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Ubuntu
What is Ubuntu? In short it is the ancestral spirit. Abrand of maize milk salutes the spirit of ubuntu, a liquer is decirated with ubuntu beads in celebration of the traditions of hospitality and friendship. Her you see the Ubuntu Cellphone And Landline Shop in Boseja. Modern technology, keeping alive the ancestral spirit
The Boteti River At Samedupi
Here's the Boteti river, charging along like a mill race just outside Samedupi.
The Boteti River AT Makalamabedi
This picture is taken just beyond Makalamabedi. The village is in the far distance and the river which has not flowed for about 15 years has just passed it. This is the very front of the river, pouring into a well dug in the river bed and about to overflow and continue its advance.
Here is the Boteti river at Makalamabedi village.
Marty, Geomorpholologist, our guide and landlady and Grand Master of The Weetabix Game
Marty points out an interestingly mangled piece of fence as we head towards Samedupi
Collecting Water From The Boteti River At Samedupi
For the first time in around 20 years people are able to collect water from the Boteti river.
SPLASH!
Hey! It would appear that the ability to add pictures to my blog has been returned to me! Here's me at Matshwane School Pool paying homage to one of England's greatest living painters, David Hockney.
Sunset Over The Thamalakane River
Reeds On The River
About To Brave The Freezing Waters Of Matshwane School Pool
Here I am about to dive in to the freezing waters of Matshwane School Pool. When we told everyone that we'd be using the pool which the Headmaster had generously allowed us to use they all said 'brrrr, it's too cold!'. Cissies, we thought. We're brits, made of sterner stuff, what? So, we adjusted our monocles, put on our pith helmets at jaunty angles and went to thepool. WOW! It is actually rather bracing. But the best thing about it is coming outafter a few lengths and baking off on the hot concrete stands. Lovely!
Greetings From Matshwane School Pool
Botswana Sign Safari: The Painted House
Botswana Sign Safari: People Traffickers
Zebras, zebras...
and more zebras!
Kudus at Meno A Kwena
Boisterous Elephants At Meno A Kwena
A Lovely Petrol Tanker At The Wildlife Control Border En Route Meno A Kweno 17th July
The Baobabs Of Boseja
Bradfield's Hornbill @ Sedia Kgotla
Zebras To The Right Of Us
Here we are in the Okavango Delta. It is Saturday 14th of July. We are Me, Rowland in Africa, Mary erstwhile friend of the project and personnell manager of Sanctuary Safaris, Gaone, Mary's daughter, Muduwade, Mary's pal from Lesotho, Thudo, Muduwade's daughter, Muduwade's other daughter, and Dwight, Mary's other friend awho is teaching here in Maun and is from Jamaica. He's been here 8 years! Why is it significsnt that we are in the Okavango Delta on Saturday 14th? Reason is, yesterday was Friday the 13th and it really was a Friday 13th for Julia, Anne and I. Julia and Anne received Friday the 13th via too few patients at the normally well attended Boseja Support Group clinic and then by mislaying the project purse with all our dough in it! Thankfully it was only mislaid and nothing was lost. Also, it's a good thing that nhardlky anyone turned up at Boseja, shows the homoeopathy's working well! My bad luck was going to Sedia kgotla to tell everyone about the project and our work, just down the road with Senonori Support Group. I'd prepared what I was going to sayand we'd been trying for ages to find a kgotla meeting in the vicinity which we could easily attend. Senonori Support Group Clinic is our weakest. For one reason or another hardly anyone attends. It seems that there is more prejudice towards HIV sufferers in this part of town than at our other support group clinics. The clinic is right in the midddle of the neighbour hood and it seems people are unwilling to advertise their status by attending there, so we're told by Rosinah, our liaisson with the Support Group. It's not that Senonori's residents are against homoeopathy. They're happy to come to the Lutheran Church Clinic over the other side of town. They just don't want their friends and neighbours to know their status. Which is fair enough. So, Julia and Anne drop me off at Big Tree and head off to Boseja. I walk in to Sedia, along the dusty tracks between the compounds. It's a nice walk on a cool winters morning. Because theriver is in full flood and rising by the day the air is cool and the skies are clear and the dust stays down. There's even a breeze. And there';s nothing like a walk in the desert early on a winters morning. There are very few people around. There ought to be women doing chores in the compound and wonderfuly bright multicoloured strings of washing and the smell