More than Just Tourists

We have now spent four weeks in Namibia and about a week ago we started behaving less like visitors and more like residents.

Regina gets upset because I comment on some of the drivers doing things in a different way to what I expect them to do. Granted that I am not the most considerate driver, I find that local drivers have a very different perception of their personal space on the road. They will think nothing of it to pull into a street a couple of meters in front of me, but another time will start blowing their hooter when I pull into the road with, what I thought, ample space.

All things considered we are having a great time, except that the Stormers lost against the Bulls in the Super 14 Final last night. I found it interesting that Namibians have adopted the South African rugby teams and are very vocal supporters. Yesterday morning many were out in the malls and on the street with Bulls and Stormers kit and flags. You also regularly see Bafana and Springbok jerseys.

Our time in Windhoek will come to an abrupt end tomorrow morning when we leave for a couple of days to do field work in the Sossusvlei area. We are planning a five day trip to places with beautiful names like Solitaire, Sesriem and Wolwedans.

We should be back in Windhoek for the next weekend but I will try to update the Blog as we get Internet Access along the way.

Marking Time

After our last, very long post, this will be a very short one.

We are at present holed up in Arebbusch Travel Lodge south of Windhoek. I am spending some time at our office in town to catch up on admin and helping to sort out some IT issues. Regina has been visiting a couple of friends we met at Lewende Woord Bediening, a church quite close to where we stay.

The official part of our trip has been put on hold until further notice. The whole process seems to be like Elephant Sex; a lot of noise at a very high level and you have to wait for ever for the outcome.

This coming Wednesday we are planning to go to Swakopmund for a couple of days to complete another project that was started on my previous visit in March.

In the mean time, except for missing our family and friends, we are enjoying the weather and in general having a good time.

First time into the Bundus

On Tuesday we left Windhoek on our first mission into the unknown, at least it was unknown to us. We started on the road North via familiar towns like Okahandja, Otjiwarongo and Outjo.

From Outjo we followed the GPS directions to our first stop and headed west. We saw amazing landscapes and rock formations. One that we will remember for a while is the one remaining Vingerklip (Rock Finger) of Namibia.

On this picture it looks more like an upside-down canyon.

Trying to reach our first official stop at Okonguarri, we were reminded that one cannot trust in only a GPS’s directions. The GPS sent us on the road closest to the farm but we could not find an entrance road. When we did find an entrance the roads became un-drivable, even for our trusted Fortuner. After battling for a couple hours to find the correct entrance, we realised that we need to get to a suitable camping site before dark.

We drove 25 km back to the Vingerklip Lodge to enquire about accommodation and were shocked at the rates; definitely aimed at attracting Euros rather than Rands. The only camping site was about 30 km away and it was getting dark, so we decided to bite the bullet and spent the night in style. We both agreed that it was well worth it.

After hobnobbing for a night we had to get back to reality and after a couple phone calls we found the missing farm and completed our work around midday. Our next official stop would be Mowani Mountain Camp in the Twyfelfontein area, about 120 km further west but more than 200 km per dirt road.

The road took us through Khorixas (pronounced: Korrigas) and past the Petrified Forest . We just had to find out what the tree were petrified of, so we made a quick stop and found a number of huge trees that were turned into rocks when they were buried between 2,000 and 6,000 years ago.

We were also surprised to see many Welwitschia plants dotted around the area.

When we arrived at Mowani Mountain Camp it was getting late and we immediately asked for a camp site to prepare for the night. The camp site was placed behind a hill of huge boulders, far from the lodge and was really stunning. We set up our field office and though we had good cell phone signal, could not connect to the Internet.

On Thursday, after taking care of the official business at Mowani Mountain Camp, we headed for the Twyfelfontein area where we visited the Twyfelfontein Country Lodge and also the Twyfelfontein Namibian Heritage site which is renowned for its extensive collection of rock paintings and engravings.

Our next stop was a little village called Bergsig where we met Pia Isaacks, a community councillor, who was very helpful. From here we headed West on the C39 to Springbokwasser, the gate to the Skelton Coast National Park. Once again we were surprised at the multitudes of Welwitschias next to the road.

At Springbokwasser we found very friendly officials at the gate and was offered a free camp site for the night. They have a fully featured campsite since the gate into, and out of, the Park is only open during daylight hours; travellers who arrive outside these hours are then usually given free camping for the night.

We managed to find a spot behind a pole fence where the wind was less severe. We set up camp and while preparing some steaks and a lovely vegetable stew, we enjoyed the changing colours of the setting sun. That night after midnight it got really cold; apparently it gets worse as you get closer to the coast.

After completing our business the next morning we headed back east on the C39 to Wêreldsend, where the IRDNC (Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation NGO) have a facility where the promote rural involvement with conservation. On the way there we saw some tracks in the road and later realised that is was Black Rhino spoor.

The road to our next stop, at Palmwag, must have some of the most amazing scenery for somebody who loves the rugged beauty of Namibia. I always thought these remote areas of Damaraland and Kaokoveld are more or less flat. In fact there are some stunning table top and sharp hills.

