Magical Namibia filming the new Mahindra N series videos - daily report

[Fuzzy Muzzy]

Day 10 : 16th June : Twfelfontein – Khowarib lodge - in the meat of things

Twfelfontein is as gorgeous as it is interesting, a UNESCO world heritiage site boasting one of the most extensive collections of rock art engravings in the Southern Africa region , anyone travelling in the area who is not camping is drawn to the place and I can see why. The heavy dust in the air makes for some spectacular sunsets over the Huab Valley, the staff are friendly and the extended buffet was a delight for the taste buds. Shout out to Twfelfontein Country lodge https://twyfelfontein.com.na/

Travelling to a schedule with deadlines takes a different level of planning, so far Chantal has the bookings down to a fine art and besides myself and Willie nearly sharing a bed back in Gecko Lodge all has been smooth sailing, for the record I was fine with sharing a bed but Willie had a 2 lines he couldn’t cross, one was sharing his toothbrush after I left mine behind at one of the accomodations and apparently sharing a bed. We know too much about each other and thanks bud for buying me a toothbrush a few days back.

Up before sunrise with much to get done, scripts were still being finalised well after 12pm the night before and now it was time to film some intro scenes, conduct a few interviews and grab a few filler shots with the sunrise.. yet another crunch day, yet another amazing day ahead with another bucket list location to tick off the list on route.. technically we had a decision to make regarding the proposed guest route which included 40km of deep sand riverbed, the filming yesterday in the riverbed got tricky technically and trying to get a convoy up the riverbed seemed like an unnecessary risk just in terms of how long it would take and notably the potential risk to the cars requiring recovery under those conditions with elephants very close which could be encountered in the riverbed potentially leading to a lengthy delay was all taken into account. There were such good views to be had on an alternative route, it's more rocky and slower going but these Scorpio N series cars had no issues with technical roads. Just as well the agreement was to take an alternative route as giraffes were spotted multiple times much to the delight of the guests.

Jaco being filmed for his intro scene being directed by Hardy ..

Willie capturing some interviews with Mhlo, Jaco & Chantal

Desolation Valley lies in central Damaraland, and follows the Huab River West into the Torra Conservancy. It’s a secluded and desolate as the name suggests, but the views, only obstructed by dust blowing over the plains are spectacular and a feast for the eyes. The road leading down into desolation valley is a bumpy one but the views were distracting enough for us not to notice. When I get a chance i will pull out all of my video footage and post it.. it will be worth watching.

Down in Desolation Valley, Chantal’s coffee bar was open, Hardy was giving briefings and a few hours of filming got underway... 1st drone shots of the cars in formation across the sandy plains right before us and then technical shots of the cars capabilities in this environment and the Scorpio N didn’t disappoint. The car really is living up to the hype with front and back cameras, seamless gear changes and shifting to 4H with a touch of a button are just some of the features everyone used and enjoyed.

Packing up and leaving windy desolation valley we turned off the C40 and onto the C43 towards Palmwag, a quick pre-ordered chicken salad lunch was enjoyed before Willie and I set off into the distance seeking the perfect light location for an approaching dust trail give away of a convoy . Shot planned & executed,. We were getting some fantastic footage, as a bonus when Jaco stopped as a sweeper while we Willie was packing up the drone, a giraffe walked right into frame and thus we were rewarded with an epic giraffe shot totally by chance.. What crazy timing and hustle but it was the shot of the tour...

Some fantastic sightings along the way

Khowarib Lodge... our destination and our base for the next 2 evenings as we film the car in some jaw dropping and testing conditions, from knee deep fesh fesh, deeply sandy riverbeds up Khoraib Canyon, rocks and gnarly climbs. The plan was to conquer the area but for now we got to enjoy yet another Namibian sunset on the fringe of Kaokoland.

Khowarib Lodge nestles on the banks of the Hoanib river in the magnificent Khowarib Gorge. 14 tented chalets project out from the river bank on stilts over the river bed providing shady views of the cliffs opposite, generous bar and dining areas under thatch with the fire pit ablaze with stories that night accompanied with a buffet dinner & whiskey as the staff treated the guests to a few traditional songs.

 

[petri oosthuizen]

VERY nice TR and Pics
Thanks!!!

 

[Fuzzy Muzzy]

Day 11: 17th June : Khowarib lodge : Conquering Kaokaland


For as long as I can remember Ive been interested in Kaokaland, some of my mates have come back with stories from a Specialised Adventure tour and left me feeling like this part of the world specifically is somewhere I needed to visit. Also, when I did my Africa Trip a few years back we went North through Botswana, Vic Falls and hopscotched through Zambia to Malawi so we missed Northern Namibia making it a place of imagination, finally, we have 2 days to explore the area, allocate shots for the storyboard and get to work .

