Hearts in the Desert (Video Added)

[big oil]

As some cannot understand how people such as the Himba, choose to live the lifestyle they lead, I’m curious if Himba have the same outlook on our lifestyle?

Just how much dialogue occurs during these short interactions, a few words, complete sentences in English, or simply smiling at one another with hand gestures?

 

[Minxy]

As some cannot understand how people such as the Himba, choose to live the lifestyle they lead, I’m curious if Himba have the same outlook on our lifestyle?

Just how much dialogue occurs during these short interactions, a few words, complete sentences in English, or simply smiling at one another with hand gestures?

I think for many it's the only life they know. The Himba women we met at the bottom of VZP could barely speak a word of English, and judging by how they looked at us and our bikes, they must have thought we were quite the oddity We communicated with a bit of sign language, single words and some hand gestures. The one lady pointed at her little baby whose eyes were very watery and looked swollen. I told her we don't have medicine for that and left her a small amount of cash. Whether they can buy/trade something somewhere, maybe via somebody passing through, I don't know. All I know is that life must be very hard out there. An old Afrikaans proverb comes to mind though; "Wat die oog nie sien nie... Maak die hart nie seer nie".

At the Kaokoland Restaurant in Opuwo we saw a prime example of how modernization is slowly taking place. There were a few Himba waitresses with tidy western clothes and near perfect English, but they still retained their traditional headdresses, just with a modern twist. In the more rural areas we also noticed it was often the men who have started wearing western clothes, not so much the women. Who knows what changes time will bring though?

 

[Minxy]

Wednesday the 18th of September 2019 (continued)

Our ride down the beautiful Hoarusib riverbed is nearly at an end.

We decide to stay at the Community Camp just outside of Purros, but before we settle down and unpack our things, we'll first go past Collin's house to get some petrol.

We go down the last stretch of riverbed and are greeted by a field of sand dunes as we make our way into the rural town. Our gps route even has the location of Collin's green house marked on the map. When we arrive two friendly men immediately come running along and offer to help us refuel. I am overjoyed that everything is going to plan!

Our bikes weren't quite empty yet, but out here securing fuel was the most important thing we had to do right now. If for whatever reason there was a fuel shortage it would mean we'd have to go straight to Sesfontein and forfeit going through the Purros Canyon, which would be a tragedy! HSK did phone Collin when we got to Opuwo a few days prior (the last place with cellphone signal) to confirm availability, and he said don't worry, there is always fuel available in Purros. Collin said he wouldn't be there to welcome us, but there would be people to help. Cool!

Our bikes both take about 10L each. To summarize, our tanks take 17L which we fueled up in Okangwati. We then refilled from our 5L fuel bladders when we got to Van Zyls Pass Viewpoint over the Marienfluss. That meant we had 7L ish left when arriving in Purros. I had wondered whether we'd have needed more fuel if we wanted to visit Camp Syncro which is on the Cunene river near the Angolan border, but I think we would have been alright. The consumption on the 500s had been very good. We filtered all the fuel from containers using a Guglatech fuel filter which we carry with us just to be safe. What makes the Guglatech filter nice is it doesn't only catch dirt, but water too, so it gives you pretty good peace of mind.

We asked the guys assisting us where we could get something cold to drink. They said the owner of the local shop in town was away today, so we'd have to go to the Okahirongo Lodge if we wanted to get something. It's not too far away so we ride down to the lodge.

When we walk through the doors it feels like we have just entered into a picture cut out from a luxury magazine. A five star hotel for the rich and famous. I almost expect to see Angelina Jolie relaxing in a deck chair somewhere. Wow, just wow!

