Kumuka Overland

After a visit to Dubai (21-22 September), arrive Nairobi 23 September for departure with Kumuka (www.kumuka.com Best of Africa 63 day trip) on 26 September for Cape Town via Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and South Africa.\r

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$ 1 US = 81.2 Kenya shilling\r

$ 1 US = 1710 Uganda\r

$ 1 US = 1090.40 Tanzania shilling\r

$ 1 US = 109.77 Malawi kwacha\r

$ 1 US = 4842.50 Zambia kwacha\r

$ 1 US = 5556 Zimbabwe dollar\r

$ 1 US = 4.793 Botswana pula\r

$ 1 US = 6.6849 Namibia dollar\r

$ 1 US = 6.5618 South Africa rand\r

$ 1 US = 21691 Mozambique metical\r

$ 1 US = 10396 Madagascar Malagasy franc\r

$ 1 US = ? Rwanda franc\r

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KENYA\r

23 September - Uneventful Emirates flight from Amman to Nairobi but a full one. Got off the plane and got my visa for $50 (and they did not want any photos nor proof of onward journey) and collected my luggage and went to Venture Travel to take a taxi to the Hotel Boulevard ($15). \r

IT IS SO GREAT TO BE BACK IN AFRICA!!!\r

and the jacarandas are in bloom...what a wonderful place. I did short walk around Nairobi visiting the New Stanley Hotel and the supermarket and the Norfolk Hotel for a cappuchino. Back to the hotel for a snooze before Julian arrived at about 10:30 pm and we chatted til midnite....\r

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24 September - Julian slept in and I had brekkie at 6am! We have now walked to town and found internet but it is VERY SLOW (what can you expect for less than $1 per hour) so you may not expect many emails from me! Will try to at least post to airtreks any major updates. Had a strawberry shake at the very upmarket Thorn Tree restaurant in the New Stanley Hotel (where I had stayed a few nights five years ago) and then a walkabout town.\r

We did pay 400 Ksh to take the lift to the top of the Kenyatta Conference Center building (28 floors) for a view of Nairobi. We wondered about the lift though as only one of the four was working and we walked by what looked like the machine room and the wiring looked a bit dodgy (just read in the newspaper that this lift received the Guinness World Record for longest nonoperating lift in the world)! The building was completed in 1973 and was the highest but now a newer building was recently built that is two levels higher. Back to the hotel in the afternoon for some reading and a snooze by the pool (very cold water). The temps here are much better than Jordan or Dubai (where is was close to 40) as it is only in the 20's here. We met some other overlanders at the hotel and had dinner, me a veggie stir fry that was great!\r

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25 September - Brekkie with Julian and our new friend Clare from Australia and then a walk to town for internet and errands. We have our predeparture meeting tonite to meet everyone on our tour. Looks like it may be broken up into multiple tours so will be having folks joining and dropping along the route.\r

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Writing the below from Kabale Uganda on 2 October where internet is 50 per minute:\r

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26 September - Departed Nairobi at 10am with 17 of the 19 folks signed up (plus driver and guide)...we meet two more tonite (newly weds from Brisbane). We are about 13 Aussie(Deb and Lewis, Karen and Ed, Celia and Russell, Jane, Clare, Nicola, Julian, Robin, Jade the guide, Paul the driver), 3 Kiwi(Julie, Nigel and Jodie), 2 Irish (David and John), 1 Pomme(Amy), 1 Icelander(Jon) and me! Camped at Kembu campsite near Njoro on the Kenana Farm after beautiful views of the Rift Valley. We have seen so far just along the road zebra, baboons, maribou stork and flamingos (on the lakes of the rift valley.\r

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27 September - Crossed the Equator today( we will do this four times on the journey). Camped at Naiberi Campsite near Eldoret. We have had heaps of rain so I am SO glad that I brought my tent as many of the truck tents are older and leaking so some folks end up sleeping in the truck or finding accommodation (most campsites have dorms or rooms also for upgrade cost of between $1 - $10).\r

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UGANDA\r

28 September - Crossed the border in to Uganda (visa $30) and camped at Nile River Explorer near Jinja (source of the Nile). This campsite is much noisier than the one next door (Speke) where I had stayed on my last trip...plus we are six trucks in a campsite sized for three. I have found that after five years, there are HEAPS more overland trucks travelling these roads.\r

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29 September - A few folks went rafting on the Nile, a few went to a school (softpowereducation.com), and I joined the newlyweds to watch the rafters come down the river with a cup of coffee. Another night at Nile River campsite.\r

