Botswana - Maun
25th of August 2018
What a tranquil and stunning treat.
As we leave the taxi we took from the bus station, via the enormous ‘Chappies’ supermarket where we brought orange juice and crisps, my friend - endless biltong… we are greeted with a helpful smiling face in the reception of a wooden shack under a large thatched roof.
To the other side is a bespoke bar up-cycled from tree stumps and miscellaneous natural materials. It’s the most people I’ve seen so far in one place drinking beer, a pool table, a tiny swimming pool with children paddling.
After a small panic where it seemed I had left my purse in the taxi, we found our cash, and booked their only available room - the double suit.
It’s the view that makes the difference here, just on the periphery of the bars edge, there’s a huge water reserve. Little boats with motors are parked just no the shore, but most beautifully, there are cows and donkeys paddling in the water, each calmly drinking beside one another. The water is surrounded by exotic trees, such as long lanky palms, dosey dangling willows who’s leaves just hang and tickle the waters edge.
The last rays of sunlight just highlight the scene with a beautiful golden yellow glow and I feel finally relaxed and tranquil as though I may have walked into a paradise.
We are shown to our ‘room’: a stunning shack, enclosed in a fence of private sticks, a private view to a segment of the water and it’s inhabitants. Inside a cosy bed, but most luxuriously, a private shower and toilet beneath nothing more than the shelter of trees. I immediately couldn’t wait to bath under the sun and trees in the morning. A treat indeed.
We settled in our rooms, applauded the mosquito net, then visited the bar to order some food. Here we spent a happy evening in the company of other, eating, drinking beer and failing at pool. The sun over the calm water was stunnig as was the evening and the stars reflected in the water. We retired to our private viewing deck, and shared a random cigar.
Tomorrow was to be the big day, the traveling ends and the business begins. What a calming and beautiful last evening.
