The Planet D » BOTSWANA

Seven Super Travel Photos

debndave — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:00:35 +0000

It’s Game Time!

Hostel Bookers is running a game of photo tag and were kind enough to include us in their inaugural post. I love going back through photographs that I haven’t looked at recently. Each one tells a story and reminds me of a precious moment in time. Along with my fellow photographer friends, Bears and Beans, The Travel Tart, Traveling Canucks, Landlopers, Canvas of Light, and Virtual Wayfarer, we are kicking off the game and sharing our favourite Seven Super Travel Photos.

Play with us in 5 easy steps

1. Choose 7 of your own photos, one for each of the following categories:

A photo that…takes my breath away
A photo that…makes me laugh or smile
A photo that…makes me dream
A photo that…makes me think
A photo that…makes my mouth water
A photo that…tells a story
A photo that…I am most proud of (aka my worthy of National Geographic shot)

2. Write a short description for each image.
3. Write somewhere in your blog post: ‘I am taking part in HostelBookers 7 Super Shots‘.
4. Tell us you have participated and tweet the hashtag #7SuperShots
5. Nominate 5 other bloggers by including a link to their blog in your post.

Hostelbookers will be retweeting and sharing the best posts from participating bloggers. Make sure to tag us on twitter with your 7 Photos so that we can tweet it as well!

Take a look at HostelBookers own list of 7 photos that… and see what photo we contributed along with our 6 other partners in crime.

1. Photo that takes my breath away

Mount Doom and the Tongariro Crossing in New Zealand

It’s known as one of the best one day treks in the world. The Tongariro Crossing on New Zealand’s North Island certainly lives up to the hype. We started our hike early in the morning and the crisp air may have chilled our bones, but the brisk morning made for clear skies and gave the partially frozen dew a glimmering beauty. With Mount Doom looming in the background, I envisioned the Hobbits fighting their way up this epic mountain to return the ring. The colours and the beauty of the Tongariro Crossing took my breath away at every turn.

2. Photo that makes me laugh/smile

Playing on a Water Buffalo in Myanmar

We were riding bicycles around Inle Lake, Myanmar when we came across these two little cuties. They were keeping watch on their water buffalo and when they saw us motioned us to come over and say hi. They didn’t speak a word of English, we didn’t speak a word of Burmese but they loved posing for Dave’s camera. The boy in the front was the real ham and kept shoving his little brother out of the way. Dave would snap some photos, he would show them their shot on the screen and they laughed and giggled while motioning him to take another. It makes us smile because that was a very good day and these boys will always remain on our memory for the rest of our lives.

3. Photo that makes me dream

Sunset in Chobe National Park, Botswana

Chobe National Park has one of the largest concentrations of wildlife in all of Africa.What is unique about a safari here is that you cruise the Chobe river to spot game. Elephants are a plenty in Chobe and we saw many as we rode our bikes along the famed Elephant Highway. But it was during our river cruise that we were truly at peace. As the evening came to an end, this bird spread it’s wings as if saluting sun while saying goodbye to another beautiful day on the continent of Africa.

4. Photo that makes me think

Malawi Portrait

We were visiting a project for Plan Canada, the charity we raised money and awareness for as we cycled Africa. The entire village came out to say hello to us and show off their schools, fields, well and medical centre all built with the help of Plan Canada. Today it is a sustainable operation that is independently run by the village itself. As swarms of children followed our every move, this young girl carrying a baby on her back caught my eye. Her calm manner stood out among the energetic group and I wondered what she was thinking about? I wonder what her future will be and where she is today?

5. Photo that makes my mouth water

The amazing lobster in Fiji

I don’t take a lot of food photographs, but while we were in Fiji, it seemed that food constantly caught my attention. We were staying at the Pearl Fiji and each night we were treated to a spectacular feast. When we entered the restaurant we enjoyed our welcome drink of Kava, sat down to a meal complete with local entertainment and enjoyed heavenly dished like this lobster. Mmm Mmm Good.

6. Photo that tells a story

The Three Gorges Dam Project in China

China was a fascinating place to explore. The old is being erased to make for the new and modern 21st century. As we sailed through the Three Gorges, our guides explained how the massive feat of engineering, The Three Gorges Damn project flooded the entire area burying thousand year old villages under the later never to be heard from again. Ancient temples were destroyed and cultural monuments were lost only to be rebuilt and replicated for tourist to view. But there are pockets of China where people still cling to the past and a simple fisherman can be found working on the water. While cruise liners and luxury ships pass, rural families cling to their past and follow the traditions of their ancient ancestors.

7. Photo that I am most proud of (aka my National Geographic photo)

Sunset in Wadi Rum, Jordan

It seemed that every turn in Jordan offered an opportunity to take that “National Geographic Shot” but many have already seen my pictures of Petra. And I am more drawn to my time in Wadi Rum. Taking a camel ride in the middle of the Arabian Desert at sunset is something that I dreamed of doing as a child scouring through my parents National Geographic collection. When I think of the National Geographic of my childhood, I think of photos like this. Photos that give you a glimpse of the way of life in an exotic land.