of woodsmoke perfuming the air. It's very quiet altogether as I pass through fragrant Wild Sage bushes which are, incidentally a provider of a natural mosquito repellent, duck round thorny bushes and acacias, underthe shade of great mopane trees and up to the kgotla. Wherethere ought to be a crowd of attendees greeting one another, headmen in their buff trousers, black blazers and white fiching hats cutting a dignified dash withtheir walking sticks in the style of ancestralk knobkerries there is silence./ and a solitary Bradfield's Hornbill. I find out from probably the only person left in Sedia that morning that beacause it was a long weekend everyone had decided that they should spend their time profitably at their cattle stations and crop farms. So I delivered the talk to two Sedia residents and gave them leaflets so it was not a total waste of time. I also got a photo of Bradfields Hornbill who graces the 5 thebe piece. While waiting for Julia and Anne in town on my way back I also bought a nnew belt which I wasin need of. So it wasn't such a bad Friday 13th after all. Just a bit frustrating. That evening we forgot all our troubles as we went to Mary's for dinner. The next day we were all up early. Julia, to get her hair braided so that on her return to merrie England there should be no doubt as to where she had been, Anne to let people know where she was and I to accompany Mary and co. to the Delta. We climbed into the back of a flatbed truck at 8 AM after an early morning coffee round Mary's excellent fireplace.
Zebras To The Left Of Us
Here we are in the Okavango Delta. We're on a little island surrounded by water. Here are some very timid zebras just waiting for us to take that extra step into their comfort zone which will propel them headlong into the distance.
Our House
Here's our lovely verandah. As it was only 24 hours ago. Now it is a building site as a new room is being sectioned off at the end furthest from you. See the black poles holding the roof up? Count 1, 2, 3 in. See that third pole? well, a wall is being built across from there to the wall on which the giant lizerd lives. This is to provide us homoeopaths with shelter from inclemment weather, mosquitos etc and provide a sort of office. The area between the third and first poles will remain open.
Our House
Here's Anne sitting on the step outside our rooms. At the end is our bathroom which has a bath, a showwer and a flushing toilet! And a fan heater for those cold, early morning starts, brrr!
Combi Nation
Revealed! The insides of a Botswanan combie. These are the busses which travel set routes around Maun picking up passengers as they hail the bus or as they respond to the drivers toot of greeting. This is the combie which took me from big tree up to New Mall this morning to do the shopping. Hang on, why are you doing the shopping on a Wednesday morning when there are so many people needing treatment? Never fear, gentle reader, I wasn't skiving I was fulfilling an essential and necessary duty to the charity by ensuring that us homoeopaths are well fed and watered so that we can continue our work here. Because there are 3 of us and because this morning's clinic was at WoMen Against Rape I was free to support our work in a different way. I was given the afternoon off too. How is that possible, don't you have to see private patients at The Okavango Pharmacy on Tuesday afternoons? Still your heart once again, gentle reader. Once again Anne and Julia were on the spot. Itis Julia's final week in Maun and so she wanted to wish the patients she has been taking care of during her stay here a fond farewell. After doing the shopping I returned home and went through the notes of a case which has showed very slow progress. So, once again, altough I was able to enjoy the peace and seclusion of our garden and a walk home along the riverbank, I was still at work. I also had to be early home for supervision with the excellent Clare Long who I take the opportunity of thanking here for her support.
Rowland In Africa
Q. What is going on in that pretty head of yours? A. Old Bones and Skrimshaw, aharrr! Actually I am reflecting on the good fortune that has allowed me to be working in Africa and, not only that but working with Anne and Julia who are both great people to be spending almost 24 hours a day around. I think we've all been pretty lucky to be working together. We all have a good laugh and wok well, work well and relax wel together. The emphasis being on together as there is not much opportunity of getting real time to oneself here except at the weekends. Thankfully our work and leisure hours have developed their own rythm and dynamic. We're all good at sharing chores and cooking and none of us have ever served up baked beans on toast.
