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Peter CraigPeter Craig
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Peter Craig

Peter Craig

Travel organiser and tour director at Viv’s Travel Bug
Former founding staff member and Deputy Headmaster Oxley College, Bowral Läs mer🇦🇺Burrill Lake
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    • Peter CraigResenärOxleyinBotswana3

      School & Community introductions

      9 oktober 2018, Botswana ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

      We woke up to bad news this morning. Rani Ritchie had received a message that her mother had been hospitalised and transferred to intensive care: and the decision was made that she and Luca would return to Australia on the first available flight.

      We all breakfasted in a very somber mood. The group travelled into Maun on a benched truck (which went to Sedie School) and a jeep which went looking for a travel agency in town to book the Ritchie flights.

      Once the flights were settled we all met at Sedie and were introduced to their Sedie ‘buddies’ in an introductory meeting in the computer room. There was an M/C, and speeches by the school head, deputy head, and a primary school representative. We were made to feel most welcome.

      Afterwards the student groups intermingled before we all left the school, Oxley students going to the town museum and the Ritchies to the airport. It was a sad farewell and we all wished them a speedy trip and a successful outcome.

      An interesting tour of the museum was followed by a picnic lunch in the museum grounds.

      From the museum our truck took us to the Maun tkotla (tribal meeting place) where we were the guests of honour at a formal ceremony acknowledging how important our link to the schools is regarded locally. The paramount chief’s representative was there, as was the Sedie chief, the school head and other dignitaries. Much of the welcome was spoken in Tswana but it was interpreted for us.

      At the end of a long afternoon we were taken to the local mall where we all shopped for drinks and snacks. From there it was back to our camp at Sitatunga and a swim or volleyball before dinner.

      There were bush babies in the nearby trees. After dinner we rehearsed our lessons for our first day at Mathiba Primary School tomorrow.

      It had been a emotionally taxing day - both at farewells and at very formal occasions - and the Oxley group came through it most impressively.      Läs mer

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    • Peter CraigResenärOxleyinBotswana3

      The return to Sitatunga

      8 oktober 2018, Botswana ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

      It was a more leisurely start to the day this morning as most enjoyed the sleep-in to 6.30 . Tents came down before breakfast and backpacks filled.

      The camp was left clean as our 17 mokoros made their way through the reeds. There was plenty of light-hearted conversation between polers and passengers as each had become friends. By 9.30 we were back at Boro, the waterside village from which we had set out 3 days earlier.

      All our gear was loaded on to two Delta Rain trucks (our supplier) and we drove slowly back, through Maun, to Sitatunga Camp. We had to reconfigure the tents but eventually all was settled and we moved in.

      Before lunch we said our farewells to Laban and Munya. They had looked after us well but their role in our itinerary was over: and shortly afterwards they departed on their return trip to Victoria Falls.

      After lunch we swam and then came back together for a mid-afternoon talk/presentation, given to us, most generously by Drs Leanne van der Weyde and Jess Isden of Wildcru. Leanne talked about cheetah conservation in Botswana and showed us slides as she talked. Jess discussed how her organisation was trying to change the perceptions of farming communities to predators living nearby. Both talks were most illuminating.

      After the talks the volleyball court and swimming pool again became popular.

      At dinner, in the camp restaurant, we were joined by Mrs Senatla Mokobela, the Head of Sedie School. She was welcomed by all.      Läs mer

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    • Peter CraigResenärOxleyinBotswana3

      A game-viewing walk & a mokoro sunset

      7 oktober 2018, Botswana ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

      A really sleepy group slowly emerged from 5.30 in preparation for this morning’s walk. Morning tea/coffee and rusks to start the day. Everybody carried plenty of water.

      We walked in groups of 7 or 8 with a guide I in front and an associate at the rear. Within a few minutes we had seen a group of 4 giraffes and then, in the course of the walk, hippo (in pools) lechwe, impala, reedbuck, zebra, warthog, wildebeest and baboons.

