Gael warning in the Congo

[Drumacoon Lad.]

There also seemed to be a competition between the trees to see who could get the most cattle underneath. There was also a ready supply of charcoal by the roadside for anyone doing a braai after this lorry shed it's load.

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[Drumacoon Lad.]

As i rode along on friday i noticed a lot of white butterflies, however when I stopped and saw the butterflies land, like in this little group, the look green and resemble leaves. This last photo is the garden of the hotel and has magnificent trees, so I was happy.

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[wanderingmerv]

If you are in Maun, there is a school right beside the Mercedes campsite. We stayed there overnight, and at about 6 or 7pm (just gotten dark) the school started their choir practice. The whole campsite went quiet as it was really rather special.

Anyways, that may be a home for your school supplies?

Loving the RR.
Merv.

 

[Drumacoon Lad.]

Cheers Merc, the choir sounds a great experience. Will look up that campsite.

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[Drumacoon Lad.]

This update has no bike related stuff just planes, Land Cruisers and animals, lots of animals! We spent the last few days on a lodge on the Okovango Delta. We pushed the boat out, and Simon negotiated a great deal as it is low season. The experience included a flight to the Delta, being picked up by a Land Cruiser and transport to the lodge. It would be wrong to say we were in a tent, more like a 4 star hotel suite covered in canvas. Despite the luxury, the best bit was being bounced around in the Land Cruiser twice a day, getting great views of animals in a natural setting. We had an excellent guide who his stuff with animals, birds and plants. I've whittled the photos down but here are a sample of what we saw.

Elephants, lots of them. The great thing was, we didn't have to go looking for them, they just came across them as we drove around. Fifty or sixty of them would just pass by. Large family groups with young. The occasional youngster would protest at our being there but mostly they got on with their day. One night as we drove back to camp we came across a large group. Having the elephants pass by us in the near dark is a memory we'll have for a long time.

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[Drumacoon Lad.]

We saw a few leopards, one disappearing into the Bush, carrying, we believe, his young. Another one up a tree with a kill and lastly, a frisky one who gave us quite a scare.

The leopard with the kill illustrated the behaviour where they take a kill up a tree to keep it safe from other preditors. In this case it was a small warthog, partially eaten.

The last leopard sighting was the one which gave us a bit of a fright. The leopard was lounging on a tree when we arrived. Suddenly it jumped down and headed straight for our vehicle. We all froze!. It continued in a stalking attitude, but instead of jumping on us on the vehicle(as we feared), it went underneath and came out the other side and headed off after some impala. We all started to breath again.

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[Drumacoon Lad.]

There were lions of course, scary look and superior look!

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[Drumacoon Lad.]

These guys were also there. To set the scene, at the end of each drive we would stop, get out and have an aperitif in a nice safe place, before driving back to the lodge. Our last evening we pulled up at this river and a hippo appeared, then another, and finally we saw 5, but there was something else. Then we spotted the baby, also in the water and only coming up occasionally, showing nose and ears. It was a great way to round off the day. We knew these animals were dangerous but seeing them in this river, diving and eating vegetation, we, mostly, felt relaxed in their company. The one out of the water, was a sighting as we drove by, he'd come out to begin his nights grazing near the river.

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[Oldrat]

Wonderful, a fabulous story to bring back to your grandchildren

 

[Edventure]

Great photos Jim!!

 

[Drumacoon Lad.]

The second giraffe photo was taken from the deck of the lodge, they were just passing by. Then we have hyenas, jackals, wild dogs(seen at night) and lots of antelopes including kudu and impala.

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[Drumacoon Lad.]

OK, I'll wrap this up now, but I couldn't leave out the birds, and they were exceptional. They all have names and I know most of them but they're pretty good to just look at.

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[Drumacoon Lad.]

I know the last updates have not been about motorbikes but we got here by motorbike, Kit from Windhoek, me from Congo and Simon from Hampshire in UK. Half the pleasure of long distance biking is the riding but a big part is that you can get to great places like the Delta.

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[MikeS]

I know the last updates have not been about motorbikes but we got here by motorbike, Kit from Windhoek, me from Congo and Simon from Hampshire in UK. Half the pleasure of long distance biking is the riding but a big part is that you can get to great places like the Delta.

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No need to justify the lack of biking content, these posts are great.

 

[simondippenhall]

And before we left to fly into the Delta, I had one of the by now familiar ‘Oh no it won’t start!’ moments on the GS as we set out one morning.

No ignition light, a loose connection to battery is diagnosed by the master mechanic Jim:


Seemed odd as it had been tightened carefully before. Further diagnosis showed what happens to a lead battery post when the wrong size bolt (9 not 10) without adequate washers is taken on and off a lot

I think that all dates back to its sojourn in Cameroon where this otherwise very strong battery was fitted (and where the fuel gauge signed off and fuel retrieval problems first appeared).


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[simondippenhall]

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[Two wheels good]

No need to justify the lack of biking content, these posts are great.

I agree. Wildlife photos welcome -and bird names too. But no need to go to the trouble of Latin names.
Ibis, crane?, egret(no longer an exotic foreigner), hornbill?

 

[Ash]

Stunning pictures boys..

Enjoyable & some...

I eargerly await your updates..

 

[crumbles]

Dog with with big ears is called a
Painted Wolf..
Cracking holiday your all having...

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

OK, I'll wrap this up now, but I couldn't leave out the birds, and they were exceptional. They all have names and I know most of them but they're pretty good to just look at.

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Racist...