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\nThe Okavango Delta is the inland delta of the Okavango River located in the northwest district of Botswana. The Okavango River rises in Angola and flows about 1,800 km inland rather than into the ocean. In Botswana it ends in the largest river delta in the world with an area of about 20\u2019000 km\u00b2. The area hosts one of the greatest biodiversity and a unique ecosystem.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Flying in a private plane back then, was a real adventure that got under your skin.
Why a stopover and not straight to the destination? Surely the twin-engine Beechcraft Baron 55 had enough fuel to fly there and back.<\/p>\nThe reason was quite different and it is good that I did know it before.<\/p>\n
We started the two engines, rolled down the airstrip and took off. We had to fly a little circle and I, as \u00bbco-pilot\u00ab, had to watch exactly the moment when we would fly over the control tower of the Maun airfield. Then I had to press the button of our Swiss stopwatch and to tell the pilot when we would reach 12 minutes. We flew by time and compass.<\/p>\n
11 minutes 50, 51, 52\u2026 12 minutes.<\/p>\n
Both of us looked out the little windows and searched, we searched for a natural airstrip. We screened the area like if we were looking for a flea with a magnifying glass. Somewhere down there it had to be. Suddenly relief, there it was, the small sandy track with the camp next to it, we found it!<\/p>\n
Never had a twin-engine aircraft landed there. The runway made from sand and short gras was short, very short. There was water at the beginning and water again at the end, which meant Pierre had to start right at the beginning and brake before the heavy plane reached the end of the natural and rough runway.<\/p>\n
To cut the story short, everything went great, but we still sweated.<\/p>\n
The camp was simple, one main tent with the kitchen and supplies as well as a dozen tents with two comfortable beds each, an open cupboard to hang some clothes and the most important thing: a huge mosquito net over the beds. Electricity came from a generator and was available only during a few hours for dinner and in the morning.
The peace embraced me and I was back in my element, I was one with nature.<\/p>\n