My hubby, my hero
Trip Start
Mar 17, 2007
1
217
398
Trip End
Ongoing
Maun,
Botswana
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Without doubt: this is the best price/quality hotel we stayed in so far. There were even installing wireless as we left! The reception, the dining area and the pool were just redone and the staff trained to perfection. Certainly, in these country: a big exception. I can change tomorrow but for today, if in the neighbourhood: check it out: Chobe Safari Lodge;
www.chobesafarilodge.com
.
We have 630 km to drive and here, you never know how long it will take. The road LOOKS OK. We are heading for Maun, in the centre of Botswana. We cannot go straight: that road is only accessible for 4X4. We have to do a big detour triangle. Elephants are walking just beside of the road!
The road IS paved but in fact worse than any of the gravel roads. It is full of pot holes. Some are till 1 meter deep. We find out the hard way: BOINK and slap- slap- slap- slap. Yup, the sign of a blown tire. RIGHT in the middle of Kasane and Natan. Also right in the middle of nowhere. No mobile reach. I freak out: what should we do now? My perfect hubby says very calmly: change the tire. Gets out, put up the emergency triangle, takes out the tools and the spare wheel and checks the manual to determine where to put the jack. The wheel is already of and I am still running around like a headless chook. A local, whose truck broke down further on, gives us moral support and useful advice. The only 2 cars passing by both stop to ask whether we are OK. In Belgium 200 cars would have driven by and NONE would stop (right, Michal?) My wonder hubby fixes the whole thing in a quarter of an hour! Happy to get back into the car, this is a game reserve with dangerous animals. And sure enough, right after we left with our new tire, an aggressive elephant, next to our car!
When we reach Natan, we have mobile range and Dr T calls AVIS. We already checked: there is an AVIS office in Maun, our destination for the day. AVIS help line will call them and get back to us. AND THEY DO! Another car will be ready tomorrow morning in the AVIS office. First see and then believe, said the blind but it sounds professional.
300 more kilometres to go: slowly! Where will we stay in Maun? Without internet access, our only information is indeed ... the Lonely Planet. There is only 2 in the centre: Riley's hotel and Maun Lodge. We were not impressed by Riley's and Maun Lodge was ... not where the book said it was. We went for their 3th preferred option: Sedia hotel, highly recommended in the book. Failed to impress us. The room, although arty, is very small. Needless to say, the broken lamp on my little desk, reported immediately, was never replaced, our terrace had a view on nothing and the so praised swimming pool was green with foam on and also staid like that.
The restaurant is OK, we have a meal outside. They do not have our first, second and third choice. They suggest another one, which sounds fine but it is BIIIIIG bottle. No worries, we will take the rest.
And tomorrow, tomorrow, we will have a perfect car again and we will book our excursions, don't you think?
