We made the decision not to do the 'loop' into the hills that John Brown had included at the start of the drive to Francistown in Botswana. This cut off 50 kms from a 700 kms journey. Everyone seems to be really enjoying the tour and as the days go by we find we are able to spend time with people we haven't yet got to know. Twenty-three cars means you have a very wide range of backgrounds which makes for some very interesting and lively discussions.
Nearly four hundred kilometres of great driving on empty roads brought us to the border between South Africa and Botswana. On the way we saw the first of many massive Baobab trees. They are known as the 'upside down tree' because they have a huge trunk which doesn't taper and the branches look like roots. We stopped beside one and I walked around it to measure its circumference, some 40 feet and this was by no means the largest one we saw.
On to the border which is the mighty Limpopo river. We left South Africa on the southern bank and drove down into the dry river bed.
Crossing the boarder into Botswana driving through the dry river bed of the Limpopo
It was about four hundred metres across to the other side where we climbed the bank into Botswana. When the river is flowing cars cannot cross at this point but pedestrians can use a very rickety looking cable car. Not something I would want to have to do! No delays at the border and within a few minutes we were on our way. A further three hundred kilometres of wonderful straight roads through a dry scrubby landscape and we made it to our hotel.
The number of speeding tickets continues to grow with Alan Crisp the latest offender. A fine of about £10 for breaking the 60 kph speed limit.
Tomorrow we go into Zambia and the Victoria Falls on the Zambesi river. Another day another country. Finally, today we passed the 5,000 kms mark. Only another 6,000 kms to go.
Our Garmin GPS recording 5,000 kms since we left Cape Town on the 4th August
No comments:
Post a Comment