Cooling our heels in Maun
Wednesday 8th September, 2004Our early morning (5am) start in Gweta
paid off. We arrived in Maun bright and early, to be totally baffled
by this road safety sign. Seeing the Defender in the background,
I must admit that by this time I was wishing I had my own LandRover Defender
here rather than this Toyota 4x4 that I had lost confidence in.
All plaudits to Maun Toyota though, they were true to their word and took both offending vehicles into the workshop (despite other work priorities) immediately. Looking at the state of the bushes on that right front drive shaft, and the iron filings that fell out, we were going to be in Maun all day at best, and for several days at worst!
Taking the 2 mile walk up the main street was the most astounding journey into the depths of a town that one would otherwise have driven through without more than a backward glance. These stately Herero women, proudly displaying their marital status on their heads, were just the start.
Main street Maun, well at least the garbage is aggregated in one place for removal, or maybe someone stole the basket?
As with a previous posting of mine, 'one person's garbage is another's survival' (Indispensable - June 3, 2004). These strange bedfellows nuzzling through the garbage for their share of today's essentials. The dog was obviously nursing several puppies as well from the look of her. Donkeys (and dogs) wander everywhere untethered in Botswana and especially in the towns.
Rudimentary though the economy might be (unemployment rates are proported to be as high as 50%) entrepreneurial spirit can be seen everywhere. This corregated iron shack is testimony to the fact the repair, rather than replace, is the order of the day in an economy that isn't filled with our western luxuries.
Taking that spirit further, you see the strangest combination of skills and services, as I showed in yesterday's entry with the 'Phone and Cosmetics' shop. Well, the owner of this store below, who rather impolitely declined to be photographed (so I snapped his shop later without him) was showing that welding and art work were not poles apart. I never saw the result of his welding, but I'm sure it was equally quaint.
It is a very laid back environment indeed. I chatted to these two chaps, thinking their truck had got stuck in this hole, and was flabbergasted to discover that they used the hole to lower the side of the vehicle so they could more easily off-load the sacks of cement. The sides of the truck had been jammed for years, so this was their standard trick.
Well eventually, after walking back to the garage 3 times (12 miles in total at 38 degrees Celsius), we had our 4x4's back and in working order. A new starter motor for the white Toyota and various new pieces in the wheel assembly of the blue one, with a warning, don't even try to use difflock! We are crossing the ominous Sand ridge in few day's time, so that would be interesting indeed.
As we crossed the Okavango river leaving Maun and heading for the main part of our safari, the Moremi game reserve, we saw how the Maun Water department collected water for outlying regions. A little different from turning a tap or faucet in your kitchen!
At last we were back on track and heading away from the town and tar roads. Tomorrow the wildlife starts ................. !!
[Complete Safari and wildlife photo index]
All plaudits to Maun Toyota though, they were true to their word and took both offending vehicles into the workshop (despite other work priorities) immediately. Looking at the state of the bushes on that right front drive shaft, and the iron filings that fell out, we were going to be in Maun all day at best, and for several days at worst!
Taking the 2 mile walk up the main street was the most astounding journey into the depths of a town that one would otherwise have driven through without more than a backward glance. These stately Herero women, proudly displaying their marital status on their heads, were just the start.
Main street Maun, well at least the garbage is aggregated in one place for removal, or maybe someone stole the basket?
As with a previous posting of mine, 'one person's garbage is another's survival' (Indispensable - June 3, 2004). These strange bedfellows nuzzling through the garbage for their share of today's essentials. The dog was obviously nursing several puppies as well from the look of her. Donkeys (and dogs) wander everywhere untethered in Botswana and especially in the towns.
Rudimentary though the economy might be (unemployment rates are proported to be as high as 50%) entrepreneurial spirit can be seen everywhere. This corregated iron shack is testimony to the fact the repair, rather than replace, is the order of the day in an economy that isn't filled with our western luxuries.
Taking that spirit further, you see the strangest combination of skills and services, as I showed in yesterday's entry with the 'Phone and Cosmetics' shop. Well, the owner of this store below, who rather impolitely declined to be photographed (so I snapped his shop later without him) was showing that welding and art work were not poles apart. I never saw the result of his welding, but I'm sure it was equally quaint.
It is a very laid back environment indeed. I chatted to these two chaps, thinking their truck had got stuck in this hole, and was flabbergasted to discover that they used the hole to lower the side of the vehicle so they could more easily off-load the sacks of cement. The sides of the truck had been jammed for years, so this was their standard trick.
Well eventually, after walking back to the garage 3 times (12 miles in total at 38 degrees Celsius), we had our 4x4's back and in working order. A new starter motor for the white Toyota and various new pieces in the wheel assembly of the blue one, with a warning, don't even try to use difflock! We are crossing the ominous Sand ridge in few day's time, so that would be interesting indeed.
As we crossed the Okavango river leaving Maun and heading for the main part of our safari, the Moremi game reserve, we saw how the Maun Water department collected water for outlying regions. A little different from turning a tap or faucet in your kitchen!
At last we were back on track and heading away from the town and tar roads. Tomorrow the wildlife starts ................. !!
[Complete Safari and wildlife photo index]
