Richtersvelt-Cederber Trip August 2012

Trip - Richtersveldt-Cederberg

August 18-27 2012

Day 1   Saturday   18^th August – Alex

It’s me again (Alex) long time no write. Well Beatrice and I were forced to wake up early today, 7 o’clock, I mean on a Saturday how mean can our school be. In case you’re asking yourself why we had to go to school today, I know I am, well we had our school Basar yesterday and our school thought that it would be a great idea that we come the next day and clean up, jolly good idea! So we were expected at school at 8, luckily it didn’t take long and by 9 we were done, but it had been planned that we were only going to be picked up at 10 and our parents didn’t feel like picking us up (darned cheek – we were packing the car! Cathy). But thank God we received a lift and were home buy 9:30. Just in time to throw the last of the bags into the car and off into the sunset, well midday.

Beatrice and I were knackered, having been out till late last night/early this morning. So straight to sleep waking only Mariental so that we could buy swimming costumes, you know things one forgets. Only finding something for me though. Then further sleep until Keetmanshoop, after that we were forced to be awake and look out of the car and do something called ‘taking in the landscape’, still don’t understand what that means really. Lunch on the move as is the norm, when travelling long distances. A long drive still until we reached our destination, the Godwana Cañon Lodge. We were lucky because we had gotten a very nice deal there and lived in rooms at the price of camping in the other Lodge, which was not as luxurious. So relaxing, not having to build up tents and preparing food. We went for a walk around, just in time for the sunset, at the lodge’s swimming pool. Here we saw a rabbit nibbling at the well kept lawn and two Kudus in the distance, very nice. Then off to the restaurant to have our dinner. First drinks outside on the veranda, then moving inside for the main buffet. We’re dining fine tonight because it’s our parents’ 22^nd wedding anniversary. A  very nice soup to start off, a creamy spinach soup, then a starter which was to be a ‘tower’, yet when it arrived it was three layers of Aubergine, tomato and cheese. The main Buffet was very nice, a lot  of variety. The dessert was not extremely spectacular, but edible. Daddy started chatting to the waiter and had a long conversation in the end with the rest of us nearly falling asleep. Then really time to sleep, so off to the rooms and bed.

Day 2   Sunday   19^th August - Cathy

How nice to have a proper sleep and wake up naturally with no alarm clock! Actually what woke me was the sun streaming through the window at 7.30. Breakfast at the lodge is from 6 ‘til 9am and so by eight we were well within the allotted time span. Yesterday was a very pleasant wedding anniversary day – 22 years – where did they all go? It is probably one of the last anniversaries that we will share with the kids – next year possibly, our 25th definitely, but after that? Unlikely until the next big one! Breakfast was as usual in a lodge or hotel lots of bits and pieces and eggs in any shape or form. We explored the shop a bit, the usual tourist stuff – while Chris paid the bill and walked back to our rooms to finish packing our bags and load the car. Chris arrived with a mysterious cardboard box under his arm and an elliptical story about its contents. He had coveted the etched hurricane lamps for the candles in the dining room last night and the box was suspiciously hurricane lamp sized. Had he bought one? Had he inveigled the waiter to steal one for him? Will the truth ever be known? The drive to Ai-Ais, our next port of call was really lovely, the road was reasonable, bits of corrugations but on the whole good and the views were enormous and spectacular as they are in the south of Namibia. It’s interesting to experience how the human eye reacts to monotony of colour in a landscape. At first one’s reaction is that all the colours are simply variations of beige but as one’s eye tunes in, one sees variations of colour within the monotony. One view is made up of purple mountains within a sea of gold made up of dry grass and sand. A few kilometres further the ground is mostly the khaki green of my hat which lies by the windscreen and in contrast the pink granite hills look red. After a while what was a beige and grey landscape holds all of the colours of the rainbow and is dazzlingly bright! We pass an ancient farm truck, by its style it must have been abandoned at least 50 years ago if not more. Minus wheels, minus back section but still with its cab, bonnet and engine block it sits, only slightly rusted in the desert wind that has sandblasted its paintwork over the decades. The springs of the seat were still intact and still had a bit of life in them. We took arty photos and then took silly photos and then abandoned it to the desert as had its owners and as have I’m sure many visitors over the years. Later we pass an abandoned Kombi, the split windscreen model - 60’s?  A collectors item left to the elements and looking remarkably good in the arid atmosphere.

