911 radio's

Comparatively (to South Africa) crime here is low. However as a visitor, or “north american” we are automatically seen as wealthy and therefore that you will be generous. I didn’t mention it before we left camp but will now. One of our temporary camp hands decided to target me for this reason. Often asking me for money and a jacket. Later to find out that he cleaned me out, he took quite a few items of clothing with him when he left. This was particularly upsetting as he lived with us for some time. And paid close attention to the items of clothing I wasn’t wearing in camp and therefore may not notice right away as missing. While I try not to be attached to things I still from time to time think about it, what he took (there is someone wearing a lovely Lu Lu lemon yoga top) and it burns my ass so much that as I make my way around town I am on the look out for my distinct items of clothing that might be on the back of a local walking around. What I would do if I saw it, I don’t know, probably nothing, but still I look.

Security is high here as it is in South Africa. All the homes are fenced in. We are staying in a beautiful home of a friend of Grahams which is on the river with the most beautiful fig tree in the back yard. Fenced in. The view to the river is lovely though obstructed by this electric fence. As I sit here and the goats roam munching on grass outside the fence to be shocked into horror every time they touch the fence in hilarity. I have come to quite like the goat. They are sweet little things, the babies especially adorable and one day will have a pet goat. I find this fenced in life claustrophobic and I don’t know that I’ve had a good nights sleep since we’ve been here.


























911 here isn’t what it is at home. Everyone has a “911” radio. It’s a walkie talkie type radio and is more of a neighborhood watch sort of thing. When I asked the number for the police no one seemed to know. Apparently most of the police don’t have cars, and when they get a call have to arrange a “ride” to the scene. Comforting. So these 911 radios are tuned in every night to your neighbors and should something go wrong everyone gathers to save and protect you. It is also a form of entertainment and conversation for the next day. Did you hear last nights 911 call....etc. In the first week we were here there was a 911 announcement that three criminals had escaped from prison (this not too surprising as a conversation earlier that day was of someone who had to pay a fine at the police station to see two criminals being held in a room by a mere broom stick across the door way) and to be on high alert that evening and until they were found and captured. Evidently these particular criminals were beating people quite brutally for cash and cell phones. Needless to say, even within this electric fence, high alarm system and locked doors I was on edge all night. And every night until the announcement came over the 911 radio that they had eventually caught said criminals. About a week after escape and re-capture, the escape part of the news made the local paper. The Ngami times, and a week after capture, it was only then in the paper.


Here is an example of the 911 radio in use the other night as we had some friends over for a Braai. (BBQ)