We leave the small rural village of Gweta to travel almost an hour and a half to the salt pans. When we are about 30-45 mins out of the village we come up behind a donkey cart with about 5-6 people. One of the people there hails our driver.
I am not sure what language she is speaking, it doesn't sound like usual Tswana, but the guide driving us understands her perfectly.
She speaks no English, but seems both friendly and cheerful. Brenda notices that she has perfect straight, very white teeth.
We drive her many miles before we find her herd of goats. She tells the guide that she wants to get out with her goats, even though we are still a km or so from her home. The donkey cart was at the end of its route, our guide tells us, so we saved her a very long walk.
We marvel at this, but on way back from the pans, it is pitch dark, and about 1900 (7 PM). As we drive through the bush heading west, we hear someone shout. A young man is walking from his home to the village. He hails us, and the guide happily stops and picks him up. This man is miles and miles from the village in the total dark, without so much as a torch (flashlight). He tells the driver, in another language, that he is happy we came along because he was afraid of running into elephants in the dark. Hmm, I never have thought of that as a hazard, but clearly that is a common concern here.
We haul this guy much farther than we did the lady. When we enter the village he tells the driver/guide where to drop him. He hops out, probably two hours earlier than if he had walked all the way.
This is clearly a different mindset. Apparently hiking a few kilometers-- in daylight or darkness-- is not anything particularly noteworthy. It's just another day at the office I guess.
I am reminded again at what a soft, pleasant, safe life we have been given by G^d.
Thank you L^rd that we don't have to worry about elephants running over us in the dark.
It's the many small things for which we ought to be grateful.
I am not sure what language she is speaking, it doesn't sound like usual Tswana, but the guide driving us understands her perfectly.
She speaks no English, but seems both friendly and cheerful. Brenda notices that she has perfect straight, very white teeth.
We marvel at this, but on way back from the pans, it is pitch dark, and about 1900 (7 PM). As we drive through the bush heading west, we hear someone shout. A young man is walking from his home to the village. He hails us, and the guide happily stops and picks him up. This man is miles and miles from the village in the total dark, without so much as a torch (flashlight). He tells the driver, in another language, that he is happy we came along because he was afraid of running into elephants in the dark. Hmm, I never have thought of that as a hazard, but clearly that is a common concern here.
We haul this guy much farther than we did the lady. When we enter the village he tells the driver/guide where to drop him. He hops out, probably two hours earlier than if he had walked all the way.
This is clearly a different mindset. Apparently hiking a few kilometers-- in daylight or darkness-- is not anything particularly noteworthy. It's just another day at the office I guess.
I am reminded again at what a soft, pleasant, safe life we have been given by G^d.
Thank you L^rd that we don't have to worry about elephants running over us in the dark.
It's the many small things for which we ought to be grateful.
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