For those avid followers out there (I'm sure there's two or three), you may be wondering why I haven't posted in a little while. I'm back in the real world, of sorts, with a base and a job. Here are my first impressions of Gaborone. Gaborone ('Gabs') is the capital city although with a population of just 250,000. Botswana is a sparse country, with the remaining 85% of the country living mostly outside the towns. Like Canberra, Gabs exists as the headquarters of government having been built in the 1960s prior to Botswana's independence from Britain. However the city has not grown upwards over time but rather outwards, forming a series of blocks and extensions in all directions. There is therefore no main hub with restaurants, bars and shopping malls spread out across the city.
It's no surprise then that it is described by Lonely Planet as "a pretty low-key place. There aren’t that many reasons to come here – it’s a world of government ministries, shopping malls and a seemingly endless urban sprawl". This is certainly true, on the surface. It certainly matches my desire to be here in a radically different environment, to challenge myself, to live and work amongst a new culture.
However I'm already beginning to realise that a lot more is happening in Gabs than meets the eye. The problem is exposure - nowhere and nothing has a website, Facebook account or apparent contact details. It seems you have to rely on word of mouth to find a good bar, restaurant or quality craft market. Even cars are impossible to buy without reading the Botswana Advertiser - a daily magazine in print edition only. Similarly with cycling clubs, squash and desert marathons: it all happens regularly but you need to find out from someone else.
I'm living in Tlokweng, a village about 5km east of the CBD. It's a quaint place being fairly close to everything one needs but without having too much one would want. It's only a 10km drive to the South African border making it ideal for weekend escapes to SA. The house leased by my company is big, comfortable although unbearably cold. I'm sure the tiles will be a saviour in summer but now, in winter, the house remains at least 5 degrees colder than outside despite all the doors and windows remaining open to try and capture the daily warmth. Also, check out my new (interim) wheels!
It's also dry and dusty, a factor of being in the Kalahari Desert. It has not rained for a couple of months now, and there won't be a single drop until October or November. The benefit of course, is that every one of the 24 days so far has been warm and sunny (and mosquito-free). However the situation is near-dire for the city's water supply after three years of drought. Yes, drought in what is already a desert. Almost all water is piped above ground from 400km away in Francistown as the Gaborone dam has been dry for the last 1.5 years. Although we still get water, it's best to shower early in the morning and I've learnt that there is no water on a Saturday and the occasional weekday. But hey, TIA.
Botswana is known in the region for it's quality beef, which is also super cheap - less than $10 per kilo for the most expensive cuts. Coming from a land renowned for its cattle, my standards are high. Here, it's all about knowing the best butcher to buy from, and some of the meat is pretty damned good. Coffee on the other hand is rubbish, as the Batswana simply don't drink the stuff. Or I simply can't find the good places in town, for if they exist, they definitely do not have a website!
Overall, Gabs is a fairly chilled out place. It's a friendly city, and one that I'm going to be happy spending some time in. Mostly, it's a good base to spend time exploring the region - from the Central Kalahari, Pans and Okavango Delta to the north, as well as neighbouring South Africa and Namibia, which are equally large, and in many places, seriously remote.
One of the best things I've discovered about Botswana is its double public holidays. The Monday just gone, for example, was President's Day, which means that was a public holiday. It also meant that Tuesday was, well, a pubic holiday too. In celebration of the earlier public holiday. Brilliant. This meant an extra-long weekend spent at Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa. More on that to follow...