playing hooky on a Monday in Botswana

giraffe and impalas at a watering hole

Botswana has had fairly regular power outages since I arrived in Maun a month ago. While the country has historically gotten most of their power from South Africa, since South Africa is experiencing their own shortages, Botswana is suffering. And while predictions that this was likely to happen have been in place for years, the construction of their own coal fired power plant is behind schedule so in the meantime, the lights are not on, even when we are home.

This typically happens just around dinner time (how convenient) but we are prepared with camping lanterns and head lamps easily accessible and a gas stove for cooking. Fortunately, it is winter time here and the weather is pleasant enough not to need AC.

At times, we get notification that power will be out for the entire day. Monday was one of these occasions and we decided to play hooky. Just an hour and a half drive from our front door on the ostrich farm brings us to the southernmost gate of Moremi Game Reserve. And for all of 70 pula (less than $10 USD) we spent the day driving around the bush exploring the new roads around the “black pools” area (the Department of Wildlife has recently “cut” a whole new series of roads in this part of the park. There are even signs indicating where each new sand track leads – this is remarkable given that there is very little signage in the parks in Botswana).

Paul mixing Malawi Shandies on the bonnet/hood of the Pajero

With picnic lunch packed we meander on until we arrive at the pools (which are now more “green” than “black” due to an invasive species of weeds called salvinia molesta). With camp chairs unfolded and side tables popped out, we enjoy our lunch and Malawi Shandies (a delightfully refreshing concoction of ginger ale, lemonade (more like sprite or 7-up) and Angostura bitters – yum!). 

From our spot we can see a pod of hippos across the pool. Some of them have a patch of the invasive weed on their back looking much like a bad toupee. They move in and out of the water cooling themselves as the mid-day sun warms them up to take the chill off the cold morning. An egret perches on the back (or head!) of a partially submersed hippo, giving the illusion that he’s standing on water. At one point the hippo decides to move and the egret is magically transported like royalty smoothly through the water. If it’s mode of transport completely submerges it simply flies off to another hippo head for a safe landing.

Hippos at Black Pools, Moremi

A few feet down the shore are three large crocodiles frozen in space (one with its mouth half open). They too are covered in salvinia and look like military operatives camouflaged on the banks. You could so easily overlook them in their stillness.

Off to our right is a fairly consistent migration of zebras, wildebeest and impala intermixing with warthogs grazing on their knees and giraffe browsing in the tall trees near the edge of the woodland area. As the afternoon wears on we are joined by a herd of lechwee (antelopes that prefer to be near the water). 

Little Bee Eaters

The rest of our afternoon is spent trundling around the bush, identifying birds and enjoying the elephants and buffalo. I even take the opportunity to (reluctantly) practice my bush driving – I still suffer from a bit of “post-traumatic elephant syndrome” from my first experience driving in the bush when I was charged by an elephant.

We arrive back home to (still) no power and decide to enjoy our sundowners outside in the company of the ostriches and a bush baby who leaps from tree limb to tree limb as dusk settles in. While I hope for a visit from our resident yellow mongoose, he must be settled in for the night or still full from the left over chicken he ate when he visited on Sunday. 

 Such is the life of "playing hooky" on a Monday in Botswana.  Magic!