The region recently had extensive rains and most of the streams have left their mark on the roads. At Palmwag we set up camp for the weekend and got time to recuperate from all the driving on some very bumpy dirt roads. Our campsite had a shade net and we managed to make a private living area.

During the weekend we managed to bake a bread and banana bread in our metal box oven, as well as real vetkoek.

When we eventually left Palmwag on Monday, we stayed on the better roads and headed for Kamanjab. We were very impressed with the Sentra shop where one can find most things one might need on a trip into Damaraland. We stocked up on blitz, cool drinks, tin foil and yoghurt.

Our first official stop was south of Kamanjab on the Huab river and from there we went to Otjivasandu, a ranger station inside the restricted area of the Etosha Game park. Usually only registered tour operators get access to this part of Etosha. We were quite amused at some of the warning signs along the road.

From Otjivasandu we went looking for our next stop which was supposed to be 9 km away but found that we had to drive a 100 km detour to get there. We fortunately had another option and were greeted with open arms by Dano and his mother Suzaan at Rustig Toko Lodge. They insisted that we stay in a room and gave us a home cooked dinner and their special hospitality. We were treated to a sundowner trip and enjoyed the changing colours of sunset of the plains.

Our next journey took us on the back roads, about 10 km South of the Etosha Game Park’s southern fence to Eagle Tented Camp and Epacha Game Lodge. Once again we were surprised by the luxurious finishes of these lodges, so far from civilisation, as we know it.

We spent the night at Etosha Safari Camp, about 10 km South of the Andersson Gate into Etosha, and headed back to Windhoek the next morning. Thursday was a public holiday in Namibia, which gave us time to catch up on some admin.

We are staying at Arebbusch self catering chalets, on the outskirts of Windhoek, till we are sent on another excursion into some part of this spectacular country.

On the Road

Since Sunday we could not post anything because we did not have Internet access at where we stayed.

On Sunday we left Springbok on our way to Windhoek. Crossing the border into Namibia was very easy. My Work Permit is still valid till mid June and Regina was given a Visitor's Visa for 90 days without much effort.

At the border we also discovered that Regina left her watch in the bathroom at the Kokerboom Motel. Fortunately Jeanine at reception was very helpful. She found the watch and will keep it in the safe till we return.

Rykie, our sister-in-law, give us some valuable tips learned from their many travels through southern africa. One of these tips became a reality to us on Sunday. She said that one should fill up with fuel where fuel is available; you never know if the next town or village will have any. We still had adequate fuel when we went past Noordoewer and headed for Grunau. When we stopped at the pump in Grunau we heard that they were fresh out of diesel!

The next diesel pump on our road was at Keetmanshoop, 170 km away. We had no option but to push on. Regina was driving and did her best not to exceed 100 km/h.

We eventually reached Keetmanshoop with 15 liter diesel to spare after a trip of 940 km from Durbanville.

We arrived in Windhoek later on Sunday.

We did not have proper cell phone reception or other Internet access at the B&B where we stayed so we could not update the blog.

Monday was spent at our office in Windhoek and managed to get a new bucket to use as a washing machine. On Tuesday morning, which happened to be a public holiday in Namibia, Regina and I left for a trip into parts of Damaraland and Kaokoveld.

So much for getting to Namibia. Now the fun started. We had nine lovely days in the real bundus of Namibia (apologies to the places we stayed over).

I will update the blog with information on the past week's travels as soon as we have proper Internet access again.

The Begining

Yes, it eventually happened!

We started our journey to Namibia today at 12:00 SA time. It was two hours later than we would have preferred but still not bad compared the two months delay.

As we left Durbanville today we realised that our lives have now been reduced to all we could fit into and onto the Fortuner. It is amazing how little one require to live a reasonably normal life.

Our first pit-stop was at Kardoesie Farm stall in Piekeniers Kloof Pass before Citrusdal where we each enjoyed a late breakfast sandwich and freshly squeezed orange juice. Here we made the sad discovery that our washing "machine" (rectangular bucket with tight fit lid) as well as all our tupperware, that was inside it, had freed itself from underneath the tie-downs on the roof rack.

The story of this washing machine/bucket is worth a mention. Regina decided that we require a bucket with a TIGHT-FIT-LID. This would allow us to fill the bucket with water, soap and laundry, to be washed while we drive, by the motion of the vehicle.

Against all my expectations we found bucket with a TIGHT-FIT-LID at Plastics Warehouse that was so effective that nobody could open it, not even the manager at the shop. He told us that these buckets are used for mayonnaise in restaurants and they also battle to open it.

This lead to our friend Andre Nel and myself inventing a TIGHT-FIT-LID-BUCKET-OPENER. It is too complicated to describe but believe me it works. Regina firmly believes that I have been saved from using the TIGHT-FIT-LID-BUCKET-OPENER because only Andre and myself could use it. (Regina said she cannot use something if she cannot open it)

So, here we are in Springbok now with everything except our TIGHT-FIT-LID washing bucket and tupperware.

After a excellent steak at Tauren Steakhouse we have set up our first camp in Kokerboom Motel's caravan park next to the N7. After a tiring day we are now ready for bed.

We trust that our next post will be from Namibia.