Road Tripping: Rustenberg

Hey Sunsets

Can any of you actually believe that I finally put my passport to use after one and a half years of being unstamped!!? Okay, I believe it, I'm the beholder of the passport anyway. So, at last, finally, I managed to cross borders, into South Africa. It was a thrilling experience, exciting and everything to do with goosebumps and butterflies in my stomach. It was everything, this is not me blowing things out of proportion, I mean it when I say I was excited. It was not my first time crossing the border (I lied, inserts a red cheek emoji), it was my second time, and my third time at the border. First time crossing borders was mid 2019 and we went as far as Zeerust from Tlokweng border. I was excited, as always, am I not always excited by the way!!!

Like I was saying, my first time across borders I went as far as Zeerust. Emotions were raw, and everything was so surreal, first times hey. And my first time at the border was back in 2004 I think, my father had just bought a new car so we took it for a ride. The car was not exactly new new, but it was new, as in less than a year old. I stayed in Majwaneng with my mother, anyway, we went to Martin's Drift Border, which is no more than 60kms from Majwaneng. We didn't cross the border, we were just sightseeing, we went as far as the bridge and that's when I saw Limpopo River, the mighty bearer of ruthless crocodiles.

Let's take it from the Tlokweng Border right into Kopfontein Border. Since it was not my first time, I kind of knew what to do, paperworks and everything, I knew where to go, but I followed my cousin and copied everything she did, because you can never be too sure. I just realised I didn't mention who I was with, I'm sorry, I was with my cousins, we're not really cousins cousins but we're cousins, I'm not going to explain our relation. We were dropping our other cousin in Rustenberg, so it was a return trip. Okay now that's off the way let's take it back to the border, it's my turn for clearance but I'm out here making small talk with the officer, which is okay, an icebreaker. Now we're at the South African Border, where I'm kind of having trouble with the officer, he's trying to take my prints but my clumsy self is not making it any easier. Anyway we're done with border clearances and we hit the road.

Cousins who are not really cousins 

The first sign you see immediately when you leave the border is WELCOME TO SOUTH AFRICA, and goosebumps goosebumps goosebumps everywhere. It's not my first, God, isn't the feeling priceless, feels new everytime!!! First thing I notice is the vegetation, it's different, well not entirely different from ours, but it's different, it has potential, of being a rainforest, not really a rainforest, but the potential is there. Between Zeerust and Kopfontein, most parts of the land is dedicated to Game Reserves, everything was planned, just a clean thought. I see wild animals, zebras and giraffes, it's not my first time, seeing them. First time was in Selibe Phikwe Stadium, there was a circus, but the event was in the evening, so we went during the day, we (me and kids in our hood), when they were being fed and washed and treated like royalty, they (animals). But I saw them from a distance, so I don't think I'm in a perfect position to say I've seen them before.

We arrive in Zeerust, the place looks familiar from the moment we enter, we (me and my cousins), it's organised and there are a lot of trees, inside the yards. It's fairly small, and contained, Zeerust, a small town. I've been here before, that's why the place looks familiar. We stop at a local filling station, to buy some snacks and use bathrooms and we get back on the road.

I'm still awed amongst everything else by the vegetation, the forest, it is so green and dense. Trees are tall, I think Eucalyptus trees are native in this region, because it's everywhere, other trees are as tall as Eucalyptus trees. If you spent your entire life in my Botswana you'd understand the hype, because ours (Botswana) is dry, it's a semi desert, the vegetation is scattered and trees are not as tall.

And there are mountains, as in mountains mountains, they go all the way up to the clouds. Right now I'm surviving on one hour of sleep, and I'm not even planning on closing my eyelids, not taking any chances. I'm in a new environment, I'm excited, my eyes are all over the place, wandering, trying to capture everything at once, exploring. One other thing, the roads are smooth and accomodating, also, e-tolls are a real thing, they do exist, you have to pay for you to progress, insane right!

Approaching an e-toll

We arrive, in Rustenberg, roads aren't smooth anymore, potholes everywhere, we drop my cousins stuff at her house. We hit the local chillspot, for drinks, but I'm busy acting like a tourist, which I am, so it's not acting. I'm busy being touristy, taking photos, asking questions, what's that, where are we, why is this like that, annoying, I know, but I'm not going to stop. We explore the local neighborhoods after, and we hit the road back. I'm hurt, I don't want to leave, please take me back. WELP!!!!

Local Chillspot

Royal Bafokeng Stadium