| Mon | Tues | Wed | Thur | Fri | Sat | Sun |
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th |
| 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th | 13th | 14th |
| 15th | 16th | 17th | 18th | 19th | 20th | 21st |
| 22nd | 23rd | 24th | 25th | 26th | 27th | 28th |
| 29th | 30th |
While driving we were chatting about blow out and how to handle one… then as I’m about to over-take a car its back tire starts going wonky, here I am anticipating a blow out and it just goes pop and then flat, nothing spectacular about that, anyway on to Ai-Ais. Its hot, really hot, and Ai-ais is down in a valley. Its like a scenic little oasis with signs informing us its been washed away by heavy rains the odd time, the last time in 2000. The drive down was nice, beautiful scenery with cars dotted off the road where people have left the road going at speed.
Once there we swim in the warm pool (bath water warm). This place is famous for its hot spa’s. There is a thermal bath type deal outside, the water looks rank, its also something like 57 degrees, if you put your hand near it, it scalds you. I don’t get this at all, there is a bench to sit on, but you can’t get to it because you’d burn yourself, the water is practically boiling.
Anyway, after a cold shower (its actually hot, but it came from the cold tap) I wander down the dry sandy river bed to the dam which is also dry on the other side. Take some pics then wander back to the van and head to the restaurant. We get served by 'Mr I don’t want to be here'. We get food and sometimes we get the drinks we ordered. He didn’t bother with the last round we ordered. Its after 9 now and we’re not going to get anything else.
Bedtime, first time in the roof tent. Its like an oven in here. Any cool breeze is welcome, but generally I’m just lying here sweating a lot with no breeze at all.
I’m up early, sunrise-ish. Nobody else is moving so swim time again. The pool is still warm. By the time I’m getting back the camp is stirring. After a continental breakfast (which suited the waiter because he didn’t have to do anything) for about €3/4 we’re on the road for 9.30. We stopping at the entrance of Ai-ais to take pictures last night, there was a tree here. This morning that tree has an upside down land rover in it, looks like a nasty crash but I didn’t hear a thing last night.
Anyway, first stop is Fish River canyon. Pretty spectacular views.
The road out to it was the first really s**t road we’ve driven. It was pretty rough and slow going. 40-80km p/h compared to the 120’s we’d been doing up to now. Its hot, dry and the scenery is barren.
On the road again by 11.30. I’m in the driving seat for this bit. Take the C37 which is a secondary road and not tarmac'd. Up to the C12 and onto 'Seeham', a little stint on the main road and then dirt roads through 'Bethanen' to 'Halmeringhaus' all the way to 'Maltahoe' where we stop for fuel and food and meet the others.
One toilet stop in the bush up until now and we barely pass another car. The one that did pass when we'd stopped pulled over in case we needed help. Any 4x4 we pass will acknowledge us, we must be in the cool club now. The drive took us through a really cool lightening storm with spectacular views and the backdrop of dark clouds and lightening overhead and all around. Really good terrain to try out the 4x4’s in puddles with the road flooded or washed away in places. Tonnes of surface water. Pretty cool but tough as the water drags then wheels when you drive through it. The bloke at 'Maltahoe' warns us about sticking to the roads even if they are flooded, as the sand off the roads when its wet is like quick sand and we’ll bog down quickly.
The others have gone on ahead. Turning out of 'Maltahoe' (the place with the hand / paw / hoof whatever cuffed donkeys) we make an executive decision to head to 'Sossusvlei', its back the way we came on the C19 and back into the rain / thunder storm. The road to 'Sossusvlei' is spectacular if bumpy, but really familiar, I’ve seen it films or somit, the likes of out of Africa or Zulu etc. The best scenery so far, gorgeous,
as sun sets we race to 'Sossusvlei'. Alas the turn to 'Sossusvlei' says 72km to the dunes, the sun will set in about 10 mins, we won’t make it. We take some pictures of the sun set the travel onward to 'Solitaire' to catch the others.
Its getting dark now so its slow going on the road. We barely pass another car until we reach camp at 8.30ish. Sometimes you could drive at 120 others your down to 60-80 and every now and again there is a really narrow cattle grid thrown in to keep me on my toes. I’ve driven the whole day, but it was a decent drive, enough twists, turns and bumps to keep you interested, got on for a 750+ km drive today. Dinner, best apple pie in southern Africa set up camp and bed. The apple pie maker picks out a wild cat chasing a domestic cat in the trees for us. Animal count today is a massive eagle / terradactile type thing, a baboon, wet prairie dog and the cat + a few sausage dogs.
Up at 7ish with the chatter of lots of feckin birds, but a much cooler night then last night so a first good nights sleep in the two man person ground tent. The camp looks a lot different in day light, its sandy with the mountains in the background, its also largely empty. We’re getting good at cleaning up camp and the shower facilities were decent. We’re on the road by 8.45 after a R30 (Nab$$) breakfast in the apple pie place.
Stop for pictures at the tropic of Capricorn at 10.45 ish. Stopped a little bit further along this line a few years back in Australia, but it was some ungodly hour at pre sunrise and we didn’t bother getting out of the van. This time it’s a welcome stretch of the legs.
Arrive at Swokomund early and book our activities for the next few days. Some are going straight to sky dive with the hot chick that appears out of know where, others are going to chill a bit then do a scenic flight over the dunes. I’m a scenic flyer as I’d like to chill, do a wash etc.. I’ve done most of the stuff before, tempted to do it again, but to be honest, its pricy compared to doing it in New Zealand or Australia.
At scenic flight time we pick up the sky divers who are doing the scenic flight too.
This time they are not going to jump from the plane. Mick sits beside the pilot and gets to fly the plane despite the alcohol he drank after his skydive. The flight is spectacular over the dunes and goes on for a few hours including some sighting of Hartebeest (deer with long straight antlers). They look weird, just standing there in the middle of nowhere with just sand around them. What do they eat?. Yer man doing the flight (not Mick, the other guy) is pretty good, keeps us interested. Although I do go through a spate of nodding off with the hum of the engine…etc..
Dinner is in the restaurant that used to be a ship, but sank. Nice grub and tasty wine. There was a platter containing everything on the sea bed, but I went for Kingclip (fish), followed by don Pedro’s. Afterward it was down to Fagan’s beside the hostel for a few beers. They were closing, but opened the bar for one more round for us. JohnF and Joe became pool champions against a couple of local homies to ensure we go down in local folklore.
Sleep in a proper bed.
Awake at 6am. Up and checkout, the rest of the lads are gone dune surfing and myself and Mick will empty the chalet. Just as we’re done it appears as if the other guys have a flat. Feck!!
After a lot of huffing and puffing we change for the spare on the back of the truck, it doesn’t look great and we find out why as we pump it up. Its hissing at us because its got a bloody great hole in it. So we take it off again and put the one on from inside the truck. Feckin hot, hard work.
After that its drive around a bit to find a place that will fix both tyres. While they are doing that we eat. Fast food!
We pick up the dune boarders and we’re on the road by 2.30 and arrive at Windhoek and then Dan vljoen park at 8ish after a detour through the not so nice parts of Windhoek.
We just make the restaurant, but its very quiet tonight, JohnF was fried on the dunes and Laura is none to well to put it mildly. I’m glad to get to bed!
Up early, walk around for a bit in the morning, the camp is in a wild life park, but there no dangerous animal here so you can walk around. I see nothing. Leaving by 9.30 and we spot a few animals. Take a lightening food stop at Gobabis around 12.30ish and onward.
Drive through to Maun via the Botwanan border. It takes all day.
