Greetings once again,
So as you will have seen, updating this blog is at times quite difficult. We have not seen an internet cafe for the last three weeks as we have been in the desert. Internet speeds are quite laughable so fiddling around with photos to be posted and catching up with everyone can become a day long task. To get around this problem, we have just purchased a netbook that will accompany us on our voyage. We have no idea where it is going to be stored and that's not even a joke! We have to read one book between us, no space for two paperbacks. Internet access will still be sporadic but at least we can get the blogs done before finding the internet cafe. Enough of that, welcome to Namibia! The sandy country, that of gravel roads, towns with populations of 7 people, the most glorious open spaces you could ever imagine, and driving for what seems like an eternity without coming across any other living things.
We crossed the border and within an hour or so we hit our first dirt road. We quickly deduced that dropping tyre pressures would be a good idea if we didn't want to get intimate with the gravel. We have been in our tent since we arrived and have established a routine of setting up camp, dismantling luggage and accessories and being ready for bed in great time. Camp dinners have been great, again we are quite able to get dinner and tea sorted in good time. We are sleeping by 9pm every night and wake around 7am. I can't remember when last we have slept for 10 hours!
Namibia is not like other countries we have been to. We have looked at our maps and decided on a place that looks (at least on the map) like a town where we might be able to camp only to find that it is at times merely someone's house or place of residence. Some towns are merely a hotel with a single petrol pump. Some towns have a population of all of seven people and some are ghost towns with no population at all! But above all else, Namibia is a country of astounding beauty and endless ammounts of places to lose yourself in quite easily, even in towns. At the moment we are in Swakopmund, a picturesque town where yesterday a friend drove us for 15 minutes to arrive in a tranquil part of the desert. There were no people, no cars and you could see for an eternity, absolute nothingness. There is a haunting beauty found in deserts all over the world, Namibia is all about deserts thus far, and we find ourselves stopping constantly to take photos, most of the time of horizons that go nowhere or sand dunes that rise majestically out of the desert and reshape themselves by the hour. These are the oldest deserts in the world and for the most part breathtakingly beautiful, at other times they are harsh inhospitable expanses of land that can wear you down. The biggest thing for us about this country and is clearly the reason why those who live here do so is the space and the peacefulness that the desert presents. You can't help but to reflect when you arrive in these glorious places. I find these open spaces inspiring and challenging.
Namibia is also a country of the some of the worst roads that I have ever ridden a motorcycle on. We rode from Solitaire to Walvis Bay, a distance of 230 km's. It took us seven hours! I have never been as emotionally challenged on a bike as I have here in the last few weeks. The corrugation, or "sinkpadjies" as they are locally known, rattle everything and slow you down to at times around 15kmh! Added to that, the light does something to the surface that stops you from being able to judge depth and also whether or not the sand that you are about to go through is in fact thick or not. If it is,usually Paul's legs flail everywhere and the fight with the bars begins. I have screamed obscenities at times as I just cannot get the moving mass to do what I want it to. And all the while my wonderful pillion just sits there neutrally and lets me vent my frustrations. Fair play to her too, the other day we did the most amazing all day ride through these remote back roads in the desert, we were cruising this nice soft sand road and crested this rise and just over the top there was knee deep sand everywhere. We had nowhere to go! We hit it and the bike went into tank slapping slides this way and that and somehow we managed to get through with the bike and us upright! I have no idea how we didn't come off. When it happened there were all sorts of limbs flailing from my end, legs were going down as I tried to anticipate the slides, trying to power through the ruts and the deep sandy parts and all the while Karla's knees were tucked in and she never moved a muscle. She kept straight and relaxed and allowed the natural weight transfers to happen. I was buzzed after that, I screamed to her, WOOOOOHHOOOOOOOOO, she replied WWOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO even louder, simply because we got through our first little event on the bike. Onwards we pressed, enjoying the natural beauty around us, this time a little slower than before. We came to a river crossing, about 10 minutes later, both of us wondering when and how we would have our first little get off bearing in mind that these roads are just sand everywhere and the bike sort of slides through and and across the roads as opposed to going in a straight and orderly direction. And then we found out. I didn't see the sand which was unbelievably deep and down we went into this patch of powdery sand. There has never been a better place to fall off a motorcycle, it was like falling in powder up in the snow. No damage done, we managed to pick her up together and I crossed the river on my own while Karla walked across. Both relieved that the bike has actually had its first incident and we emerged unscathed and smiling. Perhaps more importantly, Yele was just fine too, few cosmetic issues but nothing serious at all.
As you will see we have actually done just under 3000km's now and are in Central Namibia. This indicates that I severely underestimated the distances that we would be doing in each country. Not a big deal, just means that we have to keep a close eye on things that have limited life span. So here in Swakopmund we have gotten soft and are staying with friends in a warm house and a nice soft bed. Tomorrow we will flip a coin and see where we will head. The reasons for this are two fold; firstly, we want to go north to Kaokoland, but everyone is warning against it as the roads apparently eat tyres on 4x4's all the times and spare tyres are definitely not a luxury we afford ourselves here. We know people who havegone through four tyres on a bakkie/ute in these areas. That said, from what we know they are untouched lands and extremely beautiful. The other option is to go north east towards Botswana which is where we are going anywway, it just means we missed the rugged north west. Secondly, I really want to go via the Skeleton coast but again there are warnings against this. They say that you might not see a car up there for weeks a time so if anything happens in terms of transport, well you are in a spot of bother then!
Tommorow we will decide, and you will know at a later stage as I have no idea what happens from here and when you shall next hear from us. The story will continue to be told, and as soon as we find a place with internet access then we will share our tales.
I want to thank and mention a few people for various things that have been shared with us in the short space of our epic trip;
All of our friends and family in South Africa for their amazing friendships and generous hospitality and kindness.
First and foremost, Neil du Toit, none of this trip would have been possible without your help my boet, thanks for everything and good luck with the upcoming arrival.
Kurt, you are a genius and again your assistance with the bike preparations were invaluable, hopefully see you in Zimbabwe in a few weeks time, if the scenery stays this way, we might be late :)
Clydo, great spending time china, please pass on best to the clan, good to see them all after 15 years. See you again soon boet.
Jakes and Leande, amazing to see you in such different parts of the country and congrats on the announcement, hope we can make the wedding!
The Kriels, lovely as always to see you all again, thanks for the chicken livers, we still have not managed to find better as far as we have come now and believe me, we have tried many.
Dane, thanks for the polony and eggs when we were starving on the river.
Hein, thanks for the tours through Swakopmund, Tannie Essie, thanks so much for having us, see you next year in Australia.
The list goes on of course... regards to all whose paths we have crossed already, the stories and company make for interesting memories.
Until next time, love to all, be well.
P and K xxx
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