The Border

 

You have to love the informality of Botswana and the friendliness of the people.

I have never had a problem striking up a conversation and nattering on to whoever is in sight.   I don't know what they think of this old guy who wanders up and starts asking how the day is, and how long they have to work until and where do they live (meaning their home village).

However, I have to think that they appreciate someone taking an interest and taking time to inquire how things are.  Many people have long tedious days.

So on Friday our nephew Jamie arrived from Toronto.

He flew Toronto to London overnight, 8 hours or so hours in Heathrow and then overnight flight onto Johannesburg.  From the airport in Johannesburg he took a 5 hour bus right to Botswana.

The bus got to the border around 5:30 p.m.  See above.

Binnie and I got there about 25 minutes early and wandered around.

In the picture above we are standing inside Botswana and not bothered by customs or immigration.  The fence and red brick building in the background is the last border check by the Batswana.  You can see a couple of cars ready to drive through but first the border agents inspect the car and make everyone get out and walk through a tray of liquid anti-foot and mouth disease to make sure that you don't accidentally bring the disease into Botswana.

Then you drive or walk through the archway and you are off into Botswana.

Further back in the picture is the no-man's land between RSA and Botswana and further back the RSA border post.

As noted, we got there early and so I wandered up to the archway and wandered through.  Kinda like into the security area.

There were 5 Staff going about their duties and I just said I was there waiting for my nephew.  I asked how the day was going and how busy was it.  I stood and watched 3 or 4 cars being searched.

The Staff were in a wide array of uniforms or not and it was hard to tell who was official and who was simply a person transiting the border.  Part of the typical backdrop of Botswana. 

Eventually the bus from the airport showed up and everyone had to get off with their luggage and walk past the officials who randomly checked bags, step into the chemical tray and walk through the archway.

Everyone except Jamie got back onto the bus once it came through the archway for the last ride to Gaborone but we grabbed Jamie and headed to the car for the ride to Thamaga.

As soon as I saw Jamie I wandered up under the archway and welcomed him to Botswana and told him to step into the tray and come across, which he did.  Nobody said anything to either of us.

Yes, 1,000 times different than landing in Pearson Airport in Toronto or crossing into the States at the Ivy Lea Bridge at Gananoque or any other border crossing in most parts of the world.

The joys of Botswana that make living here so fascinating and easy going.  

Just don't come here and expect things to move with any urgency.