cwbbotswana2010

The team have all gone thier separate ways. After all of our transport problems, the majority managed to return to Gaborone having paid over the odds for a combi arriving back in the Oasis motel at 11pm. Veronique flew home on Saturday to see her husband David before he flew off on business to Africa. Mike Stratford also flew out on Saturday, but he is spending some time in Zimbabwe coaching as well as taking in the sites at the Victoria Falls. The Reeves duo are staying behind in Botswana for another week, resting before travelling up north to Kasane and waving at Mike S from the Zambian side of the falls. As the Woodlands stopover is right off the beaten track, Veronika and I had debated whether to move to lodgings nearer the centre of ... read more

Francistown Cricket Club Fortunately suffering no after effects from the meal cooked in the dark by Veronique and Mike S, the team awoke to another scorching day and yet another different combi to take us to the Francistown Cricket Club. Even Mike R and Allan had recovered sufficiently and were raring to go. The ground has an astro turf wicket surrounded by a green outfield and the boundary is marked by painted tyres sunk into the dust. We waved to the pre-school children who were being taught in the pavilion, but their stern teacher soon put a stop to their excited replies. Expecting the same 23 teachers for a second day’s tutoring, we were a bit surprised to find that 31 turned up - perhaps the cricket message is spreading across Francistown. Clement, who is in ... read more

It was another night of raw experience and emotions for WM-C, myself and the Meerkat as we continue to return to our roots and kip on the floor out here in the wilds of the sub-Saharan bush. Slumber was rudely interrupted early in the morning by intruders making breakfast at the foot of the bed, but after a comfortable night tucked up in bed the European pansies were all pretty hungry. In a remarkable turn of events, our transport actually turned up close to the agreed time, therefore slightly reducing the risk of our team leader suffering an aneurism before we fly home. Unfortunately my communication with the big man upstairs did not get through last night, as he had failed to turn down the dial on the radiator in the sky. Balls of fire ... read more

Ramotswa Return gives CWB a first in Bots, We returned to the Magopane School in Ramotswa, a school we visited last year. It was a relief to see teachers actually waiting for us as last year the coaching candidates turned up at 10.30am rather than the 9am start time. Will’s confidence in the day was justifiably cut short as a large coach load of children arrived just after we had begun our introduction. Luckily Will’s plan B was a lot better than Allan’s plan B of the previous day. We broke into two groups, those who would assist Mike “Cant catch a cold” Griggs (the nick name will become apparent later) and those who would coach the children. The session begun well and all seemed to be enjoying themselves but the traditional late comers arrived just ... read more

WEDNESDAY IS WELLNESS DAY Africa is a continent of contrast, not dissimilar to ‘The nine’ who on their third full day sampled the highs and lows of this bewitching country of Botswana. The nine are definitely not ‘The A team’, ‘The Magnificent Seven’ or ‘The Dirty Dozen’, possibly somewhere in-between, a mixture of Beauty and the Beast’., ‘Country File’, ‘Only Fools and Horses’ ‘Last of the Summer Wine’, ‘Desperate Housewife’s’ & Grumpy Old Men’ Wednesday was no exception to a day of contrast , with the Mr. Fraser Tlhoiwe Director for the ‘Ministry of Education & Skills Development ‘ attending with sixteen of his staff in the morning and hundreds of children anticipated in the afternoon at the Botswana national cricket ground with grass and artificial track, compared to the usual dust bowls ................ luxury!!! Real ... read more