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30 September - A very long day of driving (close to 500 km). We initially stopped to grocery shop in Kampala and then got lost trying to find our way out of the city (Kampala is a great city as I had spent time there during my last trip). We stopped again at the Equator for photos and lunch and saw another Exodus truck. Then our truck had problems so a few delays there but finally got to Lake Bunyoni (near Kabale) at 10pm. Karen and Ed and I were supposed to cook but we just grabbed sandwiches and went to sleep. Our arms got tired today from waving so much at the school children as each school as a different colour uniform and they look so cute waving and screaming and jumping up and down as they are quite excited to see us!\r

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1 October - Most of the group left today to do the gorilla viewing in Rwanda. We did not know this until our departure from Nairobi that we were going to Rwanda and since I have already seen the gorillas in Uganda five years ago, decided to give it a miss....very expensive! Gorilla permit is close to $300, local transport to get there is another $100 (they do not take the truck across the border and as it is, it stayed at camp with us cos it is broken but fixable....the driver Paul was going to go to gorillas but had to stay and work on the truck), and then you have to get new Uganda and Kenya visa in addition to Rwanda visa (total close to $600). So I decided to give it a miss and enjoy Lake Bunyoni for some sun, a swim and a walk around the villages and countryside. The others that stayed did so due to finances (Julian, David from Ireland, and the newlyweds Celia and Russell).\r

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2 October - More overlanders at the Bunyoni Overland camp on their way to Rwanda or the Congo for gorillas. Caught a ride to the edge of Kabale town with the Bukima truck to do internet early at 8am (we are about 9 km out of town up a very steep dirt road) and then a bicycle taxi (quite an experience) to get into town. The others in my group wanted to sleep so met them at noon for lunch at the 'Ritz' for fresh grilled tipala fish and then a walk to another internet for the rest of the folks but then the power went out (this is usual) and now it is pouring down rain! We are back at the first internet place (Voice of Kigeza) cos it is also the radio station and therefore on generator! Taxi back to camp for a dinner at the restaurant of Crayfish Garlic as it was just raining too much to want to cook and get soaked.\r

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3 October - Our group is taking two days to do the gorillas in Rwanda (10 on 2 Oct and 5 on 3 Oct). Depending on how long it takes to find the gorillas, they will return sometime on 4 October and if it is early, we will take off returning to Kampala and then head to Masai Mara and hopefully avoid another 16 hour drive day...and they were all lucky and found the gorillas quickly and returned to camp at 7:30 pm...then had buffet dinner at the restaurant. I had spent the morning in the sun and then grilled tomato and cheese for lunch and then a walk to the local Bufuka school where a Slovenian Miha has set up shop to teach them to swim (?): www.edirisa.org. We were really not sure of his real agenda here!\r

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4 October - Departed Lake Bunyoni at 9am and stopped in Kabale for a bit of shopping at the bakery and supermarket. We made it to Masaka around 5 and found a great (and quiet) campsite at Masaka Backpackers, a local farmhouse that caters to campers and we were the only overland truck there with gorgeous views over the valley. Celia and Russell and Nicola cooked lamb and veggie curry and rice.\r

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5 October - 8 am departure with hopes for time to walk around Kampala before camping outside of town at the Red Chile Campsite. We stopped along the side of the road to photograph the Ankole cattle (they have the really big horns) and Lewis wanted a closeup with him and almost pooped his pants when the bull started to charge (even though he was tied to a rope). We finally arrived Kampala around 11:45 and it looks pretty much the same as when I visited five years ago. Julian and I had a steak sandwich at Steers and now doing internet at the Web City Cafe where the cost is 50 per minute (less than $2 per hour). We also hope to find a good coffee, ice cream and maybe visit the Sheraton where I remember I enjoyed their cappuchinos (now there are MANY more coffee and internet places...the western world is hitting everywhere). Karen and Ed (from Perth) and I cook tonite but she loves to cook so I will just follow her directions for cutting and chopping! Julian is our safe-man meaning that he has the keys to the safe (which we call the bar so that when we yell please open the bar, it will not be as conspicuous as please open the safe!) and he usually only opens it for border crossing and city shopping. Other duties that folks do are unloading the luggage (usually the guys that we call the wallas), cleaning the truck, cleaning up after the cooks....\r

