Kaokoland: I was tired of reading about it!!!

[stroke her]

Day 10: Ninja Turtles and Allergies. On to Palwag we go

I wake up and have some cookies and coffee for brekkie.

The reception girl walks over to collect payment. N$150

Ha...moegoe and his boet said N$250 last night. Mmmm...classroom fund donation? I wonder.

I decide against the Rest Day. No food or cooldrinks here.

Palmwag is an easy 80km or so south along the C43.

I wonder over to the pool...water is clear and peacefull.

I walk up past the Falls and inspect the source. Its green and cool.

Recalling the turtles report by Metal Jocky I look for them.

I spot Leonardo in the shallows. Being the Ninja master he is he departs into the shadows of deeper water.

I reflect on yesterday. The big highlight part of the trip is now over...or so I thought. Again within the next Couple of days Nam will prove me wrong.

I mull over yesterday some more...in hindsight it was really not that bad. Was I over cautious with the ellies? I theorize elephant behaviour.

What a ***** you are Van Rooyen. The woodworkers in the Knysna forests all those years ago faced Ou Poot daily with only a voorlaaier as defence. You woosie.

Yesterday the phone struggled again to charge in the heat....I dared to charge it straight from the bike last night.

Pack up.

Turn key...was the phone charge too much for the battery?

Press starter.

The Yammerhammer fires too life...."don't doubt me you nonbeliever...don't you trust me yet. Have I not proven my mettle yet?! You do0s."

 

[stroke her]

Nog

 

[stroke her]

Get going by 10am Nam time.

C43 is dusty with 4 x 4 traffic.

The road is ridden out...fuctap. I dont bother with a foto.

All I can think of is some RnR at Palmwag.

Closer to Palmwag the road get really bad. Corrugated with high gravel middelmannetjies and loose random rocks. Kak Kak Kak road.

I arrive at Palmwag and after some confusion about the number of nights I require I am booked into my campsite by the friendly staff. Place seems very posh and a bit like a tourist trap. Well you are a tourist you fool.

It was hot and I was at Campsite 12...the second last one and a bit of a walk. Set up camp and relaxed in the hammock a bit. Then off to the pool to get beer at the bar and eat before the bar stops serving food at 6pm or so.

There is an elephant in front of the main deck but as a camper I am not allowed on there? Typical attitude...rules and regs of a commercial institution catering for mainline upmarket tourism. I get a bit revved. They can keep their ellie...plenty of wild ones for me to find.

I am here for the food

Go have a beer at the pool. The mixed range of foreign accents fill my ears...this normally give a sense of a cosmopolitan vibe.

Not today...it was irritation me beyond measure. WTF....do I want to be here for a rest day?!

I think I picked up a known Kaokoland allergy: An allergy to people an civilization.

Somesort of schnitzel later I am fed and head back to camp. Some more quality hammock time...

Then off to bar again for early dinner...hamburger trumps schnitzel.

More hammock lounging, tunes, smokes and stargazing. Then a medium cold night.

 

[stroke her]

Nog

 

[stroke her]

Day 11: Day of Rest, Yank behaviour studies and meeting Ou Poot's cousin

I wake up...brekkie at the restuarant is paid for and booked. 6am-9am

I have plenty time so go hammocking again.

I lie there still a bit miffed at my displiking of the place.

A rented 4x4 pulls in to the campsite next door. Yank, his son and sons friend pops out.

Great. Yanks. Dont ask me why but their accent irritates me.

You are here for RnR dammit...calm down Harriette.

I observe them as they set up their roof top tents. A surfboard and wetsuit gets whipped out as well. Uh?? Fokken weird my bru.

As I lie there observing them like some Nazi scientist would a lab rat I become aware of  shadow behind their camp's aftdakkie. Uh??

I wipe the sleep from my eyes.

I wake up. What...its a freaking elephant?!

They notice him too and get their cameras out.

He feeds on the tree right next to their camp.

