1:30 p.m.
Todays is the first
day since we started this trip that we have not had an agenda or things to
do. A day to hang out, catch our breath
and work on some paperwork.
Since Gordon and I
left Trenton last Wednesday morning to drive to the airport in Toronto, every
day has been a constant motion. Three
days to get to Botswana and then running around doing errands, more of which I
will talk about in due course.
Before going further
be warned that what follows are the thoughts and views of a Canadian who has
been fortunate to be coming to Botswana for 29 years now. In a so-called 3rd world country
there has been significant changes in that time.
As well, I’m not
sure what is of interest to a reader.
Are some things too mundane to comment on or explain, or are there
things that raise more interest or comments.
Please do not
hesitate to comment on either. Questions
are most welcome on a place that has become a 2nd home to Binnie,
Gordon and I. Our email address is jshutch@cogeco.ca
Lastly, this blog
should be read in conjunction of the photo sharing site Flickr. I have posted photos of the trip and
illustrations of this blog to the location:
First impressions of
our 2014 trip.
Dust
Botswana is a
country of dust, although not to be unexpected I guess, given the dry climate
and the distance from anybody of water.
On an east/west basis Botswana is dead centre of southern Africa and
equally distant from the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Your classic continental climate.
Add in the fact that
Botswana is geographically dominated by the Kalahari Desert and you are never
really very far from the desert.
Like Canada or
Australia the vast majority of the population are located along the borders of
the country. In Canada along the
American border. In Australia along the
coasts especially in the east. In
Botswana along the east side of the country stretching from Gaborone the
capital in the southeast to Francistown in the northeast.
Thus wherever you
travel in Botswana you cannot escape the dust.
You walk from place to place and there is a small cloud of dust that rises.
Gordon has been
playing either baseball or soccer each afternoon with the local kids and when
he takes his running shoes off there is a least 3 tablespoons of sand inside.
Every yard, laneway
and road is covered in sand of different degrees of compaction.
Sweeping is a
constant activity and under doors the sand can blow through your house.
No wonder Binnie was
inquiring about getting a vacuum cleaner.
Weather
The weather for the
first 5 days in Botswana have been downright perfect. Being so far from water the air is bone dry
and humidity does not exist. Put laundry
outside to dry and it will be so within 20 minutes or so.
Being so dry does
have the negative impact of drying out your sinuses something that has caused
me a little discomfort.
Apart from the zero
humidity, the skies are bright blue, there is always a slight breeze and the
daytime temperature hovers around 24C.
So far the nighttime temperatures are round about 12C or so.
Being south of the
equator this is wintertime in Botswana and southern Africa. Equivalent to the month of February in
Canada.
There are clouds
about from time to time and a couple of days ago the morning was almost
completely overcast. This helped supress
the temperature to the point that I was wearing a hoodie for a couple of hours.
The Plot – in the sense of land
Well after an
extensive process dealing with bureaucracy run rampant, Binnie is now in possession
of a 99-year lease on her plot of land in Thamaga.
Before Binnie had
the misfortune to meet a Canadian and move to Canada she had obtained a plot of
land on which she build a simple bungalow.
I estimate the bungalow to be 9.8 metres by 9.2 metres in size.
However, this plot
was given to her pursuant to Tribal law.
It was time to
obtain ownership of the plot under a formal lease so that our planned
improvements would remain in our control.
Thus on August 12th
Binnie was granted a lease for Tribal Lot 131 in Thamaga. The lease, as mentioned is for 99 years,
which can be extended for a further 99 years following year 93. The lease cost 60 pula the equivalent of
$7.50 Cdn. The lease will also follow
onto any heirs of Binnie (ie: Gordon).
The land in question
is the most unorthodox shape with sides of 40 metres, 31.7 metres, 39 metres
and 40 metres. All told that is an area
of 1,348m2.
By way of comparison,
our property in Trenton is 66 feet wide (20.1 metres) by 132 feet deep (40.2
metres) for an area of 808m2.
Thus our African
plot is 66% bigger.
Stay tuned, to come… meeting with an architect, Home Depots worldwide,
power centres, Malls and speed traps (again)
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