Last weekend I traveled up north to Shakawe for Easter weekend and the Okavango Half Marathon, 5K Fun Run and Health Expo.
I arrived Thursday, and I spent the afternoon helping out the organizers with the many, many preparations needed for Saturday’s event. Friday was more of the same. Saturday morning we woke up bright and early (well, not so bright since we beat the sun up) to help with the finishing touches. A couple friends and I did the 5K for fun, and cheered on Heather as she bravely conquered the half marathon!
The race was a great success, and the winner of the half marathon was a man names Tops who ran it in 1:09! Very impressive indeed. To see pictures from the event and all the results, head to the event’s website.
The health expo was also a ton of fun. Many people were tested for HIV, had their faces painted, and browsed numerous booths on gender-based violence, HIV/AIDS and more. I also set up a booth and sold some of Gantsi Craft’s products, which was great. There was a ton of wonderful entertainment, with local choirs and traditional dance groups.
It was an amazing but busy and tiring day. We were definitely ready to have some celebrations then sleep that night!
Sunday, I traveled to Tsodilo Hills. a World Heritage Site for its cultural and spiritual significance. There are over 4,500 rock paintings on the mountains, which are thought to be the oldest pieces of art in the world. The hills, cave, and art also give insight into how the San (the first modern people in the world) lived thousands and thousands of years ago. There are also more recent (about 1000 years old) paintings on the rocks, done by the Bantu.
While it is an incredible site worth preserving, there are some ethical issues to consider. Most concerning, is that the San who inhabited the hills were relocated when it was declared a World Heritage Site. To read more about this, I highly recommend reading my friend Heather’s blog about it here.
That evening, we hosted a small Easter supper at Heather and Kelsey’s. We ate outside by candlelight and had a really wonderful meal with friends.
All we wanted to do Monday was relax, so we took a girls day trip to Namibia. We went to a couple nice lodges along the river, and had a few drinks by the river and pool! Very relaxing indeed – until we barely made it back to Botswana before the border closed! Luckily we did make it though, and I enjoyed my last night up north watching movies.
It was a wonderful weekend, and I can’t believe that in just 3 short weeks I will be saying goodbye to this amazing country.
A Day in the Life 