いやいや、ついにまさにアフリカらしい経験が始まっています。今日は大変な思いをしました。。ふ～・・。

Well, finally I've started to have experiences like ”That's Africa”. I had a tough day today...


今日はジンバブエ最後の都市ブラワヨを離れ、国境を超えてボツワナに入りハバローネを目指すため早朝７：００に出ました。相変わらず雨が降っているのでカッパを来ての走行です。

I left Bulawayo where is the last city in Zimbabwe at 7:00 in the morning because I'm aiming to Gaborone for crossing the border and come into Botswana. I wear my rain-wear while I'm driving as usual because of rain.


泊まったのは【ホリデイインブラワヨ：＄２００（朝食なし）】でした。朝食の金額を聞くと＄２０ということでホテルで食事をとらずにブラワヨ市内のガソリンスタンド併設のコンビニで食事です。昨日バイク屋を教えてくれたりした「チャオス」さんが居たので再会を喜び、店内で朝食を済ませました（言い方換えればただの買い食いです(笑)）

I stayed at [Holiday Inn' Bulawayo: $200 per night (excluding breakfast)]. When I asked to a staff about the cost of breakfast, it'S $20, so I didn't have breakfast there, and I go to a gas station which has a convenience store in town of Bulawayo to have my breakfast. I met Mr. Chaos who told me the location of a motorbike shop yesterday again and we were glad each other to meet again, and I finished my breakfast inside a convenience store. (In other words, I just spent my money on junk food. lol)


市内のATMでお金を下ろすとUSドルが出て来る珍しい国なので銀行に寄りいざ出発です。（ジンバブエはインフレで当該国通貨が破綻したためUSドルが流通しています）

This is the rare country which we can withdraw US$ at ATM in the town, so I drop by a bank then will depart. (In Zimbabwe, since interested-states currency failed in inflation, US$ is circulating.)


ハバローネを目指し走行しているとなんだか道が狭くなってきます。国境に向かう道にしては狭いな～と思っていましたがまたすぐに広くなるのだろうと思っていました。しかしどんどん狭くなる一方だし道の状態も悪くなってきています。またあれだけ人がどこにで歩いているアフリカの道なのでまったく誰も歩いていません。最初は日曜だからだろうと思っていましたがさすがに不安になってきました。一度来た道を戻ったほうがいいのか、しかしすでに７０キロほど走って来ている。どうしようか・・と考えながら走っていると向こうから人が！！！（嬉）年齢を聞くと１８才の若者でした。道を尋ねるのと、ジンバブエ代表として子供（？）インタビューをさせてもらいました。道については「ボツワナへの国境はそのままで大丈夫。近いですよ」と言われたので、なーんだやっぱり心配は思い過ごしの内だったな・・と思ったのが大間違いの始まり！！行けども行けども道は悪くなり風景も山の中に入り込みGPSが示す方角も違う方向になっています。いやー完全に違う道に入り込んだな。。どこで道を間違えたのかを考えると確かに分かれ道があったような気がするが、標識がないところだったかアフリカはあってもかなり小さいところが多いので見落としたかです。しかし道について別の人達に聞いても「その方向がボーダー（国境）です」と言う。結論から言えば私が行きたい国境とは違う場所の国境の方向だったのです。かなり走ったところで分かれ道があり道を教えてくれる人に出会った。「ここから８９キロ先が国境に抜ける町だよ」「とにかくまっすぐだよ」と。その方向に向かっていくとまずすぐにダート！それもコルゲーション（洗濯板状）が酷い道に。さらに進むと今度は岩石瓦礫の道、超凹凸の道、まったくスピードが出せません。立ち乗車状態が続きます。さらに深い砂の道、ここで転倒しかかりそうに何度もなりました。さらに今日の早朝から雷雨と豪雨が続いたため道は完全にぬかるみ、私の近くに雷が落ち（超怖）、またいきなり目の前に道を完全に埋める池のようになった巨大な水たまりはもうどうしたらよいかわからなくなります(笑)　その池を避けるために脇の草むらを走行しようとしたところで私の想像よりはるかに地面がぬかるんでおり前輪が埋没！そして後輪は泥を跳ね上げるだけで空転を続けるだけでもう全くバイクが動かない状態になってしまいました。いわゆるスタッグです。完全に血の気が引いていきます。運良く小さな村から近いところだったので村人が寄ってきてくれました。結果５人がかりでバイクを引っ張りだしてくれて彼らも皆泥だらけになってしまったのですが少し多めの御礼を渡すと皆大喜びでした。

When I'm driving aiming at Gaborone, the road is getting narrow. I was thinking that it is narrow even it connect to the border but I was also thinking it will be wide soon. But it become getting narrow and narrow and even the road situation is getting worse. Moreover, there are no people even people walk on a road very often and everywhere in Africa. I thought it is because of Sunday for the first time but I'm getting anxious. When I was thinking and driving that even I've driven for about 70 km already, should I go back again or not, I saw a person who are walking over here!!! *happy* He is 18 years old a young guy. I asked the way to him and he let me also give him a kid's (?) interview. About the way, he said "this is the right way to the border. It's close from here.", so I could be relieved but it is the beginning of the big mistake!! A way worsens as I go forward, I enter into a mountain, and the direction in which GPS is also different is shown. I entered the way which is completely wrong. When I consider where I took the wrong way, I feel that surely there was a branch road but there was no sign or I overlooked the sing even it was there because signs are small in Africa. However, even if I ask another people, they say "This direction is the border." When saying from the conclusion, the border to which I would like to go was different place the border. There is a branch road in the place driving considerably, and I met a person who tell me the way. "It is a town from which 89 km beyond escapes on the border from here. Just go straight." he said. When I drive forward the direction which the guy told me, it is the dirt road! It is also the road corrugation is severe. Furthermore, when I drive forward, it is uncanny unevenness of rock rubble for next, and I cannot speed at all. I have to keep riding by standing. Moreover, it is deep sand road. I've almost fallen down many time there. And the road is very muddy because it had been raining heavily with thunder and the thunder I got be struck by lightning close to me (So scary), and suddenly it appears the huge puddle which became like a pond which fills the road completely right in front of me, and I don't know what should I do. (lol) In order to avoid the pond, when I was going to drive the near grassy place, the front wheel was buried since the ground was muddy more than my thought! And a rear wheel is in the situation that my motorbike can only do continuing idling, splatter mud and it doesn't move at all any longer. As it is called stuck. I turn pale completely. Since it was a near place from a small village fortunately, some people from a village came to me. Finally 5 people helped to my motorbike out from there, and they had mud all over them, so I gave them my little appreciation. They were very happy about it.


極めつけは決壊した川橋です。増水した川が完全に橋を飲み込んでいます。そこを行くしかありません。まず自分の足で渡ってみて深さや泥水で見えなくなっている橋の路面状態を確認します。深いところは膝下くらいです。確認したラインをゆっくりと足を着きながらエンジンをかけて川を走らせます。まさに川越えです。これが３～４回ありました。中にはかなり流れが激しいところもあり少々命の危険も感じるほどでした。もう引き返すことが出来なくなっていたのでどんな道路状況が目の前に立ちはだかっても行くしかありません。ただこれ以上酷くならないことを祈るばかりです。結果、約２００キロ弱の悪路を走り切り私が行きたかったところと違う国境に到着したのは１４：００過ぎです。実に出発から７時間のうち６時間は完全オフロード走行です。そしてやっと国境に着くとそこは超マイナーな国境で私以外、手続きをしている人がいません。係官の作業はゆっくりで、ボツワナ滞在について沢山の質問を私に投げかけ、嬉しいことですが私のバイクや旅についていろいろ聞いてきます。私は急いでいるのですが(苦笑)　ここでもかなりの時間を費やしてしまったため国境を出たのが１５：５０。ハバローネに当到着する時間を計算すると２１：００～２２：００。アフリカの夜間走行は考えられません。今回は初めて目的地到達を勇気を持って断念することにしました。今、フランシスタウンという町に居ますがボツワナは結構、経済が発展しているようで住民の家屋や街が奇麗です。通過はプラです（１プラ＝約１３円）

