#skullsinthedesert

[roswellroamer]

Dqae Qare San Lodge, Ghanzi, Botswana to Xain Quaz Camp, Gobobas, Namibia. About 380 km. 5/5/19.

Another cloudless morning. That's 16 days with no rain. The San people were preparing breakfast and I strolled to the open air dining area to finish yesterday's blog since I had fallen asleep. Soon brekky was announced and we all came over to sit. Coffee, eggs, bacon, sausage, baked beans and sliced tomatoes along with toast. Dinner and breakfast are included at this remote and special place. We packed up and headed out around 8 as we had a moderate day but punctuated by the uncertainty of a border crossing. The 7km sandy road to the tar seemed like a different road. Turns weren't nearly as sharp, no berm saves required and in general I was comfortable on it. Knowing the road and coming at it fresh make all the difference. We headed south and about 15km into Ghanzi for petrol and a truck with a few guys were fascinated with our bikes and all took pictures on mine (well Gavin's really). The rest of the road today was fairly straight and relatively boring. Some slight elevation changes and landscape changes but largely the most boring road stretch we had done so far. The guys towards the front saw a couple families of baboons and a couple warthogs but I didn't. We did have a run in with the law. More accurately I did. We knew they are fairly strict in Botswana on speed. We had passed our first speed traps. In fact today we passed one and weren't speeding so waved on through. By mid morning we were cruising along and there was a drop in the limit from 120 to 80. I was in the first group of 4 and we were going somewhere south of 80. We had just passed one of the many groups of goats that had partially blocked the road increasing the gap to the next bikes (5,6th) and I reckon those guys had sped up to about 115 to close the gap. It just so happened there was a Charles Hill unit of the Botswana police force using lidar and the two guys behind me were clocked over the limit. However when we were waved over, she said the fourth (me) and fifth bikes had to go see the partner sitting in a truck. In reality it was the two guys behind me but because I was just to the left of Andy and slightly behind him she didn't see me, likely causing the mistake. Anyway, we talked it down a bit and also got him to agree to drop the charges against the other if one paid. 600 pula was the negotiated fine, about $60 and Jim will split it with me. Just dumb luck but they were efficient with a credit card machine right there in the truck! The officer took a selfie with me. In fact I never needed to change any money into pula in six days. Everywhere we went they took plastic. Some dollars for cabs but that was it with Visa leading the way.

Next stop was the border. Botswana was quick and within 20' we were crossing to the Nam side. Here we were again told to pay the road tax. On the way in to Namibia just two week's earlier we had paid 188 Nam dollars for road use. Even though we were just there you as a foreigner are required to pay it again each time you enter the country. Rip off. And in fact it had increased 4.3% on May 1st so now it was 196 Namibian dollars (about $13.75) another ledger and immigration forms. About 30-40' and we were done there too. Not too bad at all. We got fuel and then went next door to East Gate store/restaurant/take out for lunch. I ordered a chocolate milkshake and a toasted ham, cheese and tomato sandwich. We sat outside and ate our sandwiches and headed west towards Gobobas. More uneventful road into town where we filled up at the same station we used on our first time through this town. This was the first time we closed the loop on our trip and though not all the same roads and none of the same lodging, we will be heading back to SA on a similar route. A large stretch tomorrow for example is off road that we took on the way northward over two weeks ago. We rolled about 10 km out of town and found this beautiful Xain Quaz camp. Run by an Afrikaans guy named Danie and his wife it is a lush oasis in the Kalahari. Lots of peacocks chickens and perhaps the largest rooster I have ever seen. Four times the size of other roosters here, he is 'yuge! There are also 4 friendly dogs here including a couple of beautiful yellow labs. Fancy rooms with a beautiful bathroom and modern decor was a nice change. After de-kitting, right into the cold pool in my underwear and riding shirt as has been my practice initially because we were well ahead of the bakkie and our luggage some days and now even when they've arrived I utilize the pool as refreshment and washing machine. 🙃 We started bringing rounds to the pool 🍻 and there may have even been a shot of Jaegermeister in there somewhere. Danie served us oryx filet which interestingly I last had when we were first near Gobobas back on 4/22. This was served in a massive and beautiful thatch roofed hall and surprisingly we didn't see any one else around save for one family we spotted in the afternoon but didn't see at dinner. We have had many places either completely to ourselves or nearly so. We had a homemade roll that was delicious and a Greek leaning salad that was really good. After dinner we retired to the outdoor fire Danie had started for us before dinner on the big fireplace over which is adorned with a metal sculpture stating is Afrikaans that braai (BBQ) is the love that you can see. More beverages may have been consumed. That brings us to Baz' word of the day. It is pram fynkies. It means (double) brandy and coke. Can't imagine why this is the word of the day...🤪 😴

[roswellroamer]

Maramba River Lodge, Zambia to Panda Rest Camp, Pandamatenga, Botswana. 175km. 4/30/19.

Today we awoke to more monkeys. They stole an Italian woman's bread roll then promptly sat on the roof just out of reach almost teasing her as he ate it. Yesterday there was a family that was moving due to the monkeys stealing their stuff but it was mostly food. We packed up while Sean and John visited the falls. They had been too busy the day before trying to source a spare trailer tire and wheel since we noticed the rough journey had broken off the bracket holding it in place under the trailer. No rain again (none since we left South Africa!) and perhaps a touch cooler today. High just into the low 90's. We settled up our room. Again I will comment on the strength of the dollar in this part of the world. For two of us, one dinner, lunches, breakfasts and lots of rounds of drinks and bottles of wine over two days... the grand total equaled $77US. For all those meals and drinks it seems very reasonable. Beers are just over a dollar. We loaded the bakkie when the boys returned and headed out somewhere near 10. We headed back to Livingstone and then backtracked on the M10 until we reached the turn off to aim south to Kazungula, the gateway to Botswana and Southern Africa as they proclaim. However before that turnoff, we passed through the same national park where I was the only one to spot and stop for the giraffes. Today, I was sweeping again and was the only one to spot and stop for a herd of zebras. 🦓 Very cool! Four were gathered around a tree. Just like skittish horses they started galloping away as I approached but got a couple good shots first. The border crossing in Zambia reeked of the same chaos we had experienced coming in. However we did hire a guy ($20) to help guide us through the process. Passport stamp and then ledger signing. Then another stop to get your Zambian paperwork stamped. I thought we were done, but no! We had to then actually pay Zambia to cancel the scam insurance they had made us buy on the way in! $50 to buy it and it was supposed to be for a month. Then 3 days later they demand $20 to cancel it. You can't get your exit paperwork stamped without it. Some sort of local tax was also required, about $5/bike. They sure know how to make it difficult and expensive to cross their borders. Plus we learned from our host that they also charge 15% VAT whereas across the river in Zimbabwe they do not, creating an imbalance that tourists are starting to take advantage of to the detriment of Zambian tourist businesses. Anyway, the whole hour or so we were mostly waiting around our bikes in the dirt amidst countless trucks that are waiting much longer, we were hounded by some guys selling bracelets, carvings, money exchangers, etc. Generally very nice but persistent and don't really take no for an answer. We then laid something like $20 for the ferry which is something like a rickety barge to cross the Zambezi into Botswana. 🇧🇼In 2007 they started a massive bridge and roadway project. Instead of 1920's tech to cross the river they are building a proper bridge between the two countries. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazungula_Bridge Expected completion is next year and it looks like they may meet that expectation. Finally our "guide" motioned is to proceed down to the water's edge. We were about to crops the mighty Zambezi for the last time on this African adventure. The ferry was on the way from the Botswana side and it looks like a very basic flattened out barge with some hydraulic lifts to adjust the entry/exit ramps on either end. We quickly embarked and one of the locals told me he was shuttling back and forth to try to get some of his trucks through the border crossing. I can't imagine dealing with that on a regular basis.

