Freebooter

Life & Travels Afloat in our Moody

Ngepi – Tiger Fishing

Our friends, Daniel and Ezeth from Windhoek, were meeting up with us and the highlight was a day tiger fishing on the river. These fish are aggressive and have serious … Continue reading

March 29, 2023 · Leave a comment

Ngepi

Ngepi River Lodge, on the bank of the Kavango river, (think Okavango), is a quirky and fun camp. One notable feature was the river swimming pool in a submerged cage … Continue reading

March 29, 2023 · Leave a comment

Chobe River and Divundu

Kasane, a town on the bank of the river that forms the border with Namibia, was a useful stop to rest after the mammoth drive from Kwai. It also made … Continue reading

March 21, 2023 · Leave a comment

Kwai to Ngoma

The route crossed a couple of reserves, (each involving registering and payment), and after some 60 kms of soft sand, we arrived at the first gate. There was then a … Continue reading

March 17, 2023 · Leave a comment

Khwai

Kwai is situated towards the northern part of the Okavango, and is another substantial conservancy run by the local community. It is very flat, and is effectively bordered on two … Continue reading

March 15, 2023 · Leave a comment

Xakanaxa to Khwai

Water buffalo look benign and lazy, but this hides a fiercely protective nature and care needs to be taken around them. Telephoto lenses are highly recommended. A termite mound that … Continue reading

March 15, 2023 · Leave a comment

Xakanaxa

As we were packed ready to leave, our attention was drawn to a spot about 30m from where we were standing. A pack of wild dogs had huddled up for … Continue reading

March 2, 2023 · Leave a comment

Moremi – Third Bridge & Xakanaxa

After breakfast, the trailer is unhooked, (with a quiet prayer that the baboons don’t get too inquisitive whilst we are out), and we go out on a game drive. (They … Continue reading

February 25, 2023 · Leave a comment

Maun & Beyond

The town is rightly known as the gateway into the Okavango Delta. It is the last point of ‘civilisation’, and the place to provision and replenish. You can get most … Continue reading

February 21, 2023 · 1 Comment

What is it like to do a long bush trip?

There is a lot of planning, not surprisingly. Leaving aside the route and camp bookings, a good 4×4 is essential, like our Land Rover Discovery 4. It needs to have … Continue reading

February 20, 2023 · Leave a comment

Onward to Maun

Leaving the park gate at Kaa behind, we had optimistically thought that the ‘road’ would then be rather easier. Not so, it was just as bad, and another long sand … Continue reading

February 19, 2023 · Leave a comment

Kgalagadi

This huge reserve is over 200 kms long, and probably about 150 kms wide. The last time we visited, the wildlife was very much in evidence, by contrast to this … Continue reading

February 18, 2023 · 1 Comment

That Long Awaited Bush Trip

Back in 2019, we started to plan a six week camping trip in 2020 through Botswana and Namibia, spending as much time as possible in the bush. It involved working … Continue reading

February 18, 2023 · Leave a comment

2022

It is a long time since we last posted an update. In truth, there is not a lot to say when you are in a pandemic lockdown, other than you … Continue reading

February 18, 2023 · Leave a comment

Day 53 and counting down!

After almost 8 weeks of lockdown, the French government has now announced relaxations to the lockdown! Hurray! Whilst all of us here have coped very well, the limitations on seeing … Continue reading

May 8, 2020 · 6 Comments

Day 20 of Lockdown

The restrictions seem to get slowly tightened around the Caribbean, with some islands being more draconian than others. Thankfully the Martinique Prefecture has been pretty practical so far, and our … Continue reading

April 5, 2020 · 2 Comments

14 Days into Sunny Lockdown

Usually we can use a launderette or local laundry service. The little washing machine we brought with us got chucked out last year because it used too much water and … Continue reading

March 29, 2020 · Leave a comment

One Week on…

Our strange situation has become the same for many people in many countries now. Both the UK and South Africa have been put into lockdown, as have many other countries. … Continue reading

March 25, 2020 · Leave a comment

A New Way of Life

After facing up to the options, the decision was to head to Martinique, firstly because of access to health facilities if it came to a serious problem, secondly for security … Continue reading

March 20, 2020 · 1 Comment

Dilemmas in Paradise

The coronavirus is causing huge worry and disruption globally. General opinion is that we are well out of the firing line here. But that is not to say we are … Continue reading

March 15, 2020 · Leave a comment

Southern Karoo roadtrip

The Karoo desert that starts about 3-4 hours drive from Cape Town, to be visited for the dramatic landscapes. That and the isolation. Starting from Cape Town, take the N1 … Continue reading

November 30, 2018 · 2 Comments

Exploring Southern Africa

When we left England in 2013, our expectation was to be living aboard Freebooter for the forseeable future with periodic visits back to the UK to see family and friends. … Continue reading

November 27, 2018 · Leave a comment

The Old Postal Road

Up in the Cederburg mountains, a trail links Biedow Camp and the Tankwa Karoo Reserve across a mountain plateau. The name comes from the 1800’s when a 19 year old … Continue reading

April 4, 2018 · Leave a comment

Les Chutes de Carbet

Much is made of these waterfalls, some of the highest around. Coming in a set of 3, the 2nd is the most popular attraction (110m drop) with its bathing pools, … Continue reading

May 24, 2017 · 3 Comments

Red Rock

Before anyone gets the wrong idea, Annemarie took this photo! These Herero ladies seek to show the traditional way of living, including grinding the red sandstone rocks to powder and … Continue reading

April 28, 2017 · Leave a comment