Anne In The Woods
Here's Anne in the woods just beyond the Old Wooden bridge. Anne is an archaeologist, an expert on dogs and children and a still water which runs deep. She rustles up pretty mean salads and appreciates good coffee. She is very funny and is good company. She likes Green Day because it makes her feel rebelious. We do not realise it at the time but we are about to embark on an epic journey.
Old Wooden Bridge, Maun
Here's the Old Wooden Bridge of Maun, famed in song and story. When the river descends andbegins to rise people gather her to watch and celebrate its approach. The Old Wooden Bridgehas a very pleasant atmosphere and is a really good place to walk to and hang out awhile. This is crossing from Sedia Road bank to Disaneng. Once you are on the Disaneng side you are in a cool forest of tall trees.
Hitchiking Kids
this is the gang of schoolkids who are now regularly hitching a lift with us into Disanengas we travel home.
It's Friday afternoon, we've finished work early, where shall we go?
Lets go to the Petrol Station! Yeah! Here's Anne, the newest member of the Maun Homoeopathy gang at the garage paying for the backie to be filled with gas.
Brick Making On The Banks Of the Thamalakawe River
02/0707 - Anne arrived on Saturday and on Sunday wae walked into town along the river. About 100 yards along the bank after we left the house we encountered the two resident hippos. You will see in the pictures below that they were on their feet which is a bit more interesting than if they are lying down. They are famed for how agile they are on their feet and how they kill more people than all the other wild animals put together and armed with machetes. Once again we trod cautiously inland to the bush. The greatest danger we facwed was dying of fright from the dog which launched itself like a thunderbolt at the fence of a compound we passed. MORE MUSIC. As we continued aslong the bank we began to hear music. Actually, hearing music on a Sunday is not so unusual as the gospel music from the American evengelical mission further down the bank drifts over on the wind and is very pleasant to hear. This music was different it was the subtle rythms and harmonies of African music. gradually we began to make out, in the shade of a broad spreading tree a host of figures all dressed in white. They were facing the river with their hands clasped in prayer. The women were robed like nuns and the men looked like druids although this was a fully Christian congregation. The tree chapen on the riverbank and the white robes also put me in mind of the Ganges and a special Ganga Puja. Anne and I walked for about 3 hours and on our return the singing was continuing unabated, only this time there was a line of congregants on their knees slowly advancing towards the priests and priestesses who annointed them with water and marked their foreheads with a cross of ash, all the while singing.
Hippos & Donkeys!
Q. What lives on the river bank? A. Hippo's & donkeys. And a lot more very beautiful and interesting animals. I have seen a kingfisher (also available in lewisham), a Lilac Rocker, which I think is the national bird of Botswana. Eventually i will find one which feels like sitting still long enough to have it's photo taken. When I do I'll post it here. It's a really beautiful bird in the shiny blue and brown colours one might associate with a kingfisher. I've seen Ground hornbills, which look like turkeys in morning. Everywhere you can see theseirridescent green/bule/black starlings. Ive seen ox-perckers hitching rides on donkeys and great swarms of these tiny sparrow/robbin type birds but which have a distinctive sky blue breast. Lizards are beginning to populate the house which will mean good predators for any insects.
Another Day, Another Hippo
Hello again! It's the 2nd of July Today, Monday. On Saturday Anne arrived. That evening we went to the Lutheran Church to listen to a choir concert. It was one of my dreams come true to hear the beautiful harrmonic African singing in its original context rather than on a recording. We wer treated to 3 hours of singing by a group from Gaborone and members of the LC congregation making up, variously the Lutheran Church main, choir, youth choir, womens choir & men's choir. There was also an imprompto performance by the children of Tuso rehabilitation centre and the Tuso Staff choir. It was excellent!
How Will I Get Home?
