We have started the second leg of our train journey. The train station in Pretoria was a step back in time. It was like being a kid again as I constantly ran around with some of my fellow travelling counterparts searching out the steam engines and reliving a boy's lost memories.
A pleasant surprise for us was to get upgraded to a deluxe berth. Unexpected, but neverthe less much appreciated.
After
departing Pretoria we back track to Johannesburg, then continue to head north.
Somewhere (Mafikeng) in the middle of the night we crossed the border into
Botswana. As we are enjoying our breakfast in the dining car, we pass through
the capital city of Gaborone, which apparently is quite prosperous due to
diamonds and agriculture. We will continue north to the Zimbabwe border town of
Bulawayo which we should reach sometime in the middle of the night. We are
running something like three hours late but that was before the engine broke
down and a variety of other reasons, but alas this is the nature of train
travel. It really doesn’t affect us as
we just sit back and watch the world go by.
One of the sights and activities I enjoy the most is waving to the
locals who are crossing the tracks or tending their cattle by the wayside.
Always smiling with an enthusiastic wave makes me feel quite welcome. The
countryside does vary now with hills, mountains and lush Acacia trees. This is
in sharp contrast to the dry, brown, flat bush velt of South Africa which we
left the day before yesterday. And did I mention it is HOT!
We are passing through a game reserve now and lots of wildlife
to be seen! Jennifer says she saw a female lion this morning at breakfast. (I
told her it looked like a large dog to me). Gazelles, wildebeest, impalas and zebras so far. This
should be fun.
The other great thing about train travel and travel in general is that you get to meet some great people. Thank you for your great companionship, conversation and laughs Carl and Christina. You made a great trip even better!
No comments:
Post a Comment