Crazy Guy on a Bike – Wed 10 Oct 2018, Day 311

Wed 10 Oct 2018, Day 311

Camping at Kalkrand Rest Camp and Tea Garden
Distance 107 + 11939 = 12046
Average 17.0
Time 6 h 17 m
Total from Amsterdam 17446
Location S24.071619, E17.589447We had panic stations last night when Claire couldn’t find her tablet and passport. After spending a lovely evening with Philip and Claire we left well rested at 06h35 and it took us 55 minutes to ride the 7 km gravel to the B1 tarred road. We heard that Claire’s tablet and passport was handed in and they were on their way to collect it in Windhoek  so we’ll get to see them later today.

Crossed the Tropic of Capricorn and stopped for a sandwich at a really nice picnic spot which had a table and benches on either side of a tree. My bike felt sluggish and on checking Peter said my back wheel was fairly flat. Once pumped up I was riding decent speeds once again. At 75 km, both our tummies were rumbling so parked off under a shafy tree for another sandwich. Claire and Philip arrived, much happier than when we left them this morning. They gave us a cool coke and headed off hoping to cross the border into SA.

Just 2 km down the B1, we came across a policeman and his bakkie. He was changing a tyre that had a blow out so we stopped and Peter gave him a hand. Gideon told us that he works as a forensic constable in the Hardup Region and does a lot of driving. He had a puncture yesterday as well. They used to get N600 (we think per month) travelling allowance but that has been radically reduced and he told us the Namibian government has no money and they have been squandering money putting up unnecessary new buildings. We’ve heard this from several other people as well.

The last few km’s to Kalkrand was into the wind, also from the west. Found a shop that sells ice suckers then got directions to the Kalkrand Rest Camp and Tea Garden and were given permission to camp here tonight, N150 and we have the use of a room’s shower and loo. The tea garden’s shop and kitchen have an ice making machine and I buried our coke and sprite deep into the ice for later. Peter had two ice cold Windhoek Draft beers while I rehydrated myself with a cooldrink and litres of lovely ice cold water!

Our tent is up and we’ve taken the liberty of having a nap on the bed in the room we’ll use to shower in. The tea garden unfortunately closes at 5 so I took our drinks to the petrol station’s shop and dumped the drinks and a bag of ice in their freezer together with two tubs of yoghurt, one for tonight, the other for breakfast. The temperature on arrival in Kalkrand was 36°C at about 2.30 and it hasn’t got any cooler. Our supper will be a bit plain compared with last night’s rump steak that Philip braai’d but it will fill the tummy for tomorrow’s +- 75 km ride to Mariental. We have a tub of yoghurt for dessert that’s keeping chilled in the shop’s freezer. The weather this evening is balmy to hot and the mozzies are out in force so have to cover up with long pants… That’s all for today folks. Take care xx

       

– Our camp kitty looking forlorn, no more tuna juice

– Tropic of Capricorn which crosses through a number of countries

– A feathery family tree ??

– Peter assisting Gideon change his tyre

– A huge abnormal load, the biggest we’ve seen so far

– We saw Claire and Philip again today before they headed for the SA border