I nominate:

12 greatest places to visit in Africa, Part 2

debndave — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 10:00:03 +0000

This is the second installment of two guest posts Jade Scully about the 12 greatest places to visit in Africa. Check out Part 1 of The 12 Greatest Places in Africa after you are finished here!

6 More Great Places in Africa

The African continent enjoys a vast and ever-changing landscape from lusciously fertile jungles through to the hot, arid desert. If you are visiting anywhere in Africa or better yet traveling through, there are some breath-taking places you won’t want to miss out on. Below are the last six great places to visit in Africa.

Egypt’s Valley of the Kings:

For a period of about 500 years between the 16^th and 11^th centuries BC it was in the Valley of the Kings where the tombs for Kings and all other nobles were constructed. Found on the West bank of the river Nile near Luxor this impressive valley is not only majestic because of the 63 (approximate) royal tombs in the area, but because of the expansive landscape. Most of the tombs are said to hold priceless Eqyptian antiquities (some of which have been stolen over time). It was in this valley in 1922 that the intact tomb of the great historical figure Tutankhamun was discovered.

Namibia’ Sossusvlei in the Namib Desert:

Image by www.freemages.co.uk/

This huge clay pan enclosed by magnificent sand dunes is located in the Namib Naukluft Park. Some the massive sand dunes are an unbelievable 300 metres tall and are often referred to as the highest in the world. When it rains, a rare occurrence, the Sossusvlei fills with water and the resultant turquoise lake remains for long periods as the clay layers allow very slow water filtration.

Egypt’s Karnak Temple Complex:

This is one of the most impressive and largest temple sites around the globe. It is a conglomeration of three main temples and several smaller temples (which sadly are in ruins). The Karnak Temple Complex is also located near Luxor which is home to other impressive sites. It is the only main temple area open to tourists and the general public.

Botswana’s Okavango Delta:

This delta is often incorrectly referred to as the Okavanga Swamp. It is the world’s largest inland delta, and covers an area of 17000 square kilometres. Thousands of years ago the drying up of the Lake Makgadikgadi was the cause of this unique water feature, and it has attracted explorers and tourists ever since. The Okavango River drains its water onto the Kalahari Desert plains in Botswana and forms an intricate and awe-inspiring labyrinth of inland lagoons, lakes and islands – the Okavanga Delta.

DRC/Rwanda/Uganda’s Virungu Mountains:

The chain of volcanic mountains that make up the Virungu Mountains lies on the border of Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC. Their spectacular beauty is due to their luscious and fertile slopes. They are also the only remaining home of the severely endangered mountain gorillas. They are home to other interesting animals such as Chimpanzees, forest elephants and the okapi (a mammal similar to the giraffe but with much shorter legs and neck, they have stripes down their legs).

Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater:

The world’s largest unbroken, unflooded volcanic caldera, the Ngorongoro Crater measures 19km across, 600metres deep (from the rim of the crater to the floor) and has a total floor area of 260km squared. A giant volcano exploded and then collapsed on itself around three million years ago to form the colossally remarkable crater. It is considered a “natural enclosure” for wildlife – many species are found on the crater floor.

Bio:

“Jade Scully is a copywriter, blogger and online marketing enthusiast who has published her work on a series of online publications and websites including Leeulekker who provide a range of travel and touring information for southern Africa travelers.”

Sunset at Chobe National Park, Botswana: Snapshot Sunday

debndave — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 09:00:16 +0000

Sunset at Chobe National Park in Botswana, Africa

Chobe National Park in Botswana is one of the most wildlife rich parks in the southern part of Africa.

We were lucky enough to ride right through Chobe on our 2008 Tour D’Afrique. After a hard day of riding we got in early enough to enjoy a river safari in the park.

We were treated to sightings of Elephants, Hippos, Alligators etc. But it was at sunset at Chobe National Park that brought out the true beauty of this magnificent landscape.

So transport yourself to Africa this Sunday and imagine the smells, the warmth and the solitude of being the only one enjoying this beautiful sunset.

Around the World one Sunset at a time!

debndave — Fri, 07 May 2010 09:00:53 +0000

I think one of the favorite things people enjoy looking at is a beautiful sunset. Somehow as that sun sets on the horizon it seems to make you forget the days stress and gives you that sense of Ahhhh!

Photographing sunsets is one of my favorite subjects. It always poses a challenge of how to make every sunset photo different. Subject matter is always the key. Some sunsets stand all on their own and others benefit from a subject in the frame.

Here is a compilation of both. As Friday comes to an end let these photo’s take away the stress and up your Ahhh factor!

Sunset at Patnem beach, Goa, India

Gili Air sunset, Indonesia.

Sunset at Chobe National Park, Botswana

Sunset in the thar desert of India

Surfing at Sunset at Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka

Sunset at Hampi, India

Kuta Beach, Bali

Sunset over lake pichola in udaipur India

Top 5 Adventures in Victoria Falls Zambia

debndave — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:00:12 +0000

Victoria Falls is definitely Africa’s Adventure Capital.

If you like adventure, you are going to love a visit to Victoria Falls in Zambia. We spent 3 days at the falls in Livingstone and we filled it with not stop thrills from start to finish.

Here are just a few of the adventure activities that you will find to do at Victoria Falls.

