Trip Report #32 (6 - 8 August): Home

“The important thing about having lots of things to remember is that you’ve got to go somewhere afterwards where you can remember them, you see? You’ve got to stop.  You haven’t really been anywhere until you’ve got back home.” – Twoflower, The Light Fantastic

With Pierre’s help (what did I tell you?) we source and install a new oil filter just to find that the starter motor is again acting up.  A quick visit to the local VW confirms that the oil filter replacement was successful, but we will be run starting the Syncro all the way to Jozi. 

All plans of Solitaire, Sossusvlei, Luderitz, Kolmanskop, Feral Horses and Fish River Canyon is ditched there and then.  Slightly exasperated, we decide to cut our losses and head home.

Bytheway, we now know that heavily loaded Kombi’s do not run start when parked on gravel (no matter how many people are pushing) and that any road that may seem to slope downhill to the naked eye is very likely not. 

It is good to see Bea and Cleo, to wash our clothes, clear out the kombi, to really wash our hands and feet (and stay clean for longer than 2,5 minutes), to food shop at Woolworths, eat sushi and laze on the couch with a good movie. 

I miss the freedom of being on the road, deciding on a day to day basis where we want to sleep next, spending quality time with Carli, the simplicity of worrying only about making it through this day and the wonderful privilege of being close to nature.

Trip Report #31 (5 August): Welwitschia’s, Windhoek and Anniversary

Armed with a Namibian Wildlife Resorts permit and a sidewalk special, smoked snoek we take the scenic route through the moon landscape and Welwitschia drive via Khomas Hochland to Windhoek.

The Skeleton Coast is so called for the number of boats and sea farers that have met their end along this treacherous/misty coastline.  Any ‘lucky’ shipwreck survivors where sure to meet their fate on this desolate and barren expanse of seemingly nothingness. 

From the vantage point of our silver bubble isolation it is all very pretty and impressive, but we can’t help agonising (and strategising) for the unfortunate sea mates stranded without food and water and only sand, odd and odd-looking plant life and mirages as far as the eye can see.   

At least the lack of crowds for most of the past millennium means that the Welwitschia’s, endemic to this area, could perform their mating ritual (male and female plants exist separately and need to flirt over significant distances), generate offspring and grow their slow 8 - 15cm per year without interference. 

Fortunately our breakdown (inevitable of course) only happens 75km from Windhoek and well away from the worst of the desert region.  A stone punctures the oil filter and two hours of tacking, plasters, welding and all kinds of innovations proves unable to deliver even a temporary solution. 

After two hours of no other vehicles and no cell phone reception, Christa, with a bakkie full of farm workers and provisions from town, stops.  Phew, just as we are about to make camp for the night :-)  Armed with contact details she promises to radio or call to Windhoek as soon as she has signal for either.  As it works out she gets a signal within 500m of leaving us and we get to shout into a handheld wind up speakerphone to Anita.

Enter left, on cue, a few triple gins later: my varsity buddy Pierre.  He rocks up (no pun intended) with a T4 Syncro diesel, loaded with oil, oil filters of almost every size and shape and loads of enthusiasm for fixing the silver bubble there and then, but is met with our semi sober insistence to head directly to Windhoek, to not pass go and to not save on towing fees.  We hitch a stylish ride and exchange car keys with the passing tow truck that had been summoned to bring the Volla also to civilisation. 

Now, Pierre needs special mention.  With a hysterical, dry sense of humour, easy manner and without ever breaking a sweat he earned a master’s degree in engineering (right up there amongst the top three performers), he choreographs and performs extremely exclusive strip shows (hie hie sorry Pierre :-)), he coordinated a charity taxi business, refurbished their home into an architectural joy and is father to two BEAUTIful kids all before turning 33.  Of course, behind every man… but actually, his incredibly stylish and stunning wife, Elmarie, is probably again testimony to Pierre’s spectacular abilities to always over achieve. 

Ps: We celebrate our wedding anniversary with Pierre and Elmarie, whom we last saw at the wedding event, and Anita and Jurie (Anita’s hubby and Pierre’s co strip show performer (sorry Jurie)), over late dinner at Joe’s.

It is an incredible privilege for us and without a doubt one of our best anniversaries to date :-) 

M-L

Trip Report #30 (3 - 5 August): Suave Sophisticated Swakop

The Germans formally ran Namibia for only 35 years almost a hundred years ago, but throughout our trip we find it difficult to believe they have ‘left’ and never more so than in Swakopmund.  We treat ourselves with cosy accommodation with the ‘best breakfast in town’ (we do concur with the sales pitch). 

