South Africa, Mozambique, Swaziland Botswana and Namibia. Journey to Africa 2018

03 February 2018 • Travel time: with 01 January 2018 on 12 January 2018

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Mozambique and Swaziland

I don't understand why, but there were not so many animals in the Kruger Park. I drove the whole park from south to north and back, in width with a stop at the park area of Mozambique. The lands of South Africa and Mozambique were the same. If it weren’t for the conditional checkpoint, I wouldn’t have noticed that we drove into another state of Mozambique. Convenient for tourists. I also had a desire to see Swaziland and Lesotho. I never got to the dwarf state of Lesotho. From my hotel to Lesotho is almost 500 km. Too much time is needed for this trip. Swaziland was only 47 kilometers away from me. I didn’t want to go there on purpose, but the case turned up. The local neighbor of the owner of the hotel was going to drive to the nearest Swaziland village for a few hours. It suited me, because I realized that there was nothing special to watch. The border is a complete mess. It is purely conditional. South Africans and Swazis living nearby go back and forth daily for groceries. Passports are not stamped. The border guards of Swaziland did not even pay attention to me. My friend who brought me here said that I was his worker. This way I saved $50. An hour of driving around the mini-state gave me a complete picture of this country, so I didn’t want to go here on purpose.

President of South Africa

The President of South Africa at his regular wedding.

Wives of the President of South Africa. Our Zhirinovsky dreamed of this, although he has many more.

Today is January 1.2018. I can sum up the first results of my trip to Africa. Saw parts of Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland. If you add up the total scores for these countries, then I expected more. Turkey is much more interesting in all areas, especially food attractions. Although I was in it passing through the whole of Istanbul for ten hours. Dispelled fears of Johannesburg. I walked around the city from morning to evening. There was not even an attempt to rob me with a camera. No one pestered, except for taxi drivers at stations, and street vendors. Eggplants were of no interest to me, and I to them, because I dressed like them, in everything gray and modest. Johannesburg is a diverse city with a swarthy-majority transition that is slowly becoming like many cities in Africa. No better or cleaner. Common problems for all of Africa. Everything is very expensive. Poor selection of fruits. Bananas, apples, small pineapple. The lack of mango surprised me, although it grows in the country. The food service is terrible. They can't cook at all. Artiodactyls of various species run and jump all over the country, but have not tried tasty meat. Everything they fried and grilled is overcooked. They have no idea about soups. Bread, like glue, chews like glue. A huge loaf of bread can be squeezed into a small apple, and the cost is almost three apples.

Kruger Airport

Mandela, Mandela, what have you done to such a beautiful country? The President of South Africa after Mandela Jacob Zuma, unlike Mandela, is like our Lenin in a hut and Brezhnev in diamonds. Jacob Zoom has no time to take care of his people. What the blacks fought for, they ran into. Zuma once said that now he will not give up power to anyone, he will be removed from the throne only with his feet forward.

On January 1.2018, I decided to fly to Botswana. I flew in a small plane from Kruger Park International Airport to Johannesburg. Kruger Airport is very small, but cozy and beautiful. Only a decorated tree reminds of the New Year in the center of the airport hall. Almost no food. I repeat, in South Africa there are no good dishes at all, although antelopes almost jump under cars themselves. From Kruger Airport, it's only an hour's flight to Johannesburg. First day without rain. Planes are small and very narrow. There were very few passengers on January 1.2018. Very friendly flight attendants. Surprisingly, we were lightly fed and given water twice. The view from the plane was beautiful. We flew to Johannesburg. I went to a cafe, where I saw a beautiful photo with assorted meat. Paid 198 ZAR. They brought everything charred and in continuous oil, not the first freshness. The smell is terrible. The corn in the dish was burnt. Taste, none. No, South African food is not for me. Perhaps, personally, I was unlucky with food. All products in the cafe are not brought by farmers, but from supermarkets. Frozen meat and fish. Let them eat it themselves. I never met any danger in Johannesburg. Perhaps I was lucky, but there was not even an attempted robbery. It seems to me that in Johannesburg you can safely stop and walk around the city. I verified this for myself. I am leaving South Africa safe and sound, which I wish everyone, although I went alone and with a camera.

I decided to go to Botswana. Moved to the bus station, and from there by bus to the capital Gaborne of Botswana. The border of South Africa and Botswana is a quiet horror. It was already evening. Long line with bags, living creatures. Residents of Botswana bought everything they could in South Africa, where I did not see decent goods and food at all. This time I went with only one backpack weighing 15 kg. He was frightened by thieves' Africa. I kept my camera and documents close to my heart. Suddenly, in line at my backpack, the shoulder strap burst. This is already a tragedy for me. How to carry a backpack with things? I bought a backpack specially made in Switzerland, but it turned out to be an ordinary fake, apparently, the Chinese are riveting. Here in this form, plus sweaty, I slowly moved in line. After two hours, board the bus and go. We arrived in Gaborne when it got dark. I did not like the capital of Botswana at all. The mood dropped. Something lost the desire to stay in the capital. I'm lucky. An hour later the bus left for Namibia. I have only read good things about this country. I decided to go at night through Botswana to Namibia. I will not describe the bus trip. Sleeping was very uncomfortable. It's full night outside. I can not see anything. True, the road is good. In the morning I already passed the border of Botswana and Namibia. A few more hours and I'm in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. I rented a hotel not far from the Windhoek bus station, almost in the center of the capital.

Windhoek is the capital of Namibia. Clean and beautiful.

The Palace of the President of Namibia.

Namibian President's Palace

On the left is the fence of the President of Namibia

Translated automatically from Russian. View original