Gorge Swing

Abseilling at Victoria Falls Gorge

Victoria Falls is definitely the number one place in Africa for adrenaline adventure.

Everyone knows about the bungee jump off of the bridge between Zambia and Zimbabwe, but there is an even more exciting leap in the area for true thrill seekers. As seen on the Amazing Race, the Gorge Swing will get your blood pumping. Your day starts with a 55-meter (160 ft) abseil down the cliff into Batoka Gorge. After a tough climb back up, prepare to soar over the gorge on a zip line. As you stare into the depths below you are pulled back to safety only to do it all over again. After two jumps, you are now more than ready for the final activity of the day.

The Gorge Swing is a bungee jump with a twist. You step off of the edge of a cliff and free fall to the bottom, but once the line tightens, it whips you across to the other side of the gorge at 120km (75 miles) per hour. The 55m free-fall is a thrill, but it is the abrupt snap at the end that takes your breath away.
At the bargain price of $90, you are allowed two jumps so you can fall back into the gorge for your first jump and then once you have built up the nerve you can jump face first on the second. It is a thrill like no other.

Helicopter Tours

A Flight over Victoria Falls, Great Adventure

Victoria Falls is impressive indeed, but it is difficult to take in the full scope of its immense size unless you see it from the sky. You must see the falls from the air while you are there. The helicopter flight, is definitely an adventure. They call this thrill, white water rafting in the sky. Your helicopter pilot takes you right down to the Zambezi River. The high cliffs rise above you as you twist and turn your way through the canyons following the river gorge. Just when you start to feel air sick, you lift off high into the sky for a bird’s eye view of the world’s largest waterfall.

It is a loud and exciting flight. Wearing your headphones, the pilot points out sites on the ground. You may just spot some wildlife as well as you fly over the preserve. Catching the full view of the Victoria Falls is breathtaking, the gorge cuts through the land zig zagging like the letter “z” showing you the true strength of Mother Nature. The flight is designed to circle above the falls to give you the chance to see it from all directions.

It is 15 minutes long and $100 but worth every penny. The flight through the gorge is a thrill and to see the falls from high in the sky is an experience that you will remember for a lifetime.

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Chobe National Park

Chobe National Park, Short Trip from Victoria Falls

From Livingstone, you can book a trip to Chobe National Park in Botswana. It has one of the greatest concentrations of wildlife found on the African Continent. Chobe is located 90 km from Victoria Falls just over the Zambian border and you have the added bonus of adding another African Country to your list. You can visit Chobe on a day excursion or you can book an overnight safari to several days. It is definitely worth the visit.

You will be visiting one of the largest game reserves on the African Continent. You can go for a day or a multi-day trip. A river cruise is not to be missed. You will witness a spectacular sunset and will float right next to grazing hippos and bathing elephants. Elephant sightings are guaranteed with a population of 12,000 and it is more than likely that you will see nearly all of the major species. Zebras, lions, hyenas, they are all there waiting for you to spot them.

This wildlife safari is a must for anyone to do when visiting Victoria Falls. Witnessing Africa’s unique wildlife in their natural setting is one of the greatest adventures that anyone can possible experience.

Walk Next to Victoria Falls

A Wet Walk by Victoria Falls

Walking next to the powerful Victoria Falls will make anyone’s heart pound. Entering the national park beside the falls, a network of trails takes you right up to its face. Covered in spray it is a thrilling experience being so close to the thunderous water. The path takes you to a narrow bridge that you can walk across. Be careful though, it can be slippery and difficult to see, as you are only a couple of hundred meters away from the falls. Staying dry is not an option and the water is so loud that you have to shout to talk to each other.

The bridge is so close to the falls that you are engulfed in a mist and fog. Once you make your way across, you are free to explore trails and paths that wind their way through a patch of land directly across from the falls. You will be able to see it from many angles.
Once you are finished looking at its cascade, make your way to the top and sit near Devils Pool. The water is so calm and you are dangerously close to the edge. It low water season people actually swim in this pool and stand right on the edge of the falls to look over. That would definitely be an adventure of a life time but not something we recommend trying while you are there.

White Water Rafting

A great Adventure at Victoria Falls

White Water Rafting is the prime attraction of Victoria Falls that almost everyone does when they visit Zambia. Book a full or half day trip on one of the top ten white water rivers on the planet. Long violent class 5 rapids known as the Devil’s Toilet and Stairway to Heaven will get your blood pumping. The mighty Zambezi river is legendary and you will have the adventure of your life tumbling through its rapids. Whit Water Rafting prices start at $100. Tours can be booked at your hotel in Livingstone. Transfers and pick up are included.

Rafting the Zambezi River is one of the world’s greatest white water experiences.

There are so many things to do in Victoria falls it would take more than just one blog post. There are enough adventures to keep you busy for days on end, so book a trip to Zambia today? What are you waiting for? If not now…When?

Top 10 Travel and Adventure Favorites from Abroad

debndave — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 02:07:46 +0000

It is hard believe that we are going to be on a plane for India in just over a month. Even more amazing is that we will be moving out of our house in just two weeks. It is an entirely new chapter in our life.

