Ai-Ais hotspring to which I was so looking forward to, was a very big disappointment. A troop of baboons reigned and spread disaster. Some of the facilities were noticeably improved outside but the inside was unkept, dirty and worn. Even in the spa the tiles were broken off, the water temperature either boiling or cold, and the massage jets not working.
The viewpoint of the Fishriver Canyon at Hobas was fantastic. As was the camping facilities. Very dusty powder soil though.
Gravel ROADS in Namibia is a disaster for any sedan car. All the roads servicing the tourist destinations are over-used and the roadbed destroyed by corrigation, making grating it not very helpful.
Luderits was very enjoyable. We had perfect weather. Stayed at the oldest building -signal tower. And enjoyed a marvellous trip out to the islands with Zeepaard Boat tours.
Aubures - west of Helmeringshausen was very good. We were guided to ancient Bushmen rock paintings - fascinating! The view accross the valley refreshed the soul everytime you laid eyes on it. Hot - dry - rocky - yet grippingly beautiful.
We enjoyed the immense beauty along the C27 road passed Wolwedans. On the spur of the moment we bypassed Sesriem with its maze of accommodation and stopped at Weltevrede.
From there we made speed to Windhoek, bundu bashing over the D1261, Remshoogte pass.
Windhoek Mediclinic operates like Africa - spent two nights there.
Urban camp.net was a super great experience. Very central to downtown Windhoek and five minutes walk to Joe's Beer House. The staff at Urban were very helpful, friendly and accommodating.
Next stop was Spitzkoppe. An impressive place with its overpowering boulders and curios rock rabbits.
We had lunch in Hentiesbay and stayed in Swakopmund. The dunes gave us an excellent and exhausting experience. It was freezing cold, windy and wet ! And we chose to return to the blazing hot Spitzkoppe.
In Gross Barmen we relaxed. The hot inside pool was not clean, the floortiles in all the pools were dangerously slippery. To top it all - around twelve noon all electricity went off! In pitch dark we had to find our way with hands and the occasional faintest of cellphone light back to our clothes. And no discount was offered for this inconvenience. Daan Viljoen Game Reserve just outside Windhoek on the other hand was a super experience.
From there it was south again. We slept between the quiver trees 20km north of Keetmanshoop at /Garas. And continued to Amanzi at the Orange River. Amanzi was good, but for us very unpleasant when students noised loudly through the night, making sleep a disaster. We cancelled the rest of our booking and left.
The last stop of this trip was Modderfontein 8km west of Springbok in South Africa where we also started this trip. First time round our air mattrass failed. Second time round we brought back the borrowed matras.
Back home on sailboat Mylady here in Port Owen, it is suprisingly
windy and cold. With time I will update this post with a lot of links.
