キンバリーの町には意外とダイヤモンド販売店がなかった。観光地にありがちなお土産用の宝石店がよく見かけるのに。ダイヤ店があれば、このブログを見てくれている皆様にダイヤモンドをパーっと買ってきて皆さんに配ろうと思ったのにザンネン!!!(笑)

There was no store of diamonds that it was unexpected in Kimberley. I can find common jewelry stores for souvenirs often such as a tourist resort though. If there is a diamond shop, I would buy diamonds for all of you who have read this blog but unfortunately there isn't!!! lol


それからこのキンバリーの町にはBMWのバイクの専門店があるそうです。時間があれば行きたかった^^; 
またハボローネとキンバリーの間にある、Mafikengという町でタイヤ交換をしようと思ったがまだもちそうだったので寄らなかったがこの町は自動車関係のお店がかなり充実したところでした。下記はバイクのタイヤショップの専門店だそうです。
Wayco Spares (Pty) Ltd  5 1st Ave , Industrial Site, Mafikeng 2745, South Africa

And it is said that the specialty store of the motorbike of BMW is located in Kimberley. I wanted to go if I could have time. ;-/ Moreover, although I thought that I would do tire exchange in a town called Mafikeng which is between Gaborone and Kimberley, since it was still likely to maintain, I did not drop in, but automobile-related stores in this town was very substantial. I heard that the following address is a specialty store of the tire shop for motorbikes.
Wayco Spares (Pty) Ltd 5 1st Ave , Industrial Site, Mafikeng 2745, South Africa


町を離れる際にガソリンスタンドに寄ると白人の店員が多い。そこがアフリカでありアフリカでない所を物語る。それが南アフリカ。

Before I leave the town, I dropped by a gas station, and there are many white staff. It is Africa and tells that it is not Africa. That's South Africa.


いや~しかし、今回は走行していて眠くなりました。それくらい超安心して走行できるほど道はきれいで、沢山のロードサービス従事者が働いているため路上の落下物、はねられた動物も少ない。不毛の地とまではいきませんが荒涼とした大地が果てしなく続きます。本当の地平線を南アフリカに来て初めてみることが出来ました。また空の青さが益々、濃くなって来ます。かなり地中海に近い色かなと感じました。途中、ハイウェイの脇にずーっと線路がありました。キンバリーはブルートレインの発着駅だそうですのそこからの線路かなと見ていました。ただアフリカに来て線路を走る汽車はまだ一度も見ていませんが。

Well, while I was driving this time, I felt sleepy. The road is so good that I feel relieved very much to drive, and since many road service pursuers are working, there are also few falling objects or hit animals on the road. Although it is not a barren ground, the desolate ground continues endlessly. Moreover, blue of the sky becomes increasingly deep. I felt that the color is similar to Mediterranean. On the way, there is the rail track on the side of the highway. Since Kimberley is an arrival-and-departure station of the Blue Train, I thought that it would be the track from there. But I've not a train which runs on a rail track since I came to Africa though.


ボーフォートウェストの町に着くといきなり雰囲気が変わります。南欧を彷彿させます。この町はオランダ改教徒の教会が有名な観光地で宿泊したロッジからすぐそこに見えます。

When I arrived at Beaufort West, the atmosphere is totally changed. It's reminiscent of South Europe. This town is a tourist resort where the church of the convert of the Netherlands is famous and I can see it very closely from the lodge that I stayed.


ロッジのおばさん曰く、「この辺りは夜でも一人歩きでも安全だよ」と。確かに町を歩いても他国と違い、日本人だからといって珍しがって見る人は少なく違和感がないです。そう言えば、一昨日のハボローネのスーパーの総菜売り場のおばちゃんに日本から来たよというと「ニイハオ」と言われました(笑)。「あのね、それは中国人の言葉だよ」と言うと「日本人と中国人は同じだと思った」と(驚)。これは子供インタビューだけでなく大人にも「日本について知っていることを聞かせて下さい」をやらないといけない!と思った次第です。(笑)

A lady from the lodge said "Here is safe area even you walk alone at night." Actually even if I walk along the town, there are less people who look at me because I'm Japanese as unlike other countries, so I don't feel uncomfortable. Well, when I went to a supermarket in Gaborone, I told the middle-age lady from the Deli here that I came from Japan then she said "Nihao" to me. (lol) I said "Well, it's Chinese. " then she said "I thought Japanese and Chinese are same." *surprise* I thought at that time that not only I give kid's interviews but also I need to ask to grownups that "Please tell me about Japan that you know."


DSCF1636キンバリーのホテル
【SAVOY HOTEL:$109 朝食込み】
住所は"De Beers"です!ダイヤの町^^!
夜中、町中で大騒ぎのパーティ?がありウルサかった。私はいつもレースで使っていた耳栓をしているので大丈夫でしたが。

The hotel in Kimberley
[SAYOY HOTEL: $109 including breakfast]
The address is "De Beers"! It's the diamond town! :-)
It was noisy at night because there is a big party(?) in the town in all night. I used my earplugs which I had used at my race, so I was fine though.


DSCF1641アフリカに来て初のマック発見!!入りたかった。。(笑)

I found the first Mc Donald since I came to Africa!! I wanted to go... lol






DSCF1645ガソリンスタンド。
白人の店員のほうが多いくらい?

Gas station.
There are more a white's salesclerks?






DSCF1646 15-31-40ハイウェイの脇をブルートレイン?の線路が走る。

The rail track of the Blue Train (?) runs the side of the highway.






DSCF1648休憩エリアも立派に完備されているところが南アフリカ!

It is wonderfully equipped fully with break area in South Africa!






DSCF1651空の青さに見とれてつい空だけ撮影してしまいました!(笑)

I was fascinated by the blue sky and I have taken picture only the sky in spite of myself! (lol)






DSCF1655影の自分取り(笑)

Take picture of my shadow by myself. (lol)







DSCF1663BMW、調子良く走ってくれています。

BMW is working well.







DSCF1665やったばかりのトレーラーの事故

It's just happened the accident of the trailer.







DSCF1669正午近くなっても寒いままなので不思議に思っていたら高度がどんどん高くなって行きました。(標高1300M超え)

Since I feel still cold even it became near noon, when I was wondering, the altitude became high. (Over altitude 1300 m)





DSCF1681寒いのでカッパを来ています。

I'm wearing my rain-wear because it's cold.







DSCF1689荒涼とした大地が永遠に続く

The desolate ground continues forever.







DSCF1692ピラミッドか!と思ったら自然の造形物でした。

I thought it's the pyramid but it was just the object from the nature.






DSCF1695ボーフォートウェストの町並み

The townscape of Beaufort West.







DSCF1697オランダ改教徒が作った教会

It is the church which converts of Netherlands built.







DSCF1698営業中の店でもほとんど鉄格子で閉められている入り口が多い

Even it is opened, there are many entrances at which almost is shut by the iron grille.






DSCF1699 15-40-10ハングリータイガーという私が好きだった店が日本にあるが、ここはハングリーライオンだって(笑)

Although there is one of my favorite store in Japan which is called Hungry Tiger, it is even Hungry Lion here. (lol)





DSCF1700やっているのか、閉まっているのか?(笑)

Is it opened or closed? (lol)







DSCF1704 15-31-40タイヤ空気圧ゲージを購入した店で案内してくれたお姉さん。ちなみにロッジのオバ(あ?)ちゃんも白人女性でした。

It is young lady guided in the store which I purchased the air pressure gauge of tires. The old lady of the lodge was also white.



<Mika Igisu for Tatsuya Yamada>