At Ai-Ais there are hot springs and so we can swim. As day visitors we are not charged which is good. We inspect the thermal pool and it is warm so we will swim. I had found swimming shorts for Alex in Mariental and we found a swimming costume for Beatrice at the shop in Ai-Ais but what about me? I was very upset, my family were all going swimming and me? What about me? In the end I went in, in black panties and a black top that could maybe be argued to be a costume if one were very flexible. The water was very pleasant and we frolicked for a while but the wind chill when we got out was a bit drastic. The temperatures today are not nearly as warm as yesterday. Yesterday we hit 30 degrees as we passed Keetmanshoop. Today our maximum was 20. We left Ai-Ais heading for a border on the Orange river called Sendelings’ Drift or Missionaries’ Ford in English. After a while our road travelled along the river and we enjoyed the contrast between the arid landscape and the green river vegetation. From time to time there was a small brilliant green patch of irrigated land and in the distance along the river at some points we could look back and see the grapes and lucerne of the commercial farms. From time to time we could also see signs of diamond exploration. This part of Namibia has united with South Africa to form a cross-border nature reserve – the Ai-Ais/Richtersveldt Transfrontier Park, so when we cross the border, which is the river, we also have to book into the park. The border crossing advertises itself as a pontoon but actually it’s rather a small ferry, one or two cars at a time. The police on the Namibian side are looking for diamond smugglers, my heart sinks, there are a thousand and one places to hide diamonds among all of our camping stuff. If they decide that we are suspicious we could be stuck for hours and the border closes at five. Fortunately they decide that we are not shifty looking enough to warrant the full search and we drive down to the crossing. Unbeknownst to us the ferry is about to close. South African time is an hour behind Namibian time in the winter, we had forgotten. The two chaps on the other side are starting to close down operations – they call across the water – do we want to cross? Yes please! They can fit us in before knocking off. As we pull in front of the office we see the flag being furled – lucky we arrived when we did, half an hour later and we would have been stuck in Namibia or else stuck in the camp on the South African side not able to move into the park. This must rank as one of the pleasantest borders crossings I have experienced. Staff are polite, the building is clean, fresh and has a parks type décor theme and the woman behind the counter at the parks office is keen and helpful and marks the best routes for us to take. The way to the park is clearly signed but we find later that some of the signs are a touch ambiguous. The road is rather corrugated but we find later that this is a mild introduction, in some places the road surface would be perfect for testing shock absorbers, memories of Mana Pools come flooding back. The vegetation is quite lush, flowers are blooming and leaves look fresh, we find later that this is not the case all over the park. This area, closer to the coast has done quite well for rain. The butterboome in particular look very happy and there are red and yellow flowers on plants and shrubs with yellow predominating in many variations. Alex is busy spotting halfmense plants and being ignored by the rest of us. When I finally spot one he is less than impressed with me. In fact the hillsides are well scattered with them when you know what you are looking for. Sorry Alex!

Our first camp is at a place called Potjiespram which causes much amusement, particularly for Chris and Alex. We find a camping spot near to the river and after putting up the tents, sit and watch the birds swooping over the water catching their supper before roosting time. There is only one other party within earshot an oldish couple and their son, English speakers from Knysna. There are signs on the ablution blocks telling us to lock up everything against the monkeys but we see none, just large quantities of birds. Beatrice cooks chicken and broccoli pasta, poor thing is brewing a cold but she doesn’t complain as much as others might. We leave the washing up for tomorrow morning. Chris and Alex go through the Silver Wedding songbook in preparation for the family festivities while Beatrice and I go to bed and read.

Day 3  Monday   20^th August– Beatrice

Well this diary is actually not a bad idea, because I sleep most of the day and therefore miss out quite a lot (I didn’t even realise that we stopped off in Mariental). Anyway, the day started off by us waking up at a leisurely 9 o’clock! We had a nice breakfast and Mummy and I washed up. We packed up and where off at around 11.30.
It was quite a jumpy road, as in, when you just fall asleep you tend to wake up with your head against the ceiling, but I’m sure we will (hopefully) survive.

We went to see the ‘Hand of God’, which was quite cool and if you look at it with one eye shut you can, with a bit of imagination, actually see the handprint.

And so we were off again, rattling our way forwards up and down the mountains stopping ever so often so Mummy could take a picture of the oh so interesting landscape.

