All is green – we are in the Caprivi!
On our way to the Caprivi we arrived at Roy’s Rest Camp. We still pursued the idea of setting off the next day towards Khaudum NP. When we tried to find out if it had rained there recently – this would put the crossing in question for us – we looked into incredulous faces as we explained our idea.
We were unanimously advised against crossing the Khaudum on our own without a guide, or at least a second vehicle, unless we knew the park well. Supposedly, it’s not just deep sand, but also sloping drives in challenging terrain where you get stuck faster than you’d like. “Not many people get through there at this time of year” we were told, and our uncertainty grew.
We don’t let ourselves get carried away quickly, but after careful deliberation we decided against the crossing. The decision was close and by no means clear but in the end we decided for ‘safety’. The Caprivi is too important to us as that we wanted to lose valuable days in the case.
So, we stayed another day, updated the blog, swam in the small pool and enjoyed ourselves. Sonja studied the individual camps in the Iwanowski (guidebook). She researched how we could use the extra days that our decision brought to us.
Our arrival in the Caprivi strip
The next morning we set off for Rundu. We wanted to replenish our basic food stock. The idea is to reach Kasane in Botswana without having to make any sacrifices. Afterwards, we drove to the RiverDance Lodge shortly before Divundu and checked in.
Chris and Pascale, two Swiss, started to manage the lodge about five months ago and are very friendly and committed. In the evening Pascale told us a little about the history of the lodge and her eyes lit up. The two have found their luck and will continue to be excellent hosts. They are enthusiastic and full of passion.
The campsites are created with a lot of love. We have our toilet and shower, hot water and a piece of grass. You wouldn’t believe it, but this little piece of green can change everything. You have no idea how much we have missed this color!
Already on the way from Rundu to Divundu it became noticeably greener, and we enjoyed that very much. When Guido saw the grass, he took off his shoes and ran barefoot over the meadow.
A Sundowner Tour and plan ‘b’
For the later afternoon we booked the Sundowner cruise by boat on the Kavango. Chris advised us to book the accommodations for the Christmas season. They have ‘full house’ starting next week – the South Africans are coming….
He gave us another tip or two as far as accommodations were concerned. We spend the whole next day making bookings/reservations and telephone calls. The bad news is that MTC (our mobile phone provider) offers a very fluctuating network in this corner of Namibia. The good news is that we could reach some providers via whatsapp and in addition Chris made phone calls for us.
We have all but one accommodation booked for the night and to our delight we do not need a ‘plan b’. At Christmas, we treated ourselves to a luxury chalet at Camp Kwando and can sleep in a firm bed on Christmas Eve.
