Namibia

Since arriving in Namibia the focus of the trip has changed. Central Africa, from Gabon through to Angola, was all about progress southwards towards South Africa- the challenge of getting me and the bike to the Cape. But from here Cape Town is is easy 3 or 4 day drive on good roads with regular fuel stations (with fuel), good places to stay and KFC. The trip is now about being a tourist again and seeing and enjoying southern Africa. Its a change I'm relaxing into.

Central Namibia
Before i go too far though, Ive had to give the battle weary bike a bit of TLC. Since arriving in Namibia I have done the following:

New front tyre, new battery, replaced the rear hub bearings, replaced the front brake lever, remounted the bashplate fixings, changed the oil and oil filter (4th of the trip), fixed an oil leak (actually a mechanic did that) and renewed the chain and sprockets.

I also need to collect my new passport from the British High Commission here in Windhoek. 120 quid! but the current one is full which will really limits my travel plans. And what are those plans?

Well...... Will, the Frenchman, and I didn't make it to Kaokoland in the north west as we planned to do after my last blog entry due to mechanical problems so that's the first thing. Then rather than going directly south to Cape Town I plan to cut through Botswana to RSA near the Kruger Park area then toddle down the east coast at a lesuirely pace taking in the best of South Africa. Hopefully it won't be too cold.


And what have i been doing for the last 3 weeks? Well......As mentioned previously I spent 3 days in Etosha National Park. It was these three days of cruising round spotting game and feasting on BBQ'd steak in the evenings that marked the change in vibe of the trip. I was now on holiday.

The backpacker hostels here are incomparable to the cheap hotels of central Africa. Whilst I'm normally in my tent or a dorm, they generally have a swimming pool, bar, pool table, lounge, garden and kitchen. The campsites are comfortable too. I stayed at one recently each plot was separated from the others by 500m, had views across the dessert valley and an immaculate private toilet and shower with hot water! I'm currently on the coast in Swakopmund. If Namibia is not like Africa, Swakopmund is positively a German seaside town. Old colonial buildings sit next to seafood restaurants and estate agents advertising new beach view apartments. The sand dunes are the main attraction here which stretch for hundreds of km's to the north and south. dessert tours are on offer learn about the fragile ecosystems but i chose opted for 2 hours of quadbiking- blasting over 300 foot sanddunes, ripping up the said ecosystems. Great fun. Actually the areas for quadbiking are controlled but there is still local resentment against it.

I spoke to Tom and Laura last night, my companions from the Congo. After i left them in Brazzaville, Laura got Malaria and a kidney infection and had to spend three days in hospital. After finally making across the Congo river to DRC the gearbox on the Nissan packed up. They decided to sell the car and fly to Cape Town. They are driving up to Namibia in a hire van so hopefully we'll catch up.
typical Namibian gravel road west of Windhoek