JoeP to visit ... Botswana

[JoeP]

OK. The workload coming up that I alluded to when replying to liv is this: from Monday 1st Dec, for three weeks, I'll be working in Gaborone, Botswana. :botswana: Back home for the weekends only.

It's only a few km from the South African border, and about a 4 hour drive from Joburg (or a 4+ hour trip by plane ... haven't quite decided which mode to use), but I'll have limited or no internet. The client will almost certainly block everything of interest through their internet connection. I'll try to get a prepaid mobile data card but speeds are limited and prices not so much, from what I can establish so far.

Apart from the astronomical AIDS rate, Botswana is one of the stronger countries in southern Africa politically and economically - largely financed by diamonds but with much less resource corruption than some other African countries. The BW currency, the pula, has been stronger than the rand for most of the recent past. It's got a stable democracy, with past presidents who've actually handed over power peacefully (like Mandela), and they're vocal in criticism of Zimbabwe (unlike ZA). Population about 2 million.

I like this, from Wkipedia: Jwaneng [...] the world's largest and richest diamond mine [...] was discovered when termites looking for water brought grains of diamond to the surface.

Gaborone is one of the fastest growing cities in Africa, apparently.

Sadly, I don't think I'll meet Precious Ramotswe.

[Farren]

I heard the streets of Gabarone are overflowing with Zim refugees, which is why they built the several thousand kilometer electric fence along the border.

I would expect them to have some kind of decent Internet too. Perhaps, if you're lucky and have a laptop with wireless, you'll pick up an open wireless connection. Its possible with all the big mining company action up there. A friend of mine showed me the other day that the whole of Randburg has an open wireless connection to the net, although its a mystery to both of us who's network it is.

In any event, a full debriefing is expected when you get back :)

[maddog]

Sadly, I don't think I'll meet Precious Ramotswe.

Oh, that IS unfortunate :( However, I've long wanted to visit Botswana (and SA!); I understand there are excellent wildlife parks to visit. I had a friend who was from Gaborone, but we lost touch a couple of decades ago. :sadcheer:

Sorry about the state of your internet usage, JoeP, but have a fun time.

P.S. I think I might want to do the drive. You see more things, the slower the mode of transportation.

#1972

[Pinecone]

Sadly, I don't think I'll meet Precious Ramotswe.

Dammit!! That's the first thing I thought of. I wondered if you would go to the detective agency!? :excited:

[JoeP]

Thanks Farren. My info is pretty current but may not be complete: they have ADSL and EDGE (but not 3G) wireless. There are wifi hotspots in the hotels but apparently they cost a lot (no free access), and prepaid data using EDGE is P3/MB, ~R4.50/MB. This is bearable of course, but it's not the R0.79/MB I pay for 3G access here (when I have to) or the R7/GB I pay for ADSL.

[JoeP]

As for travel, I'm not expecting any. Botswana has the Okavango Delta, which is one of the most remarkable places in the world (an inland river delta with fantastic wildlife), and other wildlife reserves. But this is six months' worth of work packed into 15 working days; and the proposal says that I will transfer enough skill to them for them for finish all their improvements without further use of us or our local partner company there. Skill which represents the last ten years of my career, if not the 13 years before that.

I did not write the proposal.

[Ymir's blood]

Unacceptable.

[JoeP]

I tried that line.

[Watser?]

Sounds like a cool place to go Joe, apart from the aids and the lack of internets.

[livius drusus]

Why fly when driving takes less time and, as mads points out, is prettier? I hope Farren is right about the wireless surprise, because three weeks of silence is MEAN!

[Legs]

Does not sound like fun at all :nojustno:

[JoeP]

I don't know about "pretty" as such. It's a pretty flat route from here to there, punctuated only by platinum mines and farming. But it'll definitely be more interesting and less hassle than flying.

I've been that way once before for business, to Mafikeng (as in Relief of) to deliver a training course. Mafikeng is not in Botswana, or the Bechuanaland Protectorate as it used to be, but it was its capital. How's that for weird? Gaborone was chosen as the new capital ready for independence in 1966, and has basically been developed since then.

[JoeP]

Legs, I'll bring you back a cute baby elephant. How about that?

[Legs]

:aww: now that I would love, but still, Botswana = don't wanna, to me.

[JoeP]

You mean you wouldn't like to visit Botswana? I thought you were just going to miss me.

I won't have time to enjoy it but Botswana is a country I'd love to travel in.

[Legs]

I would miss you and I like you to stay home and post moar. :nod:

[JoeP]

:blush::squeezle:

[Farren]

Thanks Farren. My info is pretty current but may not be complete: they have ADSL and EDGE (but not 3G) wireless. There are wifi hotspots in the hotels but apparently they cost a lot (no free access), and prepaid data using EDGE is P3/MB, ~R4.50/MB. This is bearable of course, but it's not the R0.79/MB I pay for 3G access here (when I have to) or the R7/GB I pay for ADSL.

Ouch! 5 times the price!

[Shelli]

Well, good luck to you JoeP and I'll miss you. :hug:

[Wonderbread Leotard]

Does not sound like fun at all :nojustno:JoeP's folks really did a job on Africa. Now they get to boast about being all "liberal and tolerant" by charging high interest for (pretending at) cleaning up some of the mess that they created to begin with.

[Legs]

:asshat:

[Shelli]

:lol: Just when I thought you couldn't get more lame, Sov.


I'm sure you'll do a fantastic job, JoeP. :=)

[viscousmemories]

Yeesh, sounds like a pain in the butt jobwise but otherwise interesting.

Have fun and be safe!

[biochemgirl]

Well I would say that sounds like fun but it doesn't really. Have a safe journey and don't work yourself to death.

I'll miss you!
:llama:

[Deadlokd]

Does not sound like fun at all :nojustno:JoeP's folks really did a job on Africa. Now they get to boast about being all "liberal and tolerant" by charging high interest for (pretending at) cleaning up some of the mess that they created to begin with.

:lolwut:

Have fun JoeP. Travelling (almost) anywhere in Africa would be awesome.

[JoeP]

I'm there! And have been for 3 days, but it's taken this long to arrange internet access.

My research was correct in terms of price - P3/MB or about R4.50/MB or I think US$0.50/MB. However, I can connect with 3G-HSDPA (3.6Mbps) so I can use up that money much faster!

So I won't be staying on long or visiting the picture-heavy threads :longing: but at least I can get my emails.

It is hot. Unbelievably, mind-bogglingly hot.

[Watser?]

Ok, too hot for hugs then :hiya:

:fan:

[Ymir's blood]

I have no good lead in for this joke, but SpamBotswana!

Hope everything goes well, JoeP.

[pescifish]

I hope it all goes smoothly, JoeP.

[JoeP]

I have no good ... joke, but SpamBotswana!

:narrow:

[JoeP]

My research was correct in terms of price - P3/MB or about R4.50/MB or I think US$0.50/MB. However, I can connect with 3G-HSDPA (3.6Mbps) so I can use up that money much faster!

So I won't be staying on long or visiting the picture-heavy threads :longing: but at least I can get my emails.
Now I have internet access at the client too, and (since part of my work is with the IT guys who look after the network I know that) they don't have any filtering or logging ... so I've got my fix of lolcats and ff desktops and stuff. :D

It is hot. Unbelievably, mind-bogglingly hot.

I might have exaggerated a bit. It was only 32 degC today. The forecast for tomorrow is 35 degrees (95F).

[livius drusus]

:powerwoot: for client internet access.

[Watser?]

That's pretty hot (especially as it is bloody cold and snowing here) but not mind-bogglingly so. It even gets that hot here sometimes.

[JoeP]

The boggling of the mind must have been caused by something else.

Perhaps by not being able to pronounce anyone's names. Some guys are even known by their surnames among the other Batswana because their first names are difficult.

[Watser?]

Do they have many clicks?

[Ymir's blood]

I have no good ... joke, but SpamBotswana!

:narrow:

:shakejoep:

[JoeP]

Some clicks, watser, but I'm kind of used to them and I approximate them when using someone's name.

It's more when three or four people in a meeting introduce themselves and you can't work out where the spoken first name ends and the surname starts.
ntsholengthabana
diratsagaekgamayane
priscillaranna
barulaganyepaakane
keithusitseookeditse
(and no, his name wasn't Keith)
martinlennwe
tselayakgosimodise
ntshekisangofetotse

Priscilla and Martin: easy. The others: not so much.

[Watser?]

:unshock: