The Call

I had been dreaming about this trip for few years now.  I still remember the first time I walked on the western edges of the Kalahari in Namibia in 2008. The red coloured sand, and of course the uncomfortable heat. For me it was a mysterious world, something that was challenging and also something that I felt like calling me. That was my first trip to Africa and I fell in love with that continent ever since.

For me till then Botswana was synonymous with Okavango delta. I never thought that I will ever be able to visit the delta as the national parks in Botswana are one of the most expensive destinations in Africa due to the government’s policy of high value, low volume tourism. I believe it is a policy in the right direction in order to conserve those pristine environments. On the other hand, people like me who travel with a tight budget will never really get the opportunity to enjoy the amazing wildlife under those conditions. I went to Africa twice afterwards, but never really believed that I will be able to go to Botswana in the near future.

Everything changed after I read the book “Cry of Kalahari” from Mark and Delia Owens. An amazing story of a couple to did research on the wildlife (especially the brown hyena’s and lions) in the Kalahari. Though the story took place in the 70’s not much has changed till now. The place had everything that I could look for – adventure, wildlife, nature and the amazing African skies!  All that was missing was the will to go for it. And that book filled up that missing link. In between I read and saw videos of the salt pans, mainly the Makgadikgadi pans. So, Kalahari, delta, pans, and that gave me an approximate route plan for my adventure.

When I was thinking of a name for my trip, there was not much doubt in my mind about what it must be. For me the spark for this trip happened the day I stepped on Kalahari in 2008, when I first felt like the Kalahari calling me. And that became the title of my trip – “Call of Kalahari”. I have to admit the selection of the title was also inspired the title of the book from the Owens – “The Cry of Kalahari”. But it didn’t matter, because both influenced me deeply to go for this adventure. And it turned out to be one of the best adventures that I ever had in my life.