Adventure Africa 2011

[bladerunner]

A report of my very recent 8000km ride through South Africa, Namibia and Botswana.



The Prologue

Just as a background to this trip. I spent 3 happy months in Durban on an elective in 2008. I had a fine 10 days ride around the garden route and back through the Karoo to Cape Town, but had one weekend free in Durban before I left. My intention was to hire a bike for the weekend, but I could not find any suitable hire venues. The BMW dealers gave me the name of Roger Scheffer who ran the BMW off road school near Greytown. He did not have a course that weekend, but kindly suggested a day’s refresher before a couple of days on gravel roads through Lesotho.
In 2009, Roger, Jaco and Howard road Durban to Dublin and I rode down to Italy to meet and greet and to accompany them back through Wales to Dublin.

The plan then was to have a 10 day ride into Botswana with Roger, but he has fallen out with BMW and Howard gestated a plan with Gavin and Stewart that involved a wide clockwise route through SA, Namibia and Botswana.
Howard very kindly offered his son’s 800GS for my use.
The chance was too good to give up – carpe diem. Although my wife baulked at the 3 weeks annual leave required, I convinced her that this was too good an opportunity to miss.
Thus, after about 10 months of planning, I flew Emirates air to Durban to join Howard, Gaving and Stewart on “Adventure Africa” – an 8000km ride clockwise through southern Africa. Howard is an engineer and mechanic, Gavin planned the trip, Stewart is well versed in bush craft and I was to be the medic.

I’m going to use the day by day reporting system, whereby day 1 is A to B, day 2 is B to C etc. Those of you who do not like this, look away now! It is also a long report, so please forgive the overuse of the broadband.

All in all it was an adventure; an exciting, rewarding and life confirming 3 weeks. Total budget was around £4,300 but that did include turning left as I entered the plane! Upstairs by the bar on an A380 400 has a lot to recommend it! Howard stood the cost of the 800GS wear and tear including the tyres - I'll repay him next year when he borrows my 1150GSA for our trip around the Baltic.

 

[bladerunner]

Day 1 - Baptism

I had arrived at 6pm and managed to see Roger at the airport for a couple of Windhoek beers and a chin wag. I slept well at Howard’s despite the roar from the Indian Ocean, which was only 40m from the bedroom.
We gathered early and paused to see if the rain would clear. Rain was to be a feature of the trip – not so much of the precipitation, but because Namibia had seen a year’s rainfall in the week prior to our trip. This washes away the road surface and has sand from rivers deposited across the roads.
We turned left out of Durbs and rode through the sugar plantations South. As we refuelled minibuses FULL of school girls arrived for a local football tournament. The taxis get more custom if their sound system is loudest – the petrol station pounded to the beat with 50 or more girls gyrating to the rhythm. Welcome to Africa!
We headed inland to Rhodes – via the Naudesnek pass – the highest in SA.
Then my very limited off road skills were tested. Deep sand, gravel deposits and some water crossings. I know one should power through such hazards, but when you are 20,000km from home, and the single track has a 200m fall off, forgive me if I take it a little easy!
As we rose up to the high plateau, the effect of the rain was obvious.
Gavin, perhaps the most skilled rider off road, dropped his bike in deep mud and was unable to right it. We had 800m of deep rutted mud to cross, which cost us 3 hours.
The light was fading and we were considering setting up the tents when a local farmer drove up in his Toyota Hilux. Even he was slithering sideways despite the 4x4. He was related to the Naude who had found the pass.
After a chat, he suggested we stay in his farm cottage, only 200m up the road. – a “no-brainer” as it was getting dark.
We rescued the situation with a braie and hit the spirits we had in case of emergency.
In the morning the family refused all payment and set off for a 160km round trip to church!

 

[bladerunner]

Day 2 - long haul

We left early to tackle the next slippery stage, including a steep hill so muddy you struggle to walk up it. The farmer had arranged for his workforce to follow us in the pickup in case of trouble. It was like the “top gear” beetle which follows the boys! Fortunately, I had 3 gears to choose, second, first and Howard! I’m not ashamed to say I occasionally engaged Howard, partly because I was a long was from home, and partly because it was his bike I would otherwise have damaged.
We crested the pass at 2900m and arrived in Rhodes at midday – that was supposed to have been our overnight stop.
The result was that we had a long haul to reach Kimberley that night.
Stewart pealed off to go to Cape Town to see a concert – he would rejoin us later in Namibia.
We rode out the last of the gravel and then hit the long straight roads, arriving in the cold dark around 8pm.

