Date of Entry: November 1st 2016
Date of Writing: February 15th 2017
We start the day with a border crossing. There’s a phrase I love, because while crossing a border itself is usually the opposite of fun, the promise the new country holds always more than makes up for the bureaucracy and wasted time. Here at this border the time wasting is certainly not underdone as all our bags are removed from the truck, lined up and searched over and over again by a dog, who takes a minor liking to my black backpack each time he passes it. Eventually though we’re stamped through out of South Africa and into Namibia, though Trig, my fellow Canadian has some trouble leaving South Africa since the last time he left they didn’t register his exit stamp and now they are trying to say he’s overstayed his visa by a few years. Luckily, travel saves him, as he has tons of stamps in other countries in the time he was supposedly in South Africa so eventually they let him go and we are on our way.
After a half hour or so of driving over an extraordinarily up and down road that gets us ready for all the wonder Namibian roads will hold, we stop at a gas station and I get lucky as one of the attendants helps me buy and set up a sim card in just 5 minutes allowing me to maintain contact with Renata back in Brazil more often than not. Yay!
As we drive the desert only deepens and we get even more and more enthralled by the stunning yet desolate landscapes all around us. The next few days in the desert are going to be amazing, of this I’m already sure. Today involves a good amount of driving so the only photos come from a few brief bathroom breaks.
The drive wears on as the heat of the day fully takes hold in the desert and we’re glad that blessing is taking the hilly but surprisingly somewhat okay roads quickly, making for enough wind through the open windows of the back of the truck. We do eventually make a brief stop at a cool tree and shrub, the shrub has a milky sap inside it that can be used as a paralysis poison if applied in large enough a dose, which ha me stepping wide. I also spot and mange to snap one picture of a quick moving desert insect before grabbing some photos of our group standing around the tree, and norman snapping photos, because I’m just so meta.
Soon after we’re back in the truck driving on northwards towards are campsite near fish river canyon. It’s lots of long driving this trip but i’m pressed for time so this is the best way to see as much of Africa as I can.
As we keep driving a flourish of excitement runs through the truck as we spot our first non spring book creature, an oryx, which is a bit like a cow, bred with a horse, bread with giant horns, and stop to take a few photos of this desert dweller wandering in the stifling heat.
After what seems like forever we come to our first town in what seems forever, Namibia is sparsely populated, and we stop for gas, and snacks. Then it’s back in the truck to drive onwardsAfter what seems like almost forever in the burning heat we get to our campsite and set up our tens while Honory makes up a late lunch for us. I look longingly at the pool but there’s no time before tent set up and lunch. I am in for a pleasant surprise though as Honory has found another tent so from here on out I’ll have my own tent. (Take that Norman!) Al and I both are happy about this but make a pact to help each other set up each other’s tent each night as four hands make’s it much quicker work.
The tents set up in a nice patch of shade were called back to the truck for a tasty sandwiches with veggies cold cuts cheese and delicious bread left over from the last shop in south Africa. While we eat I take some pictures of a friendly toad looking for shade under peter tosh before giving into temptation and heading straight to the pool since we’ve got about 45 minutes until we leave for Fish River canyon. It’s impossibly cool and the sensation is utter perfection as a few of us chat with some guys from another over landing truck, though I will say I feel a little guilty watching the local builders toiling away with pick axes just a few meters away. I know well just how hot that sun is and it’s a well timed reminder of how lucky I am to be where I am, and that I should work to give back more than I already do.
Once the dishes are done we rob the toad of his shade and drive off towards fish river canyon, a place I’m very excited to visit. We’ll be eating dinner there too which is exciting as more time at the best sites is always a good thing and our guide being cool made this happen.
After maybe 45 minutes in the truck we arrive at the first lookout point of the canyon but drive onwards. We’ll be on our own walking all the way along the canyon as Honary makes dinner at that first viewpoint from which we will watch the sun go down. I hurry out of the truck once it finally stops and over the dry rocky ground towards the incredibly picturesque canyon. I build and inukshuk for my mum and then carry on along my way, gulping down what little warm water I have left and wishing I bought more. The air here is dry and I find myself near constantly par
Walking out to the first main viewpoint I get norman to snap a few classic photos of me overlooking the canyon including a paint me jack before I start my walk along the canyon lip back towards where dinner is waiting, the sun slowly sinking lower and the heat receding at a pace I can only wish would accelerate.
As I keep going the wind starts wreaking havoc with my perhaps ill considered sunhat purchased the day before in South Africa, strangely the women’s style’s we’re the only ones close to big enough for my head. I end up holding it more than wearing it but still, it’s worth it for fashion alone.
As I walk I fall into stride alongside Claudirene and Adail, a lovely couple from Brazil and we get to practicing my Portuguese. It’s great because I thought i’d be unable to practice at all for my 7 weeks in Africa, but if you include me 25 percent of the truck are Portuguese speakers, so I get a few chances here and there.
We chat as we walk getting to know each other a bit more as we go and eventually exchanging photo taking services, which I’m thankful for as I really like some of the shots below. Thanks you two! Muito Obrigado!
Eventually we make it to the first mirador where we find Honary still hard at work with dinner while I head quickly to the truck and refill my bottle from the tank at the back end of peter tosh. It’s terribly warm and has a bit of a flavour to it, but my parched throat is glad to pour a litre’s worth down my throat as I head back to the mirador and wait for the sun to set.
As the burning ball of orange fire sinks closer to the horizon losing most of it’s power over me, I’m almost glad it exists as it casts incredible lights across the sky and down into the canyon, the nearly dry river below glimmering in an intoxicating way. Okay Sun, maybe I don’t hate you as much as I once thought.
With the sun most of the way down Honary serves up another culinary miracle, his version of spaghetti bolognese which is beefy, delicious, and even includes potatoes in the sauce. The level of food this man manages for dinner on a collection of camp stoves beside a truck is downright impressive and we all enjoy the hearty meal. I chat with blessing getting to know our driver a bit better. He’s new to the over landing circuit, also from Zimbabwe and a proud father of two. He’s quiet but funny and really pleasant company not to mention a good and safe driver which I’m glad of when we pile back into the truck and head back to the campsite along crazy roads in the ever growing darkness.
