Part 5 - Babs & Andy survive Windhoek and safely cross the border to Botswana (14th & 15th August 2018)

Allow us to introduce: Our new travel companion is called VW Polo Vivo, was shining in the sun until yesterday afternoon (now its white color has turned to brown) and reliably brought us to Maun in Botswana within two days, even though it could be described as a flat bed caliber. Despite this handicap and all the luggage, it mastered potholes, sandy tracks, encounters with cows, donkeys, horses, ostriches, baboons, warthogs, and guided us through strong backlight, invisible road bumps, and the Maul- and Klauenseuchenkontrollen positioned on the roadside over 816 km in 2 days from Windhoek via Gobabis to Maun.

The car rental in Windhoek was a breeze, although we didn't have any vouchers with us (sometimes you need them, sometimes you don't... it's always a game of roulette) - no problem, we simply took the Europcar employee's phone and searched for the voucher in our own Yahoo emails.
Car: check, shopping: check, gas canister for the cooker: not available, moving luggage into the car: check, departure: check.

Our route led us via Gobabis (there are Spar supermarkets on every corner in this country, but: gas canister for the cooker: not available) on the Trans-Kalahari Highway. After 296 km, it was almost 4:00 pm and since these Namibian wild animals are causing trouble on the road, we didn't take any risks and camped at Kalahari Bush Breaks shortly before the border. Best decision ever!

This morning there was a refreshing shower and a basic breakfast on the ground, the accommodations were put together and stored in our rolling cuddly ball - Botswana, here we come for over 500 km. The border crossing was surprisingly normal and well organized for African standards. No pushing, no shouting, no lost passports, there was a proper building with a good road and directional signs. However, we had to take the path that was actually intended for departing from Botswana because the other side was not passable (still a good road!). And we weren't sure at first what to do with this so-called GATE PASS, as we were told to 'wait in the parking lot'. The sun was hot, Andy & Babs were impatient, and more and more people came to the border, so we started looking for ourselves what we were supposed to do with this mysterious paper, which of course cost us money. We handed the document to the police officer who had summoned us to the parking lot, and he said: 'Do you have the stamps in your passport?' Yes, Sir. 'Do you have all the papers?' Yes, Sir. 'Then you can go, but give me the paper.' Yes, Sir. Without him even glancing at our passports or checking our vehicle for leftover food from Namibia (prohibited!), we were on the road again on the Trans-Kalahari Highway.
Along the way, there are funny checks for Maul- and Klauenseuche: Please step out once, smile, shake hands with the police, step onto a black, soaked cloth in a 0.5 cm deep disinfection basin embedded in the sandy ground, wait until the disinfection officer has sprayed all 4 tires with his sprayer. Smile, shake hands, continue driving.

And so we continue past animals and a few oncoming cars towards Maun. We are now at the spacious Audi Camp, where we will stay for 2 nights and plan our first safari in Botswana. It can no longer be called cheap here, let's see how broke I am when we are back in Namibia

P.S.: Gas canister for cooker: check (after visiting a total of 6 stores...).