Part 6 - Babs & Andy reluctantly enjoy the African sun exposure (16.08.2018)
Argitaratu: 17.09.2018
The headline already says it: It was an extremely successful start to the day. And: Once again, it was proof that you shouldn't plan on such trips because it always turns out differently. ALWAYS.
Today, originally we had errands to run in the city: buy SIM cards (so loved ones at home can call when all messenger services fail or we can organize locally in emergencies), shop for food, check and compare prices for the Moremi National Park tour (which is outrageously expensive) and organize a scenic flight over the Okavango Delta. Nice idea, but as soon as I skillfully drove this VW junk on the sand track from the camp in first gear, it was all over. The engine was already shaking in idle and I said to Andy: 'That doesn't sound normal.' And suddenly the EPC lamp came on on the dashboard. Despite pressing the gas pedal, we could only manage a meager 5 km/h. At least we somehow managed to tow the vehicle from the inconvenient sandy spot (no longer deep) in the driveway onto the asphalt road and from there back onto the passing sandy track. No phone (I remind you: we wanted to buy a SIM card), no reception with the Namibian card. Only the manual, which tells us to visit a workshop. Jackpot.
In this post, I want to make it clear to the broad readership how much effort it takes in a well-organized country like Botswana to get a responsible person from the car rental company to the broken car.
1. Barbara walks back to the campsite around 10:00 am to use the phone at the reception so that the emergency hotline of the car rental company can tell me what to do next. Please call back, the campsite is not willing to pay the fees.
2. Andy waits patiently at the car, otherwise it might disappear and/or its contents too.
3. In the meantime, Barbara explains to the emergency handler on the phone what happened and where we stand. 1. brilliant statement: We had filled up with the wrong fuel. My response: No, we were told to and it's also written on the fuel cap. 2. bordering on brilliant statement: The car received a service, it can't have any issues. But why don't you drive up to Kasane (much further north)? My response: How am I supposed to drive to Kasane at 5 km/h? 3. statement (at this point, I knew it would take hours): Why don't you call our branch in Kasane, they will help you. My response: But we are in Maun. What am I supposed to do with Kasane? No answer.
4. Barbara calls in Kasane. Please call back, ... see above. 15 minutes, nothing happens. Call again. 'I will call you back.' 10 minutes later, call again. Phone is off. Great. Found another number for the branch on the internet. Different number, same type of person. After a boring wait, finally a call back with the following statement: 'I will give you the number of the branch in Maun.' No, really???
5. Barbara calls in Maun. Call back after 10 minutes. 'I will be there in an hour.' Me to the receptionist: 'If he is not here in 2 hours, I will come back to make some more phone calls...' (too much experience in Africa).
6. Barbara trudges back to the car.
7. Andy and Barbara wait in the sweaty, sun-kissed car for 2 hours. Surprise, surprise - no car rental guy.
8. Barbara trudges back through the sand to the reception to report that no one is coming at the emergency hotline (apparently they don't like working for emergencies). Call back: never happened.
9. While I hang around at the reception and wait for the never arriving call back, Andy arrives with the car and the car rental guy. He: 'It drives.' Me: 'There's a warning light.' He: 'It's gone.' We can tell he doesn't believe us. And just as he starts to think we're half crazy, it dawns on him. It was orange on the dashboard. Visible to everyone. When you think it can't get any worse, a little light comes from somewhere...
10. So, off to the rental station: Andy and a highly motivated employee ahead (the warning light never blinked again!!!), me behind the wheel in his car.
11. Car exchanged, paperwork done. Now we're driving with the South African twin brother of our old VW Polo (because it's the same vehicle, South African license plate).
All in all, everything went quite smoothly, we have had more lengthy problems in other countries - but you can imagine how much nerves and good mood you should bring on such trips 
.
So, by 3:00 pm we were mobile again, had local food by the roadside from a lady ('Samp and Beans': 1 serving for 5 Pula, which is not even 50 EUR cents...), and organized a scenic flight over the Okavango Delta for the next day. We were very proud because everywhere you hear and read that a 45-minute flight costs around 200 USD/P. And what did we find? 82.- EUR/P for 1 hour. Great deal... let's fly!!!
Erantzun