Hello friends. Long time no see! Some personal stuff kept us busy for a while, but being travellers at heart, we decided to drop everything and get out of the city. We needed to get out into the African bush, hear a lion's mighty roar, the symphony of the bush, and some fresh air.
For a while now we have been discussing a trip to the Madikwe Game Reserve in the North West Province, as it offers abundant wildlife, some great lodges and is also malaria free! Then we were told about a very quaint bush lodge, or eco lodge as they prefer to be known, by the name of Mosetlha Bush Camp.
Must be honest, we like the finer things in life, and Mosetlha has none of those. No electricity, none of the fancy trimmings you have come to expect at the typical South African lodges. So we had our doubts whether this was going to be good for us. Still, the friend who told us is of the same mindset as us, and he was really raving about their experience, so we decided to give it a try.
As it turns out, it was one of the best decisions we have made in a very long time! What a wonderful place, and wonderful people! Not to mention some brilliant sightings!
You check in at the gate at half past 12, leave your car at the admin office and then a guide takes you to the camp. Very secluded, private and QUIET! Isn't that the most wanted requirement when in the bush? No noise, only the natural sounds of the bush. Music for a tired soul.
We got to the camp, and was greeted by the friendly staff, and then had a very welcome lunch served. Being an experienced Lodge visitor, the day is very typical, and true to form, you take your places on the open game viewing vehicle later that afternoon. 4 hours later we were back, tired, dusty and smiling from ear to ear! The first game drive - elephant, lion, buffalo, wild dog! 3 of the big 5 in that bunch. What a start to an unforgettable weekend.
If you are a bird watcher this will be paradise for you. So be sure to bring everything you need in that regard. With more than 340 bird species, you are going to be busy.
Dinners are always the highlight of the day, with the focus being on traditionally cooked food. And then, to end the day, a smooth single malt Johnny Walker Blue Label, staring into the fire whilst making smalltalk, under a pitch black sky covered with a blanket of stars. Then off to bed. The fresh air really gets to you! Bliss.
Early morning wake up call, coffee and off we went again, intrepid explorers in this vast and untamed reserve. Thank goodness for extremely informative guides, who do their best to unlock the secrets of the bush for us city dwellers.
You can also get right down to it and do a guided walk. Not being of the very fit variety, we again had some doubts and could imagine ourselves stumbling through the bush, gasping for breath and making such a ruckus that no animal would come within a mile of us! Surprise! No such thing. Hardly broke a sweat. Well ok, thats not true, I sweated like the proverbial pig, but that is due to the heat. So make sure you take water with you. This walk allows you to experience the bush in ways you never can do from the back of a vehicle. Try and find the Small 5 for a change. Heard about them? This is true! Amazing little creatures - the Elephant Shrew, the Leopard Tortoise, the Rhino Beetle, the Buffalo Weaver and the Ant Lion. Just when you thought you knew it all! Ever watched a colony of ants hard at work? Try that sometime. The bush is about all the things living in it, not just the Big 5. It will open up a whole new world for you.
Then breakfast, shower, and relaaaaaaax! I love reading, so being able to sit quietly in the bush while reading a good book has always been one of the better ways for me to relax and unwind. Of course, an afternoon nap always comes in handy as well.
You sleep in one of the nine raised wooden cabins, set nicely apart, right in the bush around the central camp area and lapa. Note - the camp is not fenced, so if you like walking in your sleep, rather tie your leg to the bed. That way, you might very well save yourself from a nasty surprise. Animals rule here, and great care is taken to make human intrusion into their world as small as possible.
Showering in a typical safari shower is definitely one of my new favourite pasttimes! Never thought I would say that about a communal shower block, with the water being heated in a donkey boiler (no real donkeys were hurt in this little exercise) but I have now changed my mind.
When it became time to leave again, we did so with very heavy hearts. This is one place that will see us again!
To sum it up in a sentence - a truly wonderful experience in a truly wonderful place, made even more so by people who have really made it their mission to make you feel right at home.