I dare to get out my hammock to approach for a better angle.

 

[stroke her]

I go stand behind my bike next to the dustbin.

Ou Poot's cousin approach. My thoughts were he would follow the road down to the bar...

Erm no...he hangs a left and pass 10m in front of me to feed on the trees on the riverbank bordering my campsite.

It was quite cool to observe how he picks of leaves and small twigs with the dexteriety on a banzai gardener...doing as litte damage to the trees as possible. Almost like he is pruning them...

Adrenaline levels are slightly raised...then he turns and comes closer to feed on the bush adjoining my afdakkie.

Adrenaline level goes up 2 notches.

Then a gust of wind. Hammock inflates with a audible pop.

Have you ever seen an elephant jump?!

Ellie, 2 meter gap, hammock, small tend, bike then me boxed in with nowhere to go.

Kak n baksteen.

 

[stroke her]

Ellie gives the disrespectfull hammock a stare down...ears gets raised.

He is literally 5 meters directly ahead of me...I dont dare to move. I have no idea how good their eyesight is.

Eventually he relaxes and carry on feeding.

As he raises his head his eyes are blocked from direct line of sight. I take my chance and execute a hurried but quiet crawls between dustbin and Baby Ten.

Baby Tens smirks as I crawl pass: "Van Rooyen jou banggat."

I go stand by the Yanks. We have a quiet conversation and take some picks.

Ou Poot's cousin eventually move on down the road.

Sufficiently energized I head off to brekkie. Buffet...I make a pig of myself. I dont care. N$135...I am getting my monies worth dammit.

After brekkie more lounging about, hammocking, powernapping and general lazyness ensues.

Mmmm...Palmwag not so bad after all.

 

[stroke her]

Blou voeels

 

[stroke her]

Woestyn Eekhoring

 

[stroke her]

Groot Poot

Thats a size 12 Havianna!!

 

[stroke her]

After some more hammocking (yes being lazy seems to be the default setting here) I made my way down to the bar for late lunch.

Ordered a burger again...for the win :biggrin:

As I am sitting there sipping my Tafel (beer was cheaper than cooldrink promise honey) a teenage girl walks up.

"Erken oom my nie?"

Now she was too young so dont the lot of you now take this to the gutter... 8)

"Erm, wag so bietjie. Ja!"

Wragtig...Die Evangelie Group.

Hulle het kar probleme met haar oupa se Cruiser (paraplegiese oom I sorted Tracks4Africa out at Marble Camp).

I follow her round to the workshop area. Many smiles and warm hellos.

I offer help.

"nee boet dis reg ons is amper klaar"

The main filter screen that sits on the diesel tank was blocked. Tank drained, removed, filter cleaned and Cruizer was happy again.

I offered refreshment. Th littly girls dad mentioned something about a cold beer.

To action I go and couple of minutes lates that man is suckling on that cold Tafel like a calf on a teet.

They need to push on so I give them my business card and wish them good luck.

Small world.

Return to camp and sort out some bits and bobs for tomorrow's ride.

At this stage my luggage is bursting seams so I spend some time strapping them up a bit and getting rid of any surplus.

 

[stroke her]

Luggage Disclaimer:

I bought a set of Gen 1 Enduristan Monsoon pannier second hand but unused.

They have been great and works really well on the panniers I welded up. Don't move and balance on the bike is good.

ChrisL already checked in on me and assured Gen 2 and 3 the seam issues have been resolved. Good service :thumleft:

 

[Dragonfly-XC]

:sip: Nogal braaf met die ellie, maar ook maar bly jy het nie enige Simbas teegekom nie.
Die draad is naais.

 

[stroke her]

:sip: Nogal braaf met die ellie, maar ook maar bly jy het nie enige Simbas teegekom nie.
Die draad is naais.

She said >

 

[Chrisl]

Kinda ironic the word DEAD is printed on your plakkie?!!! :eek7: :lol8:

 

[stroke her]

Herklaas...nie braaf met Ellie nie. Fraud I tell you I am.