In the distance on the river bank is a big dark mass. That big dark mass represents Hippopotami. You can see that they are too close to the path for comfort and a backie has had to pul off the road a safe distance away to avoid being marmelised by over inquisitive and playful hippo's. As you can see by the shadows it is getting on in the wvening and the sun is only just above the trees. I have a limited number of options. 1) Get up to the backie and ask the driver for a lift back up the road and around the hippo's (Our house lies about 150 yard beyond the hippo's). 2) Slowly edge into the bush to my right and move as lowly as possible past the hippo's hoping that they do not charge bushes on the suspicion that someone is behind them. 3) Go back to the makorro, about 50 yards behind me, re-cross the river and go to the main rad, get a combie down to big tree and cross the river there. I had a lot of time to consider my options. I slowly, pace by slow, slow pace, drew level with the backie and saw that the occupant was a guy with a massive cameera & telephoto lens mounted on his wing mirror. I had begun to work my way towards the backie but the grass is nibbled by donkeys and cattle down to a crackly stubble which i imagined would prick the ears of the hippo's and rouse their choler. I stood there watching them, he sat there watching them and a batswana guy came up the path behind me and i hop[ed he was heading towards Disaneng and would know how to negotiate these proud, majestic and fearsome ruminants. Fortunately after some time the wildlife photographer became bored and slooooowly, veeeery sloooowly backed away. On cue the hippo's girt their loins and showed their most photogenic aspects to whoveer was still around. I think the photoigrapher missed the opportunity for some fine shots as the hipo's rose, stretched and headed into the river for supper. Thankifully before the sun had set. I( looked behind me and the Batswana guy was heading off in the opposite direction.
A Scary Moment
As you may know Hippo's are responsible for morwe human deaths in Africa than all the other animals put together. as you will read below, the people around here are not mad keen on two hippo's living in such close proximity to them. This photo was taken after the wild-life photographer backed his backie veeeeery veeeeery slowly away from the two dozing Hippo's. Knowing that hippo's are in the habit of trompling people to death I spent the few long moments that this hippo was staring at me contemplating and saluting his hippopotamous indefatigability and physical beauty, without making eye contact. I obviously did not present as pleasing an aspect to the hippo as he did to me and so he turned round and went into the water for a nice supper of water lilly roots.
The Hippo's are going to have a nice supper of water lilly roots
As the Hippo's turned round and walked into the water I moved closer, knowing that I would have the chance to move well out of their way if they turned moody. I've a feeling that the wild-life photographer who was in the backie missed some really nice pictures once he'd left. So, the Hippo's leave and i know that I will be able to get home before dark.
Hippo Alert!!
While I watched the Hippo's a guy waklked up and introduced himself as Pa-Pi. He's lived along the river all his life and was telling me about what happens when the river is exceptionally high. When this happens hippo's can find there way into people's compounds during the night and you will wake up to find them in your hard. He also told me of a child eaten by a crocodile but they are rare in the Thamalakawe River as they prefer shallow water. Pa-Pi also gave me some tips on Hippo evasion. hippo's are very fast in a straight line but cannot turn very sharply. If you are ever chased by a hippo the thing to do is turn round and run towards him. He won't be able to turn towards yo or turn round to chase you. Another way of impeding Hippo's is to lay a stout log in their path. Hippo's are not agile enough to lift their legs over it or go round it very quickly. The best thing to do though is avoid them and give them a very wide birth as they kill more people than any other animal in Botswana!
Hippo Alert!!
Yesterday evening there were two Hippo's in the Thamalakawe River behind our house. They were very close to the Makorro and the man had stopped punting across. Customers were begining to build up on both banks. A small knot of children and young people were throwing stones at the Hippos. I stood there watching. These are fully free hippos who have nothing to do with fences and Willife Reserves. These Guys come and go as they please.
Our Solstice
Thursday was Midwinter Solstice here in Botswana. There were no two ways aboyt it, it was the shortist day. No sooner had we arrived home than it was pitch dark and it felt like even the dark was darker than usual.
