Odyssey to fun

"I'm sorry sir, your ticket has expired! Our buses to Cape Town are all fully booked 'til Saturday Sir," said the young beautiful lady with the most fake grin ever. Heavy make-up. Doll-like looks. A smile that disappears as soon as it appears. Fast. She waits to hear my response to the bad news. Serious, again. News that threatened to end my fun trip to Cape Town after just five hours on my journey. I am at the SA Roadlink booth in the hustle and bustle that is Johannesburg's Park Station.

Following instructions that for confirmation of telephone bookings, the customer must pay two hours prior to departure time I left Gaborone on Thursday morning, April 1st, on a 'Zola Budd' (taxi - named after  that long distance athlete who broke world records racing barefoot), to Johannesburg where I made a booking for a 2pm bus to Cape Town. With just two passengers on board the Zola Budd, left Gaborone bus rank at five in the morning.