Once across the river we rode under the partially constructed bridge and through a shallow pool of cleansing water so as not to bring bugs/dirt with possible infections into Botswana. The whole feel was different. No money traders or guys selling stuff. An actual computer or two was spotted inside! Though, after a couple of us passed through it quit and the rest were processed with manual paperwork. Still it was only passport control, one ledger and then paying of 165 Pula (about $15) by credit card and then we were done. Well nearly. We all did need to walk on a wet mat to clean our shoes as we had done to the tires. Then a guard took our stamped paper and off we were heading, southward into the animal rich country of Botswana. Apparently there used to be hunting allowed but due to some abuse, all hunting was prohibited here for a long time. Poachers are shot. I've been told there are more elephants here than anywhere else. It didn't take us long to find some. After getting gas in Kasane and some hydration 😓 we spotted a herd of elephants while traveling south on the A33. Two youngsters were quickly hustled off into the brush before I could stop and get my phone ready. 🐘 But a few others remained on both sides of the road and flapped their ears for us. Got a few shots, then we warily proceeded to pass between the graceful pachyderms. 🏍 We passed a few herd of zebras but the volume of our approaching bikes made them all scatter before we could get anywhere close. Glad I spotted some others earlier today. Another 100k and we arrived at the well marked Panda Rest Camp. I hear there are lions around since when there are zebras and bucks (we saw a large herd of them which scattered quickly upon our approach) there be lions. 🦁 I feel a slow start to seeing game has accelerated nicely. I would be just fine not to encounter a lion while basically defenseless on my bike. There is no real plan to deal with a lion encounter. I've been told whatever I do, don't run. It is silly to expect to see game animals on the bikes since we are so loud and traveling on major or at least well traveled roads. But since we've seen giraffes, baboons, bucks, zebras, warthogs, kudus, tons of birds and now elephants just along the road we aren't doing too badly. We found our lodging, once again a series of thatch roofed bungalows and unloaded our bags. The SA guys had 140 liter duffels made for the trip embroidered with our names. I needed just about every last liter in which to cram my two bags each day but what a nice convenience it to have to lug your own gear on the bike. I promptly found and utilized the swimming pool. As per usual in my riding shirt, neck bandana, underwear and cap. All soaking in the pool and all the pools here have been nice and chilly. Greatly appreciated after a sweaty, hot ride. We gathered for some refreshments by the pool and placed our dinner orders. I got a pepperoni pizza and a 🥗. First one since I arrived and it was good. In fact a few folks stopped by this test camp and picked up pizzas to go. No Domino's around here. 🍕Went to the bungalow to burn the mosquito coil. Sort of like a flat spiral shaped incense that dissuades and possibly kills mosquitoes. No mosquito netting over the beds here (first time in maybe 4 or 5 days) so trying to make the inside of the bungalow a bit safer from them. I'm once again alone out here as all have been to bed for at least 40 minutes or so. A bit embarrassed to say it is still only 10:30 but we went hard last night and I'm ready to get a good nights sleep. 😴Baz' word of the day is slapgat. Pronounced slap-chat with a guttural German ch, as in achtung. It means someone who is useless and also a lazy slob.

[roswellroamer]

Xain Quaz camp, Gobobas to Maritz Lodge, Keetmanshoop, Namibia. About 450 km. 5/6/19.

We woke to another cloudless crystal blue Namibian sky. Some of the roosters were clearly interested in ensuring that we departed on time. The peacocks fluttered down to the ground from their nighttime tree roosts and the dogs were happy to see us (Jack Russel terrier and 2 yellow labs.) as the yellow labs played/fought and the dominant lab tore up a number of laps around the pool in an impressive display of energy. Danie and his crew assembled an impressive breakfast spread in that soaring thatched, dimly lit dining room. Made to order eggs on top of anything else you could want on a buffet and we enjoyed this oasis for a couple of hours before departure. We rolled out around 9:30 back to Gobabis for bakkie resupply 💦 I had some apprehension about today since it was going to retrace some of our off road route we had taken in this area fifteen days ago and I was told that we would cross the road repair section where I had barely survived upright fighting through some deep sand ruts. Shortly outside of Gobabis the main road heading south turns to sand and stone. The road is generally in excellent condition and in fact it seems that the entire group often makes better time off road. Speed helps carry you through rough sections that may jar you to the core if you are going 80km/hr or less but flow by relatively smoothly at speeds over 100-120. After a couple of T-junction turns it became apparent that either the construction was done or that we hadn't taken the same route. I have no GPS and only using my phone on Wi-Fi when I have it (none right now, writing this in Notes again) so I'm not that clear on routes taken. I did download Maps.me app and the countries for which we are traveling so I can see the track of the saved locations from our journey and translate those to some other map if I opt to do that after my return to the US. It is a very handy off-line resource that Jum shared with me early on this journey. During the morning we left what could've have generously been called grassland behind and entered full on desert scrub. We entered a section of road that was similar to the one where I had my near collision with Rod. Undulating ribbon of sand and limestone up and down. Some stretches had some moderately loose sand. This may have been the first day in sand that my heart was not in my throat even as the front end of the bike dissociated from the rear's line. Knowing that steady throttle and standing to assert more weight on the rear would allow the Africa Twin to track forward albeit in a less direct line than that to which I am accustomed, gave me confidence I didn't have two weeks ago. I enjoyed the sandy patches and the thrill of riding up these large hills and hoping that no donkey cart was on the wrong side of the road as you crested at speed was more of a concern than my sometimes wobbly progress. We had good spacing through this section. Far enough behind each other to avoid being engulfed in their dust cloud, but close enough to see their line and use it to your advantage in selecting your own.

