The road sign says it all. “Sand!” I suppress a giggle, looking at the dunes to the left and right of the main road. ‘No kidding,” I mutter, as we continue bumping our way north, in the middle of a desert, far removed from the comforts of home and surrounded by, well, lots of sand.
Welcome to Namibia. It used to be ‘ours”, and in many respects not much has changed. Our neighbour and former South West Africa protectorate — is still very ‘us” in many ways. For a start every-one speaks lekker Afrikaans, albeit with a funny accent. And the currency is pegged to the rand, so it’s easy to keep track of the old geld.
The real difference is causing the bumps beneath the tyres of the trusty 4×4 hired kombi — the roads. Only a minute percentage of the country’s arterial routes are tarred. The rest of the highways and byways of Namibia are little more than dirt or, more appropriately, sand tracks. Which means, if you are doing the self-drive thing, you absolutely need a four-wheel drive and a greatly reduced tyre pressure to avoid spending time changing punctures.
But, once you have the transport issues under control, Namibia is a fabulous, if vast, place to explore. Which is what I constantly remind myself as we continue to bump and grind our way south from Swakopmund — one of only a couple of happening places on the coast — to the one-horse town of Solitaire.
It’s day five of a nine-day tour and my backside has become accustomed to the vibration of the seat beneath it. My mind begins to drift like the never-ending sand outside the window …
It all began in comfort on the tar road from Windhoek to Otjiwarongo, stopping en route to take in the thrills of the predator rehabilitation project at Okonjima.
Then came the almost extra-terrestrial journey through the lonely landscapes of Outjo and Khorixas to the surreal moonscapes of Twyfelfontein. Here I survived a trek deep into the wastelands on a Unimog, searching for desert elephants, and wondered at the rock engravings made by ancient tribesmen, seemingly before time began — before hauling ass across half the Namib to the fishing grounds of Henties Bay and the cool winds of the Atlantic. These transform the climate, in a matter of kilometres, from scorching desert heat to a biting cold requiring several more layers of clothing. It’s a chill that persisted until well past Swakopmund, but which vanished as we once more head for the deep desert and the towering red dunes of Sossusvlei.
But first, a night in Solitaire at the only place in town — the Solitaire Country Lodge. It’s plain, it’s basic, but the food and service are six-star, especially the apple pie that has, apparently, put the place on the map.
The run to Sossusvlei starts before sunrise with a packed breakfast from the lodge. It’s cool outside and, as the first rays poke their heads over the towering cliffs of the Namib Naukluft, we arrive in Sesriem. From here it’s hell for leather to get to the vlei before the sun gets a grip, which it does very quickly in these parts. It’s strictly 4×4 country here, with deep, red sand clawing at unsuspecting wheelbases. And deep, red sand towering hundreds of metres in all directions, flowing like solid waves across the desert.
At last I’m standing in the middle of the vlei. It’s 9am and the temperature gauge is fast approaching 45°C. It’s an incredible heat and, yet, things live here: gemsbok, geckos, goshawks. It’s the highlight of the trip and well worth the endless, bumpy kilometres to get here.
Tomorrow brings the day-long drive back to Swakopmund and an overnight on the Desert Express back to Windhoek, from which it’s home to South Africa. But for now, it’s just sand. And suddenly the road sign makes perfect sense.
The lowdown
Getting there: South African Airways and Air Namibia offer daily flights to Wind-hoek. From there, hire a 4×4. Or you can drive, stopping off at Augrabies Falls National Park (via Upington) or the Richtersveld National Park (via Springbok). Petrol costs the same as in South Africa.
Where to stay: Check out Namibia Country Lodges at www.namibialodges.com for a range of low-priced lodges. Sossusvlei Lodge offers lovely accommodation at the gateway to the Namib Naukluft — go to www.sossusvleilodge.com. For more info on the Desert Express, visit www.desertexpress.com.na
Info: Tourism tips, car-hire advice and routes can be had from the Namibia Tourism Board. Tel: (011) 785 4626 or go to www.namibiatourism.com.na