After our past six weeks the slick tourist trap sophistication offered by art africa, woolworths, weylandts, cinema, sushi, book/art/coffee gallery, western saloon pizza whilst the desert lurks in the background, is rather soothing to our frayed sandton sensibilities. 

I iron out my hair to celebrate (and to deflect any further chirps about unnecessary baggage from Carl-Hein), shop up a storm and see Sunshine Cleaning. 

If you are going to dedicate a day to touristy stuff, this is not a bad place to do it.  The historic buildings, Museum, Aquarium and Kristal Gallerie are immaculate, interesting and actually worth and fun seeing.  The curio shops are stocked to the brim and, as an added bonus, with the 1:1 exchange rate, there is no confusion about what we are being charged for any of these privileges. 

M-L

Trip Report #27 (29 - 31 July):

We have irrefutably established that the EQ of our Volla is below average.  We pass more kombi’s than we can manage to keep count of and we are childishly excited, taking numerous photographs of  especially funky prototypes.  Oddly, the Silver Bubble does not catch on to our mood and as we begin to negotiate Tsumeb’s intersections and traffic signs, the clutch dies :-(

At least we are stuck this time round in ‘Namibia’s prettiest town’.  We limp to the nearest backpackers, shunning the safe yard parking option for a sidewalk-based launch position.

Wise move as it turns out.  The next morning Carl-Hein is escorted (I will have you know!), by Nico our first contact mechanic, to the local VW expert in town.  It is only with the help of local brawn that the Syncro covers the last 200m into Franco’s Executive Auto Repair shop. 

New master and slave cylinders had to be ordered from Windhoek and we had bought an extra day in Tsumeb.

The day spent in Tsumeb is surprisingly eventful!

1.) We meet an interesting UN project team from Luanda doing landmine clearing in Angola and have an impromptu coincidentally-shared brunch. 

2.) I spend a few hours in the local FNB branch to sort out some bank stuff with incredibly friendly and helpful Namibian bank officials struggling with their not-so-helpful South African counterparts. 

3.) And to top the day, dinner is a bizarre but fabulous event in a bakery, pizza cum video store run by a vivacious Italian girl (Francesca), her sullen, wheelchair-bound German hubby (Barend), their well kept Jack Russell cross breed, their aristocratic cat as well as a diverse stream of friends who pop in for a quick hi and drink.  We are informed of what our pizza selection will be and I am allocated a scrumptious kudu salami pizza! and Carl-Hein an Italian Sausage and home-made chilli pizza that had even me drooling.

Regards M-L

Trip Report #26 (28- 29 July): Ngepi Camp

Driving into Namibia reminds me of arriving in Amsterdam after backpacking through Europe – faintly familiar and comfortable. 

We share the Protea Hotel run Zambezi Lodge Campsite with Sam Nujoma’s extensive security detail and watch from our camp chairs the formal procession and VIP guest arrive.  Safe sleeping tonight. 

With characteristic hospitality we are invited to a braai by Vernon, a young South African/Namibian who is working on a short term road construction project in the area and opts to camp with Ogies, the cutest Jack Russell girl, rather than pass his time in hotels (understandably). The party grows with the kameeldoring fire and include visits from police officers who exchange stories of Zambian Mokoro raids (fables of chest freezers being liberated, precariously balanced and exported on  Mokoros!) on riverside properties for meat and braai broodjies. 

For the first time in weeks we wake up to the sound of roosters rather than Fish Eagles.  Zambia is less than 10km away and backtracking our steps is extremely tempting.

Fortunately our next stop is Ngepi Lodge which the Lonely Planet claims to be the best backpackers in Namibia.  We take the gravel road less travelled via Linyanti swamps and marvel at the engineering road building excellence with the memory of our experience in Mozambique still fresh, but beginning to feel imagined/exaggerated and impossible.

Ngepi is indeed fabulous, fun, environmentally friendly and offers wake up calls by Fish Eagles. The bird life is truly impressive, helped on by a natural forest floor cover which provides lots of food for the birds.

 

 

 

 

 

Best toilet on trip.

 

 

Apparent split bathrooms. 

 

 

 

 

The inside.  Note the lock on the men’s side.

 

We would have liked to stay longer, but our holiday time is running out and Namibia is vast with much left to see so we push off to Tsumeb – reportedly the prettiest town in Namibia.        

Regards, M-L

Trip Report #25 (26 - 27 July): Livingstone I presume…uhhh…can you help push the bus?

Mvuu Lodge to Livingstone is a long but easy drive except for roughly 80km under construction just before Livingstone town.  The quarterly government issue Zambia Review states in excess of 58% of roads in Zambia are now in a good condition (up from 20% when the infrastructure development programme started).  I guess it was inevitable that this road should also have a 42%.

