BUSHVELD BASHING

Actually, this section has been quite a smooth ride, but that doesn't rhyme with "bushveld". I stayed at Lichtenburg waiting for my drivers licence to arrive on Monday am (and it was there!). The cruise to Zeerust was comfortable, watching the mielies turn to bush and cattle country. Appropriately the Pub & Grill next to the camp site in Zeerust was called "The Bull & Bush". I've enjoyed reading the work of Herman Charles Bosman (which plays off the that region). His narrator (Oom Schalk Lourens) was often drinking coffee in the P.O. at the start of a story, but as I was having breakfast at the Wimpy I realized that those days have gone. The Botswana policeman at the Shilpadhek border post informed me that there was nothing of interest at Lobatse (the next town inside Botswana). I found out he was right, and went on to a sprawling village called Otse, where there was even less of interest. They advertise a non-existent camp site, so after some time I found the Baratani Lodge which also didn't cater for tents. The staff took pity on me and decided that I could camp on the lawn for half the price of a room. However, after some lengthy deliberation they gave me a room at the same price as camping (which they didn't have). This morning I hit the road to Gaborone quite early, so that I could do some business and find a camp site. The business has been done, and I hear there is a "Bull & Bush" here as well (with a camp site attached). Distances since Lichtenburg are: Zeerust 88 k; Otse 87k; and Gaborone 65 k (most of it in the town looking for places).