NAMIBIA (2) Part 1
1 109 Kilometres - 16 Days
4 March - 22 March 2022
4
March 2022 – Vioolsdrift, South Africa – Aussenkehr, Namibia – 63 km
We
chatted to Kathy, the owner, forever before getting on the dirt road for the
return trip to the Namibian border checkpoint. At least this time, we’d our PCR
tests, and all went smoothly. The first stop was at a petrol station to buy a
SIM card and have breakfast. After that, Amanda pushed on to Aussenkehr and I
enjoyed the last of the paved road for some time. It was a long and lonely
stretch along the Orange River and the scenery desolate but spectacular.
Amanda
located a lovely resort where camping was right on the river. The only problem
was the lack of internet connection and thus no means of contacting me to tell
me where to go, and she’d to drive back to inform me.
The
lodge sported a pool as well as a bar, and the sunset was spectacular as we lit
a fire to braai.
5
March – Aussenkehr – Ai-Ais – 78 km
Again,
I set out before Amanda and was reluctant to leave our lovely campsite as it
would be the last time I see the water or a paved road until reaching Walvis
Bay. Fortunately, the road was in good condition and the riding almost easy.
Midday,
Amanda came past and besides her, I only saw one other vehicle which turned out
to be the manager of the Ai-Ais resort where we camped. Besides the baboons,
there were no other guests as it was still considered too hot to visit this
part of the world. Strangely, it didn’t feel the near 40
After
sunset, we cooked pasta instead of a braai as there was no shop nearby. Once
darkness fell, the heat became almost unbearable, and I was happy to leave the
flysheet off.
6
March – Ai-Ais – Hobas Lodge – 70 km
I
tried to get underway as soon as possible as the weather forecast was for
sweltering weather. Although hot it wasn’t the heat that bothered me but the
steady climb into a strong headwind. The first 30 kilometres thus became an
exhausting ride as I could barely manage six or seven km/h. Still, one pedal
stroke at a time will get one almost anywhere. I thus persevered and around
midday the wind subsided, but the flies increased, irritating me to no end.
Fortunately, Amanda passed and handed me more water as the slow pace required
more water than anticipated.
On the upside, the scenery was spectacular as the Fish River Canyon was visible in the distance. I was exhausted upon reaching Hobas Lodge. You can imagine my relief when I found Amanda had booked a chalet instead of camping. Although pricey, it was a lovely unit featuring all the mod cons where I could shower and flop on a bed! Her main reason for opting for a chalet was the sight of the many baboons in camp. They can be quite a menace.
7
March – Hobas Lodge – Canyon Farm Yard – 62 km
The
main canyon viewpoint was 10 kilometres away and gave spectacular views at
Hell’s Bend over this second largest canyon globally. The canyon formation
started with the separation of the continent Gondwana about 120 million years
ago. With the uplifting of the African continent the gradient of the Fish River
increased, allowing it to erode even deeper into the rock. Today, the deepest
point of the canyon is 549 metres deep.
A
few drops of rain fell during the night and pools of water were visible during
the day, not often seen in this part of the world. I saw Amanda about 10 kilometres
down the drag at the Canyon Roadhouse after which she proceeded to our agreed-upon
camp. An ancient lime kiln and an old railway bridge were the only things of
interest.
Our
camp was a somewhat rustic affair without electricity or Wi-Fi and thus a
peaceful setting displaying gazillion stars.
8
March – Canyon Farm Yard – Seeheim – 67 km
Due
to our early night, I woke at around six and lit the stove for coffee. Still,
it was eight o’clock before I eventually got on the dusty road to Seeheim. A
few kilometres further, I found the road closed due to flooding and was
diverted across the Naute Dam wall where the sluice gates were open and water
poured spectacularly out of the dam.
Not
much further, my path reached the paved Luderitz road and, aided by a tailwind,
I flew to Seeheim where we camped at the overpriced Seeheim Hotel and Camping.
We were the only ones there but still had to pay to use the pool. One could, nonetheless,
use their internet if you ordered a beer or food. During the day Amanda drove
to Keetmanshoop to stock up as we were running low on crisps and beer! We thus did
not need their overpriced beer but I needed the internet.
9
March – Seeheim – Alta Kalkhofen – 53 km
We
learned of a campsite at Alta Kalkhofen and I made it a short ride. As the
entire way was paved, riding was pleasant and quick. I was amazed at the
astronomical prices in Namibia for accommodation and camping. Still, mentally
we were committed to camp and thus stayed put. The prices appeared high as I
got used to 10-dollar rooms in Southeast Asia. Wi-Fi and electricity were only
available at the reception building, and that’s where we spent a few hours charging
our devices and posting updates. This service, of course, wasn’t entirely free
as one needed to order something to eat or drink. I nursed my beer as I updated
posts and watched rare rainfall in this dry region. The ground seemed as greedy
as some of the campsite owners.
During
the evening, Amanda and I made plans to visit the ghost town of Kolmanskop,
situated 245 kilometres away and shortly before Lüderitz. Although easy cycling,
I wouldn’t say I like backtracking. Instead of cycling, we arranged to leave the
bicycle and camping gear at the Lodge.
