Our journey to Southern Africa - part 3:
By Marius Westgard Erichsen
Botswana:
Gaborone - Maun
In Gaborone we were to live with some friends of some friends of us: Helga and Lars and their three children. Helga and the oldest girl, Thea, picked us up at the airport. They lived in a charming house, and were so kind to us. It was very nice to live in a private house for a few days. It was quite hot in Gaborone, There is a little difference from 17°C in Port Elizabeth to 37°C in Gaborone. We did not do too much that day, we spent the rest of the day indoor.
Monday December 15.
This day we walked around in the city. I can't believe it is a capital, or a city at all, the center was one street lined with some shops and banks. Nice town though, and we saw the university, it was nice too.
Tuesday December 16.
This day we went to a museum. Gaborone was a small city, but it had a museum. It was a very nice museum, with exhibitions of the history of Botswana and the earth, all centered around a beautiful garden. We were supposed to leave for the Okawango Delta that day, so we had reserved tickets for the night train to Francistown. Unfortunately the train did not show up untill 3 hours too late, and with no sleeping couch and no seats free. So we had to stay another night with Helga and Lars. We felt sorry for Lars who had to come and pick us up again, but we really did not have much choice. We learned that we should have a place to stay before darkness fell.
Wednesday December 17.
In the morning Lars helped us once again. He took us to the train- and the bus station. The bus looked really old and the driver had only one eye, so mom preferred the train. Lars finally dropped us off at the train station.We took the train to Francistown (mom almost forgot her backpack at the train station, but fortunately I saw it.), it used six hours to get there, so we did not arrive too long before it got dark. We slept at a place called Grand Lodge, it was not so grand really, but it was nice, and we could boil water in the room. It was convenient located near by the train station, and the bus station as well.
Thursday December 18.
Since we had left Gaborone one day later than planned, we did not have to much time to get to Maun. So, early in the morning, we took a "chicken bus" from Francistown to Maun. It was terrible, six hours on a bus with uncomfortable seats and no springing, and the floor was so hot that we laid our donuts on the floor and had fresh donuts for the whole drive. At 14:30 we arrived in Maun, when we came to the Okawango Tours and Safari's office we were informed that the plane would leave at 4o'clock, so we had time to relax and buy film for the camera. At 4o'clock we flew to the Okawango Delta (The plane was a six- seater with one propeller.). The destination was Oddballs camp.
Go to next part: Okawango Delta
Go to previous part: Garden Route
Go to introduction page
MWE 04.12.98