Sure we have traveled for extended periods before, but this time, we are not planning on returning to our careers in the film business. Nope, we are moving on to somehow become ful ltime adventurers!

Six months ago, we decided to work diligently on our blog. It has been an amazing experience writing daily posts and it has made us reflect on our past travels.

In a few short weeks, we will be making new memories, but for now we would like to share some of our Favorite things that we have encountered in our travels. We were brainstorming about moments that have stood out over the years and

Here is our list of Favorites from abroad.

1- Favorite Adventure – Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro had to be one of the highlights of our life. We spent six glorious days with great people, fantastic guides and wonderful scenery. To make it to the top of one of the most famous climbs on the planet is one of the most gratifying experiences a person can have.

2- Favorite Thrill Ride – I was freaking out when the police stopped us to warn us how dangerous it was to dune buggy through the sand dunes of Huacachina. But once we got started, it was a thrill of a lifetime. Roller coaster have nothing on climbing one of the highest dunes in the world strapped into a rugged 4X4 only to plunge down the almost vertical drop on the other side.

3- Favorite Adrenaline Rush – Dave had always wanted to go to Zambia to jump from one of the world’s tallest bungee jumps at Victoria Falls. We took it one step further and booked a day abseiling, zip lining and swinging into the great gorge as seen on the Amazing Race!

4- Favorite Meal – food is always the main focus of our travels. After a good adventure there is nothing more satisfying than eating an amazing meal. We were cycling Africa last year and by the time we made it to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, we were famished. Ethiopian is one of our favorite foods and having a great mix of stews and salads served with Injera at the tranquil Ghion Hotel downtown was simply heaven. We were even treated to a show with traditional dancers and music as we sipped our beer and stuffed out faces.

5-Favorite Sunset – It is hard to pin down the perfect sunset. Our planet is filled with them. But we will never forget being on a boat cruise in Chobe National park watching the sun go down. Hippos were munching in the water, elephants were lumbering on the river banks and the sky was ablaze with reds, yellows and oranges.

Roasting Coffee in Ubud

6-Favorite Coffee – Before we started traveling, neither of us were big coffee drinkers. But to visit places such as Indonesia and Africa where coffee was born, how can you not become a lover of the caffeinated beverage. We have enjoyed some rich and delectable cups of joe, but nothing compares to Bali Coffee. It is the most delicious brew we have ever tasted. We brought several bags home with us, and we just may have to take a side trip from India to visit Bali, just to stock up again.

7- Favorite Place to Chill out. It isn’t always about treks and adventures. Sometimes we just want to relax and work on our tans. Nothing compared to Gili Air for serious chill time. We decided to venture to Lombok with the intent of staying a couple of days in the Gili Islands. 11 days later we finally pulled ourselves away from this small island that didn’t allow motorized vehicles. Horse carts were the mode of transport or some good old fashioned foot power. We slept in hammocks, snorkeled the drift in front of the beach and ate seafood until our hearts content.

8 – Favorite Wildlife Encounter. Wow, the wildlife we have seen over the years has been amazing. But nothing compared to our time in Belize. Taking a sail boat out to the pristine coral reef near Caye Caulker to swim with the sharks with Juni was so much fun that we turned around and went right back the next day. We saw eagle rays, manta rays, nurse sharks, barracuda’s and eels. We had been diving throughout Central America before hitting Belize, but the snorkeling with our guide Juni was a touching experience. These fish had personalities and I could see the intelligence and innocence in their eyes.

Spike through Cheek of Pilgrim

hooks in back at Thaipusam

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9- Favorite Festival. We had stumbled into Malaysia in January thinking that we would use it as a stepping off point to go to Bali, Singapore and Malaysian borneo. Well, 6 weeks later we were still there and in that time, we witnessed the most shocking and amazing festival on the planet. Thaipusam is a Hindu Festival where pilgrims pay homage to the Lord Muruga by piecing themselves with hooks and driving spikes through their cheeks and lips. Unbelievable unless you have seen it with your own eyes.

10 –Favorite Trek. People may say that Sapa is ruined and that it is over run with tourists. We loved our time in Sapa. Dave and I had a private tour with Xin as our guide. We walked through the vast rice terraces for 3 days. We picnicked on a high plateau, we enjoyed rice wine with the local villagers as they sang around the fire. We ventured far into the mountains away from the town and away from tribes corrupted by tourism. It was an incredible experience staying in a homestay. Xin brought a feast and the family prepared fresh vegetables and rice and the rice wine kept flowing. We quickly learned that you just cannot ever say no to rice wine when it is offered.

Wildlife Wednesday; Chobe National Park Botswana

debndave — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 07:00:44 +0000

An elephant walks along the banks of the chobe river in Botswana

If there is one place in the world where you are guaranteed to see elephants it would be Chobe National Park. Home to the largest concentration of elephants in Africa. I have read different sources claiming anywhere from 50,000 to 120,000 elephants inhabit Chobe National Park. Whatever the actual population may be, you will see them everywhere.

An elephant takes a bath at Chobe National Park

One of the best ways to view wildlife is to take a river cruise on the Chobe River. It is a real bargain, we booked a cruise for less than $50 from our camp and we were off on a great sunset cruise catching site of hippos, crocodiles, elephants and birds.

