Mary drives a Rav so between the three of us and all our luggage, it was a wee bit of a squeeze! Thankfully, yet again we weren't going far. Gaborone is a little spread out, but after you get the hang of it, what once seemed like a big expansive city really isn't so bad. I unloaded while mom and Mary got checked in. Such lovely and helpful people at the Lodge!

Mom came out with a skeleton key to check into unit one of five.

 I stayed behind to try to get the electronics charged and set up to the wireless and organize the room a bit while M&M ran to the storage locker to get cell phones for all the students. They were gone for a little longer than I expected, so I took it upon myself to take a nap in the cool AC of the room! Such a tough life, I know! Ultimately, I'm glad I took a nap cause that set a wonderful little pattern between mom and me: she would crash/jet lag and I would be clear headed, then I would crash and she would be clear headed. That came in VERY handy a number of times.

Not too long after M&M got back, Pita's plane had landed so Mary went back out to the airport to collect her. Mom had brought one cell phone along that was already charged and ready to go. That one went to Pita since she had arrived earlier than the other students, I because I hadn't time to sort out any of the other phones! Some were Mascom and some were Orange. These are the two major players of the phone industry here in Botwana. To the best of my knowledge, everything is based on a changeable charge/recharge prepay system using SIM cards. Mom's phone had SIM capability, Pita's phone had SIM capability. My phone... *sigh* what are the odds? I wasn't planning on even bringing my phone with me but since I had I figured I might as well check. No kidding! It's an old enough phone that it still has the option for a SIM card. Nice!

It was getting to be about that time. Closing and dinner time. We needed to have SOME functioning phones-mom, me and Pita-so we could all connect the next day, but also we were hungry. The four of us headed to the nearest mall called Riverwalk so we could take care of everything at a one stop shop! We started as Mascom to pick up new SIM cards and load the phones. It is customary for anyone here to speak to the most senior of the group (mom) which normally is a good thing. Here, however, we're talking cell phones. Just a bit out of mom's league. Mom "gave permission" for the gentleman at Mascom-later to find out his name is Moses-to work with me and ten minutes later, we were off to dinner!

We decided to have dinner at Primi Piatti, which has pretty good food and a decent selection of pizzas. I'm not one to write much out food unless it surprises me, like the amount they fed us on KML! But we had a very pleasant meal and had a chance to meet Mary's husband-blanking on his name at the moment.

Last but not least, a quick stop at the Pick and Pay for a couple of items for breakfast. Tell ya what. Even grocery shopping is a different experience! More on that later :)