We order some rock shandies from the waitress (which are sooooo good! They are just to die for in this heat). She informs us that they can make some toasted sandwiches for lunch too. I lower my voice and whisper to HSK that I think this is going to cost us an arm and a leg... He says, you know what it's fine, we've had such a spectacular time the last few days, we'll spoil ourselves a bit to celebrate

If I had it all, I'd be dead in a week
If I had my way, be king for a day - Kasabian :king:

Even though everything appears to be very nice here, I shift around uncomfortably on the designer imported couch. My dirty biking clothes will probably stain it... I haven't even looked at my face in the mirror today. We must be so sweaty and dusty, it feels almost awkward to be here. But hey, at least there is some cellphone reception and I can quickly update everyone that we have successfully navigated Van Zyls Pass and that we are still in one piece. There are other guests sitting at a table across from us near the pool speaking French. I see the one woman eyeing us. I give her a friendly wave and smile, I get nothing in return... "Hmpfh!" I miss the simplicity of our journey already, being off the beaten track, interacting with locals and like minded travelers, camping, eating food from a can, rotating the few clothes that we have brought with us, I miss things being "real"... No fancy people around judging and looking down on you just because you don't have a Christian Dior handbag or a Tom Ford dress! I don't think they would even begin to understand what we have been through just to get here, and you know what, that is ok. Here we are in the same place, yet we are worlds apart.

We finish our drinks and our meal, the bill arrives. R700, they even take credit card, how convenient. Oh well, it was nice enough while it lasted I guess. Anyway, let's get out of here. Our adventure is still far from over, and I miss the comfort of our little tent ;D

 

[Oubones]

"and I miss the comfort of our little tent"
So glad that I am not the only one preferring to rather experience the adventure than sit in "home" luxury and just see it.
Thanks for taking me back to those places my heart longs for again! :thumleft:

 

[Xpat]

Strange that both shops in the village were closed, they are right next to each other and you had to pass them both on the way to the lodge (one is pink/orange clearly visible from the main road and the other green (called "Manchester") right behind the orange one. I suspect they just didn't want to sent you to competition...

That luxury lodge - while beautiful, has a bad vibe. They just don't like walk-in traffic (especially of dirty biking variety) and prefer clientele with their own private jet.

And it looks like you headed to community campsite for overnight - which is a fine establishment, but I prefer the community lodge about 200 meters away as the chalets are very affordable (R300 per chalet if I remember correctly) and I'm a gastro tourist who camps only in self defense anyway 

 

[hondsekierie]

Strange that both shops in the village were closed, they are right next to each other and you had to pass them both on the way to the lodge (one is pink/orange clearly visible from the main road and the other green (called "Manchester") right behind the orange one. I suspect they just didn't want to sent you to competition...

That luxury lodge - while beautiful, has a bad vibe. They just don't like walk-in traffic (especially of dirty biking variety) and prefer clientele with their own private jet.

And it looks like you headed to community campsite for overnight - which is a fine establishment, but I prefer the community lodge about 200 meters away as the chalets are very affordable (R300 per chalet if I remember correctly) and I'm a gastro tourist who camps only in self defense anyway 

That community lodge closed down, even the signs were taken off.  Was quite a weird experience to see it in it's abandoned state - still a lot of content left but very clearly not operational anymore.  If it was in SA nothing would've been left of it, luckily property is still respected there.  Would've been super to stay in the chalets (even though we really loved our little tent) as the flies (1,000,000+) early the next morning really bugged us.  Guess it's also the severe drought they're experiencing, the flies looking for any moisture they can get.

Regarding the other open shops - I guess you're right, most likely competition.  I guess we also pulled a "gastro tourist" move by shooting straight to the fancy lodge  :lol8:

Regarding the frogs that didn't greet - I've rarely met friendly ones and I guess that's their thing - maybe that's their way of hiding their insecurities.  They did look soft and weak, unlike us rough and hardened travellers  :ricky:

[member=9492]Xpat[/member]  - did you come right with Frankie and that riverbed ride in Limpopo?  We are super keen to go do it ourselves - maybe even together

 

[Xpat]

Strange that both shops in the village were closed, they are right next to each other and you had to pass them both on the way to the lodge (one is pink/orange clearly visible from the main road and the other green (called "Manchester") right behind the orange one. I suspect they just didn't want to sent you to competition...