Day 11, Film day, pressure day and a day filled with every expectation. The film team spent the morning exploring location suitability up the Khoraib Canyon with its sandy riverbed exposed, not a place you want to lose momentum for fear of getting bogged down. For those who do not know what fesh fesh is, the best way i can describe it is sand with the consistency of baby powder and that is being polite, its so fine that it's basically coloured air and Hardy knew exactly where to find the most magnificient examples.. Fesh fesh blocks every filter and can crush a rally drivers soul, this was the deepest I've ever seen hiding it's potentially dangerous and very deep underbelly, sand beds, rutted roads, inclines, you name it the Khoraib Canyon had it all , the Karoo and Scorpio N series loved this playground making scouting for film locations comfortable and predictable, with scouting complete including noting very fresh lion prints we decided to not hang around heading back to camp in order to plan the shots and scripts, indulge in a lunch and waited out the harsh midday sun, waiting for just the right lighting for a marathon film & drone shoot.

While we were scouting and preparing, Jaco had taken the guests on a tour up through Warmquelle to Sesfontein to visit the flats and put the cars and drivers through their paces after a jaffle lunch. I heard stories of The lone Man in Kaokoland which was sculptured by Trevor North, the Mopane trees, the elephants and the Imba tribe upon their return. The bond with the guests had developed into a warm friendship through storytelling and I thoroughly enjoyed the camaraderie and closeness of the entire group as they retold their experiences. I was surly going to miss each and every one of them but for now we reveled in their 1st time experiences.

That sand.. eaten up by the Mahindra Scorpio N series.

Marathon film shoot in session late in the day as Hardy, Chantal, Jaco & Mhlo were followed by myself and Willie creating some of the most dramatic footage I've ever been a part of , epic drone footage of the cars kicking up the dust and close up technical shots exposing the front independent suspension with double wishbone and rear multilink suspension. Willie is quite fit; you should see him run with a camera...

Willie drunk on amazing footage ended day one filming in Kaokaland as the protagonists looked onto tomorrow for a full day of filming. Now to start filling in the sequencing with the interviews and voiceovers. Willie starts threading his clips into viewing pleasure. Hardy is not feeling well and everyone, with concern, notices the workaholic lay down to rest uncharacteristically.

Khowarib lodge puts out a spread fit for a King as the fire pit resumes its story telling mystique.

 

[Hardy de Kock]

Awesome read, and an idea of what goes on behind the scenes with these types of things.


@Hardy de Kock I hope you told them you want the favour returned, Himalayas with Scorpio N will be a great trip!

Gotcha - They invited the whole team for an all expenses paid trip to the Himalayas.

 

[Striggs]

Gotcha - They invited the whole team for an all expenses paid trip to the Himalayas.

can we bring a bike... asking for a friend...

 

[BuRP]

Hardy and Willie working their magic

Look Murray, I'll stick to English here to fit in ...... but jirrrrrre my man, what drinks did they feed you?
I've not seen Chantal angry yet, but I have half this suspicion that I will not want to either ..... and you call her Willie???
You'll have to apologize when next you meet her, and swear to her you'll wear your reading glasses the next time you type something!
Tsk tsk tsk






Nice report!

 

[Striggs]

Very nice report Fuzzy.... makes my heart yearn...

 

[BuRP]

They invited the whole team for an all expenses paid trip to the Himalayas.

can we bring a bike... asking for a friend...

No need Elio, they grow wild there, and are called - surprise!!!!!!! - "Himalayan".

And Hardy, you rather than me, I eh........

 

[Fuzzy Muzzy]

View attachment 905485

Look Murray, I'll stick to English here to fit in ...... but jirrrrrre my man, what drinks did they feed you?
I've not seen Chantal angry yet, but I have half this suspicion that I will not want to either ..... and you call her Willie???
You'll have to apologize when next you meet her, and swear to her you'll wear your reading glasses the next time you type something!
Tsk tsk tsk






Nice report!

ba ha - -good one, I was referring to both the pictures posted because I was too lazy to label each one.. I am sure I am forgiven

 

[m0lt3n]

Gotcha - They invited the whole team for an all expenses paid trip to the Himalayas.

Jealous!!




Thanks for the report Fuzzy, this is awesome.
cant wait for some of the official epic shots, I love the look of the Scorpio N and can only imagine in the right setting.

