I was caught in a quandary. I had the pressure of typing and submitting my story on the BR Express’ launch before the deadline elapsed, which meant typing while on the inaugural ride to Gaborone. However, I also did not want to miss the various landscapes across the southern part of the country, long unseen by ordinary Batswana due to the nine-year absence of the passenger rail service.
I chose the First Class sitter coach and a cool breeze of air from a top-notch air-conditioning system welcomed me. This section of the BR Express was the best, especially for someone who was also busy on deadline as I was. Equipped with the modern furniture, the boardroom is designed to accommodate meetings and presentations on the go. Whilst busy typing my story in the boardroom, my first experience of the train was somewhat soured by water dripping from the train’s rooftop. The dripping became worse and turned into a full on flow, attracting the attention of the train’s waitress. Together with a fellow journalist also busy on a story, we were forced to transfer to other coaches.