We are headed to the magical Jungle Junction Bovu Island 30km outside of Livinsgtone and on route to the Katima Mulilo border crossing, but as we drive into Livingstone the syncro stalls and …three guesses …refuses to start.  The starter motor apparently.  Run starting proved easy enough with help from the locals, but now we needed accommodation somewhere close to help.

For the first time on our trip we experience peak season and find Fawlty Towers, Jolly Boys Backpackers and their recommended alternatives in town jam packed.  With a well coordinated and nifty run start manoeuvre we make it to Bushfront just outside of town and set up camp in a perfectly quaint camp spot. Bizarrely, we are greeted by Joost and Caroline, neighbouring campers from Mvuu Lodge! who identifies the distinct and uncommon-in-Africa sound of the VW kombi, and incredulously recognises our vehicle (rather than ourselves).

Dinner is whole bream shared with Simba the local ginger cat. 

Breakfast at Rapsody’s in an all South African shopping centre opposite the very efficient and Afrikaans Bennet’s Auto Repairs Shop.  This drill is becoming overly familiar. Luckily the starter motor is only dirty from dust roads and gunk and the wait here short lived. 

Note the “Importing of all spares from SA” as an specialization.

 

We do visit the falls and the curio shops in a stubborn insistence on seeing sights other than auto repair shops. 

 

The falls from Zambia.  Water level is not as high as it gets, but the river is flowing over the full rock face, yielding an artificial rain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s wet (rain from falls)

 

 

 

We pass the turn off for Bovu Island with disappointment and head for Namibia.  

Our moods were lifted by this pink cravat wearing policeman.

 

 

Maybe our Volla will feel more welcome in a country where VW Kombis are revered and will stick with the programme. 

He had better as at this point we are tempted to ditch this trip and head home for two weeks of car-problem-free holiday.

Regard M-L

Trip Report #24 (24 - 26 July): The opposite of Mana Pools

On the bank of the Zambezi, opposite the legendary Mana Pools National Park in Zimbabwe, lies Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park (LZNP). Seeing that any Zimbabwe border crossings are right at the bottom of our wish list at present, we have been keenly investigating opportunities to visit the Zambian answer to the Mana Pools. Information about this newest of Zambia’s National Parks is scarce and that which is scrounged from the internet, books and picking the brains of hosts and their contacts seem to indicate high end lodges, exorbitant prices and poor accessibility by road.  In fact, the refraining response points to canoe safari’s being the most preferred way of exploring this part of the Zambezi.  We toy with this idea, but our time is running out and three days isthe shortest trip that includes this area.

But, at Pioneer Camp in Lusaka we find an enticing glossy brochure for Mvuu Lodge just 18km short of the LZNP gate offering exclusive, but affordable camping facilities, clear directions that seems doable and day canoe trips!

Elly Camp, Mvuu Lodge, LZNP is therefore where we excitedly head from Kafue.

 

 

 

 

O yes, as we have to pass through Lusaka again, Carl-Hein stubbornly insists we stop to collect the claim forms to recover our 39% import duties/taxes.  He gets totally snookered by incompetence, new officials and new facts entirely inconsistent with the instructions received on Monday.  When navigation of the pillars and posts of this maze leads to the Commissioner who is only ‘maybe’ available we cut our losses and head out of town.

Mvuu Lodge is everything the glossy brochure promised it would be and more.

The 18km road to the Park entrance is difficult and slow and guests from game drives return disappointed.  

Ferry crossing to get to MVuu lodge.

(This is before the road gets bad)

 

 

The LZNP is also plagued with poaching (losing 40 elephant in the past year alone to poachers!) and for reasons unknown, a diminishing population of carnivores. 

Elly campsite (Mvuu) right on the Zambezi.

(Private gas fired bathroom, private washing basin)

 

 

View of Zambezi from Mvuu cocktail stoep.

 

 

We opt for a canoe trip when told of elephant river crossings with trunks held high and great sightings from a river perspective.  Unfortunately the day of our canoe trip is windy and overcast so wildlife sightings are few and the navigation of choppy, croc filled waters is nerve racking.  We do however get front seat viewing of the numerous luxury lodges along the river bank!    

Mana Pools are in fact no longer four (mana = four in the Shona language) pools since the construction of the Kariba dam.  The remaining attraction is the diversity and density of wildlife on the Zimbabwe side.  Crossing fingers that the newly formalised Game Management Agency on the Zambian side with the blessing of the local Chieftainess will promote responsible game management and infrastructure upgrading to rival the legend of Mana Pools.   

 

Leaving Mvuu we had to yield to some locals.

M-L