 

[bladerunner]

Day 3 - big hole

The B&B was right by the “Big Hole” – this is a museum/attraction based on the old diamond mine. By the time mining ended in 1914, it had yielded 2722 kilograms of diamonds from 22.5 million tons of earth. Sobering to think that was mainly done by hand by pickaxe. I learnt that the diamond carat measure comes from the caraway seed, which consistently weights 0.025g.
We then road through the big country – passing many huge nests of the “sociable weaver bird”. Not to be confused with the nest of the “billy no-mates weaver bird” we were to see later.
The farms hereabouts are huge – many scores of miles between fence gates.
We settled for the night in Keimos – an area of vineyards where many of the imported raisins originate.
Although we were warned by the New York dude of an owner of the risks of break-ins, we chilled out by a braie of vine wood and watched the sun set over the countryside.

 

[bladerunner]

Day 4 Falls

Keimos to Springbok.
We followed the N14 and then turned off to witness the might of the Augrabes falls. Due to the heavy rain the whole area had experienced, the falls were magnificent.
Several of the viewing platforms had been washed away recently – respect to the workers who will have to replace them.
I had my first sight of the Quiver tree.
Petrol stations can virtually charge what they like as they are so few and far between. At one, in the eponymous Pofadder, an African lady gushed about the magnificence of the Royal wedding and made a gift of the Union flag for me – before whispering – “one hundred Rand”!
Springbok itself is nowt special, but exists on a cross roads and serves a purpose as a stop over prior to Namibia.

 

[bladerunner]

Day 5 Namibia babe

Probably the best day for me.
We rode up to the border and crossed without fuss. I had a small sweat when a guard asked where was my “ZA” sticker and said it was a 500rand fine to go without. But then kindly pointed out that the garage 50m up the road sold them for 25 sar.

The recent rains had brought the dessert alive! Bright yellow flowers lined the gravel roads as far as the eye could see. The gravel was good and we rode through dramatic rocky scenery to the Ais Ais hot springs.

Most of our B&B accommodation was from £20 to £40 per person during the trip as we were out of season. The Ais Ais resort was £100 for me and £65 shared for Gavin and Howard. They were wavering, so I stood them the night as a thank you for all their generosity. We sipped Windhoeks and enjoyed the eponymous hot springs and excellent buffet foods.

 

[bladerunner]

Day 6 Fish River

Another blue bird day!
Only 140km of gravel roads through rocky valleys to oversee the fish river canyon.
This is second to the Grand Canyon in depth and is nearly as spectacular seen from the various viewing platforms.
We had an early finish – Stewart had returned form Cape town and was holed up in a bar nearby. Howard and I stayed in the Canyon Lodge, which had a spectacular collection of old American cars slowly rusting in the garden. I’d seen pictures of these in various “googled” sights and it marked a real achievement for me that I was seeing them in the flesh.
The cute waitress took a shine to us and made any excuse to come to our table to flirt. We had been on the road some time, but as she was only 15 and Namibia has 40% HIV, we “made our excuse and left”.
I shared a room with Howard and measured his snoring at over 50dB – enough o penetrate ear plugs and 2 pillows! That and the Malaprone induced insomnia was to be a leit motif of the trip. I am yet to be reinvigorated by a good night’s sleep.

 

[bladerunner]

day 6 continued

Nice old cars

 

[bladerunner]

Day 7 - big country

We all met up at the Canyon lodge, after Stewart had a look at the canyon. The roads had been graded overnight and we had a good ride through big country to Helmeringhausen. There were a few detours due to flooding – Namibia had had a year’s worth of rain just over the previous week, but we made good time and were able to down a few beers prior to a sundowner walk. We began to see huge ?crickets that would appear all over the road over the next few days.