Make sure to stop at the store and bring some wine and snacks and water with you if you go with the bare bones tour that we took. We weren’t supplied anything, but we got to see the exact same wildlife as other tours for a fraction of the price.

A hippo half submerged in Chobe Botswana Africa

The lazy trip along the river is a perfect way to view wildlife on the banks and in the water and it is finished off with a spectacular sunset.

This Bird Spreads its wings during sunset in Botswana Africa

Many times Chobe is combined as a tour with the Okavanga Delta or as a day trip from Victoria Falls Zambia. We were cycling through the country, so we booked our own upon arrival. But many camps and hotels take bookings. It wouldn’t surprise me if you could walk down to the river and book a boat right on the spot at the dock.

Crocodile basks in sun on river in Chobe National Park, Africa

Chobe wasn’t very busy at all and it was different from so many other safaris in the fact that we weren’t involved in a circus of tours chasing after wildlife. During our tour, we actually only saw two other boats on the river!

Fish Eagle African Wildlife in Chobe Botswana

So if you happen to find yourself in Zambia checking out Victoria Falls, take a day trip to Chobe and see the extraordinary wildlife. We didn’t manage to see any lions, but we know that they are there and if you are lucky, you just may view some yourself life a person on our tour saw the year earlier. An entire family relaxing on the riverbank at sunset.

Top 10 Fears about Cycling Through Africa

debndave — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 10:17:08 +0000

We were talking the other day about all of the things that we were afraid of before we left for Africa. We had traveled around the world before, but this was something completely different. After all, it was going to be our first time camping in the desert and in the jungle, it was going to be our first time stepping foot on the African soil and it was our first time ever crossing an entire continent on bicycle. We were in for quite and adventure.

Starting Line of our Cycle Through Africa

It is funny to think of all of the irrational fears that we had before leaving. Well, I should say that I had. Dave tends to go with the flow better than me, but that is not to say he wasn’t curious on how we were going to deal with problems that would arise.

So without further adieu, here are some fears that we had about camping and cycling our way down Africa, what we encountered and how we dealt with them.

On the Road in Egypt

1 – Fear of being chased by wild animals. This happened to us on more than one occasion. Packs of wild dogs chased us in Egypt and they managed to hold on for quite a while. Luckily, we saw them coming. They hung out in fields and started chasing us as we passed. Normally we had enough momentum going so we could stay one step ahead of them. I don’t know what we would have done if they had chased us on an uphill.

Dave was also chased by baboons. They ran along with him for a fair amount of time, but once again, he managed to outrun them. It sounds pretty funny to be chased by baboons, but they can be very vicious so it is a good thing Dave was in pretty good shape during that part of the trip. All in all, we came through the trip unscathed.

A Nice Baboon in Ethiopia

2. Peeing in Public. Ok, I was just looking for an excuse to write the word pee on my blog. But this really was a concern. I had heard that in Ethiopia especially that it was very populated and if you had to go, you wouldn’t have a lot of privacy. I was considering carrying a sarong with me so that if I had to squat in public, I would at least be covered up. However, this never was an issue. There was plenty of deserted areas to duck behind a tree or a mound of dirt. I must admit though that in Ethiopia it was very crowded and you didn’t have a lot of time before people came out of the middle of nowhere. So, you just had to do your business quickly.

A Tent for Privacy in Ethiopia

3. Dealing with snakes and insects while doing your business. Yes, I see a theme…going to the Toilet is always and issue. We had to get out of our tents in the middle of the night and find a safe place to go. Surprisingly, I never worried much about it by the time we camped in long grass and bushes. I guess it is because through Egypt and Sudan we started off in Deserts. We became numb to any worries after a month or so, therefore, when I when I went to do my deed, I never worried about it. I did however make a lot of noise walking so, I am assuming that snakes and other creepy crawlies would have been more afraid of me, than I was of them.

Lot's of Crashes, Luckily we weren't a Part of any

4. Crashing. Traffic can be brutal in cities and on highways and I was pretty concerned about being taken out by a car. It ended up not being the cars we had to worry about, but the tour buses and transports. In Egypt buses would zoom passed us on the highways without a care in the world. They would also drive straight for us from the opposite direction seemingly wanting to run us off of the road. They did a couple of times, but if you kept your head about you, you just simply drove onto the shoulder to wait for them to go by. There were a few crashes on the trip, one person broke their collarbone, one had a concussion, there were several stitches, but Dave and I were lucky with the fact that we didn’t have any major falls. The only one that took me out of commission for 10 days was a minor scratch from a silly little fall that ended up getting infected.

My Knee Infection Slowly Healing

5- Surprisingly infection was never on our list, but it is a very real fear now. Several people caught serious staff infections and cellulitus. We were riding in the rainy season in Tanzania and Malawi, so even mosquito bites were causing severe problems. But that was not a fear of ours until we were in the middle of Africa. A word to the wise. If you are in Africa during the wet season and you have a cut that doesn’t even seem like it should matter, Don’t ignore it. Clean it and disinfect it, anything can become infected in a matter of 24 hours.

