The three day stay in Logan Safaris had been comfortable. The room was large and the facilities adequate. A decent kitchen is available for those who wish to cook their meals, and a large fridge where I cooled St. Louis and milk for the breakfast muesli. During season time the bar is open and the premises are used for theme parties. A load of laundry for BWP 50 is a steal, especially because they come ironed and folded. Unfortunately, the owner of Logan Safaris, Elias, lost his mother due to cancer the day before and that stole the opportunity of spending some time with him. I briefly met him to thank him for the hospitality. Payment at the facility is normally done in cash. To swipe the card I was taken by his friend to Kasane. There in a small restaurant I swiped and completed the payment. As I entered the restaurant freshly fried fat cooks - Magwinya - were being placed in trays. I bought a couple of them for a Pula each. It is a doughnut without a hole! They are either very bland or slightly sweet. Abin recommended that I have them with chakalaka, which contains baked beans, tomato, garlic and onions with spicy paste. Chakalaka is reported to have been 'invented' by Mozambican mine workers coming off their shifts in South Africa. I liked my Magwinya straight off, slightly sweet.
Three days back, on the road from Francistown to Kasane, I had to pay a traffic offense fine for over speeding, just short of Pandamatenga. Now I knew exactly where they would be positioned and I was extra cautious this time. A few extra minutes on the road did not matter as much as a few holes in the pocket did! Past Pandamatenga I found the same duo, parked between trees radar surveilling vehicles. I waved at them as I passed by. Wonder if they were pleased at that.
Elephant Sands, 50 km short of Nata when one comes from Kasane, was recommended by Abin when I was looking for a place to halt between Kasane and Maun. The tariff was on the higher side as compared to where I had been staying so far. When I stepped into the fantastic 'elephant resort' the tariff vanished from my thoughts. Tented dwellings on stilts and mud houses overlook a watering hole. Elephant Sands is surrounded by forests all around.
I was allotted House #1, about 50 meters from the watering hole. The house has a viewing deck with a twin seater, a twin bed bedroom with a writing desk, large comfy slouch chairs and a canvas cupboard. The attached toilet with woven cane walls has a wash basin and WC with a separate enclosure for shower. This is one of the least expensive accommodation and I found it bordering on luxury. Rooms have no charging points - that has to be done at the bar - and a bottle of water is free at the time of check-in.
Besides the accommodation, plenty of campers occupy the site close to the watering hole. The large reception cum dining cum elephant watching area and a swimming pool, called the Lodge, are aesthetically done. Dinner is a buffet at BWP 200, if you choose it at the time of booking the accommodation, and breakfast is included in the room tariff. An a-la-carte lunch and beverages are available too.
After settling into the accommodation I strolled out to survey the surroundings and I saw one elephant walk over to the watering hole. I asked a couple of cleaning ladies if it would be safe to go any way closer to the watering hole to get a closer view and photos of the pachyderm. I was told to keep to the beaten path because they could be extremely dangerous. The accommodation stood blended with the surroundings and most of the materials used were locally sourced except the canvas tents. The elephant viewing area in the Lodge is literally at handshaking distance away from the watering hole.
The elephants too seemed to know that they were in show. Some of them nodded and even stood face to face with guests at this place, affording fantastic photo opportunities. For over six hours I remained transfixed by the steady stream of elephants coming and going to and from the watering hole. I watched them from the deck of my house, from the roads and from the lodge. These awesome creatures display such filial emotions and do not seek to destroy anything in the property that one wonders why they are termed 'wild'. When their routines are not interfered with they believe in a live and let live accommodation. Many of them even passed within 5 feet of my house - some have stood and nodded before going off on their way.
Later in the evening the weather started turning. It started drizzling when I was on my second pint of St Louis. Sporadic lightning and mild thunder indicated that a storm was in the air. When the drizzle git a bit heavier I went to the Lodge for dinner, where the buffet commences at 7 pm. As soon as I had sat down with my plate the heavens opened up with gusty winds that rocked the tents. I was told that such high velocity winds were unusual for the season.
Through the storm I had flavoured rice, beef roast and chicken curry with salad. The food was very tasty. A piece of Cremora tart was the dessert for the night. It had become pitch dark with howling winds. I wondered if I would run into an elephant in the way back to the house! This stopover is highly recommended for anyone on a trip to Botswana.
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