After 1 week, my time in Botswana has come to an end. It seems I have been here for ages already, but the calendar doesn’t lie. I must admit that it has been a disappointment. This is not exactly Botswana’s fault, but has more to do with my expectations, mindset and mentality. Having gotten to the stunning landscapes and views that South Africa and Namibia provide in abundance, I was under the expectation that Botswana would offer much the same African beauty. This was unfortunately not exactly the case. The north half of the country is extremely flat and covered in bush. This means that in terms of views there is fokol to see. There were beautiful sceneries in the Makgadikgadi pans and the Okavango delta, however I was immediately left longing for these sprawling landscapes. My second grief was in my mindset. After our more than trying experience of dirt roads in Namibia, I had developed a kind of fear of the dirt, especially sand. One I knew I had to overcome and learn to love (which, in the meantime, I have). As a result, I stayed on the tarmac main roads. These go in very long straight lines from one settlement to the next and are extremely boring on a motorcycle. The few times I was eager to go off-road and spend time in the wilderness (such as camping on the salt pans) there was no petrol at the station that was supposed to be my lifeline… And I was sooo not in the mood to get stuck in the desert, again. Lastly, I must admit that the timing of this visit simply wasn’t right. The end of the dry season means Botswana is effectively a desert. Even the Delta was at it’s lowest in a while. This is great for game viewing, but that wasn’t why Botswana has been a dream of mine to visit for years. I wanted to see the landscapes that are completely unique to this country.

As such, I have opted to leave Botswana rather quickly and head on to Angola, which I’m hoping will offer the landscapes that I so desperately crave. I also move on with a new mindset, of loving riding in the dirt. I have opted to ride to an area, set up a base and drop my gear and then go see the sights on day trips, travelling light. I will definitely return to Botswana at some stage in my life, at the end of the rainy season and with a 4x4 car with insanely long fuel range.

With that, I say goodbye Botswana and hello Angola. The next step of this adventure begins.