An Elephant in Chobe National Park, Luckily not in our Camp

6. Having Wild Animals surround our camps. We were camping right through the heart of Chobe National Park in Botswana and in forests in Ethiopia, but we never had a problem at night. We didn’t have electric fences or armed guards, we were just a little traveling community of campers pulling off at the side of roads or in clearings. We saw signs like a elephant dung all over the place, so we knew that a herd of elephants had passed through, but we never had the occasion of anything entering our camp. Oh except for Hyena’s surrounding us in Ethiopia, but they kept their distance. Just don’t wander off with your shovel to do your business too far in the middle of the night.

Relaxing at the Crater Lake with Usual Crowd of Children

7. Rocks being thrown at us in Ethiopia. This is a very real fear and it is well known that Ethiopian children like to throw rocks at cyclists. You can read all about it at my post at Brave New Traveler.

Our Bikes at Sunset

8. Contaminated Water. We were going to be riding through very dry and remote countries. We really haven’t ever had to worry about water before, you can buy bottled water nearly everywhere. Well, not in Sudan. Our trucks would stop and fill up at wells in towns and then purify our supply with tablets. Well, when drinking your water this way for 4 months you are bound to have a parasite or two sneak through and I had 3 different kinds accompany me back to Canada. I swear I still haven’t recovered.

Water stops in Sudan

9. Bandits. We have all heard about robberies and muggings and when you are cycling all alone for 120km each day, you would think that you would be pretty vulnerable. I especially cycled alone more than a lot of people. I was racing, but I wasn’t fast enough to keep up with the men’s peloton and I didn’t want to hang back with the expedition riders, so I was alone with no one in sight for hours on end. Only once did I worry a little about being robbed and that was when I was exhausted on a day in Ethiopia. I had a group of teenagers walking along with me harassing me, slapping me and grabbing at my things. One huge yell at them though and they left me alone. I also managed to find some extra energy to get back on my bike and ride up that epic hill that I much rather would have walked.

10. Living in Filth and Sweat. I sweat a lot, I mean buckets and after a workout, the first thing I need is a shower. Otherwise I become itchy and my skin stings and I am just generally uncomfortable. I burn easily too and whenever I am at the beach, sand stings my skin if I have gotten too much sun.

That is one Dirty Dave

In Sudan and Ethiopia, we were sun burnt and hot. Sand would stick to our skin mixed with sweat and we went for up to 6 days without access to water. We had enough water in the trucks to drink and cook with and that was it. The rest of the time we were on water rations and were not allowed to use it to bathe or clean. It was unbelievable, but I became used to being dirty. My skin toughened up and I didn’t even care that I couldn’t shower. If we had any water leftover in our water bottles at the end of the day, we were allowed to dump that over our heads, and that was really all that we needed. When we had days off, we would shower once, but if we had a second day off we would say, “why bother, I just showered yesterday!”

So after our adventures in Africa, we feel that we will be able to handle anything that the world can throw at us during our next travel. Or at least we are ready to face our fears head on.

Let’s Bike 207 km on the Elephant Highway in Botswana

debndave — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 07:00:14 +0000

Chobe National Park, Botswana

Yes, it was a very big week. 5 century’s (100 mile days) in a row with a 207 km day smack dab in the middle of it all. It was surprisingly not too bad. The winds were co-operating and the road was flat, so we just put on our I Pods and peddled the days away.

Dave raced with the pack all week and put in great times. He has become quite the cyclist on this trip and Jos, Bent, Chris and Berndt have been teaching him a lot of tactics and giving him lots of advice. I ended up riding on my own. I was a little worried because I was warned that the cross and head winds could be rough, but I couldn’ t find a pack that I was comfortable in. I wanted to go fast but I am not fast enough for the main race pack. But I did OK coming in with times less than an hour behind them each day. Except for the 207km day when Jos put the hammer down and road alone in a time of 5:45. The rest of the guys took it easy after lunch and Dave even road with me the rest of the day. So we all did in a respectable 7 hours 15min. Give or take a few minutes for each person.

Chobe River Cruise, Botswana

We are entering Namibia and checked Botswana’s Elephant Highway off the list. Lucky for us we went on the Chobe River Cruise to see lots of elephants and hippos because we didn’t see anything on the road. Other people saw giraffes, elephants, zebras, but I managed to see nothing except for the beautiful horses roaming free. At one time when I was all alone with not a car or rider in sight, I thought I saw a group of elephants. A baby on one side of the road with the rest on the other. I stopped afraid to go on because I didn’t want to get too close and tried to figure out what to do. I flagged down some drivers and after the 4th try a truck finally stopped. I asked them about the animals up ahead and their reply was “Yes the cows?” I laughed and told them that I thought they were elephants and I was afraid to ride through. They were very kind and followed me until I passed the cows anyway, just to be safe. I bet they will have a few laughs talking about the crazy tourist riding through a National Game Park on a bicycle that was afraid of some cows. So that was my elephant experience.

