|
INFORMATION |
The
IASTED International Conference on
ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND TECHNOLOGY
IN WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
~ESTW 2006~
September 11-13, 2006
Gaborone, Botswana
AREA
ATTRACTIONS
Currency
The currency of Botswana is Pula, which also means water.
It is a strong currency against the neighbouring countries
and there is no black market for changing money. All camps
and lodges will accept GB Pounds and US Dollars as well
as SA Rand. Hotels, lodges and restaurants will generally
accept most credit cards and travellers cheques for payment
of goods as well as US$ and GBP£. However if you are
away from the hotels, you will need to pay for items in
shops with Pula.
All forex entering the country must be declare on entry.
There are no restrictions on the amount of forex exported
as long as it is declared and obviously under the amount
stated on arrival.
When changing money at the banks, there will be a slight
difference in the rates between forex cash and travellers
cheques.
Climate
Botswana's climate is semi-arid. Though it is hot and dry
for much of the year, there is a rainy season, which runs
through the summer months. Rainfall tends to be erratic,
unpredictable and highly regional. Often a heavy downpour
may occur in one area while 10 or 15 kilometres away there
is no rain at all. Showers are often followed by strong
sunshine so that a good deal of the rainfall does not penetrate
the ground but is lost to evaporation and transpiration.
'Pula', one of the most frequently heard words in Botswana,
is not only the name of Botswana's currency, but also the
Setswana word for rain. So much of what takes place in Botswana
relies on this essential, frequently scarce commodity.
Seasons
The summer season begins in November and ends in March.
It usually brings very high temperatures. However, summer
is also the rainy season, and cloud coverage and rain can
cool things down considerably, although only usually for
a short period of time.
The winter season begins in May and ends in August. This
is also the dry season when virtually no rainfall occurs.
Winter days are invariably sunny and cool to warm; however,
evening and night temperatures can drop below freezing point
in some areas, especially in the southwest.
The in-between periods - April/early May and September/October
- still tend to be dry, but the days are cooler than in
summer and the nights are warmer than in winter.
Health
Botswana is not your ‘average’ African country.
It is modern, developed and things work. You can safely
drink the tap-water in the towns and cities. You do not
need protection against cholera or yellow fever.
HIV/Aids is a serious issue but, unless you fail to take
common sense precautions, there is nothing to fear.
The south, south-central and southwest of the country are
malaria free and the disease is a minimal threat in the
remainder of the country in winter (May to July). For the
rest of the time you must be prepared and should use prophylactic
treatment. The right clothing, mosquito nets and appropriate
repellents are 80% of the battle.
For more information
on travel tips to Botswana, please visit the following link:
http://www.botswanatourism.org.uk/travel.php?id=18
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