Giraffe! 20/06/07
This evening I took a walk along the banks of the Thamalakawe River which runs behind our house. I walked as far as the fence of the game reserve and had to get a Makorro across to the other bank if I didn't want to walk round the game reserve which stretches from the river, pretty much to the outskirts of town. I walked along the riverbank opposite the reserve and I was amazed to see a Giraffe on the bank opposite. The girrafe was just standing there but as I drew level it began to walk and keep pace with me. Eventually we met another Giraffe standing on the bank anbd we al walked on together until we met another two. So we all walked off four Giraffes and me until we reached several Zebras who were having a drink. Further on there were Wildebeest and Kudu which are smal deer with ears like Rabbits.
Wonder Warthog
This is a picture of wildlife up close and personal. While I was concentrating my attention on the Girraffes and Zebras a Warthog had come across the river and was having a spot of tea, snuffling and rooting around at the base of the reeds. I am afraid I could not get very close to him because he was very wary of me. But he was a very beautiful representative of the warthog race.
Boseja Kgotla 18th July 2007
We are invited to Boseja Kgotla to give a talk about homoeopathy and what the Maun homoeopathy project is all about. A Kgotla is the village council. You still read stories in the Ngami Times (our local paper because we are in Ngamiland called so because of lake Ngami.) of sentences passed by the Ngosi (Chief) at the Kgotla. Recently I read about a security guard who was given 3 lashes for roughing up someone who he had caught. The Ngosi presiding reminded the court that the security guards job was simply to apprehend and detain wrongdoers until the proper authorities arrive and not to mete out punishments of his own devising. At this Kgotla the chief sat against the southern wall with the other elders because he was giving the stage to a couple of people from Local Government and us. In the foreground of this picture is Edith who is the councillor for Boseja ward. Behind Edith is the most imneresting part of the picture, the group of women who sang and danced in welcome. So, how did things begin? Julia and I arrive in Boseja just before 9 AM. Thebe who is our liasson with the BVoseja support group greets us saying Ogtsohile Jang? Which means how are you? To which we reply Ogtsohile sentle, meaning I'm very well. He takes us around to the shade tree in front of the Boseja Kgotla Office where everyone who wishes to attend is waiting. We are passed around from hand shake to hanshake and we find ourselves back at the gate of th compund with Tebe, introducing us to the elders. These elders are real elders, well beyond the expected 40 or so years which is the national average live expectancy. Julia, Thebe, The Elders, Edith, Thebe, the Kgotla Secretary & I go into the Kgotla because we can't wait for any morer people to arrive. The Ngosi welcomes everyone and opens proceedings with a prayer. The secretary annonces that the proceedings will begin with a song of welcome from the welcoming comittee. From behind the southern wall comes the bgeautifully harmonised song of welcome and the singers advance and slowly appear before the Kgotla doing a shuffling dance and clapping thewir hands to keep time. They come up onto the stage and Edith is very taken by all this and ullulates and claps and shouts encouragement. The singers first sing Dumelang which means 'greetings' in Setswana. They then samg a song which featured the word 'toho' which means pain. I think this referred to The Maun Homoeopathy Project. Their third song I guess, referred to what the Local Government speaker had to say. He had a lot to say too. He just went on and on, for an hour, without once drawing breath or thinking about what he had to say. That is something else I have noticed here, people have a real gift for standing up and talking very well at length. The Local Government man was promoti8ng a business initiative for small businesses in the business of growing crops or weaving baskets or other such small enterprises. Like the Charity Show at times, sitting there in the sun just listening became a bit too much of a good thing. Thankfully we finally came to make our speech through an interpreter. Afterwards the National Anthem was sung and we all began to drift away. Thebe caught up with us and insisted that we cannot leave before we sample the Batswana delicacy known as the Fat Cake. This again is a mark of the superior civilisation of Botswana in general. For, a fat cake is doughnut batter, or something like it fashioned into a ball and deep fried. It csan be served with a little soup and makes a very tasty snack!
Boseja Kgotla 18th July 2007
These are the village elders sitting with their backs to the southern wall of the Kgotla.