      After 2 hours of walking we had a break before making our way back to camp. The island we walked on was generally flat grasslands with occasional termite mounds. There were occasional palms, sausage trees, and mapani and then reeds and grass around the pools from which the early summer heat was causing the waters to recede.

      In all, our walk lasted 4 hours and the brunch we returned to was most welcome. Munya had done a great job. After that we retreated to the shade to relax, to doze, read, or play cards with the polers.

      Late afternoon a few were taken by the polers to a pool where they could take a refreshing, and cleansing, swim.

      Just before sunset we all travelled in our mokoros to a large pool and we sat on the reed periphery watching a pod of hippos cavorting and kingfishers dive-fishing as the sun went down. It was a beautiful scene. After the golden globe dropped below the horizon the colours in the sky reddened.

      After dinner around the campfire, a space was cleared, the fire stoked up and we were treated to some local singing and dancing. It was great fun with some of us joining in; particularly the frog dance.

      In return, Oxley managed several group songs including a interesting rendition of the school song and the national anthem.

      It had been a very hot day but everyone coped.      Läs mer

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    • Peter CraigResenärOxleyinBotswana3

      Mokoros & the Okavango delta

      6 oktober 2018, Botswana ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

      Probably the best night of our trip - cool but not cold - and everybody slept well. By 6.00 the camp was astir and packing items into their backpack for our mokoro safari into the delta. Tents and mattresses came with us while our suitcases remained in the truck with Laban at Sitatunga.

      We loaded up 2 vehicles (a truck carrying 16 of us plus camping gear, and a Jeep plus trailer brought the rest). The trip to the nearest point of the Okavango delta at Boro took us through Maun and northwards before turning westward along a twisting dirt road. The whole journey took us 1.5 hours.

      At Boro we loaded up 17 mokoros with passengers, camping gear, and food, and were poled for 2 hours through narrow channels in the reeds to the island on which we camped. On the way we saw Maribou storks, water lilies and a pod of hippos in a lagoon.

      We settled in by putting up our tents and then it was time for lunch. It was an extremely hot afternoon and we relaxed in the shade, reading, playing cards or games, swimming or napping.

      As the afternoon cooled, we broke up into 4 groups and with a guide walked into the interior of the island looking at local fauna and flora. In the course of our 1.5 hour walk we saw a herd of elephants reasonably close and buffalo, wildebeest and zebra in the distance. On our return, walking into the dying sun, a reedbuck went passed us.

      Back for dinner around the campfire. Munya had done another great job. After dinner we sat around talking before heading for bed.      Läs mer

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    • Peter CraigResenärOxleyinBotswana3

      Meerkats & Salt Pans

      5 oktober 2018, Botswana ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

      (The wifi has been too weak to upload or the satellite dish has not been working)(and now the campground at Sitatunga is full and everybody is trying to get on!).

      We were up again at 5.00 but this time we didn’t have to take our tents down. We had an early morning drink in the Planet Baobab lounge before boarding our jeeps (one had a puncture before we even left the camp.

      Two hours of a bumpy dusty sandy track and we were in the desert grasslands close to the pans. Splitting into 2 groups, we visited seperate meerkat colonies and spent an hour observing their fascinating behaviour. Several insects were dug up and even a large scorpion was consumed by an excited meerkat.

      From the meerkats, we drove a few kilometres to the vastness of the dry Ntetwe Pan (part of the Makgadigadi Salt Pans) and way out on the flat, crusty pan we had a breakfast picnic. The vastness was eerie but breakfast was most welcome.

      The return journey was much the same - sandy, bumpy tracks and clouds of dust - but it had all been worth it.

      Once back at Planet Baobab we took down tents and packed the bus before a late lunch. As soon as we could, we were on the truck for our 3 hour drive to Maun. The road deteriorated in patches but at least we saw the occasional pairs of ostriches.

      Once in Maun we had some free time while Munya and Laban bought the food we would be taking with us to the delta. So some exchanged money, others bought water or snacks and some engaged with a group of kids congregating near our truck.

