Botswana – Drunk, bird smuggling truck drivers
Moby | 17/10/2006Well that was 2 different trucks that I hitch hiked on in Botswana.
The first truck driver spotted me on the Zambian side of the border and told me to find him on the other side. Hanging out waiting for his papers to be completed turned into 4 hours. And then he couldn’t find the last page of the paperwork.
During this time he had explained the noises coming from under his bed. He was smuggling birds from the Congo. In the end he was stuck at the border, and I cut my losses around 4pm.
The driver of the next truck to pick me up was downing the beers. Didnt seem to matter too much as it was a 300km straight road, Although once it was dark we did fly past a elephant seriously close to the road.. hmm.
ended up stuck at a vet/foot n mouth control point in the middle of the desert as the trucks arent allowed to drive after 6pm. So it looked like i was spending the night in the open.
The police on the post took an interest in me, told me to sit with them and have a chat and they’ll sort a ride out for me. All the other hitch hikers booted off the trucks were swamping the few cars coming thru the checkpoint.
After an hour or so a very flash and new looking car pulled up to the check point. The cops said this would be my ride so grab my bags. It turned out to be a government car. He took me to the town of Nata 50km away where the N-S & W-E roads meet. A town comprising of gas stations w attached bottleshops and diners.
He even arranged a motel for me. Told me to lock the door, and watch the satellite TV. Turned out that the satellite TV was only the 7 free to air GOD channels.
Then on the way from Maun to Windhoek I had the pleasure of Rod Stewart, Whitney houston love ballads. It was good tho, as I covered 800km in ~10 hours. Fastest ever
Hitchhiking is king. Payment is expected tho. The going rate is a crazy $1/100km… A real bank breaker.
I cant believe you are in Africa!! Hitchhiking in Africa,
Kat Howlett | 19/10/2006I cant believe you are in Africa!! Hitchhiking in Africa, no less! Are you going to Madagascar? Or did I miss that entry?