Come Home To A Real Fire
Seed and Spice Stall, Maun Bus Station
Bus Station People
Combie
Maun Bus Station
Maun Bus Station is one of the more interesting corners of Maun town. As well as busses coming from all over, local and long distance combies, prowling taxi's and Chicken&Chips vendors there is also a market. Like the rest of Botswana's public spaces it is very clean.
What Makes You Go On And On About Sedia Road?
Trees like these.
The Blind Beggar Photo Booth, Sedia Road, Maun
I like this because 1) it reminds me of visits I have made to Whitechapel and the fun times I have had in the East End of London; 2) Because a photo-booth is a nice thing for a blind beggar to be running. Gentle readers, I cannot confirm the veracity of the proprietors claim but be assured I shall inform you of the results of my investigations; 3) It is pleasing to the eye 4) it is an excellent shady place. This is where combie and taxi drivers and other dandy bucks gather to exchange gossip. 5) It represents the gateway to the lovely Sedia Road.
Artisan's sign, Sedia Road, Maun.
Sedia Road run's parralel to the Thamalakawe river. Once you have crossed the roundabout, with New Bridge on your left you are in the centre of Maun and the first place you see is Riley's Hotel & Garage etc. Heading away from the centre of town with New Bridge and the River on your right is Sedia Road. It is a nice road to walk home along in the late afternoon as the sun is South West of you and low in the sky and the shadows are long and the air is beginning to cool. Along Sedia Road are many large old trees and the compounds have many large tres in them too. It is long and straight and takes ont the feel of a very nice avenue. Back to the subject of signs, I'm very sorry to find that there is not a very big illustrated sign culture here in Maun. I expected to see some interesting things. However what signs there are are worthy of note. When I next get the chance I'll publish my favourite Maun artworks here.
Craftsman Clever's shop, Sedia Road, Maun
As you continue along Sedia road you will see that it is something of a metalworkers quater. Many of the compounds have assemblages like this in them. You can buy cupboards, tables, chairs, a kennel, kennels, big metal treasure chests, bmetal boxes of descending (or ascending depending on which side you approach from) sizes, from trunk down to cash box for 5 Thebe pieces, Tin Baths, Hip Baths, Bowls, pans, buckets which also ascend and descend in size and a funny looking contraption which I haven't worked out yet. When i give up I'l look for Clever and ask him.
What does Maun look like?
Only some parts of Maun are pretty as an airport. Walking along Sedia road in the late afternoon is a real pleasure as it affords really beautiful views as this. I'm afraid some of you looking at this will say 'it looks like waste ground'. Unfortunately that is so but only in these poor pictures. The desert surrounding us and which we live in is very beautiful whether in the blinding heat of midday, the haze of the dawn or the slanting terracotta light of late afternoon.
A View of Maun
This is what most of the Landscape looks like round here. The only topographical features I have learned to recognise are Cattle, Goats, Telegraph Poles, Roads and Compounds. This is a compound with landscape beyond. I have found a really good book on trees and shrubs for this part of the world. there are a few distinctive trees in our neighbourhood which I recognise in the book so I'm teaching myself a bit about them. I am looking for a Morula tree this weekend (23/06/07) as they are incredibly nutritious and medicinal.
A View Of Maun
A compound off Sedia Road
Tuck Shop Man
This is one of Botswana's many Tuck Shop Owners. Like the easy availability of Chicken and Chips at the bus stations, I regard the existence of Tuck Shops to be a mark of Botswana being a superior civilisation. Tuck shops are builtjust beyond the boundaries of their owners compounds on the side of the roads. They are very helpful for navigating at night as they leave the light above their doors burning into the night long after they have closed. It is a shame about this photo. It was taken on a digital camera which has quite a delay between the button being pressed and the photo being taken. This means that the big smile and two handed wave Tuck Shop Man was giving me when I took this cannot be seen.