 

[bladerunner]

Day 8 - Nemesis

Helmeringhausen to Sesriem was, for me, a nightmare. The rains had either cleared the tops of the gravel roads to reveal 8” deep loose gravel, or had left deep sand over many meters of road.
I had one medium fall in a river bed when the front wheel buried. I know the theory of powering through and de-weighting the front, but self preservation took over and my inclination was always to slow and to curse!
Shortly after there was 5km plus of deep deep sand. Oh great joy! I finally went down hard and bent the pannier on my left knee. Fortunately the BMW enduro boots are spectacularly good and the force was on the bone rather than the joint. I had a trophy bruise for a week or so, but had it contacted with the ligaments it would have been a show stopper. Repeat, you are a f*ck of a long way from home and help and a car comes along, with difficulty, every hour or so.
As I was picking my way through the sh*t, Stewart passed at 100kph +, fishtailing madly from side to side. I thought he was just showing me how it should be done, but apparently he had not seen the hazard and just pinned the throttle to get through. Fortunately the excellent Super Tenere traction control saved his skin. A fall at the speed would have resulted in a medivac out at best and game over for the rest of us.
The fall dampened my riding and the sight of 100km dead straight deep gravel turned the “holiday” into and “adventure” for that day. Nothing to do but “head down, bully and push” and get through the day. The scenery and wildlife were awesome, if only my vice like grip allowed my to look up and appreciate it.
We settled into an eco-camp in Sesriem and set about a braie. Howard and I reformed the panniers as best we could* and I tried to ignore the large puff adder we had seen a few meters from the sight!
Getting straight into the sleeping bag without first showering was a mistake I was to regret many nights thereafter as the combination of fear, foot sweat and braie woodsmoke lingered amongst the goose down!.
Then 3 of us experienced the full might of Gavin’s snoring! Again sleep came hard despite earplugs, sleeping tablets (to combat the Malaprone) and a pillow over my head. At one point, in exasperation, I called out over the Namibian dessert: “Gavin, for f*cks sake, shut up!”

• Howard runs TRTec (http://www.trtecadventure.co.za/) which is similar to a small version of Touratech. The panniers were a new venture and these along with other bolt-ons, were being tested for the first time. We 4 riders had the only version of these panniers in existence.

 

[bladerunner]

more day 8

 

[bladerunner]

Day 9 - so near yet so far

The master plan was to ride to see the Sossuvlei sand dunes – about 65k of tar road before 5k of rocks and streams. We had been warned that the bikes were not able to make the last 5k, but hoped to catch a lift in a 4x4. As it was, bikes were not permitted at all on the road in – probably because some idiots had ridden onto the dunes in the past. Also, the rains had been so hard that the final 5k was not passable even by 4x4. The thought of walking 5k in full riding gear did not appeal. This is one great disadvantage of motorcycle touring in that you are reluctant to see some attractions due to the fear of theft from the motorbike left behind, and the heat of the bulky protective gear.
So we turned away from the tempting tarmac back onto gravel for the relatively short ride up to Solitaire and the excellent solitaire county lodge. There, pictures of Ewan and thingy suggested we were at least on the right road.
We caught up on washing and chilled by the pool before dinner. Howard had the better deal as he decided to camp and was treated to a lullaby of a score French girls in tents discussion their first sexual encounters!

 

[bladerunner]

day 9

 

[bladerunner]

Day 10 - Tropic of Capricorn, and plenty of nuttin'

Reports from travellers riding South suggested that the road improved, albeit for a few washed out gravel areas.

Stewart raced ahead towards Swakopmund whilst the remaining three enjoyed the sight of various buck, a magnificent Wildebeast and Ostriches. Riding at 55kph towards the Tropic of Capricorn with 4 large Ostriches running beside me, I realised I was finally living the dream. Work pressures? What work pressures!

We posed for the obligatory shots and Howard handed me a sizable possible rough diamond. I hope it was really quartz as it remains somewhere in SA!

Riding through the Kuiseb pass we saw rivers that had not flowed for 15 years – beautiful scenery, magnificent views.

I was teased by a 2km stretch of tar before the old rule returned and I stared at 150k of dead straight deep sandy track – yum yum!!

After the pass, the true desert appeared. God must have been having a bad day when he designed West Namibia – he forgot to put anything there! There are acres and acres, miles upon miles of “f*ck all”! Not sand, just gritty, flat nuttin’.

