After my earlier SWS strop over my carnet being stamped in the DRC it turns out that only one stamp is required for entry/exit from the Southern African Union so Botswana was possible after all. Following a fairly steep compulsory purchase of road tax and insurance we were into our penultimate country of Botswana.
Not too much to report here other than the highlight being a one night stay deep in the Kalahari Desert which saw me putting Noels earlier braai lessons into practice and cooking up a feast. The night sky is also worth a mention as the remoteness and something else that I don’t know seems to be responsible for a superb view above after sunset.
Having no local money and having ticked off the Kalahari, the following day we avoided the hundreds of horses, cows and donkeys that seem to live next to or on the road whilst riding a big 700km and made the SA border just after dark for our final border crossing of this type before the final 3000km or so final leg to Cape Town.
As a footnote, my bike Des is still making a knocking sound from his engine which started way back in Gabon and was attributed to poor quality fuel. Now on BP/Shell/Total 95 Ron, the noise still remains and so it’s clearly more serious than our first diagnosis. Less serious, but slowly growing is a list of minor faults of worn components including a very thin rear sprocket with several teeth chipped and a rear tyre that would now be replaced if the bike was in the UK. Plan A is to nurse him over the finish line and assess mine and his future plans...
After my earlier SWS strop over my carnet being stamped in the DRC it turns out that only one stamp is required for entry/exit from the Southern African Union so Botswana was possible after all. Following a fairly steep compulsory purchase of road tax and insurance we were into our penultimate country of Botswana.
Not too much to report here other than the highlight being a one night stay deep in the Kalahari Desert which saw me putting Noels earlier braai lessons into practice and cooking up a feast. The night sky is also worth a mention as the remoteness and something else that I don’t know seems to be responsible for a superb view above after sunset.
Having no local money and having ticked off the Kalahari, the following day we avoided the hundreds of horses, cows and donkeys that seem to live next to or on the road whilst riding a big 700km and made the SA border just after dark for our final border crossing of this type before the final 3000km or so final leg to Cape Town.
As a footnote, my bike Des is still making a knocking sound from his engine which started way back in Gabon and was attributed to poor quality fuel. Now on BP/Shell/Total 95 Ron, the noise still remains and so it’s clearly more serious than our first diagnosis. Less serious, but slowly growing is a list of minor faults of worn components including a very thin rear sprocket with several teeth chipped and a rear tyre that would now be replaced if the bike was in the UK. Plan A is to nurse him over the finish line and assess mine and his future plans...
try some kudu biltong whilst you're there!
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