That luxury lodge - while beautiful, has a bad vibe. They just don't like walk-in traffic (especially of dirty biking variety) and prefer clientele with their own private jet.

And it looks like you headed to community campsite for overnight - which is a fine establishment, but I prefer the community lodge about 200 meters away as the chalets are very affordable (R300 per chalet if I remember correctly) and I'm a gastro tourist who camps only in self defense anyway 

That community lodge closed down, even the signs were taken off.  Was quite a weird experience to see it in it's abandoned state - still a lot of content left but very clearly not operational anymore.  If it was in SA nothing would've been left of it, luckily property is still respected there.  Would've been super to stay in the chalets (even though we really loved our little tent) as the flies (1,000,000+) early the next morning really bugged us.  Guess it's also the severe drought they're experiencing, the flies looking for any moisture they can get.

Regarding the other open shops - I guess you're right, most likely competition.  I guess we also pulled a "gastro tourist" move by shooting straight to the fancy lodge  :lol8:

Regarding the frogs that didn't greet - I've rarely met friendly ones and I guess that's their thing - maybe that's their way of hiding their insecurities.  They did look soft and weak, unlike us rough and hardened travellers  :ricky:

[member=9492]Xpat[/member]  - did you come right with Frankie and that riverbed ride in Limpopo?  We are super keen to go do it ourselves - maybe even together

That lodge - that is a bummer. 

I loved that place, the simplicity of it frequent elephant visits and attention to detail like little zigzag ornaments left on the ground around each chalet by resident spitting cobras reminding you to keep the door closed at all times  O0. And it's a shame that when locals for once did show some entrepreneurial spirit, it did came to nothing. But hey, that is life - at least the campsite is still there.

Regarding the river - I didn't go up this weekend, got lazy in the heat. I will head up again next weekend (if work doesn't get in the way), but probably will focus on the bush between Jericho and Rooiberg, as there seem to be plenty of communal bush riding if I read the satellite images correctly (may come to nothing if it turns out to be private land). Will let you know what I find and then we can string together a nice route up to Ellisras and explore that river from there. You are welcome to join me on the weekend, but it will be very exploratory - i.e. I have no idea if the tracks I see are on the public land and I might just end up riding into the fences whole day. And the sand / thorns combo is going to be brutal from what I have seen two weeks ago - especially if I get lost, which I will. Let me know if you are still keen and we can arrange something via Whatsapp. Ta

 

[Minxy]

Strange that both shops in the village were closed, they are right next to each other and you had to pass them both on the way to the lodge (one is pink/orange clearly visible from the main road and the other green (called "Manchester") right behind the orange one. I suspect they just didn't want to sent you to competition...

That luxury lodge - while beautiful, has a bad vibe. They just don't like walk-in traffic (especially of dirty biking variety) and prefer clientele with their own private jet.

And it looks like you headed to community campsite for overnight - which is a fine establishment, but I prefer the community lodge about 200 meters away as the chalets are very affordable (R300 per chalet if I remember correctly) and I'm a gastro tourist who camps only in self defense anyway 

That community lodge closed down, even the signs were taken off.  Was quite a weird experience to see it in it's abandoned state - still a lot of content left but very clearly not operational anymore.  If it was in SA nothing would've been left of it, luckily property is still respected there.  Would've been super to stay in the chalets (even though we really loved our little tent) as the flies (1,000,000+) early the next morning really bugged us.  Guess it's also the severe drought they're experiencing, the flies looking for any moisture they can get.

Regarding the other open shops - I guess you're right, most likely competition.  I guess we also pulled a "gastro tourist" move by shooting straight to the fancy lodge  :lol8:

Regarding the frogs that didn't greet - I've rarely met friendly ones and I guess that's their thing - maybe that's their way of hiding their insecurities.  They did look soft and weak, unlike us rough and hardened travellers  :ricky:

[member=9492]Xpat[/member]  - did you come right with Frankie and that riverbed ride in Limpopo?  We are super keen to go do it ourselves - maybe even together

That lodge - that is a bummer. 

