BOSMAN'S
BUSH TELEGRAPH - 12 APRIL 2000
Hi there
Thanks so
much for all the updates on the Super 12 - although I must say that those
received from Shark's supporters had quite a different slant to those received
from Stormer's supporters!
We have just
returned to civilization (I use that word very loosely) after three days in the
Okovango Delta on a mokoro. A trip on a mokoro was described by our guide book
as the ultimate way to see the Okovango Delta and we couldn't understand the
sniggers and raised eyebrows that we got from Maun locals when we made
enquiries about mokoro safari's into the delta. Having been on one for a full three days I can understand why the
locals wont set foot on them and regard them merely as a tourist lark! A
traditional mokoro is a wooden boat carved out of a single tree trunk although
these days, in an attempt to preserve the forests and to keep up with the
booming tourist trade, most mekoro in use commercially are made of
fiberglass. The mekoro are owned and
propelled by delta river guide's called polers (because they literally push the
boat along using a wooden pole).
A
Wooden Mokoro |
A
traditional mokoro is a wooden boat carved out of a single tree trunk
although these days, in an attempt to preserve the forests and to keep up
with the booming tourist trade, most mekoro in use commercially are made of
fiberglass. The plural of mokoro is
mekoro and these craft are traditionally used for transport - in fact it is
possible to travel by mokoro, along the waterways of the delta from Seronga
to Maun. Such a journey would take approximately 7 days. |
We
eventually settled on a mokoro trip in the northern delta starting from a
village called Seronga which is situated right up at the delta panhandle. We were assured that this was the most
unspoiled part of the delta and perfect for the complete mokoro experience
(read: there is nothing there except
grass and bugs!) We flew to Seronga
from Maun in a tiny four-seater airplane that looked and sounded more like an
overgrown lawnmower. Our pilot, an
Aussie called Nathan, looked as though he was suffering from a massive hang
over. We were later told that
Saturday's are positively the worst days to fly anywhere in the delta as the
pilots are regulars at the Maun pubs on Friday nights. Nevertheless, the flight was at sunrise and
was absolutely spectacular. The delta
is magnificent and consists of a myriad of channels and islands. It is only possible to understand the
complexity of the delta once one sees it from the air. From the air we also saw
herds of antelope and buffalo on the various islands.
The Seronga Air Strip
Arial view of the Okovango Delta on our flight to Seronga
The
Delta at Sunset on our first night there
We were met
in Seronga by our poler "E.B" who is part of a self-regulated poler
organization called the Seronga Poler's Trust. After we had been driven to the
poler station in a rickety old Samil truck we boarded our mokoro and set off
for three days in the delta. Camping in
the delta can at best be described as rough and at worst as torturous. We had to take all our food and water for
the three days as well as our tents, pots, plates and clothing. Packing for the trip was extremely difficult
as we had to take enough stuff for three days but could not exceed the
10-kilogram per person weight limit for the flight on the (very) light
aircraft. We ate copious amounts of
"Smash", bully beef and rusks and had to resort to drinking swamp
water on day two as we had exhausted our water supplies. The water in the swamp
is however crystal clear so this didn't pose too much of a problem. I must say we found it quite difficult to
adapt to the very relaxed pace and simplicity of life in the delta and kept
wondering how on earth we were going to keep ourselves busy for three
days. I think that EB had quite a laugh
at us over civilized city folk complaining about how hard the ground was to
sleep on, how many bugs there were and how we had not showered in three
days. He was most tolerant though and
seemed to turn a blind eye to the wholesale bug slaughter that we engaged in
for the three days!
We had
imagined that the route that EB would follow would be through the bigger channels
in the delta but this it would seem is not what the mokoro experience is all
about. For the most part we spent
three days trawling through long grass fighting off every type of insect
imaginable. EB was an excellent guide
and was extremely knowledgeable about the bird and plant life in the
delta. We saw some fantastic birds
including more than one African Fish Eagle and the rare Delta Pels Fishing
Owl. On the days that we camped in the delta, EB took us on early morning and
late afternoon game walks and we really got a feel for life in the delta. EB and his mokoro at dusk |
EB
and his mokoro filled with our luggage |
We had
imagined that the route that EB would follow would be through the bigger channels
in the delta but this it would seem is not what the mokoro experience is all
about. For the most part we spent three
days trawling through long grass fighting off every type of insect imaginable. EB was an excellent guide and was extremely
knowledgeable about the bird and plant life in the delta. We saw some fantastic birds including more
than one African Fish Eagle and the rare Delta Pels Fishing Owl. On the days
that we camped in the delta, EB took us on early morning and late afternoon
game walks and we really got a feel for life in the delta.
Nev in the delta and the hot bread that we discovered at the
Seronga Bakery
We returned
to Seronga dirty and tired and sporting about 60 mossie bites each (the delta
mosquito's seem to be immune to Tabard - not good since the delta is a high
risk malaria area - hope that Larium is working) but having had the most
fantastic time. Despite our concerns about how we would pass the time, the
three days had passed blissfully and without our realizing it. We spent the night in Seronga where we were
treated to a traditional meal of bream and samp and flew
back to Maun
yesterday. I am quite ashamed to admit
that our first stop after having a shower was to the Maun Steers for a
hamburger lunch! I guess some things
never change - despite our lessons in simplicity from EB.
We are
headed for Chobe today and will spend the next three days there camping at
Serondela and Savuti. We have had to
cut our Botswana trip short for various reasons. The Moremi reserve is closed due to the heavy rain that the area
has recently experienced. The Botswana
Parks Board has also recently increased its park entrance fees by more then
double. This change which seems to have
been effective from 1 April 2000 means that we have to pay about 350 pula
(almost 500
rand) per
night to CAMP at Chobe. We will therefore be heading for Vic Falls sooner than
expected. We have heard some ghastly
reports about Zim though so will have to re-evaluate the situation when we get
to the Falls. We will be able to stock
up with diesel at Kasane before crossing the border although we hear that there
is diesel available at Vic Falls. All the overland trucks would seem to be
carrying diesel in huge 44-gallon drums and those travelers that we have met seem
to have passed through Zim without any trouble.
We have just
reached Kasane and I have caught my first glimpse of the river so will be
signing off now. I hope that you are
all well. Please send mail - we love
getting it!
lots of love
penny and
neville