Early explorers needed every help they can get, using distinctive landmarks for orientation. In the Kalahari, this is a difficult task. Thankfully, there are Baobab trees.

Baobab trees individual shape and enormous size makes them easily recognized and spotted from a distance and outlived all explorers. Like daytime lighthouses, they determine traveling directions. Unlike on Madagascar, Baobab trees in the Kalahari grow only in certain areas. The Kalahari Boabab seem to prefer rocky and stable areas around the salt lakes, for good reasons. Not many are found within the desert itself.

However, ‘Chapman’s Baobab’ is, named after the explorer … Chapman is located within. He engraved his name into the tree, marking his territory and being remembered forever. If the tree stands that long.

Well, they didn’t.

Signpost and gate were the only things left standing. Growing to an enormous size, the soft sandy soil couldn’t hold these heavyweights anymore.

In February 2016, in the middle of the rainy season, the soaked soil gave way and triggered a chain reaction.

2000 Years of history collapsed in 20 seconds. It was an uncomfortable sight to see, what a shame. 

 

Another monumental Baobab beacon lies in ‘Nxai Pan National Park’. Named after another explorer, Thomas Baines, these beacons are easily spotted from a distance.

Standing tall at the edge of Nxai Pan, they are a perfect resting spot from the midday heat.

Unless you have your own umbrella of course.

Zimba fitted perfectly in the shady spot, I preferred that spot too. Again, there was some scurrilous looking specimen in between.

I have only seen horizontal growing Baobab trees within this pan area. How that works out, I don’t know. Maybe elephants scratched their backs when they were small, tilted them, and the Baobab kept growing from there?

Some parts of the tree are hollow and were used by explorers as an oversized letterbox for correspondence. Imagine ending up at the wrong tree to find no letter!?

What is obvious and a bit scary is the fact that part of the roots is fairly washed out and exposed. The tree stands slightly tilted. I hope they will stand for another thousand years. ‘Nxai Pan’ is relatively small comparing to its neighbours, but contains a high volume of salt.

Driving across to the dry but solitude Campground made that obvious.

‘Baines Baobab’ still looked impressive though. 

From Kubu Island, I headed north, crossing ‘Ntwetwe Pan’, the biggest of them all. My aim was ‘Chapman’s Baobabs’, an ancient beacon for centuries. The tracks around the Pan were extremely slow going. Loose gravel, corrugations and bulldust pockets had us going in slow motion. That all changes you drive on to the dried pan. Cruising along these stretches at 80 km an hour gave a clear sense off speeding in to nowhere. Quite incredible.

Parts off ‘Ntwetwe Pan’ still had a few muddy spots. Dug out tracks were easily crossed, which looked impressive in the bigger picture.

At the northern end was a viewpoint Hyde, overlooking the pan. Birdwatchers come here to see huge flocks of flamingos, breeding in the wet season. I could only imagine what that would look like. Depending on water volume, the amount of flamingos ranges from their thousand to millions, I read in a brochure. Imagine watching that. Graceful courtship dancing, sketchy take off and landing maneuvers or a sky full off pink. Spectacular. Not this time of year and so I drove off.

I came across a permanent waterhole, to see a group of ostrich run away.

Horses and cattle occupied most of the waterhole, and a bird was storking the shallow waters. Hang on, that’s not a stork.

It is in fact, a flamingo. One lonesome flamingo. Simply puzzled, I was wondering what he was doing here. Was he early, was he left behind or lives here permanently? This one was the larger of the two varieties off flamingos, that come here to breed. The smaller in size ‘Greater (?) Flamingo’ feeds on tiny, krill-like prawns, which gives them that striking pink coat. This one was of the larger variety, with the suitable name ‘Lesser flamingo’. They feed on crabs and other smaller prey. The waterhole wasn’t wide at all, let’s see how close I get to him. He didn’t let me come close at all.

In amusing, air kicking fashion,

he took to the skies dodging cattle an horses.

He then looped the waters like a Jumbo jet in heavy air traffic,

before landing again flamingo style. An indescribable amusing scenario.

After my disappointing visit to ‘Chapman’s Baobabs’, I decided to return and camp at the always flowing spring. A flamingo at sunset is good enough reason for an overnight stay. Who knows what other animals might show up.

Watching this flamingo wading the shallow edges is calming a sight.

The takeoff and landing procedures are still entertaining to watch.

I wanted to get a nice photo off him doing so.

Admittedly, I storked him around the pond a few times.

Getting a good action shot though proved as a difficult task.

With the camera in my hand, I moved closer towards him to capture the right moment for taking off.

In emphatic style he seems to run on the surface of the water, flapping his wingspan for upwards motion. For a larger bird with long legs, a fair runway is needed. Some of the body positions and his red nose reminded of a clown in the circus.

Moving even faster once airborne,

it wasn’t easy to keep focus on him either.

The landing procedures are just as amusing.

Skipping over the waters until velocity equaled body weight, tuck his wings in, to move on as if nothing has happened. The sun itself shone in rainbow colours low over the horizon meanwhile.

This must be his permanent feeding ground for the time being until summer rains fill up the salt pans once more. No doubt that he is patiently waiting for the return of thousands of other flamingos for yet another fruitful breeding season. Flamingos courtship dance and breed all at the same time. All newborn flamingo chicks are therefore of the same age.

Early morning splendor, Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, Botswana

The early morning sun shining on his colourful appearance was spectacular.

Imagine watching this by the thousands.

Gently wading the shoreline, before taking to the sky once more in a graceful fashion. Just too amusing to watch.

The reflections in early morning sunlight made this an even more breathtaking sight to see.  It was time to move on and leave this lone survivor in peace before cattle and horses chase him to the skies once more.