Namibia - again . . .

[LMG]

I arrived at my sister's house around lunchtime on Sunday.

Given that my lecturing was to commence on Monday morning at around 08h00 at the University of Namibia, I had to sit down and work through a couple of issues in preparation for my classes.

The Namibians have done an outstanding job in setting up the School for Military Sciences at the University of Namibia. 

My students were a class of post-graduates from the Namibian armed forces, their police and intelligence services, the diplomatic corps in Windhoek - including the second or third secretary of the Zimbabwean embassy in Namibia (read intelligence collection!) - and quite a number of students that is doing the degree in preparation for their careers.

An outstanding and interesting group of students; a combination that made for some interesting discussions in class.

Here is the building of the School for Military Studies at the University of Namibia (UNAM)

 

[LMG]

Friday afternoon

 

[LMG]

Come Friday lunchtime, tandeborsel en onderbroek in die topbox and I’m on the bike to a place called Namibgrens, about 7km’s from the Spreethoogte Pass.

Typical and very good Namibian gravel roads.










The sun was setting when I arrived at Namibgrens.  I just dropped my stuff; asked for two beers and made a run for the Pass to watch the sun setting over the desert.

The views are what my friend would call in Afrikaans ‘spektakulêr’.  The kind of scenes where you down the first beer and forget to drink the second.



The Namibian lodges, in my view, are slightly overpriced.  They are obviously catering for the European market.  South Africans are for the most part seen as a necessary evil.

 

[Chrisl]

Ek gaan eendag vir my n huis koop op Nauchas. Dan gaan ek elke aand die sonsondergang op Spreedsthoogte gaan kyk. :deal:

 

[LMG]

Moeilik om vir iemand die uitsig te beskryf.

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

"The Namibian lodges, in my view, are slightly overpriced.  They are obviously catering for the European market.  South Africans are for the most part seen as a necessary evil."

Absolutely.

 

[Chrisl]

slightly overpriced

That's putting it mildly. There is no way I'd be able to afford a Nam trip staying at lodges.
Even campfees are getting very stiff. If you pay R150 for a campsite that is what you pay for 5 minutes of water in the shower because a shower is all you do not have when you bushcamp.

 

[LMG]

The plan was to leave as early as possible on Saturday morning. 

Namibia is running on Alpha time in winter, meaning it is an hour behind South Africa that stick to Bravo time all year round.

Breakfast at the lodge on a Saturday is at 08h30; that is 09h30 South African time.  I ask the lady managing the lodge whether she has something for me to eat before I leave at around 7h00 – ouma rusks with my coffee or something. With ‘our breakfast is served at 08h30’ as an answer, my view of Namibian lodges were confirmed. 

Thus, after a cup of coffee from my room I left at around 06h45 in an effort to avoid the heat of the desert.

Once again I had the privilege of the views from Spreethooghte pass.  Simply outstanding.



Sharing the road. 



Ek het my gat losgeskrik vir die gemsbok.  Aanvanklik net een bok in die pad gesien; die volgende oomblik is hier nog een langs my.  He could have me of without too much effort.



And the riding through the desert towards Walvisbay.















And then a late breakfast in Swakopmund.  The place had become a city since my last visit.  But it is still one of the most beautiful towns in Southern Africa.

 

[LMG]

Die pad vir die dag.

 

[Gryshond]

sub

 

[Snafu]

And where is the Tropic of Capricorn sign?

 

[bud500 (R.I.P)]

:thumleft:

Must say, there is a case to be made for some of your other pics which you judged to be lesser than your personal favorite.

 

[bud500 (R.I.P)]

An where is the Tropic of Capricorn sign?

On the Tropic of Capricorn maybe....

 

[ETS]

Jis ou Abel dit lyk lekker!!!

 

[Snafu]

An where is the Tropic of Capricorn sign?

On the Tropic of Capricorn maybe....

Forken slim kind ne!!

 

[Chrisl]

Ek kyk nou die fotos so deur en toe kom ek agter Abel is so lank hy trap elke keer die centrestand raak ipv die sidestand en dan trap hy hom sommer sit sit dat hy op die centrestand staan. eepwall:

 

[LMG]

In Swakop I linked up with an old army friend I haven’t seen in many years.  We did a wide reconnaissance of Swakop on Saterday afternoon with beer at the golf club, the Tiger Reef beach bar and the hotel. 

I left Swakop after a hearty breakfast on Sunday morning on the C28 via the Khomas Hochland  to Windhoek.  It is 320kms of hard riding.

Though very dry, the scenery was still exceptional.  I can only imagine what it looks like after good rains.

But the road was a real challenge. 

Die pad was moer uitgery; baie sinkplaat en die laaste 40km voor jy teer slaan by Daan Viljoen het ek en my fiets gebid.

It is one of those road that just goes on and on and on . . .

The fact that I haven’t taken too many photos is a clear indication that my focus was somewhere else.

Though I only left Swakop at about 10h00, I only arrived back in Windhoek at around 16h00.  So honger soos ‘n leeu.  That was a tough but lekker one.













After another week of teaching at the UNAM and had to run to be back in Langebaan on Saturday afternoon.  It was tar all the way.

I left Windhoek at about noon on Friday and arrived in Noordoewer for a sleepover at about 19h00.




About 10kms before Grunau I was stop by the traffic cops – 146km/h.  They admired the size of the bike and its rider; being friendly got me out of a R3000 fine!  Thus, I stopped in Grunau, bought two Cokes from the roadside shop and asked a truck drive to give the two Cokes to the two traffic cops sitting next to the road.  I will always wonder whether they actually received their Coke . . .




Leaving Noordoewer at around 07h00, it was freaking cold.  Breakfast at the Wimpy in Klawer; with the twins in my arms at around 13h00.

Namibia is good!

 

[LMG]

:thumleft:

Must say, there is a case to be made for some of your other pics which you judged to be lesser than your personal favorite.

A link between a love for the outdoors, biking and photography!

 

[LMG]

Jis ou Abel dit lyk lekker!!!

ETS - was moer lekker.  Jy is so naby aan daai wêreld!

 

[LMG]

Ek kyk nou die fotos so deur en toe kom ek agter Abel is so lank hy trap elke keer die centrestand raak ipv die sidestand en dan trap hy hom sommer sit sit dat hy op die centrestand staan. eepwall:

Chris

Dit beindruk nogal die omstaanders.

Ek kon altyd op die grond staan om die radios in die ratel se toring te stel; en ou brig Dippenaar kon nooit sy kop rondom daai een kry nie  :biggrin: