After a few nights in
Swakopmund the journey carried on south across big expanses of open plain
broken up only by ridges of mountain to cross every now and then. A quick stop
in a recommend German bakery which was very good with its large selection of
cakes and biscuits.
Spent the afternoon in the big red sand dunes at Sossusvlei
and watched the sun go down there. The Irish boys Tadgh and Bob bringing
embarrassment upon themselves and land rover marque by managing to get stuck in
the sand track that led to the dunes and spent sometime getting the tyres down
and the tempermental difflock in. Honestly made it across some of the worst
terrain in the remoter parts of Africa and they get stuck in a short sand track
as tourists in their hire 4x4’s cruise past.
Bob and I had a few beers and decided we would attempt to
sand board down on the piece of plywood that’s part of the bed in the back. It
had mixed results at best and is extremely tiring walking up a 100+ meter dune
in the hot sun. Beer does help though!
Next up was the mining town of Luderitz, stuck back out
again on the Skeleton Coast surrounded by the Sperrgebiet the forbidden area
where since 1908 the Diamond ming has made it off limits to the general public
and its apparently enforced by some quite ruthless security patrols so not
worth trying to venture into unless maybe that really is a Diamond you can see
from the road!
The town has a very northern European feel and could be one
of many small harbours back home. As were some of the bars, where we got a very
hearty meal of springbok stew.
Kolmansop is a deserted mining town just inside the
Sperrgebiet where you can go for a small fee. I was abandoned back in the 50’s
but at one point had been a fair size with a station, hospital, bars,
gym/theatre. Time and the dessert is slowly reclaiming it.
Heading south along the back roads in Namibia
to avoid any more police checks and investigations into our lack of cross
border permit we hit the orange river and the next day finally the border into South
Africa. Were we quickly stopped in
immigration then bypassed customs and the police and promptly left without
getting done for any more charges!
The South African border
was very modern organised and efficient something I had long ago forgotten
existed and we were swiftly on our way again.
As I finish we are heading the last 400 miles down to Cape
Town, we will probably split it and arrive in Cape
Town tomorrow.
Still high in some hills mist and rain have set in giving the impending end
a bit of a gloomy feel. Still it feels odd after so many miles and days we are
nearly there!
No comments:
Post a Comment