Well we finally passed into Namibia via Vioolsdrif the border, uneventful no-one seemed to care one of girls on Namib side stamped our card without stopping playing solitaire (reminded me of Sam up in Bristol work). Roads instantly a bit more ropey on Namib side, but VW up to it. Bombed it North on a big driving day, Soph starting to develop real driving skills, chatting, looking out of the window, eating and not looking at road all at about 70 on single road – excellent, the pupil has become the master. Travelled to Grunau and stayed overnight in the ‘White House’ lovely place and Kinna upgraded us, as we were lowly travellers. she said she hoped by being nice to travellers others would be nice to her son on his travels, nice sentiment Kinna now lead us to the AC and showers. stayed in a big old house (1914 our house older!!) no-one else there and played scrabble on stoop before walking a short way into dark to look at the stars, why are we so scared all the time? didn’t last long and we never lost sight of house but the sky was amazing -stars so bright you could almost touch them etc, you can’t describe it but it was good! Slept very well and had coffee and home made dutch rusks (dunked) great. On road again and this was going to be a fairly dull day 23rd lots of miles, cracked the 1000 mile mark and further. Stopped at armed police check but had our International Driving permits so all ok (thank god we got those last minute from post office, great planning). ONwards and eventually to Windhoek, the capital – not sure why but we were suprised by the size of it as we came over a hill and it was spread before us. Quick stop at the hottest tourist info office in the world, could have taken our towels and had a sauna while waiting. By the way – best invention ever, (not the blind – or it would have been curtains for everyoine) but the travel towel, absolute must (after taking mick out of Taylor I now apologise) (thanks from soph to momma and Lamb) Quick quessie Gil Thomas what is your new e-mail address? Anyway back to travels, up to Okahandja (saw giraffe on way, v excited and an ostrich ..I think i like them but i may be burying my head in the sand!!)where we had established a tent pitch for night in okahandja lodge, pulled lovely fast one used tent and then had run of facilities so nice meal in restaurant (the steaks come with lots of sauce choices pepper, mango and ..monkey gland (what is that?? tastes lovely) and a cooling beer. Hot when went to bed, using newly purchased sleeping mats and then FREEZING overnight, crazy had to do top snuggling to keep up temp. Up early again and getting into swing of pack up and go, so on road early. North again to Etosha game reserve through Outjo sent some postcards (we’re doing it in alphebetical order 5 at a time so if you don’t get one for a while zac zanzibar pse understand) and thenon rougher road to the reserve, bit disappointed when we got there. the only way to see watering holes in the night is to pay through nose with big company, so we just standard fare and bombed in past all the big 4×4s and trucks in our little WV polo (nickname Marco obviously), anyway decision justified, lucky Soph strikes again, first watering hole 8 adult elephants and 2 babies all in the mud see photo, we parked up in our armoured VW and watched them from amybe 30 metres, fantastic experience. Saw a lot of other animals and some photos above. Anyway out of there before sunset 1855 hours and bombed south to make tent pitch before dark just outside Outjo. Funny on way up we stopped to see Wart hogs and Springbok by side of road, on way back down we beeped horn to get them out of the way, after elephants just not interested meester wart hog. Arrived and pitched tent just after dusk, same deal as before live in tent and use all facilities, nice place and we very excited by our game viewing so in celebration drank 2 bottles of the vino blanco, wobbled to tent and slept like logs but still up early as sun beats on tent after about 7. little hazy but got a free coffee from owners and sat by pool drinking it in shade – awesome this is what i call roughing it. Then we were off to the beach, which is where i’m typing this in Swakopmund. To get there we had to leave the tarmac for first time and go off road – poor Marco, he struggled a bit. Soph and I shared driving and I swear to god, she would have beaten me in a time trial. The car was slipping around all over shop on rough scree and everytime passed by truck or 4×4 it was mayhem and you couldn’t see for 10 seconds or so it seemed, scary but fun (just like X box, but also near death). We travelled a good 180 miles on this sort of road and came through the elongo desert area, see last picture, very little on road and all i could think of was (why didn’t i check the spare tyre situation before we left!) . Anyway as approached coast it was obvious from sky as it has its own weather system of cloud build up in pm, due to heat of desert and cool of atlantic air – beautiful. On deck more confusing, heat created mirages that looked like sea from 40 clicks out and little dunes started at that point too, good to see but near end very tiring. Anyway got to coast at Hentie’s Bay and were massively disappointed, ‘this town uh hu is coming like a ghost town’ as we sang, nothing there but black guys fixing up holiday homes(not theirs unfortunately), sad. So kept going down coast road to Swakopmund. Arrived and luckily got a nice little BandB in cheapest place in town ish. Very german and looked like an old persons home (no offence Mum) but comfy, apart from soph getting bitten in bed (not me, a bug) she slept in her sleeping bag (i think she loves that thing!) Continental breakfast on 26 Oct and we’re just going to beach to top up tan before going on to Walvis Bay and then (scary music) the Namib. Hopefully Marco will survive and we catch the sun. Starting to love this tenting around and the general feel of freedom and what do we do next, ie walk along beach last night was like a massive Weston Super Mare, but hugely enjoyable, with massive waves crashing into the skeleton coast and the outline of a wreck further down the beach. Take Care all and we’ll blog again soon, unless our sun bleached corpses are discovered in the desert in 2016.