We rode into Walvis Bay for a feel of the cold Atlantic (avoiding the attraction of the Flamingos and Seals for some reason – “so near yet so far”) then headed to the dark funeral parlour of Swarkopmund.

We stayed in the community chalets where for £20 each one had one’s own little house!

A brisk walk on the coast to a very Germanic restaurant for an Eisbahn – succulent roasted pork and a few Windhoeks.

 

[NeilF]

I'm loving this!

 

[bladerunner]

Day 11 - me time

The road along the skeleton coast was said to be in very poor condition, with the connecting road to the great Spitzkuppe rock formation being closed from the West, so we headed East along the B2 in chilled misty air with the treat of mountain ranges visible ahead. I was soooo enjoying the tar – much underrated stuff tar mac!!

The 3 amigos insisted on playing in the sand to see the Spitzkuppe, so I rode on alone towards Otjiwarongo to seek out accommodation. I enjoyed riding at my own pace and the luxury of stopping for photos or coffee without the others racing off into the distance. No offence meant to Gavin, but his style of touring is to get on the bike very promptly at 09.00 then ride continuously until 15.30 before stopping for the night. In between all I could see was his back and him stabbing the GPS with a frown on his face! I mean, does the guy never pee?

Otjiwarango was scruffy and expensive with accommodation ranging down to £60+ for a cack B&B. Fortunately the nice German lady in the tourist information shop rode a BMW and directed me to an excellent safari lodge 60k away in Outjo where for £20 each we enjoyed thatched chalets and good food.

The boys arrived just as night fall, having had a great day apart from the late thunder storm and hazards of warthogs and guinea fowl in the road. …… and that’s my fault because?..............

 

[bladerunner]

Day 12 - compare the Mearkat

Compare the Mearkat

We all left in IAM formation, riding fast and free in the morning air. I had “born to be wild” on the ipod and we switched riding order to get some great video footage. You can tell the happy motorcyclist by the flies on his teeth!

We rode up toward Grootfontein, trying to avoid the cobra that reared up in the middle of the road! We had intended to see Hobas meteorite that day, but a thunderstorm rendered the dirt track an icerink, so we settle for another early one in a hunting lodge. We were treated to the sight of a large black mane lion arriving for his 16.30 dinner! His roar during the night was the sound of Africa and was the deep bass to nature’s thunder storm.

The 3 South Africans had all seen active service in Angola in the 70’s and although they had been in Namibia 5 times, this was the first legal one! Their eyes misted over as they remembered hard times and the horrors of war.

The farm had a colony of Mearkats roaming free. ‘far as I can tell, there’s not much between them! Except one had a velvet jacket and monocle.

We were advised that 2 italian bikers had been bitten by a black mamba whilst riding their bikes! only a few weeks previously. They had managed to ride to the hospital and were saved after 3 weeks intensive care!! Of all the hazards I had envisaged, being bitten by a black mamba whilst riding was not one of them!!

 

[bladerunner]

Day 13 - Meteorite and Angola

We retraced our route and the early morning sun had dried the track so even I stayed upright. Hoba’s meteorite is, at 50 tonnes, the largest in the World. It hit earth sometime 30-80,000 years ago and may well have been the start of the iceage.

We then travelled North East into Bushmanland via a number of foot and mouth gates and dips. The small hamlets by the road comprised round wooden huts with thatch roofs. The road hazards included goats, donkey and cows as well as the odd nutter who enjoyed threatening us with a large stick. The little kids went wild, jumping up and down and trying to outrun the bikes.

We entered the border town of Rundu and navigated the flooded track to a lodge by the Kavango river. The lodge had been flooded to a depth of several feet the previous week and sand bags were evident all around.

Just as an incentive to my anxiety, Angola was clearly visible across the river and the Angolans had a reputation for crossing the river at night to steal from the tourists. We had an armed guard patrolling the site at night. The combination of mosquitoes, antimalarial pills and a guard’s flashlight through the window did not make for a great night’s sleep.

In the morning, the mist rose over the Kavango river as Angolans washed and topless Namibian women fished. How easy it is to say such a sentence after a few weeks away!! “Yah, when I was on the Angolan border…………..!”

 

[davidgibson999]

Brilliant - keep it coming.

 

[bladerunner]

Day 13