Into Botswana

Another unusual Christmas Day. This one was spent driving 400kms in the tour bus from Johannesburg to Palapye. Most people seemed to be still adjusting body clocks after long flights, and were up and wandering around the motel compound as soon as it was light. Breakfast was provided, and we were on the road soon after 7am.

Everything in South Africa seems to be behind razor wire, and it doesn't just seem to be houses and businesses. For example, we saw an old 1960's Combi van, abandoned and rusting in a remote paddock, surrounded by a 2 metre high razor wire fence. Often there were double fences, and in one case I saw a triple layer fence - around a paddock!

Police were everywhere, and the bus was stopped several times and searched. Seems that they all have this belief that they will find the contraband that the last lot of police missed.

Stopped briefly at a roadside servo for morning tea, and a town market to pick up some salad stuff for lunch, but mostly we just kept rolling along, opening more windows as the day wore on. Christmas lunch was a salad sandwich - not even turkey loaf I'm afraid - at a picnic table on the side of the road. The big concession to the day was a pseudo plum pudding in the form of a blueberry muffin.

Roads in South Africa are in good condition. Mostly we traveled north on a 6 lane toll road. Eventually one of them led us to the Limpopo River, and the border with Botswana. Formalities took about an hour. Botswana seems to be quite quarantine conscious, and confiscated all of our meat, vegetables and fruit - from the comfort of their deck chairs. They didn't move as our driver unloaded the van and took the food over to them.

A stop at Palapye to buy fuel, and use the ATM to get some Pula. Just up the road was Camp Itumela - really a caravan park without grey nomads for use by tours. Pitched the tent after a suitable demonstration. The toilets and showers are all open air, and built into the bush with just a rope you string across the gap to warn others that there is somebody inside.

Dinner was a buffet at the bar while we listened to 60's Cliff Richard. After all it wouldn't Christmas without Cliff, and he is probably still in the Top 40 here.