16th of August, 2018.
In the morning, I am walking to Malaka when a nice old man stops for me. I tell him I want to go to Moremi and he drops me in the road to it.
After some long minutes without any car coming from both sides, someone come in the opposite direction and tell me that the easiest way to find a lift to Moremi it is going through Palapye. I have my doubts and I also do not lose the hope of getting a directly lift from Malaka, so I stay in between the two roads: the one to Moremi and the one to Palapye.
Only a few cars pass by and a even less actually stop. The ones going to Palapye tell me they cannot take me for free. Including a fancy lady in a nice car.
In the end I am so glad for their ambition because the same nice old man who drove me in the morning iss now going to Moremi and he picks me up without blink!
He could have just dropped me at town but he decided to drive me until the Goo Moremi Gorge, from where I would try to reach the waterfalls. Thank you so much nice man!
At the reception, I start to talk with this lady (who since the beginning I liked) and I explain my whole story and expectations to her. Wendy shows me mercy and an enjoyable surprise for what I am doing, as the same for the other lady helping her at the reception. She tells me that the guide had just left with a group but I could go to the beginning of the trail and wait for him there. He would walk with me until the waterfalls. Yay! I cannot not believe how nice they are! I finally would be able to visit a waterfall in Africa! The first one since I started my travels. Thank you so much Wendy and all the members!
I first eat my peanut butter sandwich, then I leave my backpacks in the reception, taking just the bag with the camera and some water. They tell me the walk would not be too long and by the time I get in there, the guide would be already waiting for me.
Of course the sun is not helping at all. But then, luckily, some workers are going over there by car and give me lift on the back of the truck. I have too walk a little more, get a little lost but I finally find the place.
There is this huge and beautiful Baobab with which I could finally take a picture, hugging it. I am feeling quite weird for being the only one he would guide. If I was paying of course I would feel different but since I am not… Again my luck changes when a group of a few tourists arrive before the guide and wait for him with me. I am surprise for see two such small little girls being allowed for their parents to come to such difficult trial and climbing.
After the guide, Thapelo, arrives and we do some talking, we start. All of us with our walking sticks. The guide is not as nice as I expected. Not that he is bad, but he is just so different of Eloi, back in Musanze, Rwanda, who can entertain the whole group but mainly the kids. Thapelo is serious all the time and he has not the “thing” with the kids. I see that the other group before us gives him some money at the end. If I had the opportunity to do it, I am not sure I would. Tips are something that you give when someone who did a service for you deserves it. Not for simply doing the job but for exceeding the expectations.
The trail it is simple at the beginning but at some points later it become quite dangerous and complicated. Nothing that you cannot do it but I think it should be more warnings about it than only a few words like “the trail it can become trick at some points”. The waterfalls itself are nice but not that nice. Or maybe it was because of the dry season. It is just a small quantity of water for the size of the fall. We stay for some few minutes and start walking back.
When we are almost in the entrance, a huge group of people, definitely over twenty people, are going by their own into the trail. I am shocked! Thapelo demonstrates some frustration but I think there is nothing he could do. Later on more two women are going alone and he does not stop or ask them to wait for him. I think he is just tired.
I ask for a lift to the family, expecting they would drop me just half way, but the nice guy at the wheel drive me until the entrance.
I take my bags and I am leaving to make my camp somewhere around, outside the Resort, when one of the guys from the place tells me I could talk with an old man, who live just nearby and is collecting some water from the Resort, and ask him if I could put my tent at his place for the night. He actually does that for me, he talks with the old man and he say yes.
We start to walk and there is not much talking because he speaks little English. I hear the sound of a truck and I think that if they are going to the village, I could go with them, talk to the chief and camp at the quote. I still have some daylight and would save me the time in the morning. Unfortunately the truck is not going to the village but they tell us there is another car coming and the guy is going to Moremi. I wait alone while the old man go to drop the water at his place. I do not know if he had plans to come back and check on me but after a while the car comes and Caro drive me to the village.
He is very nice and start to drive around looking for the chief. When we cannot find him, we go to the quote where we find Kebalepile, a lady who is also responsible for the admissions at the place. After I explain everything to her, she allows me to stay for the night.
I wash some clothes and have a quick cold shower. Refreshing! A talk with some young girls and if at the beginning I am happy for that, I get a little sad when they start to ask me things like candy, my clothes and my food.
While cooking dinner, two boys come around and without being invited they sit and start talking to me. One of them is the big brother of one of the young girls. They only leave after I finished everything and tell them I want to sleep.
In the morning, I am introduced to the Chief Ward, Mr. John (he is the gentleman in the featured photograph together with me and Keba), and they tell me I could get a lift with someone who is going to Palapye soon. Middle time, we go to the school where it is sports / fitness day and it is quite a big event.
Apart of the kids, there are a lots of people. There is loud music and some ladies cooking loads of food. I am just looking around and Keba is introducing me to a lot of people. I get a little shock watching the majority of the kids already dancing in that style that I saw so many adults doing it. I know they keep saying that is just music and culture but for me is way too sexual.
I meet the Senior Chief, Major Tshito. He is also practicing some sports.
While waiting, something gets my attention. A small girl approached a group of busy teachers and she is crying. She tells them what has happened. All the women see her but no one of them does a thing. They just keep doing their duties and let the poor little girl abandoned to her tears. Unfortunately that is how most of the kids are treated on the schools in Africa. For me it is such a tough way. They are not kind and gentle, as you should be with a kid. Maybe they believe that this is the way to prepare them for life. It is very sad. Luckily, there is this really beautiful young lady, a top model, who is around and take care of the little girl, asking her what happened and calling the responsible for her tears to come and be punished.
Finally we are read to go. They way to Palapye is not exactly very pleasant because of all the questions made by the wife of the driver and because the man sitting just beside me keeps disapproving everything he hears about me and my travels.
In Palapye I would find my way and my lift to Serowe.