I loved that place, the simplicity of it frequent elephant visits and attention to detail like little zigzag ornaments left on the ground around each chalet by resident spitting cobras reminding you to keep the door closed at all times  O0. And it's a shame that when locals for once did show some entrepreneurial spirit, it did came to nothing. But hey, that is life - at least the campsite is still there.

Regarding the river - I didn't go up this weekend, got lazy in the heat. I will head up again next weekend (if work doesn't get in the way), but probably will focus on the bush between Jericho and Rooiberg, as there seem to be plenty of communal bush riding if I read the satellite images correctly (may come to nothing if it turns out to be private land). Will let you know what I find and then we can string together a nice route up to Ellisras and explore that river from there. You are welcome to join me on the weekend, but it will be very exploratory - i.e. I have no idea if the tracks I see are on the public land and I might just end up riding into the fences whole day. And the sand / thorns combo is going to be brutal from what I have seen two weeks ago - especially if I get lost, which I will. Let me know if you are still keen and we can arrange something via Whatsapp. Ta

There is so much in those trust lands in Limpopo that is unexplored, yes fences are a problem, but lets see. I'll send you some other routes I've got for that area too, maybe it can help. Will be in touch

 

[Minxy]

Wednesday the 18th of September 2019 (continued)

We ride back to the Purros Community Campsite. I just have to stop and take photos of the road winding through the trees. There is so much beauty in this place.

Ah, much better! Now I feel at home We start putting up camp. It goes quite quickly, we are starting to get good at this The Himba lady at reception asked me when she must light the fire for our shower, I tell her 6pm should be fine. What I found quite random about this part of the world was, even though you are doing pretty "extreme" riding at what appears to be the ends of the earth, there is always a warm shower at the end of the day. Suits me just fine

It's good to finally get out of all the riding kit at the end of an eventful day.

Awwwww, I just want to rest for 5min, promise!

It's still a bit early for our shower so we decide to go for a walk.

It's nice to explore the place on foot and see some of the fauna and flora up close.

We both agree, there is some seriously lekker sand here

I spot some buildings in the distance. This is it! The Purros Community Lodge where we stayed during Honda Quest in 2017.

We push open a closed gate which leads us into the camp. It's strangely quiet, not a soul in sight. I say to HSK that this is where we stayed, I even point out the spot where I pitched my tent back in 2017.

Flashback - The camp was alive with the big Honda expedition visiting, all of us working away like busy bees on our rest day. We washed our clothes and bikes, arranged and repacked our things. We also did the 1000km services on the Africa Twins.

I tell HSK this place has changed. It was much nicer when we were here, things were more tidy. Something just seems off this time around. It looks completely run down and neglected. Abandoned even?

We don't hang around for too long, this place is really starting to give me the creeps. It is not the vibrant happy place I remember. It would be interesting to know if it is still in operation?

We start the walk back to our campsite.

A lonely road marker shows us the way.

It's good to get back to our camp. The bush shower is so refreshing. I make us some food. Another three course meal, there are even smoked oysters on the menu tonight, take that fancy Okahirongo Lodge! :laughing4:

The sun sets over Purros. Today has been a great day, no doubt tomorrow will be as well.

If you believe the Western Sun
is falling down on everyone
And you feel it burn, don't try to run
And you feel it burn, your time has come. - The Prodigy

 

[hondsekierie]

Awe, the pictures bring back so many awesome memories, how I would have loved to be on the bike this morning......

Our next day is going towards the coastline, magical

 

 

[Ri]

Beautiful photo's! So sad about Purros community lodge, we stayed there for 2 nights last year June  :-\

For some arbitrary reason, the Yr app on my phone gives me an update of the weather in Purros every morning.

 

[P.K.]