      From Maun we drove to Sitatunga Camp and pitched our tents before dinner was served. After dinner we had a debriefing and an informative session about requirements for our delta camping

      It had been another interesting day, with everyone tired but happy.      Läs mer

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    • Peter CraigResenärOxleyinBotswana3

      Flamingos & cattle posts

      4 oktober 2018, Botswana ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

      The whole camp rose before 5.00 am, packed their bags, rolled up sleeping mats, breakfasted and were on the game-viewing jeeps before 6.00.

      We headed south down the main road for about 10 kms before turning off through the Nata Sanctuary gate, passing into dry grasslands.

      On the way to the Makgadikgadi Salt pans we stopped to look at herds of wildebeest and zebra. Then we drove across dry pans before emerging on the water’s edge - and hundreds of flamingos. We worked our way closer to them - Lochlan and Jamie even wading knee-deep - but they remained elusively out of reach. After a while we returned to the jeeps for coffee and rusks.

      From there, we moved along the shoreline and up on to a promontory and there in front of us was a huge body of water - and pelicans, ducks and more flamingos. Apparently a cyclone in the Mozambique Channel dumped a lot of water on Zimbabwe and Botswana last year: which had reached the pans via the Nata River.

      On the way back to Nata Lodge we saw coran (the helicopter bird) and several ostriches.

      The truck was packed and ready to and soon we were heading westwards out of Nata. After an hour’s drive, just before Gweta, we had reached our destination, Planet Baobab. This is aptly named as there are several huge baobabs on the property and when at night, as they are, there is an element of interplanetary travel.

      Their guides were waiting for us and soon, in 3 jeeps, we were taken on a tour, which included Gweta Primary School (into a couple of classrooms), the village pond, and a sorghum beer maker (just a taste). From there we visited a cattle post before returning to Planet Baobab for a traditional local lunch. This consisted of sadza (a thick maize mash), wild spinach, fried mapani worms, tripe, beans, smashed beef and polenta.

      It was a hot afternoon which we spent in and around the pool., waiting for the heat of the day to abate. When it did, up went our tents and we moved our bags in.

      Munya prepared another filling meal with dessert, and we sat around talking until the evening debriefing.

      It had been another good day with several saying that they had enjoyed it the most so far .      Läs mer

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    • Peter CraigResenärOxleyinBotswana3

      Driving south to Nata

      3 oktober 2018, Botswana ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

      From about 6.00 this morning, everybody was moving and tents were down before breakfast at 7.00. We were on the highway heading south from Kasangula just before 8.00, which was a really good result.

      It took us about 4.5 hours to reach our campsite with stops on the road after 2 hours for a toilet break, then a stop to go through a Foot & Mouth station, followed by a camp fresh food shop in Choppies supermarket in Nata.

      Tents up, lunch eaten and we were ready for a swim at the Nata Lodge pool as it was a really warm afternoon. It was a very pleasant, lazy afternoon at this oasis in the dry Botswanan bush. Most swam but there was also a bit of shopping.

      Dinner at 7.15, cooked by Munya and a happy birthday rendition for Rosie. Since we had a very early start the next morning it was an early night for most.      Läs mer

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    • Peter CraigResenärOxleyinBotswana3

      Elephants without Borders

      2 oktober 2018, Botswana ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

      It was a pleasant slow start to the morning with everyone up well before breakfast at 8.00am. We all made our own lunch sandwiches and fruit choices. By 9.00 Laban had driven us the few kilometres to the Kasane town shopping centre and we went looking for money exchanges (it has been the Botswana Day long weekend and not everything has been open), bottled water and snacks.

      An hour later we were off to nearby Kasangula where Elephants without Borders has its property which consists of offices, accommodation for some staff and a baby elephant orphanage.

      We were welcomed by 2006 Old Oxleyan Dr. Tempe Adams with a presentation that explained how EWB operated and what they did. As an NGO, they have made a huge contribution with arterial surveys, community involvement and education, and now orphaned elephants.

      At the end of the presentation Tempe was asked where they got their operating funds from (part government, part fundraising). She was delighted to receive the funds that Ollie, Will, Archie and Jonny had raised at their sausage sizzle.

      While half the group had lunch, the remainder went to visit the three orphans in their enclosure. It was great fun being able to touch and watch them, and see them being fed.

      After lunch we all helped Tempe make noise deterrents (groups of 3 used drink cans tied together to rattle in the wind when attached to a farmer’s fence) and chili bombs (a mixture of elephant dung, cooking oil and chilies which will burn for long enough to scare off an elephant herd).

      Once that was done we used our safari truck to visit a local farm and helped the farmer by attaching the ‘noise makers’ to his fence to protect his cabbages.

      Tempe joined us for dinner that night (after we had had a swim). For dessert, we celebrated Bella’s birthday with a cake.

      It has been another great day - and a most worthwhile addition to the tour itinerary.      Läs mer

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    • Peter CraigResenärOxleyinBotswana3

      Game-viewing on land & water

      1 oktober 2018, Botswana ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

      Everybody seemed in good spirits as we assembled for a 5.30 am early morning drink and breakfast. By 5.45 we were on our 3 jeeps heading along the road to the Sedudu entrance gate to Chobe NP.

      There followed 2 hours of searching, of scanning the surrounding river frontage and adjoining banks for any signs of wildlife.

      There were no elephants like yesterday as the elephants do not like to spend the night by the water. But there were buffalo, hippo, baboons, and a fascinating variety of birds (spoonbills fishing, fish eagles, hammerkop, lilac-crested rollers, carmine bee- eaters, vultures, etc. We watched young impala males practicing their fighting and a troop of baboons going about their family business ( mothers fussing over babies, youngsters playing catch & seek).

      We stopped for a break in one of the Stretch Sites before slowly making our way back to the park gates. It had been a morning when we just missed Painted Dog on one occasion and lions swimming across the river on another. But that is the luck of attempting to see game in the wild.

      Back at Thebe River Lodge, we waited for brunch by using the wifi, doing some washing or generally relaxing. After our meal it was time for a swim.

      We left the camp at 2.30 for our cruise on the Chobe River. We had the flat-bottomed, two storey game-viewing boat to ourselves and thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon until sunset.

      On the cruise we crept close to animals drinking in the river (kudu, impala, warthog, elephants) and those on the shoreline (buffalo, elephant, crocodile, lechwe, hippos). And there were spoonbills, herons, storks, spinners and fish eagles to watch.

      Our cruise ended with the usual magical sunset, the sun’s red ball disappearing into the Chobe River, tinging the flowering reeds in yellow.

      A good meal from Munya followed and we headed for bed, tired but happy. It has been a great day, enjoyed by everyone.      Läs mer

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    • Peter CraigResenärOxleyinBotswana3

      From the Falls to Chobe

      30 september 2018, Botswana ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

      We anticipated an early rise this morning but the next door campsite beat us to it when they started pulling their tents down at 5.00 am, instructed by someone who sounded like Peter Craig (but wasn’t).

      So we easily managed our own early start with tents and bags packed and breakfast over by 7.30.

      With the truck packed we drove the short distance to the Falls car park, where we met our guide ‘Innocent’. He took us on 2 hour visit in which we started at the bridge viewpoint and worked out way backwards to the statue of David Livingstone. There was little water going over on the Zambian half of the falls but things improved on the Zimbabwe side. They are a spectacular sight!

      After our visit we left the town and drove for an hour to the Botswana border, and after going through the Foot & Mouth prevention chemical pan, we drove to the nearby town of Kasane. We bought drinks and snacks while Munya & Laban went food shopping.

      Lunch was late and shortly after that we on our jeeps heading for our first game drive in Chobe National Park. We were lucky enough to see large herds of elephants, kudu, impala, hippo, waterbuck and zebra. There was even a distant sighting of a pride of lion which we hope to improve upon tomorrow morning.

      Dinner back at the camp, a debriefing and an early night as everyone was exhausted. It had been a great day!      Läs mer

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