want to miss out on.  I don’t mean the camel rides, art & craft exhibitions and all that. These are simple activities that you can do on your own or with your team yet we tend to somehow overlook.

 

1. Watching the Sunrise

Watching the sunrise has always been one my favourite things to do. In all my travels I make sure to watch the sun rise when I get the chance. In Khawa the  experience really is exceptional because of the environment. The vast and seemingly never-ending horizons of the Kalahari produce some of the best sunsets I have ever seen. From the first day we arrived in Khawa for the dune challenge and cultural festival a few years ago, we would religiously wake up early, find a perfect spot and just stand silently watching the sunrise. What a feeling! I completely understand why this therapeutic exercise is even recommended by doctors.

 

Sunrise image shot from our campsite

Sunrise image shot from our campsite

Best times to watch the sunrise is just before everybody wakes up and the camping sites area is just as perfect. We would wake up, place the camera on the tripod stand and record the action. A couple of still and motion shots before it beams in all its glory. It is from there that we would proceed to have some breakfast and then get on with the rest of the day activities.

 

2.Visiting the locals

a photo in the front yard with a local family we visited

During the intervals of the quad and bike races we would walk about in the village and pay the local families visits. Their reception was so heartwarming. I remember at some point we visited a particular family where we found an old man who had lost his eyesight but not his humour. He lived with his siblings and children in a small house and survived on government social support initiatives. The family was so eager to teach us about their way of life and how it is for them living in a place like Khawa. They showed us around. I remember at one point he shared stories of how in the olden days they ate wild plants/legumes which grow in the Kalahari area to help with hydration since water was a scarce resource in the area.

some of the legumes which grow in the desert and used for hydration (as explained by the old man)

 

It was an overall pleasant experience and we learnt a lot more than what was in the official program of the event. I totally advise you to do the same if you are an outgoing person who likes to explore beyond scopes. The advantages of being with locals is that they always have stories to share about their village especially to the visitors. Even the key areas of the village have meanings attached. One of the families we visited even wanted to take us on a walk for us to see their kraal, the clinic, church, local bar and relate their personal life experiences at those places.

 

3.Sand-boarding

Kids sliding on the Khawa dunes

Well basically this is like snowboarding or skate boarding, the difference here is that you do it in the sand dunes as opposed to on ice or on ramps. Maybe we should just stick to sand-sliding? Whichever one you prefer!

I remember seeing children in their teens and below faces beaming with excitement as they slid down the dunes and kept going back up to repeat this activity. I loved doing this one. They used card-boards and smashed water bottles. I saw that this year the organizing teams are planning to bring the actual boards for this activity. That would surely be exciting. But remember if those children would still be there with their DIY boards, you might want to try it out for the fun of it. It’s part of the process of interacting with the locals anyway and getting the real raw fun.

 

4. Chasing the Sunsets

Well, sunsets are quite similar to sunrises which I have already listed and explained above (but the experiences are definitely not the same) and for that reason I will not dwell much into this one.

watching the Khawa sunset with friends

For the sunset, the best place from my experience is at the sand dunes. Make sure you stay back after most people return to the campsites to freshen up and get ready for the night activities. I guarantee you, you will love the scenic views from the sand dunes and watch the amazing sunsets quietly over there. Take this as another opportunity to shoot amazing photos.

Watching the sunset is also perfect time to relax after action packed days at Khawa

 

 

5.Stargazing

Khawa skies at night

 

Stargazing can defined as the act or practice of looking at or studying the stars but here I am loosely using the term to refer to watching the stars. If that makes you feel otherwise, let’s alternatively use the term “night sky-watching” then. I am a very fascinated by astronomy, astrology and all that jazz, for that reason I always looked forward to night time.

If you have a telescope, it would be a bonus to pack it and believe me your nights in Khawa will not be the same. Otherwise you can just download some  astronomy apps on your smartphone like StarChat, SkyView, SkyEye Astronomy just to mention a few. They are easy to use and fun as well.

I remember we would from time to time walk around holding up our smartphones and tablets during the night and people would walk up to us and ask about what we were doing. It was a perfect ice breaker on its own.

 

In conclusion, I would like to wish you all those who will be attending this year’s edition of Khawa dune challenge and cultural festival a pleasant one and hope you try out some (if not all) of these extra activities. The Khawa to-do list always has a space to accommodate this and more spontaneous activities I’m sure.

For more tales about my experiences you can ‘Like’ LBB Experience on facebook.

Enjoy!