10
March – Side trip to Kolmanskop, Lüderitz (by car)
It
took forever to load all our stuff in the car, and the staff kindly allowed us
to store our belongings in the shed until our return. The drive to Lüderitz was
remarkable and tedious as the road beat a dead-straight track through the
desert.
From
the small town of Aus, the way descended from the escarpment and entered the
famed Namib desert, a vast plain of nothingness. It’s incredible how vast,
lonely and quiet this area is, especially since spending almost two years in
tropical and densely populated Southeast Asia. Not only was the area remarkable,
but we further spotted the wild horses of Namibia. Living on the barren plains
around Garub on the eastern fringe of the Namib Desert, their origin
is shrouded in mystery. Yet, despite the harsh, arid landscape, they’ve
survived against all odds.
Many
years ago, I explored this region and Kolmanskop; I was thus surprised to find
the famous ghost town now had an entrance fee of 120N$. I must admit I left
South Africa 15 years ago, and one can expect things to change. The visiting
hours were more surprising, from 8h00 – 13h00, and thus didn’t allow investigating
at sunset or sunrise (the best time for photography). One had to buy a special
permit for this privilege at 200N$ (I think).
We
thus continued to Lüderitz, where I was relieved to find a perfectly priced
room right in the centre of town, just as I thought Namibia only catered for
the super-rich! The shower worked overtime, and we charged all our devices. The
internet was strong enough to allow updating my blog – at last! While updating
the blog, I feared I didn’t have enough data left to complete the job, and
Amanda and I walked to a shop selling trinkets, airtime, etc. The lady was busy
attending to a Namibian man but was so rude it was embarrassing to watch. I stared
in amazement as she rolled her eyes and was irritated as he’d a problematic
surname to spell! He needed to scan a document that he wanted to load on his
phone to forward. I nearly intervened as she spoke to him in such a dismissive
and demeaning manner it broke my heart. Attending to us, she couldn’t be any
sweeter! It appeared racism was still alive and well in Namibia.
At
sunset, it became surprisingly cold as we meandered to the tiny waterfront
where we’d a lovely meal. The service was excellent, and the food was delicious.
11
March – Kolmanskop, Lüderitz – Alta Kalkhoven
As
we thought Kolmanskop only opened at 9h00, we were slow to get going, but, once
there, learned the gates opened at 8h00. Still, we spent a few hours wandering
about this village with its sad history. I’ll post a link to an article by
National Geographic which is worth a read as it sheds light on that era’s
brutality.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/eerie-fascinating-pictures-kolmanskop-desert-diamond-ghost-town
Once
done, we returned to Alta Kalkhoven and spotted more wild horses but far in the
distance.
12/13
March – Alta Kalkhoven – Bethanie – 46 km
What
should’ve been easy riding became a battle into a headwind on a gradual uphill
to 1100m. In Bethanie (the oldest settlement in the country), I found Amanda
having tea at the hotel/guesthouse/camping which turned out the oldest hotel in
Namibia. The place looked inviting, and we decided to stay the night. Not only
was it a short cycle, but we further opted for a room instead of camping, all
very out of character. No sooner were we ensconced in a comfortable room than a
fierce wind picked up. Within minutes the sky darkened, and lightning lit the
sky. The heavens opened with one almighty bang, and the rain came down in
droves. In no time at all the whole place was underwater. Staff tried to sweep
the water from the kitchen/communal area, but all to no avail. Fortunately, the
rooms remained dry, but the entire neighbourhood lost power. We thanked our
lucky stars we didn’t proceed or camp as the roads and campsite became one
muddy mess.
Eventually,
the owner boiled a few potatoes accompanied by a pasta salad. After that, the
guesthouse became quite busy as, besides Amanda and me, three chaps working in
the area and a farmer who couldn’t reach his farms due to flooding also
overnighted. Reports came in that the roads were flooded and washed away, and Amanda
was advised not to proceed in the morning.
It
rained throughout the night and the farmer still couldn’t reach his farm by
morning. The weather bureau predicted more rain and our chances of getting
through diminished further. We thus stayed another day, planning to retrace our
steps to Keetmanshoop and follow the main road north.
Missionaries
established the town in the 19th century due to the presence of a spring and,
as we had the day free, we walked the tiny settlement visiting the Lentia
Lutheran Church, built in 1899 and the original church built in 1859. Sadly,
Bethanie was the scene of the first recorded deed of sale when a German
representative “bought” the surrounding land. I think it must’ve been the
easiest thing in the world to bamboozle people into selling land when they had
no concept of land ownership. The indigenous people do not view land as their
own property – instead, it is something that belongs to everyone.
14
March – Bethanie – Keetmanshoop – 140 km
Seeing
the roads were still flooded, I stepped on the pedals and cycled the 140 kilometres
to Keetmanshoop. Backtracking is never much fun, and seeing it was a long
distance (to me, that is), I didn’t take many pictures. Still, I snapped a pic
of the many critters on the road. Armoured bush crickets covered the road. They
are meaty delights that make a good snack for many different predators. But
they possess a remarkable array of defensive measures, including vomit, spikes
and squirting blood from seams in their exoskeleton!