Hippo on Chobe River Cruise

When I think about what we did, I think it is a little nuts. One lady told Dave and Bent Lions eat people in the morning. Other people were told by locals that they never go on that road because it is too dangerous, and here we were riding till our hearts content hoping to spot some wildlife. I think it was OK though, animals are smart and transports drive that highway, I don’t think that they get too close. Now the bush camps were another story. We were all a little nervous when we saw elephant dung in the areas that we were camping in. Lets hope that a herd of them don’t decide to mosey on over to our camp one night. Nothing happened though and all we saw were some giant dung beetles.

Elephant of Chobe National Park

We are relaxing in Windhoek, Namibia for two very needed rest days. It is little Germany here. We have been eating like crazy and taking it easy at the mall. Everyone is pretty excited about there being a KFC here, but I have beeen craving a big mac. Unfortunately there is no McDonalds, so I am stuck waiting. Don’t worry though, we are thoroughly gorging on everything in sight.

We had to buy a new digital camera. We brought 2 point and shoots as well as our SLR. Well, we lost one to the rough sands of Sudan. (Electronics are put through the ringer there) and we had one stolen in Lusaka, Malawi. It was pretty stupid of us to let it happen, we had our guard down. The good news is that it was also on its last legs. The sand, rain mud and sweat had already put in on its last legs, so we weren’t too upset. The only problem was that we had a hard time buying another one until now because most of our rest days land on a Sunday and everything is closed. So, we unfortunately don’t have many photos from Botswana because we can’t carry (or better to say, we choose not to) our SLR with us on the bikes. But look out, we are going to go photo crazy for these last 2 week.

Chobe River Cruise, Botwana

Only 12 riding days and 1 rest day to go until Cape Town, and we are excited. 4 months is a long time to ride hard. We are going to travel around South Africa for a bit. We have to go to the wine region of course, that is a give in and we want to see the penguins. We also have yet to do a safari. Can you believe it. 4 months in Africa and no Lions, Zebras, Giraffes. There is no way we are leaving this place without seeing the big 5. But, I think we are going to stop off at the Serengeti on the way home. We still feel bad about missing it when we were in Arusha, but climbing Kilimanjaro was priority number one. Your really need more than 2 weeks in Tanzania to see everything in that amazing country. For now though, we are going to be checking out Namibia. Talk to you in a few days.

Victoria Falls, Adventure, Adrenaline, Nature. What a Rush.

debndave — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 16:08:13 +0000

Victoria Falls-What a Rush

Bridge to Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls

How do you spell adrenaline? V-I-C- F-A-L-L-S.

We had the most amazing rest days here in Livingstone Zambia, home of the mighty Victoria Falls.

Dave has always threatened that he would bungee jump in Victoria Falls if we ever made it there. Unfortunately, I thought that I would never have to deal with it. But here we are and yes, he jumped!

We started our day by driving out to the Zambian River Gorge where we abseiled down the cliff. That was a great experience. Dave did a front rappel, like Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible. I stayed with the more traditional approach of going down feet first.

Deb Ziplining of Gorge, Zambia

After our warm up on the tame 55 meter abseil, we went straight for the Zip Line, where we had to run off the cliff and dive head first out to the gorge. I was first up, and I am very afraid of jumping off of anything. I chickened out several times and finally had to let someone else go. Dave has it all on video, I was screaming like a baby. But once I saw Bruno go for it, it gave me the strength to take off. My first leap was pretty lame, but the lines had momentum and I was screaming over the gorge at a great speed.

By my second jump, I was confident and ran and dove with power.

Dave show-boated and dove right over my video camera on his jump and quickly became known as the daredevil in the group.

I was really happy to overcome my fear and do a couple of zips acting like Superman flying 100 metres over the gorge, but when I came to the Bungee Swing, there was no way you were getting me off of the rocks.

The guides kept trying to coax me into jumping, but it will never happen. People have always told us that we should go on the Amazing Race, but I would definitely lose the leg for us as soon as I had to jump. So, not even for a million dollars (O.K. maybe a million) would I be able to Bungee.

Dave at Gorge Swing, Vic Falls

But, Dave on the other hand, loves this stuff. I swear, he is going to give me a heart attack. He loves to push the limits. When it came to his jump, I can’t believe how calm he was. He stood still and looked relaxed until just a couple of seconds before his jump, when he yelled “This is insane!”

But he stepped off of the cliff, free fell for 55 meters and then proceeded to swing over to the other side of the gorge. Awesome. I was freaking out watching, but once he started swinging, I breathed a sigh of relief. I apologize for the photography, I didn’t do a very good job because of my nerves. But we do have some great video that we will post when we get home. Dave is the photographer in this relationship I am afraid. But, I did manage to get a couple of shots in.

Our Chopper over the Falls

Once one adrenaline rush was finished, we went straight to another.

Immediately after the bungee jump, we were whisked away to the helicopter pad to see the falls from a bird’s eye view. We flew right into the gorge tilting and weaving along the river. White water rafting in the sky like our pilot described it.

After soaking in the scenery, we pulled up to view the amazing falls. I thought Niagara was nice, but these falls are enormous! They are 1.7 km long! It was great to see the falls from the sky. When we went to visit the falls up close and personal, we couldn’t exactly see how large they were. We could feel the power because we were completely soaked. But, the mist was so strong that you couldn’t really see that far down the gorge. Seeing it from the sky, made it clear, just how giant these falls are.