Meanwhile I was asleep waking up with occasional cries of ‘Beatriiiiiice, look at this!’ What I did get to see was a Klipspringer family, doing what they do best, jumping from rock to rock up a mountain. And on we went. On the way we met the family of the previous campsite, who were trying to get to the same place we were and yet they were driving in the opposite direction we were. This caused a lot of confusion until we figured out where we were supposed to be heading. We stopped for lunch and Alex and I had to make all the sandwiches while Mummy and Daddy enjoyed the view…. not that I’m complaining or anything.

After we had all eaten our meals we where, surprise, surprise, off again. When we eventually arrived at the campsites. The best campsite had already been taken by the previously confused family, so we opted out for the next best, which had a great view onto the river. We unpacked and relaxed into the chairs when the first vervet monkey appeared.. (dramatic music). The monkey took something yellow, but we never found out what it was. It is similar to that game small children play, where there are loads of objects on the table, one is removed and one has to realise which one was missing… except not as fun.
After we had locked up everything lockable we sat back down and enjoyed on my side tea and for the rest cold beer, while Alex was making a huge mud ball, which he claimed was a dragon egg.

A man in trousers made out of flour bags (awesome) asked us if he could have our campsite after us, we of course said yes and he advised us repeatedly not to take the shortcut. 

Later Alex cooked spaghetti bolognaise which tasted really good and I went to bed.
In the morning I was informed that Daddy had thrown crackers to scare off the monkeys and hit Alex’s tent instead, which has a hole in it now.

Day 4 Tuesday 21^st August – Christof

Finally a day of no driving! Feels good! The night was quite cold and it’s wonderful to lie a bit longer in bed, to ensure that the morning rays of the sun warm up things a bit. Alex is woken much earlier by the vervet monkeys jumping on his tent. Fortunately we have a ketty/catty (catapult) with us – other seasoned campers have one too – and the vervets seem to have a reasonable respect for such devices. But we still need to keep all car doors shut at all times and nothing on the table unattended even for 5 seconds.

We have a leisurely breakfast and then it’s off to the (cold) showers. As Cathy says, “You wash down as far as possible, then up as far as possible, and finally you wash possible.” Never everything wet at once … far too cold. In spite of the place being cleaned only once a week by a roving handyman cum cleaner the place is clean and the toilets all flush to perfection. We have chosen the best site of the Richtersberg camp, although the other one had lawn up to the Orange – but 2 more parties muscled in to the same site. Ours is too small to muscle in - therefore we have the only secluded site. A bit later we take a walk downriver and we see how the flooding of the river had devastated the 2^nd ablution block, some 800 m downstream. That’s the reason it is a bit crowded around the 1^st – and now only -  ablution block. We walk down-river for another km, but it is getting a bit repetitive, so we return to camp and enjoy our wonderful sight onto the Orange with the sound of Swakopmund midnight waves/breakers in the background. In fact at night in the tent, the Orange flowing over its cataracts, sounds so much like a Swakopmund night with north wind. Quite uncanny!

As usual Alex is digging a huge deep hole, literally meters from where we are sitting and Cathy and Beatrice are reading, I go for a short climb up a hillside just behind the camp. A climb up about 50 – 70 m (I should have taken the GPS with its accurate altimeter, that my brother Eckart has given me a long term loan of) and have a wonderful 180◦ view of the Orange. I take a series of photos with the view of possibly making a 180◦ collage for my office, where I have most of the Namibian perennial rivers framed already. Downhill is a bit steeper than I had anticipated, and I descend quite gingerly, making sure I have good hand holdings as I move on – falling at my age can easily break a wrist, I must be aware of that.

Later in the afternoon we go for a walk up-river to the Tatasberg Luxury camp 3,2km up. But half-way we discover such a nice lawned place right up to the Orange – which is not a designated camping site (why not??), that we sit on the lawn, kept short by the resident Nile geese, thinking how much more beautiful can a place be. On the way back to our camp we pick up pre-cut firewood (thanks to Sanpark’s obsession with removing foreign invader trees and shrubs) that allows us to make a respectable campfire that night, although Cathy is cooking “camping soup” on the gas fire just next to it. As a result the whole evening feels much warmer, than the previous one. We must not forget that it is still winter!

