16 December 2010 - Namibia: Luderitz and Kalhari Desert - SA: Cederberg Region and Cape Town

16 December

The road to/from Luderitz, was stunning but caused havoc with bike. Strong winds blew fine sand into wheel bearings and onto brake pads. Tyres were also practically bald by now. Could not risk another 300km on gravel roads (many small sharp stones!), so eventually decided against the visit to Fish River Canyon. Instead I raced onto SA border on 15th. 

The Skeleton Coast,half way between Walvis Bay and Luderitz

Temp in Kalahari desert on way down was 49C! I opened my visor to get some relief, instead the air felt like a hair dryer on full blast! I made it to Springbok that eve, at 485 miles, this was the longest days ride. 

Kalhari Desert - crosses Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.This shot
was taken in Nambibia.

Yesterday, non-stop rain forced me to stop in Cederberg region, allegedly beautiful countryside, but now cloaked in mist/rain. The Region's Annual rain fell in just 2days. On a bike you really are constantly battling the elements! 

Cederberg Region, South Africa - This is what Jay was missing!

Today, I finally arrived in Capetown!!!

Cape Town, South Africa

13 December 2010 - Namibia

It feels like I have been riding for an eternity on dusty gravel and sand roads across the vast barren wildernesses of this astonishingly beautiful country. Daytime (shade) temperatures reach 42-45 deg C. I don't even want to know what the temperature is out in the desert sun! Criss-crossing through the Namibian Desert over the last week has been quite physically demanding. The sandy stretches of these dirt roads in particular send the back wheel into wild swerves like a fish flapping its tail. You feel like you're continuously about to be thrown off, and requires intense concentration and balance to counter each wobble. And then there's the Namibian sun frying your skull within the helmet. It can be quite unnerving but I seem to have developed the knack of it by now. I recall from Ewan McGregor on Long Way Down how difficult it is dealing with the dreaded soft sand.

Namibian Desert

On Saturday, I got to Sossusvlai, which is easily Namibia's greatest attraction. The world's tallest sand dunes (380m!) over lap in massive red waves, against the backdrop of a deep blue sky. This 'red sea' stretches for 55km all the way to the real sea (the wet blue one!). There's not a lot more to add other than check out the images on google.....

Sossusvlai, Namibia - Tallest sand dunes

Yesterday, I left Sossusvlai, generally aiming south along the country's single North-South tarmac road. As adventurous as the dirt roads are, I was getting quite tired of them. Also, there's always the fear that if I did have a big wipe out and got injured, it could be a day before another person comes along. This country is vast and the population is less than 1.8m; roads are very quite out here! I've concluded that you really want to be riding with a mate out in the deserts! Anyway, I made it as far as Keetmanshoop where I camped amidst a forest of the amazing 'quiver tree'. Like the baobab 'tree', it's actually a large cacti/aloe. I was the only person there. At night I could hear several creatures coming over to my tent to check me out. It was a tad unnerving, but I was fairly sure there were no big cats in that area. In the morning I awoke to discover several different hoof and paw prints all around my tent!

Keetmanshoop, Namibia

This morning I was heading down towards Fish River Canyon, (world's 2nd largest) when I made another of my last minute changes at a fork on the road...(If anyone was with me on this trip, I would have driven them berserk by now!).

Fish River Canyon, Namibia

Anyway, I decided to head over to Luderitz on the coast. It's another exceedingly German seaside town. 

Luderitz, Namibia

The special draw here is Kolmanskop -  a former diamond mine complete with a staff complex. Ever since the diamonds dried up around WW1, It has been a ghost town over run by the encroaching desert...eary place! The other big draw for me was the stunning scenery desert scenery, albeit from the comfort of a tarmac road! You're not allowed to even step away from the access road as you get closer to Luderitz, as the surrounding countryside is still littered with diamonds!

Kolmanskop, Namibia - Deserted diamong mining town

Kolmanskop, Namibia - Open door filled with sand

Tomorrow morning I will head back towards the Fish River Canyon. Plan is to spend one night there and then cross over to SA. From there's it's a straight dash to Cape Town, ETA pm 16th Dec.... That's only 1 day behind schedule. 

I've been surprised my number of 'coloured' folk down in southern Namibia. That's what we call 'mixed race'. The majority of poor rural folk here seem to be of this ethnic group. I'm told that there are many colored people also in the western side of SA. By contrast, in Eastern SA, there were comparably few coloured people. I wonder whether this had anything to do with the much more acrimonious relations with the Zulu in those parts?! Going back, the normal African observation on my travels that 'fair skinned = wealthy' breaks down here. There's much more to add here, but I'm running out of time... United play Arsenal soon, and I still need to get showered and changed... Ahhh, that might also have factored into why I wanted to be in a town tonight and not out by some canyon... !!!!