It is completely unspoiled as well.

Canada's Adventure Couple @ Victoria Falls

There are paths to walk through and a bridge just a couple of hundred meters directly in front of the falls where crossing actually made you feel a little uncomfortable. The power of the water pelted you and rain jacket on the slippery bridge. It really is a natural wonder of the world.

We ended our time in Livingstone, Victoria Falls at the Zambezi Sun Hotel with a delicious and expensive buffet dinner. It is hilarious to watch TDA people at a buffet. Most people at these resorts are always a little plump, but here we all are- a little under nourished, over worked and starving. So you have a bunch of skinny people going up to the bar about 12 times putting all of the other diners to shame.

It was difficult to wake up at 5:30 the next day for a 40km time trial, but we were motivated because we crossed into Botswana and had to get our 95km ride over with quickly to make it to the Chobe River Safari in the afternoon at the amazing Chobe National Park.

We rode into camp after a pretty easy border and ferry crossing at 12:30 and had more than enough time to catch the boat at 3:30.

Victoria Falls seen from our Helicopter

It was well worth it. Elephants bathing in the long grass, Hippos Eating, Impalas, Monitor Lizards, Crocodiles and gorgeous scenery as we cruised down the river munching on brie and smoked salmon cheese and crackers (That of course we bought at the great Spar Grocery Store) We are all becoming addicted to that store. Everytime we come into a town with a town, we all head to the Spar and stalk up on food. That just goes to show you how poorly the tour feeds you!

But, I have to slow down my shopping because I am going to gain all of the weight back that I have lost! Did I tell you that Dave has lost 38 pounds?

It has been 4 days of riding the Elephant Highway and what a grueling ride. Long days all over 160 km, flat roads with head winds and crosswinds all the way. Oh and not one elephant. Good thing we did the safari in Chobe. Dave is riding with the racers now and doing those distances at average speeds around 38km per hour is killing him but he is enjoying it. Deb is putting down amazing times as she is riding solo and doing that with these winds is an amazing feat. Hopefully winds will change for the next leg as that includes a 208km day. We will see….

Three Months into the Tour d’Afrique; the Pressure’s on.

debndave — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:27:25 +0000

If all goes well, on May 10th we will be riding into Cape Town. These last three months have been some of the most difficult and challenging times of our life.

Dave and I do tend to put a lot of pressure on our selves though. He is still one of the few hanging on to EFI (riding every fabulous inch) and I am still trying to hang on to my race lead. A lead that keeps diminishing, because they can’t seem to get the times figured out. I was 20 hours ahead going into the previous section. I have gained 3 hours so far this section, but when they posted the times yesterday, I had lost 5 and now I am 15 hours ahead. How can a company that calls itself the world’s longest bike race not get their times right. It is very frustrating.

The distances are becoming insane. 195km, 205km, 187km.. How do a bunch of amateurs maintain this mileage?
A lot of people have actually decided not to. Some are taking off to explore the country or go ahead to the next city that we have our rest day to relax. Others have simply chosen to ride their bikes for half a day and hop on the trucks after lunch to enjoy the view.
Not Dave and I, we came here to ride and we are going to ride whether we like it or not!

5:30 comes early, but the days are becoming so hot that we have to leave before 7:00 to beat the heat. Some days the hills are just too much. My legs ache and I complain often that I just won’t be able to finish. Dave replies that I have been saying this for 3 months and I always finish.

My leg has pretty much healed. The sore is still there and it is hard to keep the flies off. I am paranoid about them laying eggs in the wound, since other people have told me their experiences. But I am over reacting. The pain is gone, but I have definitely lost strength. Dave said that he can see the difference between my two legs when I ride.
Dave is staying healthy and strong and I marvel at how easy he makes it all look. He says he is suffering, but I don’t see it. Unless you count his never ending gas.

I have accepted the fact that I zipped through the continent. To come to the TDA and think that you are actually going to have the time to experience the culture is completely naïve. People here will argue with me, but we are all just a travelling western society staying in camps that fence out the locals. A 10 min break at a coke stop does not make you a person who really got to know the areas that you have traveled through and 1 day off in 7, doesn’t exactly give you the chance to make up for lost time.
But I have accepted that. Seriously.

This is the ultimate test in human endurance. We push ourselves to the max everyday, and to make it to Cape Town after all that we have been through will be extremely rewarding. We aren’t pampered with masseurs like participants in the Tour de France. We set up our tents in the blinding sun after each ride trying to avoid the ants and compete with other riders for the shady spot to wait out the afternoon. We sit on little stools that fall apart as we eat our meal and fight for the small amount of second helpings that are left. Then we go to bed and listen to the locals party all night while we pray for silence so we can get at least a couple of hours to regain our energy.

I am O.K. with all of this because this is what I signed up for; too suffer. I thought it would be fun to test myself, but I realize that suffering isn’t fun. The TDA could do a lot more to ease our suffering, but that is for another blog.
But for now… let’s just say it needs some competition in the market.

We are in Lusaka for our rest day and we are going to experience some real Zambian culture by eating at Subway and catching a blockbuster movie with a big bag of popcorn in hand.

Ahh, this is our African experience.