#i think there's half a crate left down there plus my reserve of fuel bottles ive been putting into the wheelbarrow down there | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

roswellroamer · 5 years

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Tuuthebe Lodge to Sedia Riverside Hotel, Maun, Botswana. 354km. 5/3/19

Today we fended for ourselves in terms of breakfast. The accommodations weren't as spartan as Gavin had feared and the lodge provided some coffee, milk, yogurt and cereals. About a third of the cereal was donated to the 10 ducks that are living in a pond adjacent to the rooms. As soon as I exited my door, they all came waddling over. We had a leisurely morning and mounted our Africa Twins at 9. Today was a tar road day but fuel was a question mark. We took the road to Rakops which wound in long lazy slight curves through some impressive grasslands. Dotted with thatch huts and loads of livestock. Every km or so we are changing sides of the road and/or slowing down for goats, donkeys and cows. The. Off to our left appeared a salt pan. It may have been sand but the consensus is that it was salt. There were some livestock grazing around and on it. I was surprised the off roaders didn't veer left onto it to check it out. That was just fine by me. We stopped on a roadside turnout picnic area and once again a bit disappointed with the amount of trash around. Piles of glass bottles and lots of other garbage abound along the road. It doesn't seem too many folks are concerned with their aim or even finding a trash can. The African trees really are different. Not talking about the iconic Baobab but in general. They are more sparse and have almost a horizontal layered quality about them. You see it in classic shots that remind you of this continent. But seeing it every day as you cruise by at speed really drives it home and makes me realize how different even the little things are over here. Good and bad, I am trying to take it in and hope to document some of what I see here.

We headed to Rakops (after passing Mopipi, couldn't resist that name) in search of fuel for the 243 km's left were too much for the two bars of fuel showing on our five bar (plus reserve when the last bar flashes) display on the AT. We turned off into the town and had a lot of looks once again. Don't think there are that many bikers and not many with our coloring cruising their streets. We took a complete loop and had missed a gas station that was supposed to be there. On the second loop through again we asked some guys in a truck and they told us where to find it. We did in that next loop through again waving to the friendly town folk. We pulled in to the station. All sand, no road. Then we found that the station was out of gas. Oh well. The truck was supposed to arrive at 1 but who know when it would actually get there. We went to a butcher shop but quickly exited as the meat looked a bit "dodgy". Donkey was suspected... We then found a lodge just on the main road and ordered up cheese and tomato toasted sandwiches and Coke for everyone. After a little lunch we opted to dump 3-4 liters into each bike to give us 3/5 fuel bars. Based on the group's experience we should have been able to make it to Maun. (Pronounced "Mah-Oon"). We slowed our average speed to about 100km/hr and hoped we would make it. We did have some fuel left in the 3 jerry cans in case someone ran out. A couple turns and some excellent roads wound us towards and then into Maun. Busy, lots of people and the first bigger buildings, big box stores and traffic. We pulled in to the first station, another Cal-Tex station and everyone made it. After some ice cream and drinks we headed to the hotel. The biggest sandnof the day presented in their driveway. One of the SA guys who was here in their last trip to Maun dropped his bike in the unexpectedly deep sand in 2011. No one dropped it today, however. 🤗

We gathered at the pool bar and quickly depleted their supply of St. Louis (Botswanan) beer. After a bit I found my room and jumped into the very nice pool. We got ready for dinner and half the crew got a buffet. It was OK. A la crate items looked a bit better. Chicken and sirloin were the entrees in the buffet. After dinner we set it to retrace the infamous steps of the Skulls In The Desert evening from 8 years ago. We went to one bar the guys thought was the place. It was the Old Bridge Backpackers. We had a drink and then they decided it wasn't it. Still a nice place by the river. Then we took the cabs to the Okavango River Lodge. As we pulled in it was quickly determined this was definitely not the place. It didn't matter since we decided to stay and closed the place down and had a nice time. The owner knows someone who works in the place we are going tomorrow so we'll pass along a message. Maun is the gateway to the vast Okavango delta and we have to get up early for a 45' flight out over it to spy the animals and natural beauty of this area. Great day. 😴

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