Springbok, Northern Cape, South Africa
Friday, November 12, 2010
Well, here we are in Suth Arica - and I am pleased to say it has turned out nice again. After five weeks of battling through the sand and dunes of Botswana, it was such a relief to get back to the wide open spaces of Namibia. The excitement and tension of travelling alone through the wilderness and lonlieness of Botswana was marvellous and the enjoyment can't be overstated but animals aren't all that Africa has to offer. The pans of Botswana give wonderful vistas but they don't have the perspective of Namibia. Here, the glistening yellow grass of the plains, rising up to the pastel ochres of the hills and then the deep blue sky and vivid white clouds are just tyranscendental; I could sit and look at them all day. And the joy of being able to walk more than two yards from the car without fear if impending feline doom is wonderful! We hav really enjoyed walking through the mountains again. As you can tell, we are still enjoying ourselves! Mind you, if anyone knows a way to get concrete made from wax and sand out of the external auditory canal, I would be grateful to know
! We went to the seaside at Luderitz. It was blowing a gale and everything was closed on Saturday afternoon! Just like Ilfracombe. We then visited Kolmanskop, a town built for diamond mining which lived and died wihin 50 years. A timely reminder of the vanity and transience of human endeavour as it slowly returns to the desert. We then drove down to the Richtersveld, an arid mountain area bounded on the east and north by the Orange River, tackling some of the toughest driving of our trip. The Orange River is a dream with deep pools, turbulent runs and short rapids. Fish rise everywhere; I think they are bream. With its green waters (not orange), verdant, reed-lined banks and mountainous backdrop, it is a completely refreshing sight. We walked for hours along the banks without fear of crocodiles or hippos! After our nights est in a lovely old Duch farm house we are now en routr for Cederberg and more hiking (much to the dread of our legs, atriphied after five or six weeks confined pretty well to the car!) We haven't said much about the African town we have visited but the overall impresson has been positive with quality a strong factor. Even in Caprivi where the settlements are largely wodde hatched huts, the compounds are well built and clean. The town have at least one supermarket and even villages have well stocked shops. The governments are putting money into infrastructure, schools and hospitals. The camp sites, even the most remote, would put many in Europe to shame. There is a sense of pride in this part of Africa. Mind you, there is a long way to go. The mining town of Rosh Pina has rows of well built , white painted houses with water and electricity for the workers ( all owned by the company.) A few miles down the road, there is a vineyard of hundreds of hectares with exensive irrigation systems with a Spar supermarket and roads and shops owned by the company where the workers live in thatched huts without electricity and water. Many owns have coffee shops where one can get good cake and even muffins!
Comments
Hi guys,
Well, a town with a name like Springbok just has to be in Saaf Efrica, doesn't it? Are the locals friendly?
Your descriptions of them wide open spaces are in danger of getting lyrical - steady on, chaps! You're not going native, are you? The damp old Lake District still has its attractions, although we've just has 80 mph gales which filled our garden with broken branches - I dread to think what Lime Kiln Wood looks like.. although luckily we are in need of some firewood right now.
You mention bream, but that is just what the ignorant Afrikaners call them. They are not cyprinids, but cichlids, and they make excellent eating if you can catch them. Why not have a go?
Love,
Pete and Chris
Fantastic blog with so much feeling for the place. Gives me some lovely thoughts to dream about when digging the heavy wet clay earth in the new plot in our garden. Our weather has been -well - of the variable type. I think the weather announcer could just say, "tomorrow we are having everything!"
I expect your last few weeks will fly past now. We hope you enjoy using your legs again.
Much love, Mo and Frank
How does one respond to such an interesting account of your latest travels? You obviously have experienced some scarey moments although well disguised by all the fabulous descriptive writing. After all you've got to keep Peter on the edge of his seat always fearing the worst as he does! Have you been cutting each others hair or have you been in civilisation long enough anywhere to treat yourself to a cut and blow dry? Mike doesn't look like a caveman nor Jennie a caveman's wife. Perhaps the story that teenagers love to tell us parents is true - that hair left for six months cleans itself! Have a terrific last few weeks. Lots of love Helen and Peter
Well , glad to see by the photo that you are still " friends "!! after being cooped up for 5 weeks in fear of being mistaken for an appetiser ! Either you have inners like concrete or you are very discreet ...... no delly belly ? no salt pan s....s ? no swahili alternative?! You are both A mazing and keeping the Great British humour at all ( or most ) times! Namibia is obviously number 1 in your hearts and it is a shear joy did to share all the emotion with you , mints , muffins and all !!! XXXXXX
Wow!! I'm exhausted and exhilarated:relieved that you are safe and so looking forward to seeing you again:will it be you or a changed you!!!!!!!
Keep Safe Love Catherinexxxx
Better start thinking thermals then! Couple of hard frosts here and I have read about some snow in the Alps too. So start to get those ski legs sorted.