Thank you Baby Max!

I’ve refrained from writing about my search for a car until I had purchased one – and yesterday, I did!

Bear!

In reality, this process has been ongoing since I arrived in Maun. The search for a car was, in my mind, one of the most important and potentially stressful things I would have to do when I first got to Botswana. Having my own vehicle would secure my independence (so I wasn’t always being chauffeured around by Olf) and make our insurance program more effective (since we could operate simultaneously – me with Stopper, and Olf on his own). But I had a pretty strict list of requirements for my potential vehicle, and I knew that finding the perfect match would be nearly impossible. I wanted a Japanese car, probably a Toyota, for two reasons: one, they are typically more reliable and less likely to have engine issues that the en vogue Land Rovers that are preferred by most expats, and two the engine parts are readily available and mechanics are familiar with their engines as most vehicles in Africa are Japanese. I wanted a 4WD truck, something that would be able to trek into the bush and not get stuck in every bit of sand we ran into; I realized this was particularly critical after driving to and from the chief’s cattle post just once. The sand is deep in some sections, and having 4WD would be crucial. I wanted a “station wagon” truck, one that was closed in the back instead of an open truck bed. I want to be able to haul stuff around with me and still drive around town without fearing things will be stolen; with the open-bed Cruiser that Olf uses, one of usually stays and watches the truck while the other goes into the store. I wanted a truck that was in really, really good condition – I am not an expert on engines and car mechanics (as my parents can attest to) so I didn’t want to buy a truck that was in constant need of attention. Starting out on the wrong foot, so to speak, would only ensure that things would continue to go down hill. I wanted a used truck – the new ones sitting in the parking lot at the Toyota dealership here in Maun are priced at about US$40,000! Ideally, I only wanted to pay about P50,000, or about US$7,500.

Now, this probably doesn’t sound like that stringent a list of requirements. But used Toyotas in good condition for driving in the bush are a hot commodity and difficult to come by; from what Lesley told me, they usually get snatched up quickly, and there was no telling when the next one would be available. Lesley gave me the number of a mechanic in town, Crispen, who is sort of the kingpin of the used car market here in Maun. She said I should give him a call and tell him what I was looking for, and he could help me as he was in touch with most of the expats (the group from which my truck would likely come).

On Tuesday August 9, the day Lesley left for North America, Olf and I were running around town getting ready to head to Dog Camp. It was going to be my first night in the bush followed by my first day in Shorobe, and my mind buzzed with anticipation as I tried to gear up for the overnight. As we were just leaving town Olf got a phone call from Rose, the receptionist at BPCT, that there was a man at the office who wanted to see me. I had been in Maun all of three days and hadn’t met any men during that time (apart from Tico and the other BPCT staff) so I had no clue who he was. When we arrived, I found a guy sitting in the office clutching a flyer for a used truck he was selling. Hisham was his name, and he said that Crispen had told him I was looking for a truck. I was amazed – I had just received Crispen’s number that morning and hadn’t yet called him, but he sent Hisham to BPCT to ask for me by name! I later realized that Lesley had given Crispen a head’s up about my search.

Hisham said that the truck he was selling was just across the street if I wanted to take a look. I figured it couldn’t hurt to look, and took off with him, assuring Olf I would be right back. We headed down an alley to a small office building that looked more like a motel than anything, and there, parked under a car port, was the truck. As Hisham and I looked at the truck and chatted about specifics, I could start to feel myself falling in love. The truck was exactly what I was looking for – a 4WD Toyota Landcruiser, station wagon, and in incredibly good shape. Hisham thought it was more than 20 years old, but you couldn’t tell that from looking at it. I hesitantly asked why they were selling it – after all, I didn’t want to buy a lemon! But it turned out, Hisham and his wife Caroline (who I met a little later) had a three-month old baby named Max. And Max didn’t like the heat in the Cruiser, so Hisham and Caroline had decided to sell the Cruiser and buy a newer car with air conditioning. Hisham had never planned to sell the Cruiser, so they’ve taken care of it like they’re going to have it forever – a new radiator, new tires, a new suspension, even new upholstery. All for the bargain price of just P55,000 or about $8250. I was sold.

Look at the awesome BW sticker!

It’s taken a little while to figure out the payment for the car. I don’t have a local bank account (and can’t open one until I’m a permanent resident) so I couldn’t just write a check. Western Union would’ve cost more than US$500, and if they didn’t have the entire P55,000 in cash at the Western Union office, they would write me a check that I wouldn’t be able to cash. We eventually settled on a wire transfer, and happily everything went smoothly. Yesterday morning Caroline emailed me to tell me that the payment had arrived and I could pick up the truck at around 4:30 pm! I should take a moment to thank Mom & Dad for their help purchasing the truck – they are covering the cost as a loan so I don’t have to spend a huge chunk of my Fulbright grant money up front, and when I sell the truck at the end they’ll get their money back. But I must say I couldn’t have done this without them.

There is a bunch of paperwork that has to be completed with the Botswana Ministry of Transport (sort of like the DMV), but Caroline recommended that I pay someone to do the paperwork for me, so for P150 (about $20) I am able to avoid waiting in line for hours on end.

My view from the driver's seat

My stick-shift driving is improving with every day that passes, and having my truck (which I think I’m going to call “Bear”) helps with that immensely. The old Cruiser has a sticky 2nd gear, making it difficult to slow down, stop, and start driving. Bear changes gear very smoothly, so I am way more comfortable in parking lots. This morning I ran a couple of errands getting some paperwork together for the Ministry of Transport, and I was parking and pulling out of spots like a pro.

A massive trunk for all my gear

The best part of having my truck is that I’m starting to feel like I belong here. While running errands this morning, I started getting the “Southern Africa wave” – when expats drive by each other in their trucks, they usually wave at each other. Getting the wave from a couple of passing trucks this morning was like a confirmation that I fit in! It’s such a small thing, but it made me smile.

Fancy new upholstery!

The next thing is for me to learn to drive to Dog Camp. I want to take Bear out there to a) show it off to the other BPCT staff, who have heard me chatting about the truck for the past three weeks) and b) talk to Krys and Neil to figure out what sorts of tools I should have with me. All of BPCT’s trucks are equipped with toolboxes filled with wrenches and who knows what else, and I think it’s important that I learn what all the tools are and how and when to use them. I already have a jerry can filled with petrol (thanks to my mis-adventures refueling the Cruiser on Tuesday) so I’ve got one of the major purchases taken care of. No dry gas tanks around here, folks! 🙂