Hey,

I served in Guatemala 98-00. I'm heading to Botswana this august, and am hoping for travel tips.
Specifically, i'd like to know what not to miss, and
how best to get from Maun to Johberg (SA). Anybody there who mind letting me know your thoughts.

Many thanks,

Molly

By Nick (dhcp80ff5887.dynamic.uiowa.edu - 128.255.88.135) on Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - 6:43 pm: Edit Post

Hitch a ride from Maun to Francistown (ask around to find out where the waiting spot will be...it will be on the road going out of town towards Francistown).
Hitch or take a bus from Francistown to Gaborone (the cost will be the same roughly, the bus will be more comfortable but will only go at certain times and sometimes you can get a killer ride in a nice car. Otherwise you might end up in the back of somebody's truck. But that's half the fun).
Take a kombi to get from Gaborone to Jo'burg(figure out how many hours the journey will be [I seem to remember 4-5] and *do not* arrive in Jo'burg at night).

Just make sure you have arranged a place to stay at in Jo'burg. Do not arrive there without a plan. Directly in the kombi rank in Jo'burg you are probably all right if it's daytime and you are not timid. Do not walk elsewhere from there. Either call the place and have them pick you up, or get the kombi guy to help you find a taxi to get to the place you will stay at. People are generally helpful and nice once they figure out you're an American and not a South African Afrikaner. But Jo'burg crime is real and omnipresent. Not a city to take silly risks in.

A good place that I used to stay is:
Explorers Club
9 Innes Street
Observatory, 2198
Tel: (011) 648-7138
e-mail: info@explor.co.za

Check it out first though....
good luck!