May 3rd. Rest day in Sesriem (Sossusvlei) .

I got up at 5.15 after an uncomfortable night. I did not dare use the cot, knowing I would break it trying to get up. I walked to the gas station to post the blog. As the first rays of light hit the surrounding mountains, their vertical crevices, like fluting, etched black against the purples and reds of the rock face. Already, those going to Sossusvlei had left. The air was very cold and they felt perished in the open vehicles. Nonetheless, the general verdict when they returned, was “spectacular”.

After washing my laundry-twice, because the first time the line came down in the sand- I spent a lazy day, just reading. In the evening, I ate in the bar with Paul and Reiner. We shared a bottle of wine, which felt so luxurious, and chatted mainly about Paul’s work at Minnesota University, especially into viable farming systems.

As we settled in our tents, a chorus of bird-like cries rose up from jackals nearby. During the night, I tried to turn, felt a sharp pain and heard a snap- perhaps a small ligament or tendon-  in the ribs.

May 4th. Sesriem to Betta. 139 kms.

I got up particularly early, to give myself plenty of time  to pack up my things .I got in the dinner truck with Caroline, the medic, Sam, who was riding from lunch, and Gabrielle, who was going to ride but found problems with his bike this morning.

During the first two hours, we saw more animals than I have seen in four months: herds of springbok. zebra and oryx. On one occasion, two male springbok were running along the track straight in front of us. Then they veered off, one to each side. The one on the left kept pace alongside us for fully one kilometre at 60 kph., his nostrils flared fully open, gasping for air. Black-backed jackals loped away as we approached. A pair of bat-eared foxes stared at us as we slowed down, before cautiously leaing the roadside. Ostriches skittered away in a flurry.  The zebras we saw were of two types, the mountain zebra and the Birchell’s zebra, which has some brown in its marking as well as the black and white.

At the lunch stop at 8.30, Caroline gave me a heavy jab in the bum with a fast-working anti-inflammatory, which eased the pain considerably.

We got to camp here at Betta by 10.15. There is a gas station, a shop and the small campsite, nothing more- very similar to Solitaire.  Power is produced by the wind and a wood stove They have 5 rooms at about 18 euros per person. I have taken a room for myself so I can rest up all day. After tea and apple cake in the shop, I went to bed for an hour. What sheer indolence, indulgence….and incredibly nice!

Riders found the first 70 kms. hard, with a choice of corrugation or loose sand, and some headwind to deal with. As a result. about 13 riders got in the lunch truck. For those that continued, they were repaid by a better surface and a heavy tailwind.

The wind is strong tonight. I am glad my tent is not being put to the test.

May 5th. Betta to Konkiep Lata.   159  kms.

A mando day for the riders, following yesterday’s pattern of a very tough first half, followed by easier conditions after lunch, saw Marcel come in with the fastest time. He did it in just under five and a half hours, averaging over 26 kph, all off-road.

I got a puncture- in my bum again this morning! Caroline’s injection has made the day easier. We arrived at this camp, in the dinner truck, at about 10 am. The rooms that are available are Wendy Houses, just two or four beds, nothing more  But that is fine, since all I want to do is lie down. Since I am clearly not going to be able to race for a few days at best, I am going to try to go ahead to the border and just rest well for a couple of days. Maybe then I can try to ride again in S. Africa, where the roads will be smooth.

I shared the Wendy House with Bill last night. He took another look at my ribs and straightaway diagnosed a separated cartilage i.e. the cartilage that should connect the rib has become detached.. It is common amongst rugby players, but is not serious. It will just be painful for some time.

Perhaps I should mention that the lovely lady who runs this camp makes the most incredible chocolate cake!  With opportunities like this becoming more frequent, we must surely be starting to put weight back on!

May 6th. Riders, Konkiep to Seeheim (126 kms); me to Keetmanshoop.

The TDA staff were going to get supplies from Keetmanshoop, so I got a lift with them. I am going to stop 2 nights here before hitching a lift to the border, where I will find the camping ground (Felix Unite). I will spend two nights there, the second day with the riders who will have a rest day there. Hopefully I can then continue with them through S. Africa on my bike.