Whilst settling my account at reception the afternoon I ask the lady if they regularly see the elephant that visited me this morning.

Me: "He has a small hole in his left ear"

She: "Ja hy is meeste dae hier, hy is soos ons huis kat."

Facepalm.

Me trying to hide my embarresment: "Het hy n naam?"

She: "Yes Jimbo, hy is nogal mense gewoond"

Double Facepalm.

Van Rooyen jou poephol.

Day 12: Where The Creator stores all the rocks left over after building the earth...and what hides among these rocks.

I get up early and make a coffee on my stove. Some muesli and then enjoy my last ciggie. Yesterday I contemplated buying ciggies at the bar as they had my brand but decided to rather get from the next shop when I buy food rations for today's leg. My ration of ciggies brought in from ZA has now run dry. You know when you are on a decent trip when you are one carton in :thumleft:

It is cold but need to get going as I have a strange suspicion that today is going to be a very long day.

The planned leg runs down from Palmwag on the C43 then turn right after Bergsig on the C39 to Torra Bay. Then a few kays on one turns south on a 2 spoor that goes through the desert and ends up joining the D2303 at Brandberg West Mine. My planned overnight would be the Rhino Trust Camp in the Ugab river.

Distance about 180km if I recall correctly. Now as most members around here know 180km is not far...but by now Kaokoland has taught me a few things and I tell you a 100km up here is bleddie far.

The reason for my suspicion is twofold:

1. I did not do any particular detailed research on this leg...as in how hard and what type of terrain
2. Dave...aka Mr Beserker. He generated the GPX file for me.

Now Mr Beserker by his own admission have a tendency to get carried away with daily distance when it comes to trip planning. A result I believe of not getting the chance to go on trips enough...hence the "all you can eat" approach when he does. And also if you know Mr Beserker his youthful enthusiasm anything dirtbike and adventure related is hard to contain and can lead to Google Earthing himself (or in this case me) into a Google Epic.

Luckily I have gone tripping with Dave enough to be aware of this enhanced appetite for mileage. I set of as soon as it is light enough.

I pass the Palmwnary checkpoint after topping up the tank. They spray my tires halfheartedly with some type of disinfectant. I give the guy a look...

" As jy n tip soek gaan jy my wiele skooner moet was as daai boet"

I start looking for a spaza shop for smokes and some provisions. Nothing viable at Palmwag.

I make my way to Bergsig. General shop with a drankwinkel attached. Closed.

Rondfok

Asking around I eventually get pointed to a roundish lady in a pink bathrobe standing chatting to her neighbour.

She: "No shops only opens at 10am."

Me: Huh?

She: "Dis die polisie, hulle hou ons dop"

Me: "Double Huh"

Turns out its that alcohol can only be sold from 10am and since the shop is attached to the drankwinkel it needs to keep the same hours.

It was 8am. I was not going to stick around. The road here was ****** and I got stuck behind a truck kicking up huge dustclouds in the still morning air for most of the way to Bergsig. At Bergsig the truck was picking up workers so I decided "Fok dit" and got ahead of it.

At the turnoff to Torra Bay some shacks on the side of the road. One of them has 'shop' spraypainted on its side.

Ask around...no sorry no food available or smokes.

Rondfok

Ah well I have some muesli, coffee and enough fuel and water. I press on.

A few kilometers on the GPS direct me to a nondescript turn-off. I take some foties and notice a Gemsbok scampering off...the baby Ten was standing idling in the cool morning air.

Accross the road I notice a small sign "Wereld Einde" (Worlds End).

Huh...Dave why do you turn me so close to Armageddon?!

As I finish my happy snappy a thought crosses my mind...did Oom Tiempie not say this area contains the largest population of free roaming Black Rhino
in the world? Or did I read it somewhere?

What is the chances man!? You have been spoilt beyond all expectation...stop being greedy!!

Into the desert I go.

Now before the trip 2TDan told me..."Kaokoland...ja jy gaan klippe ry. Klippe of sand...niks tussen in nie"

Well today for this leg was true so so true!

Km on km of rocky track...then sandy...then bigger rocks...then different type of sand...then different colour rocks. On and on it went.

 

[stroke her]

ChrisL...jy mis niks nie! Ek het nie eens so opgelet nie...

 

[katana]

Dankie man.  My breaks tussen studeer spandeer ek hier.  :ricky:

 

[stroke her]

Gemsbok, springbok...I pass many.

The track gets sandy again...but still with lots of loose rock inbetween. Its that gravelly grey sand again similar to my descent to the Hoanib. Tiring. My hands are bruising again.

As I descend down this dry spillway I reach a point where the river/spillway cut a vertical embankment through the sand. Yellow grass just less than knee height all around. No Simbas in sight Not that one would see a lion in that yellow grass.

I notice movement on top of this vertical embankment. It is running away from me...

As I stop to take a better look I thought...surely a lion is more yellow than that.

Then the movement stop and the movement turns around

Movement: "Eks nie fokken geelvel nie jou drol"

Me: "Jammer, sallie weer nie"

Its a ******* hyena....!! 60-70m away from me in broad daylight.

Then as my  nerves settle a bit I noticed its two mates close by.

I thought to myself: "Why aren't these chappies running away? Surely the thunderous roar of my Leo Vince blaf pyp should scare them?"

Movements collectively: "Ons vir jou bang?! Nooit van gehoor nie ou Tjop"

Rev a bit. Braap Braaaap. They move back a few meters then stop.

I finger the hooter.

They just stare at me.

"Fok dit...hierdie brasse is honger. I'm outa here!"

Now truth be told I am more terrified of hyena than of lion. My reasoning is that hyena is a cowardly animal (like baboon) and hunt/gather in packs. They pic on the weak and/or dying. A lion will probably take you out so quickly it would be fairly painless...I reckon Mr Hyena and his mates will slowly tear pieces of you bit by bit like you are some buffet platter of sorts.

As I sped of I kept my eyes out for a fresh carcass and possible lions that may be keeping the hyenas from running of. I see nothing...

Ja Van Rooyen. Moenie al die kak wat jy op National Gegraphic kyk glo nie.

PS: Kyk mooi maar of van die kakkerige foties kan mens Mr Hyena en maaitjies sien

 

[stroke her]

About 50km into this desert leg the road got really rocky and all vegetation stopped.

It looked like all the building blocks of Creation that was left over was just scattered here...hectares and hectares of it.

The devils armpit was heating up as well. I was getting a little gatvol as I was being pommeled by the rocky track and could not look around as I could not risk running off the track into all the scattered building material.

Jy wil mos Van Rooyen.

Check GPS, look up check track, look down check RPM, quick glance up at landscape....rinse repeat, rinse repeat hundred times over.

As my gat was just about vol I noticed a bigger boulder in my left vield of view.

Rinse repeat....I check out the boulder

Rinse repeat....why is that bouldera light grey when all the building materials is black or reddish?

Rinse repeat...did that boulder change shape?

Rinse repeat...fuckit, I stopped with said boulder about 150m-200m directly to my left.

I stare.

Did that boulder just move?

I rev it a bit...Braap braaaap.

The boulder moves a bit.

I hoot a bit like a Mitchells Plain Taxi.

Desired effect....the boulder grows legs.

A few more hoots and the boulder turns broadside.

**** a brick...bring maar weer daai pap snoek. A Black Rhino!

Of all the things I've seen on this trip this was the one I really regretted my lack of photographic equipment/ability.

Here I was...bum **** nowhere tussen Hemel op Aarde and the devils left armpit and I am standing 200m away from one of the most endangered species on earth.

No permit paid...now fenceline crossed. I felt like I have won the environmental tourism lotto.