Alex is not feeling well and has gone to bed early. Beatrice, Cathy and I are still going through the song book for Max & Grete’s Silver Wedding, especially the 5 a capella madrigals at the end of the book. We are getting used to RSA time and go to bed at 21:00 (20:00 Namibia time).

Day 5 Wednesday 22^nd August – Alex

‘Tis I once again, who has the privilege to write down all that has happened on this fine day.
So ‘twas all planned out, we would all get up at 7 and be ready to leave 8:30 so we would have enough time to see the sights and reach Alexander Bay nicely, note this was all planned. The real happenings was somewhat different though quite to the guidelines. I woke up at 7, packed up everything and chased away the monkeys as usual. At around 7:30 I started wondering if my family was still breathing so I started making a bit more noise. Eventually they gasped for air (a bit dramatised), more like woke up and everyone started packing and having breakfast, with mummy still in awe about the stunning view, which she repeated over and over again, but she is getting older( mature a she puts it) and it is understandable. In the mean time my mother had foolishly put the car keys on the table, which I “rescued”, as I put it not mentioning it to the others, why should I? Then at 9 when we were all ready to leave, only then did my family start wondering about the car keys, I let it slip that there had been monkeys hanging around the table earlier and every one, except me had, had a fit. I did give them the keys a couple of minutes later and did I receive a thank you one, which one would think. No more like a clop around the ear, there is just no pleasing them.

Finally on the way the climb back out of the valley didn’t take too long, but there were a couple of places where we had to get out and guide my father along the road, moving stones here and adding stones there, to make the road safe. The landscape changed every so often once having absolutely no vegetation to having a whole forest, slight exaggeration, surrounding the car. A long drive over mountains and down valleys, seeing Helskloof a mountain absolutely overgrown with aloes, which had red leaves and flower in January with brilliant yellow blossoms, in that heat and with those colours it’s understandable why it is called Hell. Then at 12:30 we reached the reserve’s gate and said good bye, there we were notified that the road to Alexander Bay would be dreadfully corrugated. We were planning to go visit the Wondergat but it was not labelled on the road side, so we missed it and were disappointed. The road had been recently graded though and so no corrugations to speak of, just smooth sailing to Alexander Bay. We did have lunch though, stopping at the road side very close to the River and had the soup that we had had for dinner the previous night. Then once in Alexander Bay, we had a look, went shopping, then to the river mouth and mucked about in the waves, or more like me, alone mucked around in the waves, boring family. We decided not to spend the night here and so drove further to Port Nolloth to stay at the Bedrock.

This was fully booked though for some strange reason, but luckily we eventually found a B&B which had one room to spare, the stable with the donkeys and cows as company, oops wrong story, more like a room, which as mummy puts it is themed Afrikaaner.

Then I went to the B&B’s recreation area and watched some TV, after being flung out of our room for watching Dragon Ball Z, brain dead or something is what they said.

Then a nice dinner, which Daddy cooked and then shower and bed.

Day 6 Thursday 23^rd August – Cathy

Today we journey from Port Nolloth to Clanwilliam and beyond and meet up with Max and family for the pre-silver wedding celebrations. Breakfast and car loading are relatively peaceful apart from having to prise Alex loose from the moronic offerings of SABC 3 breakfast television. We manage to leave when we had hoped and after a sojourn in a garage to put air in the tyres (a spot of fighting here but nothing more than usual) we set off inland with the morning sun in our eyes. There has been rain here and the landscape is full of flowers and the normally parched looking bushes are sprouting green shoots. What an uplifting sight and yes we stop for photos and yes the kids moan – well what’s a family holiday without a bit of moaning! The landscape dries out a bit on the way to Clanwilliam and I start to wonder whether we will be lucky with flowers further south. Maybe this year Springbok is the pinnacle of floral display? Well if so no worries, we will return through the same landscape on our way home. Clanwilliam is putting out banners for a flower festival, we wonder if it will be worth a visit, the last time we were here the flower festival consisted of a few wilted specimens in the church hall. We explore Spar and stock up. Beatrice and I find the Bos rooibos iced tea that we bought on our last visit. Alex could be in a better mood as we drive into the Cederberge. He suggests a game where if you see a rock you are entitled to punch the person in front of you. Since the landscape is made entirely from rocks and since I am the one in front of him I don’t feel too enthused especially when he shouts ‘rock!’ in a menacing tone. Happily it comes to nothing.