 

[Fuzzy Muzzy]

With the days drawing to a close all attention was turned to getting the last of the filming in technical terrian . This meant putting the Mahindra N Series through its paces. Pushing the limits of a car comes with its own set of issues, we are far away from a dealership or a recovery so even though we push the limits of the vehicles to showcase where those limits are but it's always with mechanical sympathy in mind and we are always in discussions with regards to maintaining the vehicles in excellent condition, Mahindra have entrusted us with these vehicles and we are their guardians..

The balance continues, conversley we cant make a video about a cars performance in some of the regions roughest terrain without giving it the beans either.

The Mahindra N Series 4x4 did not dissapoint, the comfort of these vehicles in this kind of terrian was really special. I do not have the experience to compare these SUV's to anything else, all I can do is look at its suitability for the conditions we were taking it through.. after a few days I was still left scratching my head trying to find the 'faults' with the SUV.. besides a few petty instances of personal preferance this SUV did everything asked of it without complaint.

WIth the majority of the filming now completed, the work sorting and sequencing out the edits, voice overs and interviews becomes the focus.

 

[Fuzzy Muzzy]

Day 12: 18th June: Khowarib – Kamanjab


After another welcomed buffet breakfast at Khowarib Lodge, we have a late start and a short day ahead so nobody was rushing, we only had around 200km to cover for the day which seemed light in comparison to the entire trip. The plan, backtracking along the C43 passing Palmwag Lodge to pick up lunch for the road. Palmwag Lodge is nestled between Kaokoland and the Skeleton Coast, where the flat-topped Etendeka mountains and the red rock greet the tributaries of the Uniab River, Palmwag is an oasis well worth the visit and if you are lucky you will get to see the resident Eleplant who frquents the area while you are there. .. With Makalani palms and iced tea greeting you on arrival the lodge overlooks the sweeping northern Damaraland landscape, euphorbias dotting the hills that seem to roll on forever, it was for this reason that we decided to rather take a burger lunch with us and enjoy the view along the way to Kamanjab.

Before we left the adventurer in me was thinking.. we are within touching distance of Angola and the pull to keep going further North to explore further was ever present as my inner voice had a dialog with itself. What about the possiblity of heading into Western Africa for a few months, or head over Etosha to Vic Falls and follow the rift valley up to lake Victoria? these are standard thoughts and plans swirling around in the head of an adventure rider at any given point in time. All I can do is brush it aside and focus on getting everyone back safe and sound after having an experience they will remember for years to come and naturally meeting Mahindra's expectations... but its awesome to dream.

Willie who was editing late into the evening continues to edit the moment we start rolling out of camp, the news that Hardy had not improved and had decided to drive on ahead with Chantal to seek medical treatment hung heavy but the crew knew what to do and everyone including all the guests were in safe hands right behind them.

With 90% of the filming complete besides interviews & editing along the way we backtracked to Gandwana Palmwag quickly fix a tyre, notably no 2 or 3 of the entire trip, grabbed a take away Burger which we would enjoy at a draw dropping viewing point located along the C40 while still completing one or 2 interviews and voice overs along the way, what an office space. The C40 is in fantastic condition and continued to surprise guests with splashes of wildlife spotting, Buck, Zebra, Mongoose, Ostriches & Giraffe. We make light work of the trip for the day.

We catch up with Hardy & Chantal at Oppi-Koppi rest camp in Kamanjab, Hardy is looking man down, and when I mean man down I cannot express the concern we all had. Looking pale and weak Hardy had been hit with something as yet undiagnosed but but he was in safe hands being looked after by Chantal. We all hoped for a positive prognosis.. for now the big man rests.

Oppi-Koppi rest camp being just a stop over esentially was comfortable and neat.. I got my own room allowing Willie, the master of temprature control to edit comfortably in his 30 degree room while I passed comments from my room with a window open.. its all about the small things

Tonight was all about enhancing the guest experience with another great dinner & after dinner entertainment from the choir singing their own songs, the guests were entertained and sated. I must say, the accommodation at Oppi-Koppi was very nice and comes recommended, everyone had a great time but the big man was never far from our thoughts.

 

[Fuzzy Muzzy]

Day 13: 19th Kamanjab – Windhoek – homeward bound


Early morning tyre plug was the 1st order of business at Oppi-Koppi reststop, if you are ever passing through, go check them out https://www.oppi-koppi-kamanjab.com/ just 70km from Etosh's Galton Gate enterance. Friendly and accomodating. Mhlo & Jaco making short work of this tyre.

