Chobe to Nata – 320 km in two days. That was effectively 190 km and 130km. 190km – a new record and a solid day on the bike. But that is not what will get recorded in the memory banks.
Chobe to Nata is 320 km of African bush. It is apparently tribal territory, but we didn’t see any signs of life at all. At least no signs of human life. We saw everything from bush buck to baboons, lilac breasted rollers, vultures and elephants. Let us not forget the elephants. Cycling past elephants is not my favourite pastime! I was scared out of my little mind!
Yesterday, we approached a breeding herd, and it involved a cow with tail flying and ears flapping, breaking into something somewhat faster than she walks, herding her young away from the road. OK. Perhaps it wasn’t quite as dangerous as I was imagining, but basically, I was pretty close to a seriously agitated elephant and her calf. Not cool at the time, but pretty unbelievably awesome on reflection!
At 190km down, the sun beat us to the 200km mark and we gave in to the attractions of a bush camp. We have camped on the side of the road before, we have gone without water for cleaning for days on end, we have gone for days cycling across the remoteness of the Sudanese desert… but camping in the Botswanan bush was like nothing else.
It was only as we were crouched around the fire that a tale was relayed that caused some merriment. One of our trusty seconders had been firmly resolved against the idea of joining us for a stint on the bike. It seemed he wasn’t partial to the possibility of having an encounter with an elephant whilst on his bicycle. Fairplay to him, and if I had the choice, in all honesty I would probably have come to the same conclusion! But I digress… the sun was setting and as agreed our trusty seconders drove off to find a campsite. They noticed a small clearing, well-concealed from the road and Elly at the wheel asked George to go and suss out the spot. Not more than a minute later, George came hurtling out of the bush and onto the road. Elly recounts how it took two minutes to get out of George what had happened… apparently he been startled by a buck. Good thing he wasn’t there with the elephants.
I fell asleep to imaginary Hyena calls, clinking wine glasses, crackling embers and visions of an elephant charging through our tents… I woke up at 2am bitterly, bitterly cold and desperate to go to the toilet, but not that excited to break the caccoon of my sleeping bag to venture into the animal infested dark. Some form of cold front has come through… and we are being shocked out of our comfort zones of balmy weather.
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