Blogs from Namibia, Africa - page 16

Today was our longest trip of all 415km. So we left around 7:30 topping up with petrol before we hit the road once we had cleared the sand and gravel road. Being sunday everyone was decked in their best for church. Some were even carrying their own chairs so I guess it was going to be a long sermon. At our coffee stop we were surrounded by loads of little children so I gave them all the sweets I could find. As we left they were all fighting over them. We had 2 spots of rain but even though it has been overcast some of the day it doesn't look as if there will be any more today. Still hot 37 at last count so just off to the pool. Now at Roys Rest Camp near ... read more

My turn to do the blog again today, as Rob has been unwell and was unable to come on our planned excursion to Sandwich Harbour. I made the short walk to the B&B on my own and almost jumped out of my skin when an Alsatian launched itself, barking, at a fence right beside me. I was picked up after breakfast by a real character of a guide and the next 8 hours was spent in his company along with a pleasant French family, M. et Mme. Vincent and their four boys. On the way to Walvis Bay our guide told us a lot about the local area, the history and social situation. For example a substantial coastal development between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay was originally built to accommodate uranium miners, but following a disaster the ... read more

Not such a long journey today, mainly on the C14, which was in much better repair than we remember from 2012. We started by a stop for fuel and decent coffee at Solitaire (the one criticism of Namib Desert Lodge is that their coffee is foul). Solitaire is a wonderfully quirky place, characterised by a large number of old car and truck bodies on display like a strange sculpture park. There is rumoured to be a meerkat colony but today it was the ground squirrels causing a stir - they look quite similar but their tails are fluffier and they have a more hunched stance. The C14 between Soliatire and Walvis Bay does not pass through any towns, but the scenery is wonderful. En route we travelled through the Gaus and Kuiseb Passes, both of which ... read more

When we were planning our first trip to Namibia in 2012 there were two places I wanted to see but we were unable to because of the time available, one was Fish River Canyon which we visited on day seven this time and the other was Kolmanskop which we ticked off today. For those that don't know, Kolmanskop is the most famous ghost town in Namibia. It has featured numerous times on television and even Professor Brian Cox has used it to explain the laws of physics! But of course this doesn't help you. Kolmanskop is or perhaps was a diamond mining town. It was founded in 1906 when diamonds were discovered 10km outside Luderitz. When better yields were discovered further away it was slowly abandoned with the last building - the hospital - finally abandoned ... read more

It's a week since we left home and tomorrow will be halfway through our holiday. It already seems like longer as we have fitted in so much. It hasn't been as windy today; last night it was blowing up a storm so loud that you needed earplugs to sleep. Today we have been on an excursion down to the bottom of the canyon. This involved an early start so we could be on the road by 7:00. Luckily it's not as cold now as earlier in our trip so the start wasn't as uncomfortable as the trips from !Xaus Lodge. The last few days have seen temperatures peak at 28 degrees Celsius and on the coast we are expecting night time temperatures similar to summer in the UK. I doubt that the pictures will do justice ... read more