13th to 15th of August, 2018.
Damn it, I walk! I guess I had forgotten how heavy the backpacks are. Plus the food. At least it does not take too much time until David pick me up. He dropped his wife in Gaborone and now is going back to his home town: Mahalapye. Talking, we decide that going there and then trying lifts to Shoshong and after to Ikongwe Village, would be my best option. David is a nice man and he tells me some interesting facts about Botswana. In fact, he is so nice, that he stops at the Capricorn Tropic so I could take some pictures. I had seen on the map but had completely forgotten about. I was so happy that he reminded me. In town he gives me 20 Pula to pay for both lifts: Shoshong and Ikongwe Village.
I am quite luck for the guy who stops for me in Mahalapye. His name is Robert and he is actually going to Ikongwe. We agree on the 20 Pula. He is actually from Mahalapye but he owns a building in Shoshong, which he is planing to open soon as incoming business in Ikongwe: a liquor shop.
In Ikongwe Village, I tell him I should talk with the chief and ask permission to climb the hills and to put my tent somewhere in the village overnight (I had read that in a blog). Robert talks with the chief, who authorized my visit. This is about to become my favorite part of travelling in Botswana: walking into a small village, of about 100 people, and asking the chief if I can camp for the night among the locals.
We start to walk around with the help of a volunteer guard, Press, who would show me a point from where I will start the hiking and settle my camping. But once in there, they suggested that, because is already afternoon, I could go back to the village, make my camping in there and come to climb the hills next morning. My backpacks would be kept safe in the village and also I would for the night. I agree!
Robert and I spend the next two hours walking around the village, talking with some locals and climbing a small hill. He decides to bring his stuff from Mahalapye, also camping somewhere and go with me to the hills next morning. Honestly, I would prefer going alone, but he is helping me so much already, that I could not refuse.
I do my camping, I eat and I wait. But he does not show up.
A lady comes by and offers to warm up some water, so I could have a bath, but I kindly refuse. Then she invites me to her house. It is a local clay house but also made with some pieces of different materials. It is more like a circle shad, very simple without divisions. They have a bonfire in the middle of the house Because there is no electricity in the village. I meet her kids and stay for a few minutes before going back to my tent. After watching an episode of Lie to me, I go to sleep.
Next morning after eating my porridge and locked my stuff in one of the rooms of the quota, I start my hiking. It is nice! Not a Montserrat experience but I have some nice views of the land. I was hoping to get until the hill where supposedly the San Rocks are, but it is quite far and I did not bring any lunch. Plus I am expecting that Robert would come by after lunch time. And I am right.
After saying thanks and good by to the chief, we go back to Mahalapye. The plan is to spend the day and night there, and next morning go to Malaka, the village nearby Old Palapye, where we could ask to the chief to allow us to visit the monument without needing to pay. Robert’s kids are living in Malaka.
I make my camp outside of his house but inside of a construction site. I cook my dinner, a friend of Robert come over, I watch another episode of Lie to me and I go to sleep.
For the last two nights I did not sleep very well so I am exhausted. I allow myself to sleep until a little later. When Robert come back from his work, he tells me he will not be able to go with me to Malaka. He has to work. I was already thinking it was to good to be truth anyway. So he insists on giving me the money for the bus. I take it.
