Wednesday 7 July - Back in RSA

We left the Elephant Sands lodge determined to do our best to get back there one day. It really is a great place to unwind and have fun. There was a large crowd of people there traveling from RSA to Chobe. They were also over-nighting and a jolly time was had by all!! Of course there was the soccer match and the elephant came back to the swimming pool to have his last drink of the day. Some of us wondered if we'd had too much to drink when we saw him.... Great entertainment.

The journey south went well. One of the guys at the lodge told us about the Parr's Halt border post. We went for it and it really was a great border to go through for the last crossing - sort of restores one's faith in border employees. Clean, organised, no trucks, no hustlers.... We then drove to Vaalwater where once again we prayed we'd find something suitable before dark and here we are in a lovely warm comfortable CLEAN room for the night. I also have my phone connected via my own sim card and it's working as a modem and no worries. We decided not to camp tonight as it takes too long to pack up in the morning and we want to make an early start for our long day ahead.

I was thinking as we drove, "Would I do this again?" Most definitely. It's been an awesome adventure and it's opened my eyes to so many aspects of our continent. One of the really interesting things has been watching the trucking community. There are thousands of truckers moving around from country to country. If we thought we have problems at the border they have it much worse. They can sit at a border post for days waiting for their truck to be checked  by customs and to get everything in order. They are a strong community together and we've noticed how they support one another. Then of course they have some abominable roads to contend with - such as in Northern Zambia. It's amazing how helpful they are too. If one takes the trouble to watch and learn the signals they give to any motorist behind them overtaking is simple. I had no fears of overtaking one or two trucks at a time. They are a great bunch of people.

We live on a wonderful continent with such amazing people who survive against all odds at times. I am proud to be an African and this trip has given me a new insight into our neighbours. It's been an education of its own. I'm so glad we did it.