The Power of Soccer

There was 5 minutes left in the movie I was watching when the power went out at Riverwalk Mall.  The power went out just before 7:30 pm -- which is not so coincidentally when the latest Africa Cup of Nations game was about to start.

You see, Botswana has been hit by a series of power outages, following faults in the system and a delay in completing the country’s new 600 megawatt power station.  Until the new power station is complete, Botswana will continue to rely on power from it's neighbor, South Africa.

I have been learning to adapt to these power outages.  The other night, I hosted a dinner party entirely without power. Instead of calling it off, I used candles for light, my friend's i-pod for music, and the gas oven to bake our "build-your-own" pizzas.  It worked !  We had a fun power-free evening.

Last Friday, when temperatures soared close to 40 degrees Celsius, my office-mates plugged away in the heat, without air-conditioning, and long after the batteries on their laptops had died, until quitting time.  My colleagues are very ethical (I love them for that!) and no one wanted to set a bad example by leaving early.

Our power outages are happening more frequently these days.  This is because South Africa is also experiencing its own power shortages and has to ration the available amount.

It so happens that South Africa is also at this time hosting the Africa Cup of Nations soccer tournament.  When it is time for games to broadcast, the South African powers-that-be make sure they will air in their key markets.  Botswana is not a contender in the Cup this year, so they must suppose that no one here wants to watch the games and can do without power for a while.  So, just before a game was set to broadcast at 7:30 pm this evening, Gaborone experienced a blackout in the area around Riverwalk Mall.

On the dimly lit taxi drive home, I started thinking....if a soccer game can be the cause for a power outage, could it not also be the solution ?

When I was in Kenya last August, I learned about an ingenious invention called Soccket that harnesses kinetic energy generated from a soccer ball to power electrical appliances. Surely, the African Cup of Nations game balls could be so equipped to keep a movie projector running.  

I will have to see if the powers-that-be can agree to that proposal....in the meantime, is there anyone out there who can tell me what happens in the final 5 minutes of the movie Argo ?

Magical Madikwe

Last weekend, I had a magical time in Madikwe, a game reserve just across the border in South Africa.  It is so close -- less than an hour and a half drive away, including time for the border crossing. I can't believe I had never been before !  

I accompanied Amanda, a WUSC Leave for Change volunteer wanting to have the safari experience, and we were joined by my friends John, Naki, and Tomek on Sunday. 

I found accommodations for Amanda and I at Motswiri Lodge, a 5-star luxury lodge, and we were not disappointed.  It is low season, now that the holiday rush has abated, and we had the whole lodge to ourselves ! We were thoroughly spoiled -- gourmet meals, game drives -- we didn't have to lift a finger.  And it didn't hurt that they charged us less than half the normal rate !

Can you blame me for planning to go back again this weekend ?  Yes, I am heading back tomorrow with Anaisa, my Portuguese house-mate. I have only 3 weekends left here, and I am thrilled to be able to spend another one in the bush.

Here is a taste of what we did and saw:

Amanda and John, in the Motswiri Lodge lounge.

Naki and Tomek.

The gang, at Jaci's Safari Lodge for lunch.

Amanda and I with our guide Andre.

Roughing it in the bush.

Our gorgeous room, with fireplace, spa tub, and outdoor shower over-looking the water hole.

Amanda's first safari experience !



Yup - We got this close !



Flat tire from following lions over the stony terrain.

Can't forget the little guys !

Hyena with remnants of wildebeest.



Rhino.

The kudu is my favourite antelope.  I love the curly horns!

Lunch time!

Wildebeest.

We followed this black maned lion for quite a while.   

He was looking for his pride, and would call out for them every now and then.

Eventually, he gave up and flopped down under a tree.

Have you got my best side ?

Chin rest.

Mom and babe.

This pride of two lionesses and nine cubs was feasting on a zebra.

Christmas Road Trip - St. Lucia Wetlands

Our journey neared its end at St. Lucia, a small town nestled between the St. Lucia wetlands and the sandy shores of the Indian Ocean.  I spent the afternoon at the beach and then enjoyed an evening boat ride in the estuary, watching hippos, crocs, and bird life until the sun set.

From there, it was on to hot and humid Durban, where I enjoyed a city break, hanging out at the UShaka Marine Park, the local beach, and the air conditioned mall.

All in all, it was an enjoyable Christmas break, with a good mix of scenery, wildlife, and cultural offerings, spent in the company of a kind, retired couple from New Zealand and our South African guide/driver.

Mother and child, assessing the waves.

A quieter stretch of beach.

Hippos galore !

Yet another glorious African sunset.

Christmas Road Trip - Zulu Village

Our visit to a Zulu village included a session with the local sangoma (traditional healer). The one we visited is a diviner, who gets her messages from the ancestors.  She put on quite a show, lighting incense to invoke the ancestors, who then rested on her shoulders as she knelt on the floor.  She never revealed her face to us the whole time we were with her. The hut was adorned with animal skins and  various animal parts and feathers were stuck on the walls.  I am not sure why - perhaps she reads the patterns as they are flung and adhere to the walls ? Through the guide, she told us about some of the more common remedies for various afflictions.  Most were herbal or mineral concoctions, but some used dried and powdered animal parts, bones, and blood.  She read my future (no animal parts required), and told me that my ancestors are looking out for me (always reassuring) -- oh, and that I think too much !

From there, we made a few friends walking through the village to the cultural centre where we were given Zulu warrior fighting and dancing demonstrations.

Christmas Road Trip - Hluhluwe Game Reserve

We continued our journey to the coast via Hluhluwe Game Reserve, the oldest game reserve in Africa.  Fortunately, its resident rhino population is under tight surveillance and the reserve is known for its conservation efforts.  Rhino poaching is still a big problem in South Africa.  Hluhluwe is lush and green with rolling hills -- a refreshing change from the dry, desert environment I have become accustomed to in Botswana.

Christmas Road Trip - The Little Guys

I thought I would share some of the smaller creatures that graced my path on my recent travels.  Like all life's little treasures, they are easy to miss if you are too preoccupied with finding the bigger stuff.

The chameleon figures prominently in local folklore.

Agama tree lizard.

I don't know the name of this tree lizard.

Leopard Tortoise.

Saddle-billed stork.

This Red Bishop visited our breakfast area on Christmas morning.

This croc was a Christmas morning visitor, too.

Golden Orb Spider. I watched one of these, the size of my hand, weave a web of golden thread.  I didn't think it would show up on my camera, so I got this photo from the web (the other web).

I have also witnessed the migration of the African Caper White butterfly throughout my travels and in Gaborone.