Hitting the long slab home our media car had been turned into editing suite over the last few days as Willie produced his magic during travelling between towns & curios shopping. Outjo is a small town in the Kunene Region of Namibia and our next stop & go as we head South. Outjo is known to most as the gateway to Etosha but for us it was the source of the groups lunch to be consumed later on in the day which made the car smell like a smoke house. Absolute torture with this heavenly smell coming from the back seat thankfully they were eaten for lunch soon enough at one of the roadside lunch gatherings.

.

... Hardy & Chantal had skipped ahead to Windhoek to seek further medical treatment and recover, their presence in the morning was missed, our thoughts were with him as his body fought the poison that was attacking his system, a stark reminder that we were in the habitat of many poisonus reptiles and insects, thankfully the prognosus was looking good and we were looking forward to catching up with them again to gather news of Hardy's condition.

Along the endless B1 where the national flower seemed to be anthills, thousands of them the long slab back home was a long one but the Mahindra made short work of long roads finding ourselves back at Arebbusch in Windhoek where the journey seemed to begin, the guests were relaxing or going shopping at the mall, the team had administration to sort out collecting the one car we left behind in Windhoek, Willie was reunited with his jacket he left behind and Hardy was looking in good spirits, well rested the man is a machine when it comes to deadlines having scripts ready for recording at sunrise the next morning, Hardy was back with a vengeance and it was good seeing him back to being himself, as it turns out the offending spider was eventually identified through bloodwork as Latrodectus Indistinctus commonly known as black button or black widow spider.. make no mistake that spider bite would have knocked anyone flat on their backs for weeks, respect to the big man for enduring such a bite and then springing back to work.

Dinner at Garnish, tasting India on an African tour with Indian guests transported a part of us to India, what a treat with everyone having a good time together celebrating the trip so far. On the first night at the gala opening of the expedition, Neily Naidu one of the guests expressed how Mahindra Expedition had become like family and evenings like this cemented that feeling among us all.

 

[Fuzzy Muzzy]

Day 14: 20th June : Windhoek – Granau

A good rest was essential to completing the massive haul down to Granau from Windhoek with stops at the Tropic of Capricorn, a landmark we breezed past on the way up, much fun was had interacting with a Chinese tourist bus who was blocking Rishaad’s planned convoy arriving shot ... frantic outbursts from my friend was a sight to behold but before long he was in front of the camera getting his shot.

For such a big and bulky 4x4, the Mahindra Karoo Pick-Up had grown on me to the point where my bank manager felt a disturbance in the force. It ate up the tar road at 120km/h only complaining on long hills but very manageable for such a long distance in one day, dare I say I had fallen in love with 4x4-ing and the overland possibilities that came with it. My mind had been buzzing over the last few days planning some epic trips in my head. If test drives were 17 days long, Mahindra would close every test drive, no doubt but alas there were plans for the media car and my future 4x4 adventures were shelved for the time being.


Arriving at Granau Cottages was a treat. I have driven through Granau a few times but never really paid any attention to it. Grunau is a settlement in the Karas Region of Southern Namibia, west of Karasburg. It is linked to the border posts near Noordoewer via the B1 and near Nakop via the B3. The staff were warm and friendly and the owner wa always around to help. I think they battled a bit with catering a full menu to such a large group but they did very well under the circumstances, they were friendly & accommodating with dinner and with a full breakfast the following morning, hats off https://www.grunauchalets.com/ go and check them out.

Willie and Hardy work into the night editing and laying voiceovers with Jaco’s radio recording, there is still much work to be done in Granau, the final overnight destination before heading towards the Fish River Canyon and the border crossing back into SA but everything is coming together and developing into a finished product..

 

[Fuzzy Muzzy]

Day 15: 20 July: Granau – Fishriver - Owerbos


Jaco is among a select few people who has celebrated his birthday in 2 countries with 2 birthday cakes and I think 3 happy Birthday songs... a lovely celebration on a special day, one for me in particular as we headed towards a place I love visiting, The Fish River Canyon. Happy Birthday Jaco.

Nostalgia was the order of the day when I was reunited with an old favourite of mine, the C12, it seems strange loving places because of their roads but I find that many roads attract me to the places we visit, heading past a local and international favourite The Canyon Roadhouse which we would visit later for lunch.. wildlife a plenty within the Godwana Nature Park sparked a flurry of photo opportunities and later while permits were being secured yet another round of interviews and sound bites..

Just because a lot of the photos are pretty clear, lets not forget that we are in Namibia and dust is just something one gets used to.. here they are grading the one road that didnt need it.

The Fish River lookout points became a photo-Festival, awe inspiring views, group photos and a barrel of laughs with Mhlo and his orange jump suite attire.

