Brandon Bosch Memorial Ride - Africa 2021

[DASKOP]

None of this existed. Louis and Amori had achieved their dream.

 

[DASKOP]

After visiting Shametu, I took a drive to Bagani village, before returning to Rainbow.

 

[DASKOP]

Back at Rainbow, Gideon was taking some new visitors to see the Popa Falls and he invited me with.

 

[DASKOP]

Popa Falls.

 

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Back to the lodge.

 

[mike gs]

Thanks for the amazing RR, started at the beginning and followed it along. I'm an ex PE boikie so it resonates a bit. Lived in Cotswold and went to Alex.

Sent from my SM-G980F using Tapatalk

 

[DASKOP]

Sunset at Rainbow River Lodge. I am enjoying it with my boy. How I dearly wish he was actually sitting here next to me.

 

[DASKOP]

These photos are not the greatest, but Gideon was braaiing, I got some puppy love and made new friends.

 

[DASKOP]

31 May 2021

Amazing breakfast on the deck and my Kingfisher friend was visiting again.

Brandon's 13th sticker was put on the Namibia map in the restaurant area.

Matilda was packed, we tackled the gravel hill up to reception, where my card did not want to work. Gideon and I drove into Divundu, where I drew the cash and settled my bill, which was a fraction of what it should have been, all thanks to the generosity of my host and my friends who contributed.

 

[DASKOP]

Time to cross the Okavango and head down the Caprivi to Katima Mulilo.

Into the Bwabwata National Park. I stopped at the entrance to where the 32 Bat base was, we actually went into the base in 2013, but now a new entrance had been built closer to the road, and bikes are not allowed in. So it was back onto the long straight main road.

 

[DASKOP]

The B8 main road through the Caprivi is just long, straight and boring.

The extent of the de-forestation along the road is very sad. Once again, if they had just maintained a green belt on both sides of the road, the previously natural forest vegetation would have enhanced the drive. Compounds, villages, smallholdings, whatever you want to call them, are sprouting up all the way along the route.

Like on my previous trips, it is evident that accident vehicles are not recovered, just stripped where they are. And goats are an ever present hazard, they will dash across the road without warning.

 

[DASKOP]

The road is straight and butt numbing, so stopping is essential.

What is a shack without a dish? Lets watch TV instead of cultivating our land.

Did not see this animal anywhere, but at least I saw some other wildlife.

 

[DASKOP]

Just before Kongola, I stopped at the Kwando River, just to give the bum a rest and check Matilda and the tyres.

 

[DASKOP]

Then I saw this sign and decided to have a look.

A Crocodile leather processing and tanning centre. Should be quite interesting.

 

[DASKOP]

I just had to climb this tower and see the area from up there.

This was supposed to be a lodge.

 

[DASKOP]

According to the watchman, the government did not pay the contractor and it all came to a grinding halt.

Such a waste.

Down the road is where the processing area was supposed to be. Never happened. How many employment opportunities could there have been? I mean, there are more than enough crocodiles to harvest in a way which would not have a negative impact on the environment.

 

[DASKOP]

A road side butcher on the way to Katima Mulilo.

 

[DASKOP]

I eventually arrived at the Namwi Island Lodge and Campsite. The sand road to the lodge was a nightmare.

Upon arrival, Willie, the owner, told me that their restaurant was closed due to Covid. I had no provisions for self-catering and just was not prepared to face the sand road back to Katima to do shopping. Willie asked Jakkie, the manager to take me into town do do some shopping, which he duly did and he also showed me the three places where I could have my Covid test done and where I could do currency exchange for the Zambian border. Dealing with the freelance money changers at any border is an absolute nightmare.

We return to the lodge and I prepare my evening meal.

 

[DASKOP]

Sunset at Namwi.

After supper, I sat there in the dark. Eventually it was 22h55. I felt lost. How do I make sense of this?

Why am I even doing this? What difference is it going to make? I am sharing, what should be an amazing adventure, but it will come to an end and I will have to return to normal life and face the reality. What then?

I will never ever, for the rest of my life, feel my boy's arms around me, and hear him say "I love you Dad".

How the f..... do I deal with this? How?

 

[DASKOP]

01 June 2021

My first morning on the Zambezi.

After my morning coffees, panniers off of Matilda and I faced the sand road and went to Katima to have my Covid swab taken. DiagnoLab, NAD800 instead of the NAD1500 at the Government hospital. Results should be available within 48 hours. I also did some shopping as I was going be staying another 2 nights at Namwi. The currency exchange could not be done because they were closed.

Back to Namwi.