Wild camping 24 km from Henties Bay
Distance 101 + 11246 = 11347
Average 12.3
Time 8 h 12 m
Total from Amsterdam 16747
Location S21.974649, E14.371373
My favourite kitty, the one I renamed Smokey, came to our tent at 10 pm last night to say good night or was he wanting to join us inside? Gave him a scratch under his chin and then we had to zip him outside. At 23h30 I heard him talking to us again and this time he came under the flysheet of the tent and stood on his back legs, front paws up against the mesh of the tent, looking inside. It broke my heart having to ignore him. Shortly thereafter the dogs barking nearby was keeping us awake so I gathered a few stones and climbed up the boundary wall and threw stones at them. Smokey followed me and back towards our tent. I picked him up and carried him to the restaurant area where Fluffy was and left him there. He came running after me and I had to shoo him back????. These gorgeous cats are just wanting some TLC. We have had a lovely rest here at Brandberg Rest Camp and can recommend the campsite.
Woke up early and was back on gravel at 06h15 to beat the heat and westerly winds. We rode past the Brandberg mountain range just as the sun was rising which was magnificent. Basil from the campsite passed us in his Landy, having dropped a pair of hikers with guide at the base of the mountain to hike up and back down, taking three days. Rode past over twenty roadside stalls, all selling semi precious stones, their stalls decorated with scarecrows and animal figurines. Most have the lovely pink quartz. Today’s gravel and all the other horrible stuff like soft sand and ruts was a better road than Tuesday’s road surface. We met a guy who slowed down and rode alongside Peter chatting to him, then passed me and stopped.
Nico a geologist who lives in Uis and he and his wife are quite progressive with the upbringing of their two boys, aged 5 and 7. The family are well travelled and the children will not go to a regular school. They travel as a family and self-school the lads. We had stretches of perfect riding surfaces and others where we came to an abrupt halt, skidding in the process. About 80 km was into a westerly wind, though not howling. At 101 km and well after 5 pm we called it a day and found a spot off the road next to some bushes and quickly pitched the tent. Peter made us piping hot tea while I sorted out the bedding stuff. We had cold left over supper from Tuesday with some dry bread. So hungry it tasted great. Thank goodness the wind has died down. Apples and pears to fill Peter’s tummy and we’re about to watch another episode of Bones, so night night from a very chilly wild camping spot xx
– Love the scenery in this picture
– Brandberg mountain at sunrise
– Basil, co-owner of the Brandberg Rest Camp
– A neat roadside stall. See how this entrepreneur has made use of discarded plastic bottles
– Outside a roadside stall
– Samples of the semi precious stones on offer
– Nico, the geologist who stopped for a chat