[roswellroamer]

Mukolo Camp, Namibia to Maramba Lodge, Livingstone, Zambia. About 320km. 4/28/19.

Today we agreed to leave a little later than we wanted to accommodate our lovely Lola that took care of the camp. We hung out outside our tents before 7 since we had gone to bed fairly early the previous night. While we were talking a Mavic 2 drone came overhead and was watching us. The pilot then backed up and flew it right into a tree. It turned out to be other guests at the camp on the "camp" side. When he did the walk of shame to fetch his drone out of the tree and shook it loose, I might've mentioned something about karma. We had a nIce breakfast and left around 10. I gassed up in Divundu since I was down to one bar (our of five) on my gauge and we had about 120km to Katima Mulilo. Straight shot on the tar with one rest stop on the way and Incaught up to the rest of the bikes in short order. To this point there were basically no speed limits nor police enforcing much of anything on the roads. The mich discussed Zambian border crossing was just a few km past Katima and we went through the relatively easy process of exiting Namibia. Just a couple stops, a stamping of our previously acquired foreign vehicle tax receipt and we were off to the Zambian side. We did rise right by a line of trucks maybe half a km long. Some trucks may take days to get across the border. Some things in Africa are just not handled that efficiently. But, we proceeded uneventfully through the Nam exit and into the Zambian side of the border.

The Zambia border crossing was a bit crazy. First a health stop where I showed my yellow paper documenting my immunizations including Yellow Fever. I got a "go" tag from them. Nobody else to my knowledge had one and I think it cost the Aussies about $20 to buy their way through that stop. Then a long line for immigration. I had prepaid this through the surprisingly efficient web portal (I can say this now having navigated an incredibly cumbersome process in person) to the tune of $50. Then the next stop was to pay $20 for some sort of vehicle fee. Can you believe the guy wouldn't even take kwacha (Zambian currency) but demanded US dollars?! He must trade them for money... Then a trip to another office where you trade in the registration paper to a friendly guy who gives some more paper with a stamp. Then back to the office to a customs window. Fill out a ledger. Move to another window. Pay 70 kwacha there. Rod loaned me that as I hadn't changed any money yet. Filled out a very detailed form and got another receipt. Then we though we were done. But nooit! After we left the building we were told we needed to get insurance. The SA guys thought they had bought coverage for Zambia but the authorities here require you to buy a months insurance. It was 522 kwacha. Just over $41 if you were able to exchange at an ATM... With the hordes of local currency traders pestering you every time you leave the building I was able to negotiate 550 kwacha for a $50 bill. Exchange shows 635 is what I should get but not surprisingly the only ATM was out of cash and they don't take credit cards. So this whole process has taken a few hours and about half our group is through as of now. I'm writing this in the building while it is fresh in my mind. A fantastic model of government inefficiency with no legible instructions as to the order or where you should go after you successfully fill out ledgers, forms and pay at each windowed station. Trial and error. Anyway the SA guys knew it would prolly take a while and it most definitely did. About $120 paid out so far just at the captive station. I feel like they are taking maximal advantage of tourists here. Then just when we thought we were done.... we had another guard stop and were told to get off the bikes. Then we were told we had to pay a 30 kwacha fee for the shire (some sort of local tax, I don't think it was related to the Lord of the Rings). Then on the bikes again and to another border stop. AK-47 in hand like many of our stops today. We dismounted and had to provide our papers to be entered into yet another ledger. I'm quite sure they're not gonna be digitized any time soon! Some of the SA guys were truly pissed by this point. Frankly I found it a bit comical. Nothing to do but laugh it off since the inefficiency was just so blatant. All this could have and should have been done at a few windows like the rest of the world. 11 windows/stops and separate forms, ledgers, payments, etc. close to $150 all in.

We then finally proceeded into Zambia. Immediately noticing the density, poor conditions and throngs of people selling things. We stopped just over the Zambezi river bridge at a turn off and had some hydration. We discussed the stricter speed and law enforcement in Zambia as well as the expected poor road conditions on the way to Livingstone. The police bakkie went out with blue lights flashing ahead of us shortly thereafter. However fortunately he want after any of us. In fact we followed him for maybe 40 km or so. Turns out he was responding to a cow that had been hit on the road and had bled out on the road. Lots of people were headed to see what the commotion was as we rode by. We also stopped at a bridge about 50 km into the rough section and a couple guys talked their way into a picture with the local cop, his AK and some other local men on a bridge by a river. The condition of the toad was abhorrent. Potholes on top of potholes fo about 100km of the 200km from the border at Shesheke to Livingstone. Some guys went off the road to ride an impromptu dirt access road the local had created so as to try and save flat tires or worse. At least a few trucks were stopped to repair flats. A few bicycles as well were tending to popped tires on the rough and jagged potholes. We slowed down and tried to zig zag our way through. Luckily we all passed this section without a flat! 🤞 about 15km outside of town we entered a nature preserve and everyone spotted a small herd of small deer on the left. I was sweeping and less than a km after that I looked to my left and couldn't believe I saw a large giraffe munching down on a tee right by the road. I swung around and went over towards him. He was wary of my and moved away a bit. Then I saw another big one off to my left. I took a few shots and a short vid and loved it. As I rode away I saw the rest of the family with a couple smaller adolescents and another adult. We met up at a main intersection in Livingstone and then after some more currency trader heckling we rode the last few km to this beautiful lodge which is just a couple km from Victoria Falls. A troop of monkeys waited for us and scampered across the lawn. Some climbed up a tree and sat over our bikes. But they seemed curious and wary of us. I as has been my habit she's my kit and headed for the pool. Now at least I am keeping my bathing suit on the bike. You know it has been hot when the temp fell to 33°C on the bike and it felt cool or at least cooler. Pool was great and I must've chugged 3 pony sized Cokes with ice from the bar in about 5'. A delicious dinner ensued and I opted for the in-African combo of samosa and spaghetti puttanesca along with a nice house salad. Enjoying my nightcap of Amurula here at the bar now and everyone else went to bed an hour ago. Gotta get some sleep because a big rest day tomorrow is planned. Stay tuned! Kameelperd is Baz' word of the day. It means giraffe in Afrikaans and literally translates to camel horse. 😴

[roswellroamer]

Shametu River Lodge to Mukolo Camp, Namibia. 220km. 4/27/19.

