At Tsodilo we stayed in huge army tents while preparing exhibits, food and grounds for the opening. During the two days of preparation I managed to zip off to photograph rock art (the main feature), one of which, I'm convinced is a grapple thorn. I also found Kalanchoe brachyloba in flower. I suspect this is what had been reported as Cotyledon orbiculata, a species not known in Botswana. Finally President Mogae et al. flew in on 5 May and the place was officially opened. There were about 200 camped, 500 for the opening and 800 for the free lunch! After the VIPs left we went to the nearby Hambukushu Village (there is also a San [Bushman] Village) and the museum soccer team was thoroughly trounced by the locals. For those who haven't heard of Tsodilo and its rock art, a good place to start is "Lost World of the Kalahari" by Lawrence van der Post; 1958, Hogarth, London. (The most conspicuous panel of rock art is called van der Post's. It is high on a cliff overlooking the new onsite museum.) The book is highly romanticised, but these rock outcrops in the middle of the sand with their thousands of paintings deserve a bit of exaggeration. Based on this, we had debated detouring from Maun back in 1969, but it was sand track all the way then so we didn't go. This was actually my second visit, but Polly still hasn't been there. The rest of May was anticlimactic, but I did go with Queen Turner, head of the Herbarium to the area near Kanye (SW of Gaborone) to look at medicinal plants. We did find a number of succulents including two species of Plectranthus, but nothing new or exciting. I found a crested plant of the very common Senecio longiflorus. June has been equally eventful - including Polly's safe arrival, but more of that next time.
[Just a note to add to the comments on Tsodilo. The Hills became Botswana's first World Heritage Site yesterday (28 June). Now we will work on Gcwihaba (Drotsky's Cave), another National Monument - Bruce]