Motoro
Last Saturday I arrived in South Africa. The first thing I did after going through customs is renting a car. As lekker as it is to have my own mode of transportation, I struggled a bit with driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road. The first few drives were a bit shaky. After a while I got the hang of it.
The first day I went to Kempton Park to visit a friend of mine. After driving around for a bit I came at a dead end and figured I’d better call him to make sure that I still know where he lives. Phone rang and I started driving again after stopping at the side of the road. Sarel picked up the phone as I realized that I was on the wrong side of the road. (Pardon my French for the following comment). “F*ck! I’m on the wrong side of the road!” I cried out in panic/hysteria to Sarel, who on the other end of the line, could not stop laughing for the Dutchie cussing in the first hour he is in South Africa. This pandemonium was quickly resolved as I switched lanes to get on the left side of the road. No damage done.
Apart from this single and very rare event all the driving went fine. You just have get to get used to the heavy slopes when you stop and drive. I’ve got the hang of the handbrake-stops now.
Tomorrow I will be leaving to go to Gaborone and staying with some of my father’s friends (he knows people all over the place!). Monday I will be visiting the university for the first time. Let us hope the professors who I need to speak to are there.
On the right (not left!) of this post you can see some of the pictures I took.
Motoro is Setswana for car (so I have been told) Lekker is South African English for: lovely, nice, enjoyable