Today was another short day so we lounged around the river and pool before and after breakfast. A chef made us what we wanted, omelettes, bacon, sausage, etc. i also tried a sort of dried porridge that looked like mashed potatoes called pap. It was served in a warming tray with mince (which was ground beef that was really tasty) and also some mushrooms. Deon joined us for a bit and verified that about 10% of the Nam population is white. He also described for us where he takes guests on game drives and what they see. Blessing and a curse I reckon having not encountered any big game wild on the road to this point. We wouldn't really know what to do if we did but it would be pretty cool to spot some not in a zoo or in a park. 🐘 🦁 🦒Our hippo encounter last night was both close and scary enough to last. We had porters come collect our bags as Deon had promised and got rolling at 11. Today was a straight and paved and largely uneventful ride. The heat became noticeably worse the past two days. The Honda showed the air temp quickly rise to 38°C (over 100°F)! At that temp you don't really cool down even wearing the mesh jacket I've been sporting the last few days and with all your vents open on your pants. Our first stop was under a nice shade tree and we pulled off between some short concrete posts. 6 bush equipped bakkies whizzed by us. Snorkeled up, axes, camping gear on the roofs, etc. within a short while a white car pulled off opposite us on the highway. An armed soldier got out and a shorter guy with a beard and a large hat came across the road to us. The soldier seemed friendly enough but explained that the concrete posts were to keep everyone out. They didn't want us to be eaten by lions or trampled by elephants. Then we asked for a photo. The soldier seemed willing but his boss was all business and shook his finger meaning absolutely not. We mounted up and went on down the road. Within 10km or so we passed the convoy and they had secured a really nice picnic pull off. We met up at one more rest stop then blasted down into the heat. Two ostrich were surprised and ran along the lead of our group for a bit before heading off to one side. Then we passed a family of wild baboons occupying an abandoned picnic spot. I turned around and took some pictures and a vid. I was wary and sat on my bike with the engine running. It was a family of about a dozen and they started running across the road, maybe a hundred yards away.

We made it to Kongola a "town" we had been seeing signs for all day. There was a Shell station but we didn't stop and instead rolled another 5 km or so to our camp. This is a bit more primitive than some of the other spots we've stayed. The road was a good indicator as the sand became difficult for me to navigate. Finally the last half km or so the owners had put down some hay which made it easier to navigate. We settled into our simple buildings. No AC but water and electricity and a great view of the Kwando river floodplain. We quickly congregated by the pool to cool off. There were a group of German Masters and PhD candidates who are in the midst of a three month assignment cataloguing and assaying carbon content of the trees and soil as part of a 12 year contract. We enjoyed some poolside refreshments and the guys grilled up some steak (marinated) and sausages. We shared with our camp keeper Lola and her two sons. After enjoying another sweet sunset we ambled a few steps from the river/deck/bar and into the open air dining patio. There was a salad, rice and a nice lamb stew. All good, but the highlight of the meal was the homemade malva (pronounces malfa in Afrikaans) pudding. Amazing.

Baz' (Barry) Word of the day is nooit (pronounces noyt) which means a strong no way. Off to Zambia tomorrow. Our SA friends have had issues with the border there. Bribes, delays, etc. depends on who we get from what I hear. We'll see. Another great day through Africa with a fun group. 😴

[roswellroamer]

Roswell, GA to Cape Town, South Africa 🇿🇦 10,700 miles 4/18-19/19

It has been a while. Over two years in fact. I find that writing here is beneficial in so many ways, yet also somewhat dreaded. Beneficial in that the exercise causes, no, forces you to encapsulate the day's adventure and experiences into a few hundred words and a handful of photos. Also since this creates a (Semi) permanent record of your sensory experiences for you to have and reflect upon when desired. Even if that is rarely done, having organized and researched a bit to "pen" your thoughts at or near the conclusion of a daily journey is a great resource to have both in the moment and down the road. Dread may be a bit harsh but is the word that comes to mind since after a long day (or in this case two) and a heavy meal and perhaps (hypothetically?) a few beers with your mates, one of the last things you'd opt to do is to stretch out in your bed to jot down a summary of the day before sleep overtakes your eyes. Many a night I have dozed whilst tapping on this iPhone screen. Anyway, I am happy to catalogue a relatively brief rundown of each day. For me mostly, and for whomever would like to share in my version of this traveling adventure.

Two years ago, I concluded my ride through Patagonia with the preceding post and some new friends with whom connections were made from our random choice of the same adventure ride in February 2017. Three of the 8 on this African adventure are friends from the Patagonia trip. Two Aussie buds (Jim/ Andy) and our local South African host, Rod. Bike trips engender that type of camaraderie that bridges time and distance. The shared experiences both good and bad quickly cement even nascent friendships into long lasting ones. I hopped a flight to Amsterdam but a day earlier than expected due to an Air France glitch and my wanting to arrive a bit earlier than I had booked. Flights to Europe are somewhat routine for me as I used to travel monthly across the pond. However after an 8+ hour flight to AMS, a new twist was the 11+ hour jaunt nearly due South to Cape Town. 19 1/2 hours in the air and a full 28 hours door to door is a serious journey. No glitches however and one benefit of arriving the next night is that you don't have to wander the streets in a haze of jet lag. My Aussie buds were waiting for me at the Mt. Bijoux guesthouse and we put a dent in my mini bar stock while catching up. Then off to bed at 1A and right back on schedule. This is a big weekend in Cape Town. The Two Oceans Marathon is a storied event which is celebrating it's 50th anniversary. Due to the road closures and mayhem associated with this event, we have opted to begin our 2019 African Adventure just north of Cape Town. In a area called Blouberg with a beachfront view of the Atlantic and infamous Table Mountain, looming high above the electric urban confines of Cape Town.

After an altogether too short evening's rest, we gathered for a very nice breakfast in our guesthouse. Just me and the Aussies at this point. Poached eggs, cheese plate, breads and buns, sausage, bacon, tomato, fruit salad with edible flowers, yogurt, etc. all right by the water with a view of Table Mountain. Good thing we all happened to stroll to the beach before breakfast since a marine later rolled in during "brekky" (Aussie for breakfast) and we were dealing with different cloud layers and even some occasional mist much of the afternoon. We were picked up by our organizer Gavin in his truck and shuttled down to Stu's warehouse where our rental bikes were prepped and waiting. Gavin is one of Rod's mates who happens to run a business here taking folks on tours around Southern Africa on his Honda Africa Twin adventure bikes. Our bikes looked nearly new and were all outfitted with new knobbies. The local folks also had 140 liter customized bags made for our trip complete with embroidered names made for our journey! Hats, T-shirts, and bound itineraries were also passed out at the warehouse and greatly appreciated! Sweet swag. Rod didn't take much convincing to lead us on a ride through eponymous Cape Town, hugging the coastline to the Cape of Good Hope. Cape Town is a real city. Sprawling impressively with lights stretching into the darkness by plane last night. Exploring many neighborhoods and the bustling waterfront by day today and with an awareness of the Atlantic Ocean's presence a constant reminder. We rode about 200km's today but undulating and winding our way through some fantastic areas. The ocean view villas of Clifton with steep stairs and even elevator access from the narrow Victoria Road above the water. The range of housing is as you might expect extreme. We've passed a number of shanty town developments where lots of folks live in scrap metal tents with no space between them for acres upon acres. Some of those have begun to be replaced by government built low income housing. Similar to what we know but smaller and more crowded to US versions. But opulent villas abound, especially along the water Many are named. When you ride by a Hard Rock Cafe as we did in Camps Bay today, you know you're in the midst of a heavily touristic area. One thing of interest is the climate here. It is more temperate than I expected. Not to judge based on one day's experience and also knowing the climactic moderation afforded by the ocean(s), still I was surprised by the number of palm trees and had a special surprise when we rode right by a large flock of iconic pink flamingos off the road not far from here. Not the plastic ones we have in the south! One challenge when riding in countries in the British Commonwealth, is your ability to flash the biker's salute. Since we're on the " wrong" side of the road, your throttle hand is most often unable to take a break for the two fingered acknowledgement to passing bikes. Especially without cruise control. So, I learned first by observing then by query, that a slight nod of the head towards the approaching bike replaces the two fingered salute around these parts.

After a tasty lseafood unch in Hout Bay (Dutch for wood since the landing ships harvested the abundant forests for needed wood upon landing there through history) on the water, we wound our way up and over the Chapman's Peak toll road and past the Cape, where Atlantic Ocean (cold) meets the Indian Ocean (warm). Some of the beaches we rode by have penguin viewing though we saw none today. All had spectacular white sand and a few had surfers and even a kite boarder. Ironically the last and only time I've seen penguins in the wild was my previous entry here on Tumblr, from over two years ago! At every pull off there were also signs reminding us of the dangers of baboons, of which we also saw none today. I didn't know what to expect on the wildlife front for this three week journey but it sounds like we will likely see most of the iconic game here. Lions, crocs (not the shoes), elephants, hippos, etc. Having heard some of Rod's lunchtime stories about how scary lions are, it has moved up significantly on my list of possible concerns for our journey! 🦁 As a prelude, we are embarking on a 4000+ mile journey from here north through Namibia into Zambia and Botswana and circling back south to Cape Town. We are aiming for the dramatic destination of Victoria Falls and the Zambezi river. Skirting though or around the Namib desert and the Okavango delta, this trip has me really excited to see what comes our way during the next three weeks.

A fun evening was had by all with loads of laughs and beers (girls were drinking gin and tonics on tap!) at Cowboys & Chefs. I enjoyed an ostrich filet. Really delicious and as tender as a filet mignon. Figured when am I gonna see that on the menu and one of the innumerable sights today was a sizable ostrich farm on our peninsular circle route. Gotta get some sleep since my budgeted one hour has already stretched for two and it is approaching 1 AM with a 5:40 wake up. Ready to leave the city behind and head into the wilderness.

[roswellroamer]

Felix Unite, Noordoewer, Namibia to Cape Town, South Africa. About 660km. 5/8/19.

We woke before the sun as the SA crew was keen to haul it back to Cape Town in order to participate in the national and regional elections. We settled our charges at reception and took off as it was just starting to brighten in the eastern sky. Last day! We had an uneventful and even pleasant border crossing first at the Namibian side, then after crossing the Orange River, on the SA side. We decided to make it to Steinkopf for breakfast, a couple hundred kms. As we headed south the temperature dropped from 17 at the Orange river to 12°C. As the sun had finally disappeared behind the first real clouds even though we were told it was raining ("pissing") in CT, we were all getting fairly chilled. Wimpy's was selected. I'm not a big fan of fast food, but the coffee cup at least got the blood back in my fingers. We got gas there and headed south hauling butt. We likely averaged 150km/hr today aside from construction zones and traffic. Due to a national holiday for the election I think traffic may have been lighter than usual. We passed and then met a Scottish guy who had been riding his BMW GS310 since March! He is able to cruise at or just above 100km/hr on it and he had loads of gear on it. We passed some sort of bike race or ride that must have had 75+ bicycles stretched out over 10+km. South of Steinkopf. We then decided where to stop for the last two fueling stops and enjoyed some canyon carving as we stopped at the same summit top restaurant we had enjoyed on our first day. This time I huddled by the wood being burnt down for a braai in order to warm up. We all cruised to Stu's warehouse and all 7 bikes completed an epic 6800km (4,225 mile) African adventure. No mechanical issues at all. Two punctures which was to be expected considering the "road" choices we made! We checked in to a recommended hotel near the waterfront and then we strolled down there and got a good table at the quite crowded Harbor House. I was exhausted and headed back after dinner. Loads of fancy places by the V&A waterfront. Very touristy and scenic.

Let me list a string of words that tries to capture the trip all 9 of us enjoyed together. Scenic, brotherhood, arid, lush, mountainous, moonscape, San, sand, animals, natural wonders, inefficiency, poverty, self-reliance, happy people, curiosities, no lion plan, birds, hospitality, aerial excursions, Okavango, Victoria Falls, memorable, garbage, cloudless, heat, village tour, shabeen shuffle, Zamilik, brandy and coke, Fish River, African Queen, amazing, Honda,

[roswellroamer]

Maritz Lodge, Keetmanshoop to Felix Unite, Noordoewer, Namibia. 340 km. 5/7/19.

This was our last day riding off road. Some of the same roads we took on the northward swing over two weeks ago were on the plan. First a proper brekky and I ordered French toast and bacon. 🥓 The crew rode the bakkie into town to stock up for the last night's braai. We left the now familiar lodge and turned left back towards Keetmanshoop. Immediately we were greeted by steady 20-25 mph winds from the north. Pushing us left on the road and whipping the sand that is everywhere into visibility obscuring clouds a la "The Mummy" special effects. We turned south and found our way back onto the C road that headed towards Fish River Canyon. We had a fantastic ride today. Some gentle twisties and largely a thin sand layer over the limestone. Vegetation was practically non-existent and soon was. So dry and moon like save the looming mountains and sculpted ridges that reminded us we were near the impressive Fish River Canyon. Gavin had his bike on his truck which he had stashed at the lodge in case we needed it on the ride. He drove straight to our destination on tar while the bakkie followed us. Fortunately nobody had any serious incidents on our ride at least as of yet requiring another truck. We came after a while to the steep and twisted downhill to the only river in this area that isn't dry. That's because the Löwen river is damned for hydro power just above the C12 crossing. This was the same place that Rod had put it down on the way out and he had thought about it this morning. This time it was Stu that took a left line in first gear and lost his traction. Spinning the bike out to the right and having a LLD (little lie down) right there in the river. As before, no harm no foul. Bike and Stu both fine. We took off and made some great time on the well maintained road. Speeds of over 180km/h were enjoyed by some of the group. I felt comfortable and enjoyed my last day on unpaved roads. Twisted the throttle plenty today. We wound further in towards the canyon and came to the Cañon Roadhouse which I've already written about. Most had burgers 🍔 and we enjoyed the lush grounds and old cars and trucks and kitschy signage as a break from the dusty desert. We decided we could make it on one tank to our destination about 340kms. That, and the fueling at the Roadhouse takes a long time. I am speaking from experience. Took about 15' to fuel and pay last time there. We were rehydrated, satiated and climbed back on the bikes.

Soon we saw a Gemsbok on the side of the road about 10 clicks south of the Canyon Roadhouse. Then we saw his family. So cool! A couple more turns and we were winding through more scenic but incredibly desolate areas. A couple construction zones got me wondering but it was smooth sailing through there and only one flag man waved us to stop. The next stop was at a turn to a D road. We opted to take it to the Orange river and I'm so glad we did. Canyon winding after a stretch of lifeless desert. Some rock cliffs were so stunning we stopped multiple times for pics. When we after 40-50km turned left along the river onto a newly paved road, we were met with greenery. The desert moonscape was gone. Replacing it were 10 miles of grapes/vineyards. Many different names. The Orange is the border with SA. There is sophisticated irrigation and so many acres and miles of grapes it is very impressive. More canyon scenery on the left of the road also and soon we came to a shanty town. I reckon most of the half mile square shanty village (shoehorned in their wooden 8'x8' square wooden huts) was there to provide living space for the massive numbers of workers that must be required to pick the grapes and maintain the multitudes of vineyards. Before the last turn left I had hit the reserve fuel. Flashing but I knew I could get close to 80-85km on reserve and we only had about 45 to the town with gas. It was a beautiful ride most of that entire last stretch. Undulating hills as we descended today from over 3,000' to 523' right here on the river. Also it was more comfortable today. A little cooler up to the mid-80's and that steady breeze that was bothersome except when it was on or towards our backs. We skipped the Felix Unite lodge and went the last 10km to the EnGen station in town. Some stayed to have a Wimpy burger but after an iced tea I headed to the Felix with Baz. Another stop on the way by me to try to capture the beauty of the bougainvillea in front of at least one vineyard. We pulled into the reception and rode to our bungalows with our bikes. Sean, John, Gavin and Andy fished. Two fish were caught promptly but it was catch and release. I went poolside and doused myself as has become custom partially clothed. Got on Wi-Fi but not able to reconnect here at the bungalow so this should post tomorrow.

Baz' word of the day is houding (pronounces hoe- dung) with an almost silent g. It means positive attitude.

[roswellroamer]

Keetmanshoop to Gobobas, Namibia. 4/22/19.

Today was a big day so we met for breakfast/brekky at 6:30. Made to order back in the thatch hut and gassing up to leave around 7:30. The Eland had some interaction with me through the fenced enclosure at the Maritz Lodge and he posed for a pic. After a brief pass by town we were in the bush. Within 50k of the 650k we did today we appreciated the desert cool morning. I was one of the few not wearing a warmth layer between your "kit" (SA and Aussie for riding suit) and your shirt. We found a couple out of the way fuel stops today due to the lengthy mileage. Soon, we turned on a road just north of town and passed by the Giants Playground. Namibia's equivalent to Joshua Tree NP. But Quivertrees are the attraction as well as square and rectangular blocks that appear to have been stacked by giants. Very cool. I missed it but there were a couple cheetahs along the road in a game enclosure just pacing there for all to see. Jim and Andy spotted and got some pics with a large tortoise that was crossing the road. A buck (small antelope) ran alongside a couple guys out front for more tha 5Km until he collapsed today. Hopefully he will be OK. We then got into the Kalahari desert. You see it because the sand is a robust red/orange. As red as GA clay! We started a series of hills and dips for maybe 10 miles. Most of the group are paired I to twos and riding side by side. One rides in one of the left lane's tire tracks while the other rides in one of the right (incoming traffic) tire tracks. You can see a car coming for a mile + provided your vision isn't obscured by the cloud of dirt kicked up the the next pair ahead of you. Without cruise control on the bike it is necessary to stop to take a picture. I was riding with Rod. I stopped at the top of a hill, affording my a view of a number of distant hills and valleys. After snapping a few shots, I figured I needed to catch up to Rod as nobody else had yet come along. We had been averaging about 150km/hr so I had to crank it up a bit in my effort to rejoin our duo. Then everything could've changed dramatically for the worse... Rod was worried I might've fallen off in the gravel/dirt so after waiting a bit at the top of a hill and not seeing me he decided to go down the hill and turn around. As I crested the hill doing 160k/hr + in the right (wrong) lane, I see Rod some few hundred yards ahead of me turning around right into the lane of travel I was using. At first I thought surely he will see me and stop the slow turn into my oncoming path. However he did not. With 100' to go he turned right across/perpendicular to my bike. Braking wouldn't have avoided a T-bone collision. My other three options were stay straight, right into him and his bike at speed. Second option was to try and go behind him. The third option was to go right if him. I opted for the last option. I wasn't sure that Rod wouldn't have seen me and stopped or not. I thought my best bet to avoid a major crash was to angle ahead oh him. That meant going off the elevated roadway into the Kalahari scrub grass. I thought I would lose it in the sand. Rod had told me the first day that if you got off the road you wouldn't be able to ride. This and many other things flash before me. But all's we'll that ends well. I had a bit of a trial by fire in the Kalahari. Swerving I to the brush off the road. Slowly slowing down and gently nudging my bike back towards the road while keeping in the throttle. I did not lay it die in the sand...! At least not yet. I rode over about a dozen scrubby bushes and then thanked my lucky stars that I didn't lose it in the Kalahari. My heart was pounding for the better part of a half hour. Hopefully we learned from that so as to avoid it in the future! We had a refreshment break and Gavin got sone drone footage of us in the desert which hopefully we'll see after the trip.

Soon after that harrowing experience..., we continued down our first "D" road. C roads are better maintained. D roads can have washouts, sand and may prove more difficult for bikes. I kept my momentum and still found the whole bike lurching left or right when hitting the increasingly deep sand on the "road". In fact there were raised berms on either side and no vegetation on the road but often looks more like a sandy trail than a road. We stopped for a break under a tree. I was moving slow now so took off next to last after our rest. I made it about 50 yards. First swerved left while starting out. Saved it then all the way to the right with the bike's body way out from under me. Wasn't able to save the last move to the right and laid it down on the sand perpendicular to the road. Oh well. Picked up the bike without assistance but needed support truck help to reposition the bike pointing in the direction of the road. Finally remounted and have it some gas. This time I made it about 300 yards with plenty of weaving and serious movement. Finally lost it with some serious swearing and wrenching of the front wheel in the deep sand. Ugh. This time I waited for the support truck. The temperature was hot (~32°C) and the altitude (over 4200') and Inwas breathing hard and sweating. Sean and John in the truck helped me get righted. I realized the problem the second time, Inhad neglected to disengage traction control. Africa Twin is a great bike but doesn't allow you to have traction control off unless you switch it off each time you start the bike. I also learned that the bike automatically shuts down when it senses it has gone horizontal, and that you must turn off the key to restart the engine. Figured this out after Inwasnt able to start my reliable steed four times. Without TC, and with heavy throttle I finally powered through that stretch now in the sweep position with the truck in my rear view. There were a couple very hairy turns (as expressed by the real off roaders in our group of 7) and one left hand turn saw motorcycle tracks up the embankment as I focused on trying to keep the bike under me as she violently wrenched from side to side. I made it through there and relied perhaps too much on momentum and throttle to carry me through the remaining deep sand sections. The desert was just taking over sections of the road.

I am writing this end to 4/22 in my notes since I wasn't able to finish before this morning's departure and because there is no Wi-Fi in the bush, as it says behind the counter here at the lodge in Tsumkwe. We rode through the mostly sandy roads and came to a construction zone. The zone itself was fine but just after, the sand became very deep and rutted due to the large gravel trucks that had been making their way to the area. I rode with as I have been advised too much speed. I followed an experienced rider who I watched getting bounced like a bull rider on a Saturday night at the rodeo. But I figured if he made it through I would or at least could. I got thrown side to side between a couple of the ruts then hit a hole or a rock that was so violent it nearly threw me off my pegs as I was standing through this and most difficult sections. Somewhat incredulous that I hadn't eaten sand, I soldiered on and after 5:30 we pulled in to the Gina lodge. Downtown Gobobas was as my daughter would say "sketch". Lots of groups of guys hanging around with seemingly nothing to do. Our bikes garnered a lot of attention while we parked to the side at the main intersection in "downtown" Gobobas. The lodge was a km or so away from town and looked like a reserve. Even had fake elephants in some grassland area for our enjoyment riding in. After checking in I found the pool and since the truck (with my clothes) wasn't there, I quickly jettisoned all my clothes save the underwear and enjoyed the very cool pool. 🏊‍♂️. We had some Zamulik and sat down to a prepared table by the pool. I had an excellent Oryx steak with a chocolate and berry sauce and a salad. The Oryx was delicious! We told some stories and then it was time to write. 💤

[roswellroamer]

Sperrgebeit Lodge (Springbok) SA to Keetmanshoop, Namibia. 4/21/19

We woke in our thatched roof bungalows after 7 to a crystal blue sky with no clouds. Greeted by the expansive horizon dotted with scrub and rocks with mountains close by. Even the pile of "Zamalik" cans from the previous nights social hour (OK, maybe 3) had been cleaned up. Continued "Western" vibe, aside from some of the vegetation you could easily mistake the scenery for parts of Arizona, for example. Barren and dramatic. Little did I know but it would be one even more barren with vegetation moving to the extremely sparse level during this day. Breakfast was prepared by the couple who run the lodge. Eggs cooked for you, bacon, sausage, the usual stuff but very good. Had to top the meal off with a "cook sister". A piece of some sort of honey or sweetened dough cooked and as I understand it is usually twisted. But these looked like small 2" human shaped dolls. Tonight there is barely Wi-Fi so I am unable to add pictures that would show this. But when I can upload pictures I will so as to give an image of this tasty treat.

We headed north toward the border and got there by 9 as it was about 118km up the road. Passed by a bunker from the Boer war with it's cannon still pointed towards the highway! There are still a lot of German (ancestry) residents and visitors here in this area. Schnitzel is a regular item on the menus. We had a relatively easy time on the SA side. The usual as per the border details from the Patagonia blog 👇👇👇. Three stops minimum, get your slip of paper stamped by police, customs, immigration and then pass. The Namibia border used to be an open border as from 1915 until 1990 Namibia (formerly South West Africa) was the de facto fifth province of SA. The Namibian dollar is tied 1:1 to the SA rand and in fact most all the change received in 🇳🇦 has been South African bills, not Namibian. This is a great area to visit for so many reasons. And on top of the natural beauty is an added bonus for Americans. The dollar is strong. It is over 14 rand to 1$. Lodging and food have seemed very reasonable. Tonight's steak (T-bone) with salad, and alcoholic drinks (multiple rounds for some) ended up costing us 200ZAR including tip. About $14. 🤗 But I'm getting ahead of myself... After we left the SA border which neglected to collect my paper slip with the diligently obtained stamps, we crossed the Oranje river into Namibia. All non-Namibian vehicles must pay a fee to enter. Since it was Easter Sunday there weren't many folks there and we couldn't have navigated the border much faster. Still it was slow taking about an hour to get everyone through. We got gas at an EnGen station just over the border with a Wimpy's inside and we planned our ride. Four of us were interested to take a 60 mile or so detour so as to visit the well known (at least in Namibia!) Fish River Canyon. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_River_Canyon

I was naturally in that group, so just under half our group turned left at a T junction on the unpaved road while the rest of the group rode ahead to the Canyon Roadhouse. We blasted through very well maintained gravel/dirt roads. Frankly even faster than we were running on the "tar". About 150Km/hr. At times even 190km/hr which is just nuts but for stretches these roads are in perfect shape. Of course everything you have is covered in dust from bikes ahead of you and cars/trucks passing you going the other direction. Often you are wishing for a slight wind shift to move the large dust clouds kicked up by our knobby tires ahead of you to clear the dust storm to one side or the other. When the crosswind disappears visibility can be cut to damn near zero. Caution must be exercised to avoid a surprise impact and even to stay in the tire tracks which are a bit more compressed and easier to navigate than the sandier piles in between the tracks and also in between the two lanes of travel. There was one persistent challenge today. In areas where rain would run over the road ( not terribly common in this part of the desert) there were buildups of deeper sand on the road. These would cause a squiggling maneuver between the two tires. When you're running 135km/hr and your bike starts to wiggle 6-10" side to side somewhat violently those of us not growing up on dirt get pretty nervous. I got less nervous as the day progressed mostly because I became keen to spot the telltale marks on the road and where they tended to be found in depressions. The Africa Twin seems to be a very versatile and comfortable bike, doing all I need on road and clearly extremely capable off road which is due to my observation of the guys on this ride, not from me! We made it to the pay station and bought our tickets then ran the final 10km to the rim. So worth it! Grand Canyon is deeper but this is almost as long and still very dramatic.

We have an early AM and big day tomorrow so I am gonna cut this a bit short. Rest of the day highlights included the following. Kitschy Canyon Roadhouse lunch including a loud Pandora's Box, milkshake, lots of old cars and trucks and gas pumps under thatch roofs. Coming to a river that caused one of our riders to go for a swim. That pic I was able to post 👆. The bottom of that river crossing was like glass covered in algae or moss. But no injuries and the bike was unscathed. Lovely stop complete with an assortment of long horned beasts in a zoo like enclosure and a scenic pool at the Maritz Lodge. Dinner under the thatched roof restaurant and sat outside for a while telling stories. After midnight, so good night! I got some crap from the SA guys watching me peck for two hours last night, but I still this it is worth it.

[roswellroamer]

Cape Town to Sperrgebeit Lodge, Springbok, SA. 620km. 4/20/19

After an all too brief rest, we gathered for another 5 star breakfast (Rod's words) including meat plate, omelettes, cheeses, juices, fruit salad, etc. We then crowded into an Uber and aimed for the warehouse. We kept the bikes in the warehouse due to concerns about our bikes being parked outside the guest house. Though a nice neighborhood, there is an undercurrent/concern of mugging or theft around many parts of the city. Our bikes were in good shape under lock/ key and electrified fence. We then posed for some departure pictures from the few Sheilas that came for a 7AM send off. My rain gear was packed away on the truck and though roads were wet I heard it was supposed to be dry. Murphy's Law kicked in a bit. Not really rain, but most of the morning provided thick fog requiring frequent emergency flashers so we could see each other beyond 100 yards and even more frequent wiping of my visor in an effort to clear or at least improve my vision. We started to escape the foggy cycle (excuse the pun) as we climbed up our first mountain and grabbed a coffee break with a view from Kardoesie.

After that the landscape started to open up. After a couple more hours and a fuel stop (I took 17.82l) on fumes there emerged dramatic craggy peaks off to our right (east) as the landscape became arid and reminiscent of the American West. Lots of scrub, impressive rocky formations and mountains and lots of sky. We turned off at Letsatsi Lodge in Vanrhynsdorp and after an unsuccessful search (my third I believe) for sandals or flip flops (forgotten in my hasty packing) we settled in to a lush oasis that included a lodge and a nice steak restaurant, Red Ox. Most of the crew ordered schnitzel and then we got back on the highway headed north. We passed through Citrusdale which as you may guess had miles and miles of orange and lemon trees planted along both sides of the highway. The SA locals guys don't waste any time on the highway (not on the off road areas either for that matter) so missed out on some impressive landscape pics and expansive horizons with the Namibia Cape highway undulating its way over some times 6 or 7 rises visible before disappearing into the horizon. We called an audible and instead of crossing into 'Nam (that's what the SA guys call Namibia) we pulled off the pavement around Springbok and rode out into the desert. I have a picture of what this area looks like for a brief few weeks after the spring rains. An explosion of color, like some other deserts around the world. Just hard to father when you only see reddish rocks and scrub. And oh yes, the famous Quivertrees! So cool. Some call them upside down trees. A mane of modern art style twisted succulent "leaves" and something like I haven't seen before. There are more of them as it gets even dryer into Namibia but they are a special treat. Heading off road even if only for a short stretch today, you can tell the guys with lots of dirt experience. We all immediately disengage the traction control, but the guys who have relished the end of the "tar" as they say immediately start spraying rooster tails in the sand/dirt as they rocket their bikes down the road. I am fairly comfortable on pavement but especially when I first hit the end of the pavement, whereas some get excited, the loss of stability in either rear or front wheels causes me to experience immediate pucker factor... I will grow into being more comfortable with being "loose" as I ride as Inhave in other adventure rides, but so far it seems like my brain says what are you doing off the pavement , you idiot!

After some good laughs and attempts to hone our slingshot skills to prep for lions by shooting rocks at empty "Zamilik" (really Carling Black Label but called this instead in large swaths of land north and east of us). I had a cigar and then we ambled down to the reception building where one of the lodge owners was grilling lamb and pork for us. A really nice dinner with sausage, some different salads and even an ice cream and chocolate dessert. The word here for this is "braai" or "braaihoit" which is barbecue or wood fired barbecue. Right now I'm bearing the brunt of some of the SA crew who can't believe I'm over here still typing away on my bungalow (real thatch roof) stoop. Think I will turn in and excited for tomorrow and more than a few hours sleep. 😴