Maun Compound With Traditional N'Tlo Dwelling
All the dwellings in Maun look pretty much the same. A wire fenced or walled in compound containing a mixture of buildings. Batswana compounds will usually contain one or two n'tlo (pron. N-doh) houses. N'tlo means home according to the Setswana/English dictionary I'm using. I was surprised that some of the Batswana who I have asked describe these buildings as 'roontvaals' which is the fully Afrikaans way of describing them. I asked them if that was the Setswana word for the house and they said yes. I think the reason why is because the people I asked came fro an area of Botswana further north which is closer to Namibia which was a German colony. It appears that they have adopted the German/Afrikaaner name for their houses in the same way as English adopted Norman words.
The Makorro Ferry Across The Thamalakawe River From Sedia Road to the Disaneng Bank
Turning west of the Sedia road I walk through the neighbourhood of compounds towards the Thamalakawe River. Running between the compounds are public footpaths. By zig zagging along this network of paths I eventually come to the river bank and walk along until I find the Makorro. The Makorro. The Makorro is a flat bottomed boat which is punted along the waterways of Botswana. It costs 1.5 pula ( about 15 p) to cross the river. The Sedia Road is a nice place to be in the late afternoon as the suns sets but it is very dusty. It is much nicer to find your way down to the river bank and walk along that.
Sunday Fishing In The Thamalakawe River, Maun
It's late in the afternoon and the people of Disaneng, Maun are beginning to take in their netas after a days fishing in the Thamalakawe river.
Rowland, in Africa
Why is Rowland wearing a hat and a big jumper? He is so attired because it is jolly cold on a June evening in Ngamiland, Botswana. We are in a desert after all. I am looking at the map of Botswana and reading the very interesting history printed beside the map. Did you know Cecil Rhodes cheated Botswana away from the native people and behaved in a beastly high handed manner towards the Sympathetic Dr Livingston? Didn't surprise me. It is late in the evening and we have the lights on because we are in Botswana and not Zimbabwe and there are no 15 hour power cuts. It's actually quite late in the evening and i have to be up at 0600 tomorrow morning to go to the Lutheran Church Clinic. I'd better go to bed. Good-Night
Julia In Africa
Juluia has her head screwed on. She has brought a laptop with her and is using the dial up connection at the cottage. It is early morning and she is checking her e-mails before we leave for work. I'm really lucky I have Julia mentoring me here as she knows the day to day mechanics of the project, we often concur on case analysis and often see things from a similar perspective. We make each other laugh and get on well. She has introduced me to her curry making methods and gherkins which I would never have gone near before now. I had the honour of introducing her to the deklights of butternut squash risotto. She enebled me to reconnect with my diormant cooking abilities. We bioth like Father Ted, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen and South East London.
Early Morning drive to work.
Would you like to hear about my journey to work each morning? You would? Excellent. Julia and I leave home at about 07:30 pulling out of our compound onto a series of dusty tracks through the bush. You can have your windows open for this part of the journey as there is very little traffic down this way. We pass through a small neighbour hood of spread out compounds sitting at the end of their own individual dirt tracks before we pull out of the bush and reach the site of the construction of a new mettalled road and a new hospital. This is where it gets really dusty. Unless it is wet the ground exists as a grey yellow sand. When it is wet it turns into very attractive golden brown mud which can be cultivated with care as we saw at the Maun Counselling Service Compound. As there is some traffic servicing the road works there is a lot of dust kicked up as cars and lorries pass. We close the windows but don't mind as it is nicelly cool in the morning air which is pink with the rising sun.
Combi Stop.
It's about 07:50 and we're pulling off the dusty track onto the Francistown Road. this is a Combi stop where people wait for public people carriers to nip them around town. We are going into town, these guys are travelling in the opposite direction, otherwise we would have given them a lift.
Francistown Road, heading towards Maun
What a relief! At this point we've just pulled off the unmettalled road onto the tarmacced road into town. We can open our windows now.
Bridge over Thalakwe River
london its Thames, Paris its Seine, New York it's Hudson and Maun its Thalakwe. Like Luxor and Babylon, all great civilisations arise beside the life giving waters of a mighty river. This is the river which is meant to flow behind our house and through Maun but at present sits in Muddy pools. It is the cold, dry season here in Maun. We are expecting over the next fortnight to see the muddy pools gradually link up as the waters rise. Please note the thirsty donkey in the middle distance.
