IN FLIGHT WITH THE FISH EAGLES – NAMIBIA, BOSTWANA, ZIMBABWE

[Ian in Great Brak River]

Thank you both for sharing your amazing trips with us, I especially like the question and answer part that Mrs. Vis has just given. I am astounded at where you two get to, not to mention with 515kg's of Sten too!

Again, thanks for the great RR(s) and the inspiration this generates.

Ian  8)

 

[immigrant]

:sip:  :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft:

 

[Vis Arend]

Visarende ek geniet julle RR's baie en die foto's is fantasties. Ek het baie respek vir die paaie wat julle aan durf so op julle eie.
Sal julle graag wil persoonik ontmoet as julle weer in die geweste kom

Sal lekker wees om te ontmoet.  :thumleft:  As als goed gaan is ons sommer weer binnekort in daai omgewing.  Ek sien jy het 'n plaas in die Rehoboth omgewing, dis lekker ryplek sommer naby Spreetshoogte, Remshoogte en Gamsberg.  Ons sal jou op hoogte hou. 

Thank you both for sharing your amazing trips with us, I especially like the question and answer part that Mrs. Vis has just given. I am astounded at where you two get to, not to mention with 515kg's of Sten too!

Again, thanks for the great RR(s) and the inspiration this generates.

Ian  8)

Thanks for the kind words Ian, appreciated.  :thumleft:

 

[Vis Arend]

:sip:  :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft:

Hey, stop browsing around here and finish your RR.  :biggrin:   
I really dig your RR, great country and scenery you traveled through, would love to do it one day, but I think that is a far away dream.    :drif:

 

[spoedvark]

Waar ry julle rond die naweek??

 

[hando]

Thank you very much for going to all the trouble to write and post this epic RR.

Having done a few RR's myself I realize that it is a LOT of work to do it. Especially one that as big as this.

Great trip and great RR. I just want to go a and ride.

 

[Mev Vis Arend]

OK, the guys ask for the packing list.

Here it goes.

Clothes which was packed in homemade bags that fit onto the crashbars.
We packed less than our previous Nam trip, but will pack even less for our next trip.  Packing for that time of the year is always difficult, as the northern part of Namibia is hell hot and the south and coming home is cold, at times, very cold.

The 50 liter ATG duffel bag fixed to the topbox bracket had the following in.
2 x Space blankets
2 x Blow up sleeping mattresses
2 x Chairs
2 x Blow up pillows
Fold up braai grid
Tent
7 liter Fuel cell (when empty)
2 x Drimac Jackets
2 x Long johns!!!!!!!
2 x small towels
Lightweight ground sheet

Left Pannier
Kitchen goodies such as-
Cutlery
2 plates
Coffee
Sugar
Powder milk
Spices
Army dieksie with 3 tin food in (Bully beef, Baked beans and Vienna’s, Spaghetti  in Tomato sauce)
Army stove with fuel tablets
Fold up sink
2 x fold up mugs
Jammerlappie or two
Small cooler bag with butter and jam
500gram Flour for bread backing
Heast
Fresh onions, garlic and 2-4 potatoes
1l to 0 litre container with good old Scotch Whisky  (depending on the days travelled), and another something for the wife.


Right pannier
Medical goodies
Toiletries
Electrical bag with torches, led light and battery chargers for cameras
Small computer
Small cooler bag for additional ice and water
Additional bike oil and rock straps
2 pair of slops

Bike tools and tyre repair kit was in the tooltubes fixed to the bike
Compressor was also fixed to the bike
Spare front and rear tubes in a moonbag on the handlebars.

Tank bag had the following in.
Emergency medical goodies
Spare camera batteries
My camera
Far lookers
Tyre pressure gauge
Passport and border crossing papers
Wallet
Leatherman knife
500ml Cold drink
And whatever else needs to be packed.  This little bag can take plenty……

The double bed sleeping bag was fitted on the top of the ATG bag.
2x tin cups were also clipped to the bag as well as a light weight pot and two toilet paper bags, the one was used for toilet paper and the other for my wife’s goodies .
That was about that.  We bought fresh meat, cold drinks and ice at most of the places we slept, otherwise we bought the supplies at the last town before we stopped for the day.

 

[Mev Vis Arend]

Warrelwind?  eepwall:

[flash=480,385]https://youtube.com/v/uvkqIfFaNsQ[/flash]

 

[Vis Arend]

Namibia highways.  No music as utube is blocking me.

[flash=480,385]https://youtube.com/v/e6GSSHlzTpA[/flash]

 

[Vis Arend]

And another one
[flash=480,385]https://youtube.com/v/i0clEpa-6ZA[/flash]

 

[BlueBull2007]

What a fantastic, inspirational RR! Thanks so much for sharing your story with us. I know it is a lot of hard work to put this together, but I know you likely got to relive the adventure again by doing so.

I have a lot of respect for the two of you to brave the elements out there together and just do it, despite the dangers and the risks. That is a big bike - well done to you both for taking it the places you did!