As we drive towards the place where Max and Grete have booked we realise that it’s the same place we stayed last time we were here. Little, slightly dilapidated cottages in a rugged rocky landscape a bit like a slightly run down Bedrock transported to the hills. Yup! as we arrive indeed it is but this time we stay in the cottages in the kloof – nicer. Max is gathering wood as we arrive and Mutti and Vati are drinking tea with Grete’s parents and their friend Robert the widower of Grete’s older sister. Pretty soon we are also roped in to the wood gathering exercise and Alex and Chris attack trees with saw and axe. Just what Alex needed to work of the spare energy. Beatrice and I lend a hand but not with the ‘manly’ stuff. There are lots of flowers here but not in swathes, more in sprinkles.

Grete has prepared spaghetti Bolognaise for supper and with an assemblage of tables and chairs and various tablecloths we all sit down together for the meal. Red wine flows along with plentiful ‘Spag-bol’ and by the time Katharina and Henrietta arrive from Cape Town they are greeted with great enthusiasm by a well oiled family. Now we only need Wilfried and the girls and we will have a complete set (Eckart will not make it from Germany).

Day 7 Friday 24^rd August – Beatrice

We all gathered at the main house and drove off to Biedouw valley. We drove through very scenic landscape and did not die going down the mountain on the curvy road. So that’s good! On the way we passed a man who was lying unmovingly in a bed of flowers, for no apparent reason we could see, so we had lots of fun contemplating his causes. Unfortunately there weren’t quite as many flowers as hoped but we stopped by a nice meadow and everyone took tons of pictures posing in the flowers.  

We drove back and had a lunch outside in the shade. After the nice salads most went off for a “Mittagsruhe” while Alex and I went off exploring the mountains. Once we reached the top I assumed we would turn around and go back. Well, I was wrong. Alex thought it was awfully boring to go the same way so we went around the back of the mountain. We managed fine with a bit of bundu bashing. We had a couple of minutes break and soon the whole group was off for a walk to the caves to see the bushman paintings. Groβmutti and Groβvati stayed with a few others at the camp, but Onkel Gottfried and Tante Moni joined our escapade. At first we drove to the farm stall and from then on went by foot. It was a beautiful walk with loads of flowers (yes, Mummy took a billion pictures.) but also with some challenging climbs, which the two over 80 year olds didn’t have a problem with. Almost at the end Daddy turned around so he could get the car while we marched ever onwards. Yet we reached an obstacle, the stream. Grete braved through I trying to find the easiest way through, which let her end up with completely wet trousers. So Mummy flung off her trousers and walked through to the other side with loads of screeching! Maybe she made the odd noises to frighten of any animals that might be lurking in a radius of 3km maybe she thought it would make the water warmer… who knows. Anyway, Karl Peter followed, he didn’t have to remove garments for with his long legs he just walked through. The rest of us followed and soon enough where back at the cottages.

There Alex and Daddy went off to find Charles with the chain saw. Meanwhile Michael and Almut, Karin and of course the Amubrock clan with Wolfgang arrived. Still we were waiting for Alex and Daddy to return. Eventually they did, yet with no luck, for the chain saw could not be started. So they guys were off cutting wood the old fashioned way, with saw and axe.

Max made poitje and we all enjoyed the meal. Afterwards we sang with the accompaniment of Alex on his guitar. The English speakers were just smiling or drinking having no idea of what we were saying but overall it was good, even though I had a coughing fit in the middle of a few songs.

Quite a lot stayed up late and did what they do best, drink, while I went to bed to try and sleep off my cold.  

Day 8: Saturday 25^th August 2012 - Chris

After the lovely sunny and wind-still day before, we woke up in the early hours of the morning with a gale-force gusty wind and intermittent showers of driven rain. The corrugated iron roofs with their non-soundproofing reed ceilings amplify the sound of the rain dramatically. Leisurely showering and breakfast routine. By 10:00 the rain has become a little more infrequent, but not the wind. Alex is still sleeping in the kindergarten house with most of the young people, but most of the others are planning to go for an extended walk. Cathy is not enchanted by the prospects of rock climbing, so we state right from the beginning that we only want to walk as far as the teahouse some 2,5km away. As we’re walking we only get minor spits of rain on our new waterproofs. But when we arrive at the teahouse it has become clear, that nobody turned off to do serious mountaineering and so we all settle down inside, by the huge medieval fireplace for hot chocolate/coffee/tea and some samples of their viscously rich cakes (which shared by some 17-odd people, is not too licentious. 

At noon, we walk back and I’m inviting Mutti and Vati for a salad lunch at our hut, which gives us some time to chat quietly, outside the huge boisterous group. Then it’s siesta in its various preferred variations.

Seeing that the weather in the afternoon is as ghastly as in the morning, there are no great outdoor activities this afternoon. Everybody is getting ready for 17:30 sundowners at the restaurant: Max and Grete’s official invitation to their Silver wedding anniversary.

Fortunately the restaurant has a big fireplace, but it is still not warm inside, but bearable. Starting with bubblies and snacks then speeches with soup in between and later the buffet dinner. All very solemn according to the occasion. Later some are standing by the fire and the formal seating order is cracking up. Some nice conversations. A very pleasant evening!

Day 9: Sunday 26^th August 2012 - Alex

So today was the emotional day of saying bye to everyone and knowing that you won’t see them in a long time.

Well anyway I was rudely awakened by my mother knocking at the window, at 8:30 even though we had decided to wake up at 9, ‘tis a cruel world in which we live. Then packed up my things and then a quick breakfast, followed by the ritual which is packing the car. At punkt 10:15 we were all expected to be assembled for the family photo, of every variation you can think of.Then since we were packed we said goodbye, see people shed tears and exchange farewells ,and off we went.

Stopping in Clanwilliam for air and petrol. Here of course we met Grete, Pena, Tuna etc again, since everyone needed petrol, always slightly awkward.

Then Beatrice and I were allowed to use the laptops, which of course we promptly did. We were stopping all the time so that our mother could take photos of the wonderful flowers, at least I was occupied. Then the next thing was the border post, which was far easier to deal with than Sendelingsdrift post, no searching the car for diamonds or taking the ferry to get to the other side of the Oranje. Then a shorter ride to the White House, no not in America, near Grünau. Here we met up with Wilfred and co. We were told that we would receive our dinner at 6:30, so at that minute exactly we were sitting at the table, but we only actually got our food a 7:30, a long wait if you are hungry. After this everyone basically collapsed and so the day was ended.

There are still two things which I have forgotten to mention, and am still “completely willingly” writing these facts.
Firstly Beatrice made the lunch today, all by herself, well even if you wanted to help she wouldn’t let you and would have killed if disturbed or argued with. Even so It was a nice lunch consisting of the usual bread and accomplices.

Secondly the dinner was Boere food, the one arriving an hour later than ordered. It started with a salad which startled us, Boere and salad? Then the main course which consisted of Skaap, mashed potato, some kind of unvegetarian-vegetarian option and sweet fritters which were to be eaten with the meat, very weird in my opinion, we had it for dessert though. After this the real dessert arrived, but all were full up already.

Day 10: Monday 27^th August 2012 – Cathy

I have had two terrible nights of indigestion this holiday, one was after Max and Grete’s celebration dinner and the other was last night. I think that this regional country food and I will never agree! So it was not at all difficult for me to wake up at 6am – I was awake already. It was a little trickier to persuade Alex to emerge from his chrysalis. The room was quite chilly and the shower was hot so getting dressed for the three of us (not Alex) was very speedy. We packed the car and had a warm drink and then hit the road by 7.

I drove the first  half while Chris and Alex dozed. Beatrice kept me chatting which was very sweet of her. The road was really clear, just a few lorries heading south. I set the cruise control and simply had to steer as the countryside and the occasional town flashed past. Beatrice and I were discussing how boring the drive was between Kalkrand and Mariental. Perhaps the car was aware of this and decided that a bit of excitement was needed or perhaps I just drove over something sharp but the brakes sounded funny about 20k short of Mariental and the tyre pressure gauge started to bleep and Chris and Alex both yelled stop! I was dead impressed by the speed of the tyre change. I didn’t do much really – just stood around and waved the car key – oh! and I did put the red triangle in the road since the verge was rather narrow. But Chris and the kids worked like a well oiled thingummy-jig  and had the tyre changed in no time. By then Chris was well awake and took over the driving.

We drove through a smattering of rain near Rehoboth and the mountains almost disappeared in a dust haze – or was it smoke from a bush fire somewhere? We arrived in Windhoek at lunchtime and started to settle back into our usual routines. Holiday over – next please!