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.