On October 16th, 2024 we left Thohoyandou with a new radiator. The sky was overcast as we drove towards Beitbridge. We both had an uneasy feeling in our stomachs because we knew what was in store for us since we crossed this border in 1996: Beitbridge is the main customs crossing between South Africa and Zimbabwe: 15,000 people and 500 trucks cross the border here every day! Our original plan was to choose a different border crossing that would have taken us into Zimbabwe via Botswana. However, that would have required a detour of several hundred kilometers; and the time was too short now for that. (We have reserved three nights at Aberfoyle Lodge in the Eastern Highlands from October 21st, 2024!)
So, we bit the bullet and drove to Beitbride. We cleared customs on the South African side in no time. But now chaos awaited us on the other side. At least that was the case in 1996. What a surprise when we saw the new customs building. The counters were well marked and there was no crowd. Cleopatra, an «It» and employee of the Tourist Board of Zimbabwe, helped us complete the formalities in the correct order. And oh wonder: after an hour we were standing in front of the exit gate.
The second surprise came here: I was standing next to our vehicle when a Chinese man came up to me, stretched out his hand and said: «I know you!» I asked him where from. «From China» was his immediate answer. (We were there in 2012 and there was a Chinese guide on board – without it you can’t travel with a car in China!) He certainly didn’t recognize me, but he did recognize our car, on whose broadside you can also see the flag of China. (In addition to the one from Tibet, which we only added after we left China.) Four Zimbabweans standing next to us in their Toyota (what else!) were amazed to witness this reunion. Laughing, I said: «There are 1.2 billion Chinese and we meet this one at this border!»
The barrier opened and amidst general laughter we drove happily into Zimbabwe. This day couldn’t have started better…