A couple of questions: Did you ride standing a lot? I noticed you both stood together on some of the highway shots in the rough sections. I was thinking more about the stony road. What did you find easier?

If anything what would you have done differently?

Thanks again for a BRILLIANT ride, your reports are always very special.

Oh ja - En daardie dieet was perfek: Brood en konfyt met n bietjie vleis saam! Diere eet die groen goed, so julle kry genoeg vitamiene. Daar was genoeg wit vleis ook! :thumleft:

 

[Legend]

Dit was een van die beste terugvoer ritte wat ek nog gelees het in my kort tyd hier op WD. Daar is hoop vir ons wat pillions dra maar ons sal moet oefen. Sterkte vir julle volgende rit.

 

[Vis Arend]

Thanks BB and Legend.  :thumleft:

A couple of questions: Did you ride standing a lot? I noticed you both stood together on some of the highway shots in the rough sections. I was thinking more about the stony road. What did you find easier?

If anything what would you have done differently?

I don't know if I will make sense with my answer, but lets try. 
Yes, we do like to stretch the legs whenever we can.  I found that some of the rocky section and very technical section, specially at slow speed, it was better for me not to stand.  In the stony sections I got very tired standing and opted to sit most of the time.  It also depended on the time of the day and how tired I was at that stage.  Riding for 8 - 9 hours rocky, sandy and sometimes technical terrain in 46 -47 degrees Celsius is heavy punishment on an old body like mine.  :biggrin:
That brings me to the answer on your last question.  One or two things that I would have changed, the one is that I should have been allot fitter, something that I tell myself everytime, but never do it.  ??? 

I also wish that I could carry more water.  I would then be able to travel more of these remote areas.  I was also a bit disappointed that I did not do the 4x4 route from Epupa to Swartbooisdrift.  I was warned not to do it and after a bit of a wake-up call on my previous 4x4 route, (we heard that a German couple did the same route as we did and they ran out of petrol for their 4x4 as well as drinking water, the husband was found dead and the wife near dead) we rather decided to take the safer route.  I will maybe do it one day with a group of guys or with a backup vehicle. 

I hope I answered your questions.  :thumleft:       

 

[BlueBull2007]

Ja, sometimes its better to choose discretion over valor, even though there will always be regret later.

Thanks for the answers, they made plenty of sense!  :thumleft:

I'm looking forward to reading about your next adventure.

 

[Dusty Rusty]

Bravo!

Baie baie dankie vir hierdie STUNNING RR!

Hoe was dit om na die trip weer terug in die samelewing te wees?   

Ek glo dat julle darm seker 'n bietjie moeg is vir Wimpy na julle trippie ne? 

Alles van julle report is / was  fasineerend!  Van daai diep watergat, tot die oase in die middel van nerens en die olifante wat 'n klipgooi van julle af was.  Ek is seker daai skilpadtjies sal julle ook ewig dankbaar wees! 

Ek hoop die mods skuif julle RR "Roll of Honour" toe  eepwall:

 

[spoedvark]

What a fantastic, inspirational RR! Thanks so much for sharing your story with us. I know it is a lot of hard work to put this together, but I know you likely got to relive the adventure again by doing so.

I have a lot of respect for the two of you to brave the elements out there together and just do it, despite the dangers and the risks. That is a big bike - well done to you both for taking it the places you did!

A couple of questions: Did you ride standing a lot? I noticed you both stood together on some of the highway shots in the rough sections. I was thinking more about the stony road. What did you find easier?

If anything what would you have done differently?

Thanks again for a BRILLIANT ride, your reports are always very special.

Oh ja - En daardie dieet was perfek: Brood en konfyt met n bietjie vleis saam! Diere eet die groen goed, so julle kry genoeg vitamiene. Daar was genoeg wit vleis ook! :thumleft:

Blou bulletjie, I went to Lesotho with the Arende. They rode up SANI on BIG BLUE sitting 99% of the way. Louis knows how to handle this bike!!!!!! And Nannie hangs on to her camera for all the amazing pics more than she holds on to BIG BLUE!!!!!!

Die twee ken van ry!!!

 

[woody1]

Hulle ry 'n Yamaha... say no more.. eepwall:

 

[Jakkals]

Hulle ry 'n Yamaha... say no more.. eepwall:

'n BLOU Yamaha nie 'n Johnsens & Johnsens baba poeier wit Yamaha nie.  :lol8: eepwall:

 

[woody1]

Passop vir jou... ek sien jou een van die dae doer onder in die gramadoelas met jou SMURFIE.... :ricky:

 

[Jakkals]

Passop vir jou... ek sien jou een van die dae doer onder in die gramadoelas met jou SMURFIE.... :ricky:

Ekke nie bang nie.  :snorting:

Voordeel van 'n wit bike is,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, jy sien die olie lekke makliker raak.  :imaposer: :imaposer: