I was in the city of Gabarone in Botswana from March 29-31, 2015. This was one of the spontaneous trips I have planned. I decided to go to Botswana just 4 days before I left. The main reason I wanted to go to Botswana is because of my goal to travel to 40 countries by the time I am forty. Since my trip to Malawi did not happen because of issues i had with regards to getting Zimbawe and Mozambique visas since I did plan to take the bus to Malawi. I really just wanted to add one more country in my trip here in Africa.
Botswana was just the perfect country for a last minute visit because Botswana is just 7 hours from Johannesburg and USA passport holders do not need any visa to enter this country. So I knew Botswana is the perfect choice. First things first, when I decided to go to Botswana, I had to look for couchsurfers to host me. Thankfully Tsepang was willing to host me even if it was last minute. So the next thing to do is to book my busride to this country. I did get my Intercape bus ticket from Johannesburg to Gabarone because it is the only bus from South Africa that goes to other African countries.
On March 29 at 12 noon I was at Johannesburg Park Station and boarded the Intercape bus. We left around 12:15 pm and headed to Gabarone. It took us 7 hours to get to Gabarone. But it was not just the busride that was long but it took almost an hour for all the passengers to get through the South African and Botswana immigration at the border. When we passed through the border, it only took us another 30 minutes before we arrived at the bus station in Gabarone.
As the passengers got off the bus, there are many taxi drivers waiting and asking if we needed taxi. Since it was after 7 pm when I got there, I told one of the taxi drivers that I need to go to my friend's house. Normally, I am very reluctant to take the taxi alone. In my years of traveling, i can count with 1 hand the number of times that I took a taxi alone because I feel uncomfortable of being in one car with a stranger in a country I am not familiar with and i have heard a few horror stories of people having very bad experiences of taking taxis alone. The taxi driver from Gabarone was different, he immediately asked for the address pf my couchsurfing host and her phone number. He called her to ask the exact location of her place and directions to go there. I was very impress with this type of hospitality that this cab driver has shown me.
As we were driving towards the place I will be staying at, I can immediately felt the calm and friendly energy of Botswana. A different feeling from the hassle and buzzle of Johannesburg. Just arrived in Botswana and I already felt that I am going to like this country very much.
I got to Tsepang's (my couchsurfer host's place ) and we had good conversations. She also prepared vegetarian dinner. It was good.
Tsepang gave me directions on how to explore Gabarone and which minivan taxi (combi) to take to go to the different places. She was very detailed so it was very helpful.
On March 30, I was ready to explore Gabarone. I left at the same time that Tsepang had to leave the house to go to work. She dropped me off at the busstop and there I waited for the combi. I asked the other locals if this was the busstop for Route 2 and they said yes. So after a few minutes, the combi for route 2 arrived and I hop on the combi. The fare in Botswana is 3.50 Pula (40 cents) anywhere around the Gabarone area.
We arrived at the taxi station near market area and we all went down. I saw that there were food stalls, actually they more like tables to put the fruits or anything they are selling and a chair for the vendor. I like buying foods from the street vendors. The foods are local and cheap. So I bought a pear, banana, steamed corn, fried potatoes and a fried dough (like donut but no hole in the middle and shaped like a small ball).
After eating my Botswana breakfast, I am ready to go to Mokolodi Nature Reserve. I again asked for directions from the locals where the combis for Mokolodi. One young boy maybe around 12 years old accompanied me to the combi station to show me where the combis for Mokolodi were located. I waited for almost 30 minutes before the combi got filled with passengers and we were off to Mokolodi.
Mokolodi is about 25 km away from the city center of Gabarone. It was a nice drive - fresh air, trees were green as well as the grass. It was so refreshing to have the wind on my face and I was so happy I decided to come to Gabarone.
I was dropped off on the bus stop about 1.5 km from Mokolodi Nature Reserve. I started to walk towards this deserted road. No one was walking expect me but there were a few cars that drove by every 5 minutes or so. When I travel, I enjoy walking. It is so different in my daily life in California where I am constantly in a car if I needed to go somewhere.
I finally reached Mokolodi Nature Reserve. It was a nice quiet nature reserve. They had a playground, water fountain and tables outdoor in their garden. I went to the main desk to ask about the safari tour. She said that it will cost 150 Pula ($15) per person but there's a minimum of 2 person per tour. So she said since I am by myself, I need fo pay for 2 people. When I heard her say that I wished I was with a family member or a boyfriend to go with. I told her I will wait for 30 minutes just in case another person arrives and I do not need to pay for 2. Thirty minutes have gone by and it was still just me. So I decided to pay for 300 Pula ($30) for the safari tour since I came all the way to Botswana and wanted to do this safari.
It was really nice, getting a private safari tour. I was the only on the safari truck. I saw turtle, Giraffe, Impalas, Kudos, birds, babbons. It was so awesome to be so close to the animals. I savored the VIP treatment of the safari trip. The trip lasted for 2 hours around the nature reserve.
The safari tour was done and I walked around Mokolodi for a little bit then walked the 1.5 km to the bus stop on the main highway. I was waiting for a combi or bus for almost 20 minutes when a white truck stopped and the white male driver said "Where are you going?", I said "At the Game Mall" , he said "Let me give you a lift." I did not hesitate, I immediately climbed into the passenger seat and we headed to the city. I told him that I was so grateful he gave me a lift. He said that he saw that I did not look like someone from Gabarone and may be waiting for a long time for a combi so he asked if I needed a lift. His name is William, an engineer born in Botswana who was around 50 years old. I asked him if he moved to Botswana from another country but he said that he was born in Botswana. I was surprise because I still cannot believe that a white man in a Botswana local ( ok, I must admit that it a racist thought - I am only human). He dropped me off at the Game mall and told me to take care of myself. I told him Thank you very much. I am very grateful because that was my very first experience of "hitch hiking" and I did not feel theatened or in danger at all. Thank you God for angels.
As I continued to explore Gabarone, how I wish that I was in Gabarone longer and volunteered in Botswana instead of Johannesburg. If I were to do it again, I think that was what I will do. But it is what it is and I am grateful for my experiences in Johannesburg as well.
Botswana has definitely made a huge positive impression on me. A place where I felt safe because of how friendly and kind the people are.
Botswana until we meet again !!! :)