On
reaching Keetmanshoop, Amanda had already found a guesthouse, and I was more
than pleased I didn’t have to cycle around looking for accommodation.
15
March - Keetmanshoop – Tses – 86 km
The
ATM spat out a few ND allowing the purchase of more data. Afterwards, a shop
selling outdoor equipment, including bicycle paraphernalia, provided a pump as
mine gave up the ghost. Still, it was remarkably early by the time I set out.
Cycling along a highway is one of my pet hates, as it’s like watching paint
dry, but there was no option. Linda arrived on the 18th, and there remained 500
kilometres to Windhoek.
Albeit
the main road, the B1 is narrow without a shoulder; luckily it wasn’t very
busy.
The
only thing of interest was the Brukkaros Crater visible in the distance. The
mountain is a large caldera, with a diameter of about 4 kilometres. The caldera
collapsed about 80 million years ago, but there was no time for a visit.
Although
on the main thoroughfare, there’s a lack of accommodation along this route, and
the first camping was 180 kilometres past Keetmanshoop. Hence, the tiny Nama
village of Tses, consisting of a few little houses, a small shop, a school, and
a church, made a perfect overnight stop. It’s at the church where we found a
room at 200N$. The room was sparkling clean with two single beds, a kettle, a
bar fridge and a fan! It even had a communal kitchen and TV room! The rooms are
most likely for the use of teachers.
Our
early arrival allowed rinsing cycling gear, and we later took a walk, snapping
pics of the kids who thought it the highlight of their day. Unfortunately, the
thorns in this part of the world are massive, and I stood on one which went
right through my shoe and into my foot! Ouch!
16
March – Tses – Gibeon – 96 km
Truly
little happened during the day except for roadwork and reaching Gibeon, one more
tiny Nama settlement, early. Like the previous day, this hamlet had a surprisingly
charming guesthouse at a mere 500N$. Chatting to the people, we got a little
insight into what happened in Namibia during the invasion.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/28/world/europe/germany-namibia-genocide.html
It’s
heart-breaking what occurred in the Americas, Africa, and Australia. The
discrimination and superior attitude remain in many parts. The Europeans left
such a deep-rooted legacy of pain and suffering I don’t think these countries
will ever rid themselves of it. It’s exciting when one gets chatting to the
people who live in the region. We visited the grave of Hendrik Witbooi, and I
felt humbled standing at the grave of this great leader of his time.
17
March – Gibeon – Mariental – 76 km
The
chickens woke me early and after a complimentary breakfast from Silina, I left,
not sure if I should cycle the 150 kilometres to Kalkrand or whether to make it
two short days. However, the scenery was unchanged the entire way. Once at the
sad-looking village of Mariental, I found Amanda at the Wimpy having tea. She
further located a bargain guest house consisting of two bedrooms, two bathrooms,
a kitchen and a lounge for only 600N$. Even though barely midday, we opted for
this lovely guesthouse and lazed about for the remainder of the day.
18
March – Mariental – Kalkrand – 78 km
The
B1 must be the most mind-numbing road in Southern Africa and stretched straight
ahead without the slightest vista change. The way is further dreadfully narrow
with nowhere to pull off when trucks came past; phew! The only thing out of the
ordinary was a sudden gust of wind and even a few drops of rain. No sooner was
a rain jacket donned than the bad weather passed.
Meanwhile,
I got word from Amanda that she’d uncovered a 200N$ pp room and there was thus
no need to camp, not that there was a campsite.
19
March – Kalkrand – Rehoboth – 104 km
I
was in no hurry to get out of Kalkrand but got underway after two cups of
coffee.
The
B1 resembled the Stuart Highway through the Australian outback. Every cattle
grid and dirt road turning off to nowhere required a photo stop. There was thus
no pedalling past the Tropic of Capricorn sign without snapping a pic. It’s not
the first time I’ve taken a picture here! In the meantime, Amanda discovered
budget self-catering accommodation and, on arrival, I found the beers already
in the fridge. I did indeed train her well.
20/21
March - Rehoboth – Windhoek – 90 km
The
fog was still lying low on cycling out of Rehoboth. What started as pleasant
riding became a battle into a headwind on a hillier than expected road. I felt
tired climbing over the Auas Mountains and on reaching the top at near 2000 metres
didn’t appreciate the rain that set in. Fortunately, the last 15 kilometres were
via a good downhill. I would never have imagined biking into Windhoek in a
drizzle. Locating my sister and Linda was easy, and it was good seeing my
friend again. Our reunion called for a pizza evening, and I scoffed an entire
Col’Cacchio pizza!
The
following day was a public holiday in Namibia, and most places were closed. The
bike and computer shops thus had to wait until the next day.
22
March – Windhoek
We
all had a busy day as much remained to be done before we could leave Windhoek.
First, Linda and I cycled to the bike shop where they filled our tubes with
sealant; afterwards, I handed in my laptop and returned later to collect it.
That evening, my friend Erma and her husband John invited us for a braai. It was a pleasant evening in their beautiful home. We returned home well fed and grateful for such welcoming friends.
