My trip to Maun, Botswana (From my MSNBlog)

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This entry is rather late, seeing that I only got a blog today. It accounts my experience of a support call to Maun, Botswana (Africa). Apologies in advance for the length, it is a cut & paste I sent to family after arrival. The pics are available in the album section.

Well. Coming to the end of my first day. Flight up was awesome. Driving through Cape Town at 05:30 in the morning is strange. Well, was earlier, I think, about 05:15. You know those guys that stand on the side of the road selling newspapers? Well, they are at that time, maybe earlier. It's alive! Never thought they were out at that time. Anyway...

Airport check-in and stuff went smoothly. Just normal domestic stuff. 107 knot tail wind. Shaved 20 mins off the flight.

Then the great trek! Arrive in JHB. Furthest runway. Went through air-bridge, travelator etc. Checked in at Air Botswana. Then... wait for it... Duty & Tax free area!! There was obviously a mark up, but they stuff was still cheaper, eg R250 for a shirt from Cape Union Mart in Cape Town, R140 at Duty Free. There is an electronics megastore there. Very nice. CNA & Exclusive Books. There is the Duty Free Shop. Lots of stuff. Bottle store, tons of cigarettes. Like brands you don't get outside. The shop was amazing, such large ranges of stuff.

Left the terminal, after waiting about 20 mins on the bus. Then out to the plane. Delays at Air traffic control kept us back for 20 mins. Left 20 mins late, got to bots 17 mins early.

Got to Bots. Cold on the runway. Wait, the landing. Slowing down on the runway... Then it's like a hand brake turn, go back like half and turn at the terminal building. Got met by CI staff after Immigration. Got to the car and realised I had left my luggage behind. Had to run back and this guy was very reluctant to let me back in. This other guy then let me through. Then we tried again. Left and went to Riley's Hotel. Supposed to be a 4 star, but it's like our 3 stars. Not bad, just not quite ZA 4 star, maybe even 2 star. DSTV in the rooms. Checked in, dropped my luggage and went straight to work. Got to the office.

They wanted me to straight away. I told them I just got off a plane and wanted to eat some real food and freshen up. I did this then as I was leaving, I pulled the door closed, realising I had left my laptop and KEY inside. Had to run around trying to find a maid to open the door. Finnaly did, then returned to the office.

It is the end of the first day and I have basically done everything. Good and bad. Good that I now have more free time, bad, because the client has just brought me to Botswana and put me up for 2 days. So I'm taking it slow, trying to stretch it out a bit.

This place is sooo hot. Like very hot. Like, why didn't I bring shorts and why is the pool empty?

Got my dollars exchanged just now. No commission! Still got $20 just in case the Rand weakens.

Daily Newspaper: BWP 1.50

450ml Coke BWP 1.85

They don't have 500ml cokes here. It's like this huge 1litre. Think they got them in JHB as well. Their money is huge. The BWP 100 sticks out my wallet. Had to fold it like 4 times.

I forgot to install Adobe Photoshop, so I can't resize the pics to well with compression. Will send some when I get back.

A quick note, out side me here, is a BP garage. A Spar shop. Woolworths. Pep. Dunn's. Sales House. Nandos. Shell just around the corner. Weird. All the same stuff. Standard Bank is like Green. Telkom is called BTC or BCT or something. Same colours, so must be the same Co., or close enough. FNB is the same here. Want to check the petrol price. Will be interesting.

Well, all for now.

Photos can be found here: From my MSN Blog

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