【フランシスタウン泊「クレスト タッパマ」＄１５９】

The worst is a river bridge which was been washout. The river which rose has swallowed the bridge completely. There is no way that I go through. The road surface condition of the bridge which crossed by myself first and has disappeared by the depth or muddy water is checked. A deep place is at least under my knees. I follow a river, starting the engine, reaching my legs slowly in the checked the line. It is just crossing over a river. It has happened 3 or 4 times. The place where a flow is quite intense was also in those situations, and I felt the danger of my life. Since I cannot return the way anymore, I only have going, no matter what road situation may block at hand. I only can do is that had been wishing that road situation is not getting worse anymore. I completed about 200 km bad road and arrived at the border different from the place to which I wanted to go at little passed 14:00. 6 of 7 hours are completely off-road runs since I departed. And when I arrived at the border at last, it is very minor the border, so there is nobody does registering there. An official works slowly and he asks me many questions about staying in Botswana, and although it is delightful, he asks me variously about my motorbike and trip. Although I am in hurry (bitter smile), I had to spend much time here, so when I crossed the border, it was 15:50. When I calculate about the arrival time at Gaborone, it is 21:00-22:00. I cannot think about driving at night in Africa. I decided to give up the attainment to the destination with courage this time for the first time. Although I am in a town called Francistown now, the houses and town of Botswana of residents are fairly beautiful as economy is developed. The currency is Pula. (1 Pula = about 13 JPY)

[Stayed at "Crest Tappama" in Francistown. $159]

DSCF1500朝食中です！
I'm having my breakfast!






DSCF1502こういった車が多いです
There are many like these style of cars.




 

DSCF1503ブラワヨ市内１
In Bulawayo 1






DSCF1504ブラワヨ市内２
In Bulawayo 2





DSCF1505こんな方々ばかり(笑)
There are like these guys everywhere. lol






DSCF1507どんどん道が狭くなって行きます。。おいおいこれホントに国境へつながっているのか〜！（汗）
The road is getting narrow... well, is it sure that the road connect to the border?!




DSCF1506１８歳の通行人の若者登場！
一言目「Give me maoney」普通の挨拶です(笑)
A walking man who is 18 years old showed up!
"Give me money" as his fist phrase. It is usual greeting. lol




IMG_2142この後が豪雨、雷でした。
雨で一番辛いのは撮影が出来ないことです。
Right after this, it was heavy raining and thunder.
The hardest thing is that I cannot taking photos when it rains.



IMG_2145眼前に立ちはだかる道を埋める池状態の水たまり＠＠！
It is a puddle like the pond which fills the way which blocks right in front of me! :-/










IMG_2146前輪スタッグ！
The front tire got stuck!





IMG_2147後輪スタッグ！！
The front tire got stuck!











IMG_2150彼らに救出してもらいました（感謝）
They helped me out. (Thank you.)





IMG_2155その後も多くの難関が。。川越一発目です。この先が急流＆深いところがありました。
After that, still I had many tough situations... This is the fist one that I crossed over a river. There were a torrent and a deep place ahead of this.









IMG_2158予定変更して辿り着いたフランシスタウンの街
I changed my plan and it is Francistown which arrived.





IMG_2156






IMG_2161飛び込みで空きがあったので泊まったホテルです。あ〜助かった。。(苦笑)
This is the hotel which I stayed. There was a room for my even I just walked-in.








<Mika Igisu for Tatsuya Yamada>