It’s not often that you manage to tick off three countries in one day, and we managed to do it in about 3 hours this morning. The nasty bit was getting up at 4.30 to be on the road by 5.30 – before sunrise – so that we would get to the border with Botswana before anyone else. We got there as planned before any trucks which apparently slow down the process – and that is an achievement as the officials don’t seem to have any sense or urgency at all and it takes about half an hour to put everyone through the emigrations from Namibia – which is then followed by the immigration to Botswana which is then followed by the vehicle tax for Botswana . . .. and then followed by the fees for the Chobe Wildlife Park which has the highest elephant population in the world – so it’s big!
About two hours later, and having left the vehicles in store for a couple of nights and got some Botswana currency which is unobtainable outwith the country (!), we get to the border with Zambia where a slightly less protracted series of negotiations is conducted. We now have to cross the Zambezi to head towards Livingstone and realise that our problems are as nought compared with the hundreds of truck drivers who have to wait 2 or three nights in order to cross the river on the ferry which is just a variation on the theme of Glenelg or Queensferry.
In the background you can see the new bridge which was due to open before Christmas but will now open in 2021. The ferry can only carry a maximum of 2 trucks at a time and there are literally hundreds waiting to cross as this is the main economic corridor between Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
As you travel into Zambia, you pass lots of cyclists with laden bicycles. They are from Zimbabwe and are bringing goods such as cooking oil to sell to Zambia`s it is cheaper t5o obtain in Zimbabwe. The load is heavy and so many men travel at night when it is cooler in spite of the serious risk of attracting the attention of elephants who can smell their goods and will be aggressive in that situation.
However, it was worth the journey as our destination was a rather upmarket hotel in Livingstone, on the banks of the Zambezi, where we have been able to enjoy the first bath in about three weeks!
But you have to read the small print
And watch out for the other residents. You don’t leave washing out!
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