3-9 December 2010 - Botwsana & Namibia

3 December

A couple of days back, I eventually managed to find a single engine Cessna to fly over the delta.  As impressive as the  views were, I had not realised it was going to be such a stomach churner; I just about held onto my breakfast! Yesterday I rode up to the Namibian border at the western end of the Caprivi Strip (and no, that's not a girlie bar!).  

Caprivi Strip, Botswana

Final memories of Botswana were unfortunately of the thousands of cows and donkeys that literally live on the roadside. You'd have thought they had got used to passing traffic. Oh no, they scramble around in a mad panic as you approach them (even when slowing down!). I had at least 3 'heart stoppers' yesterday! 

Finished the day at the beautiful Ngepi campsite, camping  on the Okavango river bank. Their jungle toilets/showers are renowned, as is the croc cage, the only safe way to swim in the river! 

Ngepi Camp, Nambia

Today, I am heading for Grootfontein, site of world's largest meteoric. Got totally drenched in a thunderstorm (again!) at Rundu on Angolan border. Riding through the lightning storms is pretty scary, but essential to keep to the schedule. It's dry now, will plough on...

5 December

The Hoba meteorite was just big block (55 ton) of iron/nickel. dont really know what I was expecting... some kind of extra terrestrial experience?! 

Hoba Metorite, Namibia

Yesterday I was unable to rent any car to go into Etosha National Park (bikes not allowed), so decided to ride towards park and just see what turns up. A luxury camp just outside the park: Mushara Lodge had a Landover leaving in 5 min; I quickly checked in and jumped on. Etosha is one of Africa's classic safaris. Thanks to extraordinary vision of guide, we saw 'everything' - even elusive black rhino and leopard. So glad I decided to go with a pro guide-tracker. Now feel satiated with wildlife, but can see how people get hooked. Dinner that eve was Kudu, a magnificent creature, whether walking across the plains or medium rare. Today

Leopards, Etosha National Park

Black Rhino, Etosha National Park

Kudo

I started riding towards Damaraland, a stark wilderness with 1000s of prehistoric bushmen paintings/engravings and rugged but beautiful landscapes. 

Damaraland, Namibia

Am staying in lodge outside Outjo tonight, aiming for Twyfelfontein area tomorrow. Local languages around here are fascinating to hear, notes/ sounds unlike any I have heard before. Namibia is very big for red meat. Today I finally invested in some braai (bbq) kit, campsites here and in SA are so well geared up for it. Also, meat is well reared, tender and affordable. In fact, Namibia feels lot like SA. Very similar racial and socio-economic setup, but seemingly minus the crime/violence/corruption.

9 December

I made it to Twyfelfontein and saw the 6000yr old rock engravings. They are Namibia’s one and only World Heritage Site. There are many theories about San Bushmen’s rock art. The one given most credence is that they were used as part of transcendental rituals to communicate with the after life - spiritual world - `the other side`. The following morning I headed for the skeleton coast. The local Damara people warned me there is nothing there; I did not expect them to be quite so literal. In an already very desolate country, the skeleton coast takes top prize for sheer `nothingness`!

Twyfelfontein, Namibia - Lion Rock Art

Day before yesterday, I got to Swakopmond, Namibia’s Blackpool, but with a strong German flavour! Bizzare hey?!

Swakopmond, Namibia

Highlight there was the ski boarding yesterday. Why did the Arabs never think of that?! It was great fun learning how to snow board, but on sand. Mind you, the climbing back up the 100m dunes run was not fun at all. The finale was flat boarding, where you lie down on a piece of thin board, flex the leading edge upwards and throw your self down a 200m sand dune with your face inches above the sand flying past at 50 mph!

Sandboarding

Today, I rode to Windhoek the capital, through the Namib Desert. For 3 hours I did not see a single person. Then a pick up truck turned up out of no where, signed me to pull over...it was 3 totally pissed white farmers who wanted to know if I had any booze!

Windhoek, Namibia

Anyway, I will spend tomorrow here, before heading down to Sossusvlei and the giant sand dunes.

30 November 2010 - Botswana - Maun & Okavango Delta

30 Nov

I got to Maun this morning; it's the staging post for forays into the Okavango Delta. I had just popped out to pick up some meat for the braai (barbecue) at the campsite tonight, when the heavens opened up! Even last night there was an astonishing light show of a thunderstorm just north of where I was camping. The sky was like an enormous strobe light. 

Maun, Botwsana

I'm currently trying to get a seat on a little Cessna plane to fly over the Delta. I can't afford to charter a flight, but am looking around for any travellers who may also be interested in sharing a flight. It's got to be the best way of absorbing exactly what's going on in this bizarre part of the planet! A river just flows along until it reaches a desert and then starts sprawling out until it runs out of steam! The amount of watering entering the delta equals the amount that's evaporating. Apparently, a huge earthquake originally caused this phenomenon, by diverting the river's route away from the sea.

Okvango River Meander, Botswana

Okavango Delta, Botswana