Just to clue you all in, Goats For Superman Country, is not a thing but it should be!
For some odd reason when we were driving through Botswana, there was a sign that said GFS Country. We had no idea what this stood for but the amount of goats we had seen on the road thus far meant that 'Goats For Superman' was the only explanation.
Anyways, last we heard our young explorers were in Walvis Bay with Bhaj's family. There were only a few days left of the Africa adventure but they turned out to be much more eventful than imagined. What should have been a straight shot to the Western Cape, turned hectic really quickly.
After two days in relative civilization, which consisted of dune climbing (and running down), pelican and flamingo watching, and of course a Braai (barbecue), we set out on our last little push before reaching the farm in Robertson and then Cape Town.
That night we made it just past the Namibia/South Africa boarder. We thought about camping by the Orange river, right past the border, but once we failed miserably scouting out a good location the only reasonable next step was to move on.
We ended up finding a campsite that must have been the coolest yet. It was off the road onto some flat, solid, dirt expanse that was punctuated by what looked like massive rock piles. This was terrain right out of a Mars science fiction novel. It was also far enough off the main road that there was absolutely no one around (not so much of a blessing, it turns out). The other great thing was, since we were in the desert, no Mosquitos (well, no bugs at all really). This meant we could sleep with the doors open. If you've ever seen the night sky in the desert or in non-city Africa, you'll understand how amazing that was, if you haven't, go! Do it!
The trouble started the next morning as we got ready to get back to the main road. Bhaj seemed to be quite set on exploring our surroundings via car before we headed out. This was fine, until we hit a patch of sand that (like Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings) would not let us pass.
We ended up spending 7hours digging ourselves out of the quicksand. In that time we only moved 14meters, that is 2meters an hour. At first we had no clue how we were going to get out. Bhaj tried just digging but that did not work. In the end we found some big (relatively flat) rocks and put them in front of our tires to inch onto. Having two wheel drive meant we only had the front to worry about and also that we were essentially dragging the back of this delivery van through the sand. After we inched onto the first rocks, we put some more in front of those and inched onto them, and continued doing this until we were finally out.
The verbal excitement that we both let out when the van finally drove from the pit of doom, probably woke some sleeping goblins, somewhere. It was one of the most fantastic moments of my life seeing that thing actually drive.
Working from 9:30am til 4:30pm in the middle of the desert, is not my idea of a good time. All it means is sunburn, dehydration (regardless of the excessive amounts of water we consumed), and exhaustion.
I don't even remember the drive from there to Robertson (besides the most incredible sunset I think I've ever seen, complete with double rainbow).
We arrived to the farm at midnight and crashed. That was enough excitement to last through the next days of relative monotony that is an Eco-village farm.
I spent a few relaxing and welcomed uneventful days, cooking with fresh vegetables from the garden, catching up on internet, and playing with cats, dogs, horses, and pigs. Once I got my fill of the retired life, I headed into Cape Town.
I spent four lovely days in Cape Town and needed about 40 more. I saw old friends, walked around the city, was hit by the largest wave of nostalgia in my whole life, and saw an incredible exhibit at the National Gallery. It was a short yet extremely sweet visit that will have to be repeated sometime soon, definitely with more time allotted.
Now a few little facts, before we leave the Africa roadtrip adventure too far behind.
The amount of money we paid out to police as bribes for our trip was 1300 ($130) rands in tickets only 100 rands of which was legal. The legal bit went to a police man in Zim who actually wrote us out a ticket. We paid 300 in Namibia, 900 in Mozambique (700 to one guy and 200 to another) and nothing in Botswana (where I think we only saw one cop the entire time)
The things on our driving that we almost hit (this doesn't include the thousands of bugs and butterflies we did massacre, sorry). We barely missed a cow in SA; a chicken, a rabbit, and a kid in Mozambique; a goat in Zim; and a donkey in Botswana. There was also a police officer, but I don't remember where that was...
This reflects the living things we saw way too many of along the side of the road in each place. In Mozambique there was never a second that some person was not walking along the highway. In Zim, Goats! Botswana was the land of donkeys, and I'm pretty sure we didn't see any life, anywhere, in Namibia.
These two weeks were jam packed with action and the only regret I have about my entire time in Africa is that there wasn't more of it. Literally, if you ever go traveling through Africa, give yourself a year! At least!
I am now in London, missing Africa but becoming ever more excited to see where the road will lead me next.
For some odd reason when we were driving through Botswana, there was a sign that said GFS Country. We had no idea what this stood for but the amount of goats we had seen on the road thus far meant that 'Goats For Superman' was the only explanation.
Anyways, last we heard our young explorers were in Walvis Bay with Bhaj's family. There were only a few days left of the Africa adventure but they turned out to be much more eventful than imagined. What should have been a straight shot to the Western Cape, turned hectic really quickly.
After two days in relative civilization, which consisted of dune climbing (and running down), pelican and flamingo watching, and of course a Braai (barbecue), we set out on our last little push before reaching the farm in Robertson and then Cape Town.
That night we made it just past the Namibia/South Africa boarder. We thought about camping by the Orange river, right past the border, but once we failed miserably scouting out a good location the only reasonable next step was to move on.
We ended up finding a campsite that must have been the coolest yet. It was off the road onto some flat, solid, dirt expanse that was punctuated by what looked like massive rock piles. This was terrain right out of a Mars science fiction novel. It was also far enough off the main road that there was absolutely no one around (not so much of a blessing, it turns out). The other great thing was, since we were in the desert, no Mosquitos (well, no bugs at all really). This meant we could sleep with the doors open. If you've ever seen the night sky in the desert or in non-city Africa, you'll understand how amazing that was, if you haven't, go! Do it!
The trouble started the next morning as we got ready to get back to the main road. Bhaj seemed to be quite set on exploring our surroundings via car before we headed out. This was fine, until we hit a patch of sand that (like Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings) would not let us pass.
We ended up spending 7hours digging ourselves out of the quicksand. In that time we only moved 14meters, that is 2meters an hour. At first we had no clue how we were going to get out. Bhaj tried just digging but that did not work. In the end we found some big (relatively flat) rocks and put them in front of our tires to inch onto. Having two wheel drive meant we only had the front to worry about and also that we were essentially dragging the back of this delivery van through the sand. After we inched onto the first rocks, we put some more in front of those and inched onto them, and continued doing this until we were finally out.
The verbal excitement that we both let out when the van finally drove from the pit of doom, probably woke some sleeping goblins, somewhere. It was one of the most fantastic moments of my life seeing that thing actually drive.
Working from 9:30am til 4:30pm in the middle of the desert, is not my idea of a good time. All it means is sunburn, dehydration (regardless of the excessive amounts of water we consumed), and exhaustion.
I don't even remember the drive from there to Robertson (besides the most incredible sunset I think I've ever seen, complete with double rainbow).
We arrived to the farm at midnight and crashed. That was enough excitement to last through the next days of relative monotony that is an Eco-village farm.
I spent a few relaxing and welcomed uneventful days, cooking with fresh vegetables from the garden, catching up on internet, and playing with cats, dogs, horses, and pigs. Once I got my fill of the retired life, I headed into Cape Town.
I spent four lovely days in Cape Town and needed about 40 more. I saw old friends, walked around the city, was hit by the largest wave of nostalgia in my whole life, and saw an incredible exhibit at the National Gallery. It was a short yet extremely sweet visit that will have to be repeated sometime soon, definitely with more time allotted.
Now a few little facts, before we leave the Africa roadtrip adventure too far behind.
The amount of money we paid out to police as bribes for our trip was 1300 ($130) rands in tickets only 100 rands of which was legal. The legal bit went to a police man in Zim who actually wrote us out a ticket. We paid 300 in Namibia, 900 in Mozambique (700 to one guy and 200 to another) and nothing in Botswana (where I think we only saw one cop the entire time)
The things on our driving that we almost hit (this doesn't include the thousands of bugs and butterflies we did massacre, sorry). We barely missed a cow in SA; a chicken, a rabbit, and a kid in Mozambique; a goat in Zim; and a donkey in Botswana. There was also a police officer, but I don't remember where that was...
This reflects the living things we saw way too many of along the side of the road in each place. In Mozambique there was never a second that some person was not walking along the highway. In Zim, Goats! Botswana was the land of donkeys, and I'm pretty sure we didn't see any life, anywhere, in Namibia.
These two weeks were jam packed with action and the only regret I have about my entire time in Africa is that there wasn't more of it. Literally, if you ever go traveling through Africa, give yourself a year! At least!
I am now in London, missing Africa but becoming ever more excited to see where the road will lead me next.
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