The Fish River canyon needs little introduction to most, It is the largest canyon in Africa, one of the most visited tourist attractions within Namibia It features a gigantic ravine, in total about 160 kilometres long, up to 27 km wide and in places almost 550 meters deep. The Fish River is the longest interior river in Namibia. It cuts deep into the plateau which today is dry, stony. The Fish River canyon consists of an upper canyon, where river erosion was inhibited by hard gneiss bedrocks, and a lower canyon formed after erosion had finally worn through the solid metamorphic rocks. Both parts have been declared a national monument in 1962

Upstream, the river runs through horizontal dolomite strata; these metamorphic rocks forms part of the canyon. About 650 million years ago plate movement had formed a lowered area, along which the Fish River could flow and eventually erode a flat plain to create today's upper canyon. Glaciation at around 300 million years ago, part of the Dyka glaciation during the Karoo Ice Age, further deepened the canyon. South America and Africa separated (due to continental drift) and Africa rose significantly; the consequentially increased gradient of the Fish River enabled it to erode the lower canyon into the hard gneisses, forming the current deeply twisting, meandering system of the lower canyon. With the separation of the continent Gondwana about 120 million years ago and the uplifting of the African continent the gradient of the Fish River increased - allowing it to erode even deeper into the rock. Today the deepest point of the canyon is 549 metres deep

The Canyon Roadhouse.. probably one of the most photographed roadhouses in the world

We still had a border to cross and last time we arrived at Oewerbos in the dark, this time we were determined to cross the border and get there to appreciate the sun setting on the Orange River.

 

[Gumba]

Found this in farmers weekly, thought it might be interesting for fireside storytelling.

 

[Fuzzy Muzzy]

Found this in farmers weekly, thought it might be interesting for fireside storytelling.

Thank you.. I appreciate this, i was wondering just why so many anthills were around

 

[Fuzzy Muzzy]

Day 16 – 18: Oewerbos – Vanrhynsdorp – Cape Town

Oewerbos is always a great stay over, with everything one requires and a surprise around every corner, from the outside deck, bar / restaurant and great rooms.. check them out if you are ever on the Namibian border looking for a stay over or a base from which to do out rides. https://oewerbos.co.za/ but for now it was time to head home.. through Springbok for a Wimpy breakfast then heading South with gusto, but for now, sunrise over the orange river wioth coffee.

Cape Town is approaching fast and time is something precious, arriving back in Vanrhynsdorp where memories were being born on day 2, familiarity abound yet under different circumstances as now instead of heading North to film it now means crunch time for the final edits and an urgency to start putting everything together for final rounds of changes. Willie still editing as I drive.

There is an excitement buzzing through both the crew and guests as the expedition draws to a close with one final surprise in store for the guests when it comes to the relationships built with the guests, the team and the Mahindra brand this has been an exceptional tour full of twists and turns, adventure, drama, joy and excitement rolled into 18 days

The team pouring over edit versions

 

[Fuzzy Muzzy]

The mood turned from expedition mode to celebration mode among the guests as everyone, bonded together in this fantastic experience, sitting together joking around & telling war stories from the last 2 weeks over a drink - priceless. The friendships formed are undeniable and I have enjoyed each and every personality on this Mahindra adventure of global scale.

There was no reason to hang around in Vanrhynsdorp as Cape Town awaits and with many of the guests flying back to India the following day there was no time to lose.. the plan, weather depending, there was one last item on the bucket list for the guests waiting for them.

Table mountain.. and what a treat. The rainy season upon us and with table mountain covered on day zero, I was surprising to see Table mountain showing off for all to see. Everyone piled into their Mahindra Scorpio N series which has performed flawlessly and above my expectations on every level on this trip , now turned into a luxury city cruiser I was once again being tour guide for a few hours and what a pleasure it was..

Timing is everything and today we got it spot on.. from Vanrhynsdorp to Cape Town , up the mountain with more than enough time to explore the top and take in the sights just before experiencing a Table Mountain sunset.. a fitting final sunset to this fantastic adventure before heading back to Hotel Verde for the gala finale, award ceremony and buffet dinner fit for a king back where it all began at Hotel Verde.

Joined by Nomonde from Mahindra South Africa to close the event, take a bow Specialised Adventures as well as Grizelda Goosen & Andile Mtule Mahindra for planning and excecuting and a big thank you to the guests from India who made the tour so special.

 

[Fuzzy Muzzy]

Here is the fruits of a lot of labour.. video one, Skeleton Coast .. enjoy