Day 7: Kuruman to Mabuasehube

We filled our three 25 liter water bottles with Kuruman Municipal water which tastes surprisingly good. Apparently Kuruman has the biggest natural fountain in the Southern Hemisphere delivering approximately 20 to 30 million litres of crystal clear water daily.

At 09:00 we were packed up and drove to the local Checkers where we bought the last few supplies including three 5l bottles of water. Taking our total water supply to 90l for three people for up to seven days.

We left the tar at Hotazel (derived from Hot as hell) and continued for another 103km on a fairly badly corrugated gravel road. Just before the border we stopped at Springbokpan to buy two bags of proper braai hardwood. It now costs R30 a bag but is still worth it.

The border crossing on both sides were one of the easiest and fastest in all our African travels. All fees on the Botswana side were put on one invoice and was payable with card. The road tax, 3rd party insurance and another charge amounted to 154 Pula.

On the Botswana road there is a potholed tar road for 25km to Tsabong, the potholes were fairly easy to miss, so we got to Tsabong in no time. We stopped at the Sefalana to buy meat that we couldn’t take across the border (not that they checked). Caro and Jaco bought chicken, mince, steak and mutton chops, while Hugo filled up the Hilux at only R11.50 (8.5 Pula) per liter. We should have arrived empty in Botswana. We also had 40 liters of Diesel in Jerry Cans that we filled up in South Africa already. Hugo also bought an Orange simcard, not that we would have reception for the next week.

Just outside Tsabong on the gravel road heading north we stopped for egg and tea lunch next to the road. We messaged our final goodbyes to all the family and then set off into the bundus.
We drove on the gravel road for 57km, the road was corrugated, and our average speed were only 58km/h.

We were still 53km before the Mabuasehube gate and decided to wild camp for the night as our booking for Mabua is only from tomorrow. We found a turn-off track where a grader and pulled off and continued for another few meters. It was only 15:00, but only one vehicle drove past for the rest of the day.

Caro used the time to repack all the crates, while Hugo tried to fasten one of the spot lights (just to completely lose it in the days to come). Jaco and Caro wanted to make roosterkoeke, but Hugo reminded them that you cannot make a fire when bush camping next to the road. Caro thus made mince vetkoeke with the dough. By nightfall we were all in our tents.