Great report and Minxy your thoughts and reflections on the simplicity of a small tent and tinned food really strikes a chord.

Purros is a special place and sitting on those dunes outside camp as the sun is rising or setting is something I would not trade easily.

 

[Kevin Liddell]

Thanks for sharing your info on mousses.  I’m keen to give them a try on my 525.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Minxy]

Thursday the 19th of September 2019

Today's expected route would be fairly long (in Kaokoland terms), leaving behind the small community of Purros and making our way down the Purros River Canyon, Ganias Plains, to the Amspoort Gorge and through the Hoanib riverbed to Sesfontein to get fuel. We'd then ride to the Khowarib Lodge where we stayed earlier on our trip, as it would be the perfect starting location for our next days ride.

Today would be another journey into the unknown for me as well, as we only did a very, very short part of the Purros Canyon when I was here in 2017, having to turn around when we were met with a temperamental young elephant bull.

But first things first... What is the best way to start a day like this? By following a short track through the dunes of course

We are met once again by the rising Namibian sun.

Traversing the dunes is exhilarating, I have never ridden dunes like this before. I could honestly do this all day... Time is a concern though, and we have to leave the dune fields after riding along only for a very short distance, heading past Purros and onward to the lower Hoarusib riverbed, better known as the Purros Canyon.

The world as we had come to know it over the past few days turned upside down when we entered the majestic canyon.

The scenery has changed, the air has changed, our mood has changed. An amazing energy radiates from this special place.

As we are riding along, crossing the river numerous times, I suddenly spot a huge hyena running away into the brush. Wow, that is not a common sighting around here I'm sure. I even stop HSK and ask him if he saw it too just to make sure my eyes were not playing tricks on me. Then, just a stone throw down the road we spot two 4x4 vehicles with their tents still pitched, the people sitting around their breakfast table. The hyena must have come around to scavenge on some of last nights braai meat no doubt.

I must say, we are finding quite a number of people out here in the "middle of nowhere". So far we have seen people driving along, as well as camping in some of the remote places of the Damaraland on our first day. Then we had a Red Cross bakkie coming past us in the opposite direction not far from Heartbreak Hill. After that we met the people who were repairing their vehicle close to Jouberts Pass. I am led to believe that the Kaokoland is getting more accessible to adventure travelers these days, especially with all the information to visiting this area being freely available online. It is also quite evident there is a lot more traffic coming through by just judging how corrugated some of the roads have become. I am just too happy we can still explore this incredible place before it loses its "magic" and god forbid becomes another tourist trap, as many of the more commercialized places in the south of Namibia have become.

The people get up from their breakfast table as we come along, they seem all too happy to see us We stop and strike up some conversation. They are quite surprised we are riding here alone of course and tell us we must be careful, some of the water crossings up ahead are fairly deep. I also ask them if they have seen any elephant, and they say no. We thank them for their advice and get on our way again.

The campers were right. The water does get deeper as we ride further into the canyon. Now the last thing we want to do is drown our bikes in the "desert" eh

A few times we have to look carefully before we find the best place to cross.

The scenery in this place doesn't stop getting better.

It feels like we criss cross the river a hundred times.

And suddenly we get there. I don't know if "there" has a name, but it is a landmark I have yearned to see. It is an honour to ride through these narrow cliffs, following in the footsteps of some of our most seasoned adventurers.

It feels like the narrow cliffs we ride through are a gateway into a completely different part of the canyon. Things start to change again, the water crossings get less frequent, more shallow and then the river just seems to dry up altogether. We ride on, following the cool sea breeze which beckons us closer to the mysterious Skeleton Coast. We are so close yet so far! How I wish bikes were permitted to travel there. I think about how we could ride where the river meets the great sand dunes and then the sea, but enough daydreaming for now, we have to focus on the task at hand.

Cut me off from the rest of the world
It's my addiction
It turns me on - Nothing But Thieves

 

[TVB]

Sub, I only see this now and mark for later read.....and I know its gonna be good!!  :laughing4: :thumleft:

 

[McSack]

Incredible RR.
Thanks for sharing Minxy & HSK

Sent from my BV9500 using Tapatalk

 

[Minxy]

Thursday the 19th of September 2019 (continued)

We are nearly at the turning point where we will climb out of the Purros Canyon.

Ever heard of fesh fesh? This is it.

Just to show how much dust gets kicked up.

Luckily it is just a short section. Fesh fesh is not too bad on a bike, but quite mind boggling if you haven't ridden anything like it before. It's literally like baby powder, it feels like your wheel just falls into the rut, it's not like riding normal sand at all. I just felt sorry for the air filters...

At this point we also went round the bottom of some lodge. It seems to be a "fly in" place only? Laanie ek sê https://www.timbuktutravel.com/lodge/leylandsdrift-camp

As we move away from the river, there are no more signs of anything green for a while.

Some corrugated hardpack gravel gives us a break from the riverbed sands.

We ride the wide open Ganias plains for what feels like forever. It truly is beautiful, but the corrugations are killing us a little bit. I start thinking I'd rather take the riverbed sand again over this

We find a single tree and decide that this is the place to stop and have a protein bar.

Shortly afterwards we bump into some 4x4s standing in the distance, three vehicles. It's always comforting to see other travelers in such remote places and we stop and chat to them. They say they are making their way up to the Purros Canyon, they also tell us they saw at least thirteen elephants when they camped in the Hoanib river. So exciting!!!

The scenery starts getting more interesting again and there are some beautiful sand dunes.

This lovely area is called the Amspoort Gorge I believe?

At this point we hop into the Hoanib riverbed. Truly stunning, and quite different from the other ones we rode in. There are so many beautiful old trees. We ride along cautiously as we don't want to unknowingly bump into those lucky number thirteen elephants.

A big thumbs up for this beautiful place. :thumleft:

A view screenshots from the video footage HSK took.

Truly beautiful and laid back riverbed riding.

Again we see a lot of different game, but no elephants for us today. We also pass more 4x4s coming from the opposite direction. I honestly didn't think we'd get so much "traffic" around here. It isn't a bad thing I guess, at least it is comforting to know that enough people do come through here, so help would be around if anything was to happen.

It started to get quite hot, and the thick riverbed sand was feeling like slightly more hard work with the sun beating down on us.

I didn't stop too much to take photos of this last bit. At this stage we were following Xpat's route and there was a slight bit of confusion on this part of the track. I studied the gps and we got back on the correct path again.

Eventually we got to a place with a little building and a chain blocking the road. A guy popped out and told us we've got to pay R100p/p. Ah, the famous Haonib tollgate. I didn't mind paying at all. There are almost no park fees whatsoever in this part of Namibia, and this was the only place we ever had to pay anything to ride in the area.

We are so close to Sesfontein now I can almost taste lunch, ooooohhhhh real mouth watering food awaits us!!! Now I can't wait! Lets go, lets go! As we ride through the tollgate though, the wind starts to pick up...

 

[MRK Miller]

And the smell of elephant dung fills your senses :laughing4:. Awesome stuff. Eagerly awaiting the next chapter ot: :sip:

 

[Minxy]

Thursday the 19th of September 2019 (continued)

It's not far to go to Sesfontein from here, but there's trouble in the air.

The sand storm starts to pick up all around us. We should probably stop taking photos and be on our way...

We ride on, but it's getting worse.

Even the giraffes try to run away.

It's here, the unrelenting wind in full blast.

In the eye of the storm

It hits us hard! We ride on slowly, no taking pictures for now. The sand blasts down on us. It is so bad that we have to stop, we cannot see in front of us! We sit on our bikes shielding ourselves as best we can. I cannot even see HSK and he is right next to me. This is hectic, but what can we do, we need to wait it out. I think of some advice I saw on the internet;

 

[Minxy]

Bumping this to next page