Making a plan

'If its not one thing, it's another'...is becoming quite a catchphrase around here. Yesterday, Elle's Toyota Hilux bakkie broke down about 70km from Katima. Unable to fix the problem, we had to ring for a vehicle recovery truck to tow us into town. Initially, the problem was put down to a blown fuse. But nothing is ever simple it seems, and hopes of speedy repair were dashed when the mechanic identified a further problem with the alternator. Unfortunately, the required replacement part is in Botswana, and can't be got until Monday, leaving us without a car for a weekend and a hefty repair bill to look forward to.

This latest development has thwarted our plans to drive the 1300km to Windhoek next week, where I intended to catch a plane to Cape Town. (Fortunately, I hadn’t booked a ticket yet!). As they say in Africa, I will now have ‘to make a plan’.

This expression, a common phrase among old Africa hands, seems like a contradiction on a continent where relatively little goes according to plan. But here it means something entirely different. ‘Making a plan’ is entirely reactive to the unforeseen, and means finding a solution to a problem or a situation when there usually isn‘t an obvious one. Having to ‘make a plan’ is a test of one’s resilience and resourcefulness and can range from making a fan belt out of a sock to sourcing a crate beers late at night. The latter born out of necessity.

Just seen a small crocodile in the garden. About two foot long he shot past me and into the water at breakneck speed. Just hope Mum isn’t around...