So this was our expedition sticker that we tried to leave as many places as we could along the way...
We spent a couple days in Windhoek getting some food and gear assembled. Gave me time to look at the map (yes we used paper maps and also had Tracks4Africa loaded on a tablet for backup) and try to pick a direction. They were still having unprecedented rainfall in the Caprivi and Okavango areas that we wanted to get into, so we decided to go south for a while and let the flood waters in the north recede some...
We only went about an hour south the first day out to get used our rig. Stayed at Lake Oanab...
Was a great way to start and very nice camping facilities. I will try to put the cost here when I can remember them. I think this campsite with private ablutions was 350NAD.
Our next stop was a bit more primitive. NE of Keetmanshoop and into an area called playground of the giants and Quiver trees. We stayed at Mesosaurus Fossil Bush Camp. Took a tour of the farm with the owner and he explained how they found the first fossils there and showed us some. Also took us up to Quiver trees and the singing rocks. It was very interesting and after his little 45 tour that I think was about 150NAD each, he said, please close the gates on your way out but feel free to roam around and take as many pictures as you like. Mind you we were 5 kilometers up in the hills of his farm and he just left us on our own. I looked at my wife and said, man, you have to love Namibia! The directions up into the campsite when we arrived and the cost....
Mesosaurus Fossils.....
Wandering around up in the Quiver trees...
Our campsite under a Camelthorn. A lot of the campsites we stayed at were just farms that developed some spots to supplement their income so it was always fun to meet the owners and hear their stories...
And of course some fire to make coals for the braai...
And dinner cooking...
This was my 5th time in Namibia and I always wanted to come early enough to see the rains. Wasn't long to get my wish....
Crossed some small rivers and streams that would normally be dry...
Somewhere along the way, out in the sticks, and I mean out where we saw 2 vehicles every hour - maybe - we stopped at this farm for coffee and strudel…..
I wish I would have recorded the owner talking to us for an hour while we enjoyed her coffee and apple strudel. She was a real pioneer of the area. Her set up was very interesting and old school. No internet Wi-Fi, cash only, and no hurries - we loved it. She told me how her parents farm was up against the Fish River on the rim of the canyon. She grew up with her brothers going down into the canyon below their house and spending 1-5 nights out at a time just sleeping on the rocks and fishing. They would climb back out when they got hungry if the fishing was slow. She told us we would see her old family farm across from the Canyon overlook where we were headed. When we did get there, it gave me a new appreciation for her, as I could see that going down into that canyon and climbing back out was now a walk in the park.
Making our mark on the way to Fish River Canyon…
So we paid about $35 US for the permit to drive out to the canyon - the road was the worst of the day - and as we were driving the 13 kilometers out there, we wondered if it was going to be worth the cost/drive. Then you get there…
I want to give you some scale here so you get an idea - it is very much like walking up to our Grand Canyon. So taking screen shots of the video I have of this, here is panning to the right of the above shot...
And again panning to the right of the overlook here....
And then zooming out on the rim there you can barely see 2 vehicles that had left the overlook when we pulled up...
Fish River Canyon was impressive! We spent about 45 minutes here and we were the only ones there. That was just mind boggling to me. No where can you go to any place in the US like this and be alone!
As we headed south the scenery out the windshield changed many times. Some examples from me driving and filming - Sarah got used to it because we would only see like 3 other vehicles all day...
We went all the way to the South African border along the Orange River at Aussenkehr...
This was a great little oasis for us for a few days...
Okay enough for now. Please let me know if this is too much on the pictures or whatever.....