Riley's gararge with the bus station in the distance.
It's about 7:55 by now and we've just crossed the new bridge, turned right off the Francistown road and here we are driving into the crntre of Maun. It actually looks quite nice in the early morning light when the dust is down, the air is clear and the sun is low in the sky. It's hard to give a visual description of anywhere in Maun as there is so much space between everything. To do places like the Old Mall and Bus Station, or even a home compound justice you'd need quite a wide ange lens. You can either get one thing close up or the vista in the distance. That's al part of the Maun experience.
We've arrived at The Lutheran Church
8 AM outside the Lutheran Church, Maun. Julia is talking to Decon Anna beside our 'backie'. The day begins very early here. Patients arrive before 8 am to put their name on the waiting list. We can see up to 10 people from 8 AM before lunch at . We return at 2 to see more people. Once you start you get into the rythm but you realise how tired you are once you stop. Where we work is cool clean and fresh. It's actually quite cold inside when we begin and it's very nice to get out into the bright sun and the dry heat at 1.
Compare and Contrast: Below are two descriptions of celebratory events in Botswana.
A stirring ovation by Mrs Mahopolo's mother on the occasion of Mrs Mahopolo's 50'th Birthday. Mrs Mahopolo (M'poh) is the coordinator at WoMen Against Rape in Maun. She celebrated her 50th Birthday recently, or ratjher she was celebrated by her mother, her daughter, 2 churchmen and her colleagues. M'pohs mum gave a very good speech in Sutu, Setswana & English describing how happy she was to have two daughters engaged in good work and how M'poh had found her 'cleft in the rock' in Maun and was surrounded by a second family. Mr Moyo, his wife and a friend sang really wonderful hymns between each speech. It's hard to describe it as gospel but it put me in mind of old recordings of simple guitar and vocal hymns and folk songs from the 30's 40's and 50's. It was a beautiful, simple and powerful sound.
Mrs Mahopolo's Birthday Party
Left to right (in a suit) Mr Madzokere, M'poh, Mr & Mrs Moyo singing.
Gumboot Dancing
Gumboot dancing, we were informed by the compere's , originated in South Africa's mines where the miners were forbidden to speak. As they were chained together they began communicating via jerks on the chains between them. I have a feeling that the white Afrikaaners performing this dance did not have any antecedents who were chained up in a mine. Then again...
Rocky Horror Picture Show
Little Nell, Frank N Furter and the other two wierdo's who's names I forget. This was a really good and faithful although abridged version of RHPS. Really quite spooky.
Rocky Horror Picture Show
Frank N Furter. In just 7 days he can make you a man. But ask yourself, what is it that makes a man a man?
The Beatles
The people who took part in the show really gave their all and put their hearts into it. Everyone had a hidden talent be it for looking ridiculous in drag or for being able to sing like the Beatles! These guys managed it. If you are familiar with the song Girl, from Rubber Soul then you will realise how good these guys were when I tell you they were able to sing it and sound LIKE THE BEATLES! Bravo!
Hilary 1
Julia, Marty and I were all looking forward to seeing Hilary and J's belly dancing teacher (who's name I'm afraid I've forgotten) dancing on stage. Hilary is fantastically talented, she is a nurse, she runs the Coffee shop where we go for lunch which serves really tasty food with delicious home mad bread. Not only that but she is a classically trained ballet dancer. Here she is in the grand finale of the show salsa dancing in the turquoise costume nearest to the camera.
Hilary 2
Hilary is 3rd from left in the turquoise outfit. Everyone in the picture is giving 110% as were all the cast members.
Hilary 3
Here is Hilary really getting into the groove in the grand finale.
Maun Bus Station
An essential part of any tourist's itinerary when visiting Maun
Traditional house, Maun
Maun Homeopathy Project Logo
Maun Homeopathy Project Logo
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