I am upset not to be riding this part of Namibia, which we all like so much. It is possibly my favourite country. It would be easy to forget the distressing poverty we have seen in other countries. But they will be forever etched on our minds. No more will mud huts in glorious sunsets signify for us a romantic setting or way of life. It signifies a cruelly hard existence, with no chance of rising up from it.

I was interested to read in a local paper today, this Yiddish proverb:”Everyone is kneaded out of the same dough, but not baked in the same oven”. It struck me quite powerfully because of a conversation with Jason last night. He wants to raise money when he goes home for some youngsters he met that want to go to university in their own countries. What interested me most though, was the true story he told me of a rabbi addressing his congregation: he first explained that only one-tenth of the world population had a decent standard of living, as they themselves enjoyed. The other nine-tenths lived a hard, precarious life, affected by disease, malnutrition and natural disasters. So, he asked them, if you were given the chance to be re-born at the end of your current lives, knowing the odds in favour of you being born as one of the nine-tenths, would you take it? He paused. Then, he added, that if they chose not to be re-born, thay should be doing all they could in this life to help those less fortunate than themselves.

Keetmanshoop is a very small place, but it has a good variety of stores. Most people about town are coloured or black. If I was feeling in better shape, I would love to go walking in the surrounding bush. The apparently barren landscape always throws up surprises. Instead, I have contented myself by looking in what was the original mission church here, but is now an interesting museum. This town was first settled by tribesman who found a muddy spring here. It was later the scene of conflict between the tribespeople and the German colonial masters, just before the 1st. World War.

At the beginning of the 2nd World War, two German geologists took off from Windhoek into the desert in order to avoid internment. Their story of survival is the subject of the book I am reading at the moment. There is a world out there, full of life, that we could never imagine. Meanwhile, I am stuck in a backpacker’s lodge- a very good one, I must add- licking my wounds!

May 7th. Seeheim to Hobas. 177 kms.

The riders will have quite a long day today. They will start off from alongside the Fish River, which at that point has little water at the moment; I know that because we crossed it yesterday to get here. I am not sure, but I think that where they camp at Hobas tonight  will be about 30 kms. from the Fish River Canyon. This is said to be the most awe-inspiring sight in the whole of Africa, the canyon being the biggest in the world after the Grand Canyon. It was the sight I was most looking forward to on this trip. But even if I had continued with the group, I would have had to cycle to it, something I am incapable of at the moment.

With my enforced spare time, I have been doing an evaluation of the trip so far.

My main aims were:

1 To complete the trip.

2 To avoid accident or mishap.

3 Not to lose anything.

4 To camp all the way.

5 In doing all the above, to draw attention to the tremendous work being done at Thamsanqa orphanage and in the surrounding area of the black township of Motherwell.

Well, I will complete the trip, even though i am forced off the road for a few days.

I haven’t avoided accident and mishap completely, but given my propensity for inviting trouble, I have done well on this account I feel.

I have lost water bottles, gloves, cycle computer, a micro-fibre towel, washing line and on one occasion my temper. Also weight. Nothing of great value.

When the lorry did not turn up in Gondar with our luggage and tents, I went into the hotel there. At the moment I am in lodging for health reasons. I would hope you would agree that i have done OK  in this respect

I have not mentioned Thamsanqa too much, because I believe my blogsite makes it quite clear why I am doing this trip: I have always hated camping- and this adventure has reinforced that! – as also anything which is organised. So it was always going to be my motivation to help Thamsanqa that would pull me through. I am so looking forward to seeing Tia Wessels and the children again, and that wonderful couple, Peter and Daphne, who are such staunch allies to Tia. I stayed with them when I helped out at Thamsanqa last year, and I am hoping they will have room for Carole and I when we get to Port Elizabeth.

Reading the Namibian paper, the Economist, last night, it was interesting to note the concern they have here for the state of the S. African economy. Thousands of  South African businesses are going into liquidation each day. So I can well understand why Tia Wessels is finding funding so incredibly difficult. I wish my efforts could have done more to help. There are still a few who promised to support me and hopefully will come through with something. I intend to keep the blog going at least until we leave Port Elizabeth, so I can relate how Thamsanqa is doing.

I apologise for going on at perhaps too much length. This is what happens when you get time on your hands!  I better go and have another look round that museum!

Best wishes,

Eric