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KENYA\r

6 October - A drive day and border crossing from Uganda back to Kenya. Lunch by a nice stream with heaps of butterflies and the plant that curls when you touch it. Camped again at Naiberi Camp but no rain this time....nice spot down by the river. Steak and sausages and potatoes and slaw for dinner.\r

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7 October - A beautiful backroad (C55 to B4) from Eldoret to Lake Baringo where we camped at Roberts Camp next to the Lake Baringo Country Club and where the hippos come out of the water at night to feed...we heard them but I did not go out to pee in the middle of the night for fear that I would trip over one! We also took an afternoon boat ride to view the hippos, crocs and many many birds including the fish eagle feeding from the fish that we threw to him/her!\r

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8 October - A drive to Nakuru where I am now doing internet at 2 Ksch per minute. I got to sit up in the cab which was great fun! We will camp at Lake Nakuru this evening. Game drives through the Nakuru park.\r

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9 October - Arrived at Crayfish Camp at Lake Naivasha where there is a Mash Auto Bash to celebrate the long weekend for Moi Day.....very noisy with all of the locals partying until late morning. \r

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10 October - Another evening at Crayfish Camp at Lake Naivasha...still a bit noisy. Some folks biked Hells Gate Canyon which I had walked on my last trip and others did the giraffe walk but I did not want to spend $20 to do a hike...we will see enough giraffes! We spent the afternoon at Elsamere, home of Joy and George Adamson (of Born Free etc) and had afternoon tea, enjoyed a film of their life there and watched the colobus monkeys in the trees. We split with part of our group today as some are doing Serengetti and got new ones arriving from Nairobi that were not doing gorillas but are either going to JoBurg or Cape Town....really confusing for us and even more so for the leader! I preferred my last trip where we all stayed on the same trip....too much shuffling going on as people leave then arrive....this will happen again in Vic Falls.\r

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The new folks are Claire (UK), Laura (UK), Fiona, Sally, Amanda and Thomas (Scotland), Sally and Carroll (Canberra Australia), Shannon (NZ), Mike(UK-Julian's partner), Richard and Lisa (NZ)....so now we are 20!\r

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11 October - Camped in town of Narok at the Members Only Campsite which is very basic with cold showers but it was a stopover on way to Masai Mara in order to not make it an all day drive.\r

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12 October - Camped outside Masai Mara Park at Riverside Camp after spending afternoon doing game drive and seeing leopards, hyenas, lions, wildebeest, gazelles, impalas, warthogs.....We also visited Masai village and had evening Masai dancers. (I gave this a miss cos not feeling well...plus had already done and did not want to pay $6 to watch!).\r

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13 October - Some folks opted for $380 balloon ride over the Masai Mara but too much wind so it was cancelled so a bit of a disappointment for them....second time this year that it has been cancelled. Morning game drive before returning back in Nairobi at the NPS campsite which is very noisy so got a cheap room. Hopefully more later tomorrow morning as internet is very slow and expensive, as usual. I have got a really bad head cold that I caught from two other folks in the group.....first one in almost three years...hope that it clears quickly.\r

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TANZANIA\r

14 October - We headed south today across to Tanzania (less than an hour at the border and $50 for visa) and Arusha. We could barely see Mt Kili. We have not had as much rain as when the trip started so hopefully it will stay dry....but spoke too soon as it poured down rain arriving in Arusha. We camped at Meserani Snake Park in the mud! My previous cook partners have returned to Perth so now I am cooking with Sally and Lisa....we did a great pork curry for dinner!\r

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15 October - Julian and Mike cooked me brekkie for my birthday! We then drove to Arusha (about 20kms) and did errands. Internet is much faster and cheaper in Tanzania so hope to catch up more when we arrive in Dar as I am thinking of not going to Zanzibar for the four days because I have already been. The leader and the truck will stay south of Dar on the beach at a place with a pool so would be a good time to 'stop' and catch up on email and wash some clothes. We head to Karatu for camp tonite at Ngorogoro Safari Camp. A birthday dinner in the restaurant for me plus a great card from everyone!\r

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16 October - Early morning game drive in the Crater....hopefully it will clear! We will be going in smaller four wheel drive vehicles as it is a very steep hill into the crater. \r

The rains did clear and we had a great time viewing a mother cheetah and kids!\r

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17 October - Drive halfway to Dar and stop near Mombo at Tembo Chipboard campsite. It was raining so hard that we all ended up staying in a four bedroom house. A Dutch man is renovating the housing into a campground and accomodation.\r

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18 October - Continued our drive to Dar and arrived at 2:30 pm. We had two hours to roam the city and catch up on internet etc and then we headed to the campsite at the southern end of town near the beaches. We had to take a five minute ferry across to the peninsula on the other side (Kigamboni) and then less than five minutes down the road to the Mikadi campsite. I had planned to just hang out at the campsite after a day in Zanzibar but because of the drought, the showers are salt water and the pool looks dreadful (potential for catching bilharza just from the pool!) although it is right on a beautiful beach. \r

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19 October - We took the 10:30 am Sea Star ferry to Zanzibar which took about two hours across a bit of rough seas....not good for some of our group that have a weak tummy. We initially got a ride to town with the Dragoman truck so that we could leave our truck at the campsite. After arrival in Zanzibar, all of us took much needed showers since none of us wanted the salt water shower at Mikadi. We stayed at the Safari Lodge Hotel with aircon rooms and hot showers. We then spent the afternoon exploring Zanzibar....I visited the Hotel Serena for cappuchino, Amore Mio for homemade ginger icecream, the slave market and the church, and wandered the big market on the other side of Stone Town. We all met at Africa House at 5 for a great view of the sunset and then had dinner on the waterfront from the food stalls.\r

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20 October - I woke up early (again of course) and took the 7am Sea Start ferry back to Dar and then caught a ride with Phoenix truck to the campsite and then a ride back to town with Bukima truck(with my luggage) and then a taxi to stay at a hotel for a few days....they have fresh water showers and a pool!!!\r

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21 October - Oh tis so great to wake up in a bed for a change and not have to pee in the bushes or find my way to the campground loo! And a great hot brekkie that comes with the room of cereal and fresh fruit and eggs and bacon and sausage and fresh breads. A short rain shower this morning and heaps of sun this afternoon. I got a bit too much sun at the pool yesterday so am wearing a visor today to walk in this humid heat (over 36 degrees C). Had my hair cut by Esther at Touch of Style next to the Shoprite supermarket (only 7000, less than $7)....she did a better job than the woman did in Paris. Esther tells me that she has much experience in cutting muzungu hair. Dar is actually a nice city. It has been fun watching the locals on the street corners selling clothes on hangars (called machingas or young men selling commodities on the streets)....cheaper rent than a storefront although no aircon to beat the heat. A couple from Canada that I met at Lake Bunyoni just walked into internet. They have left their Exodus tour as they felt that it was too much driving (which it is) plus they were with a bunch of pommies and had difficulty understanding their English (they speak French). Quite honestly in hindsite, I would have reconsidered based on all the overland truck traffic that we keep running into....I hear though that it will lessen as we head south...time will tell....and I can put up with anything!\r

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22 October-Oracle is having a technical conference here at the Royal Palm....maybe I should attend....or not!?!? \r

Another day by the pool and opted for a massage and pedicure before we hit the dirt on the road again! They have crows here also but not all black but black with either white or grey breast (the grey ones are from Zanzibar. Still very sunny and hot...most folks are drinking beer (Killimanjaro is the Tanzanian beer) but I am enjoying either a Krest Soda Water or Krest Bitter Lemon or Fanta passion fruit drink! Internet is so slow...even though less than $1 per hour....I have considered trying the hotel which is $12 per hour to see if it is any faster but that is too high a price to pay when it should be free! I must plan my logoff well in advance before the time ends as I do not want to be logged in when it times out.\r

Spent time speaking with the butler at the hotel named Jeet who is from Zanzibar. He says that the pay is better at the hotels in Dar so his family remains in Zanzibar and he visits them once a month.\r

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23 October - My last day by the pool....! Enjoyed listening to the locals converse. Bo Werner is a Swedish dentist with an office (Three Crowns) at the Royal Palm....very large man that appears to charge heaps for his dental work and spends a lot of time enjoying the pool. \r

Walked down to the ferry in the afternoon to greet our folks returning from Zanzibar...they all looked very tired and hot....three of the ladies had gotten their hairs braided/plaited which looked great. I had this done in South Africa a few years ago and I just remember it hurting too much! They were in a hurry to return to the campsite (remember the one with the salt water showers and bilharzia pool) and I was quite happy to return to my aircon room and watch a few more movies before the camping commences again!\r

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24 October - The truck will pick me up at the hotel at 6:30 am so I will miss my free brekkie!\r

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25 and 26 October - Stayed at Chitimba Beach Camp right on Lake Malawi. Swam in the Lake and enjoyed the beach although the nights were again very noisy with all the truckees playing music all evening! I did buy a Malawi chair but a very small one.....\r

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27 October - Now in Mzuzu Malawi doing internet that is ridiculously slow and $6 per hour so may wait another 10 days until Vic Falls before writing anymore!\r

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27 and 28 October - Stayed at Kande Beach camp for two nights and did more swimming! Some folks say that you can get bilharzia but I think that is where the water is more still (you can take the drug biltriside to get rid of it). When you look at Lake Malawi, it is so big that it looks like an ocean as you cannot really see the other side.\r

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ZAMBIA\r

29 October - Drove through the Nkhotakota Game Reserve on our way to the border but all we saw was a baboon. We continue to have radiator problems (cracked head) so we stop too many times to feed it water! After passing through the Malawi border post, you continue to travel through Malawi for several KMs before reaching the Zambia border post. We stayed the evening near Chipata at a really nice site Mama Rulas Camp but we got in so late and departed so early the next day that we barely had time to enjoy it.\r

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30 October - Another long day of driving. We crossed the Luangwe Bridge which is very near to Mozambique. Stayed the evening at Pioneer Camp near Lusaka after stopping at the Arcade Mall for food and shopping....what a culture shock after being in the bush!\r

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31 October - Stopped at the other big shopping mall in Lusaka for a few hours in the morning (Manda Hill Shopping) to stock up for our three evenings on the houseboat on Lake Kariba. Another long day of driving with many stops to feed the radiator before finally arriving at the HouseBoat Company after 6pm. Had a braai for dinner and the boat stayed in the harbor before departing on 1 November....I decided to give it a miss and stay on land as they combined both our Kumuka truck of 22 people and the Bukima truck of 10 people and most wanted to party for the entire time.\r

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1 November - Ended up running errands with Dane one of the owners of the Houseboat Company which worked out well as he is busy building the business in addition to a campsite around the corner and dealing with the locals to buy thatching for the roof and bricks for the buildings etc....plus contacting the telephone and power companies to ensure continuous service....hahaha!. We had tea with Murray and Caroline who run a tobacco farm; Dane picked up the tobacco dregs to lay in the house foundation to get rid of termites. Murray and Caroline also have a resort on Chete Island. We then had dinner at another resort that just opened next to the croc farm and kapenta fishing area that is run by Gavin and Paula (www.siansowa.com) and ended up just staying there as it is about one hour drive from the houseboat office.\r

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2 November - Returned to the Houseboat office via Maamba, a coal mining town. We looked at bricks and chatted with a contractor who showed us the buildings that he was constructing although Dane found them a bit dodgy. An afternoon walk to Dane's campsite and a cold drink with Vanice at Gwembe Safari Lodge.\r

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3 November - The HouseBoat returned with many crook folks so I am glad that I gave that one a miss. Arrived late into Livingstone due to a thirsty truck radiator (cracked head) and stayed at Grubbies Grotto Campsite....beautiful old house built in the 1920's with lovely lawn on which to pitch our tent. We watched a film on all the activities that folks can do here such as rafting, abseiling, bungie jumping etc....not for me though!\r

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4 November - Walkabout in Livingstone doing internet and browsing the local market. Found great lassi (yoghurt drink) at African Visions Vegetarian Cafe (hopefully to ward off the bug that everyone else got while on the boat). Met some other folks and we got a ride to ZigZag for lunch and a swim in their pool. Another night at the Grotto.\r

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ZIMBABWE\r

5 November - We departed today from Livingstone Zambia to Vic Falls Zimbabwe (only 11 km) but we did not take Eva, our Kumuka truck, as it needs a new engine and none to be found yet here. There is a spare Bukima truck that will take us which is smaller but we will only be going across to Zim whereas the truck continues to JoBurg and we will get a new truck to CT. Julian and Mike are doing the Zambia Swing in the gorge but I gave a miss to all that Zambezi River stuff. We are doing internet at Necor for 167 kwachwa per minute.\r

Border crossing was easy as it is a very busy border with folks crossing all the time to do all the Zambezi River activities....visa cost me $30 US. Arrived at the Shoestring campsite about 4pm but decided I did not want to listen to any more music and partying at the campsite all night so ran around town looking for accommodation and found an aircon room for $50 at the Sprayview...no tv but it does have a jug to heat hot water for my morning coffee. Julian and Mike arrived from their Zambezi swing later and decided to do the same thing. A very old and funky motel out of the 50's but a nice respite from the noise and even has a pool.\r

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6 November - Exploring Vic Falls city and the Falls themselves and the beautiful Victoria Falls Hotel. Many changes here since my visit in 1996....heaps of growth....which does no good now since no visitors thanks to Mugabe. I hear that riots will happen during the first week of December and all the borders will be closed. We had our predeparture meeting with our new driver Richard and new tour leader Michelle as we are now on a brand new truck(Ella) that runs well. About 12 of the original group plus seven new ones (Rob, John, Pete, Frank, Mary, Renate, Lee).\r

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7 November - A very hot day in Vic Falls so spent a few hours enjoying the pool and now doing very slow internet. I guess that it will be faster as we head south through Namibia and SA. \r

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BOTSWANA\r

8 November - We departed Vic Falls and crossed the border into Botswana. We camped at Chobe Safari Lodge where it was pouring down rain when we pitched our tent!\r

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9 November - Early morning game drive through Chobe then an afternoon game cruise where we saw heaps of elephants swimming....and another rain shower. Also saw a great Goliath Heron and a beautiful sunset.\r

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10 November - A very long drive day to Maun (about 600 km) where we saw three sable on the running across the road....what a treat!!! We camped at Sitatunga Camp about 14 km west of Maun.\r

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11 November - Drove about one hour in the Delta Rain truck with Matt to where we boarded the mokoros (very small canoe like boats) and then a couple of hours to our rough camp for two nights. Evening walk where we spotted elephant and zebra and a very dead giraffe that had been killed by a lion and now the beetles were enjoying the leftovers.\r

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12 November - A morning game walk and and afternoon mokoro ride after watching Julian cover himself with mud for a mud bath!\r

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13 November - Mokoros back to the truck and then to Sitatunga Camp where it just poured down rain right after lunch and then to Maun to do internet and take folks to the airport to fly over the Delta.\r

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14 November - Departed Maun and crossed the border from Botswana into Namibia and camped near Rundu at the Nhazi Camp on the Okavango River.\r

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NAMIBIA\r

15 November - Visited Grootfontein and Tsumeb to shop and get money at the bank. It appears that you can use either the Namibian dollar or SA rand in Namibia but cannot use the Namibian dollar in SA (rates are the same at about 5.78). Game drive through Etosha and then camped at Namutoni Camp.\r

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16 November - Game drive through Etosha then lunch at Halali and camp at Okaukuejo.\r

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17 November - Game drive out of the park to the Otjitotongue Cheetah Park (www.cheetahpark.com) where we met Zeal, the local tame cheetah and also fed the other 35 cheetahs from the back of a ute!!!\r

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18 November - Long drive to Swakopmund. We departed the Cheetah park before 7 but because of the heavy rains, we bogged just a few km outside! We finally got out of the mud and stopped at the Himba village just off the C40 on the P2656 road about 20 km east of Kamanjab. Michelle, our tour leader, met this tribe a few years ago so it is not as touristy as most and the chief is a white guy whose family has been in this area for centuries! The scenery changed dramatically (moonscape like) as we headed south into the desert. We arrived at Swakopmund to find that our accommodation had moved....about ten overland trucks in town and they all stay in the same place! So now we are all in dorms at the Dunes Lodge but I opted (and so did Julian and Mike) to move across the street to the Prinzessin RupprechtHelm hotel (www.prinzrupp.com.na) for a nice room in an old colonial home.\r

Swakopmund is Namibia's most popular holiday destination on the Atlantic Ocean...and some describe it as more German than Germany as there are heaps of them here in addition to all the wonderful architecture of the buildings built in the early 1900's. It is also the adrenalin capital so most of the folks on the truck are doing the sandboarding, quadbiking, skydiving, camel riding etc on the Namib sands/dunes.\r

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19 November - Tour of Rossing Uranium Mine...largest open cast uranium mine in world....about one million tons of ore per week! Because we had arrived late last evening, I was worried that I would not be able to go as they only have tours on the first and third Fridays of the month (and this is the third Friday). I showed up at the busstop where I saw about thirty other people gathered (mostly German) but when the bus arrived, there was room for a few more (only $25 Nambian, about $4 US). I sat in the front and next to another woman from Canada so we had a great chat about travelling and geology. The tour of the mine was excellent as they had a museum and introductory film before driving us to the pit for a walk and then a drive and explanation of the operations. A fuse had blown on Wednesday so the processing of the ore to oxide was not working (first time since 1981) but still made for a good tour.\r

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20 November - On Saturday, most stores close at 1pm, so spent time running a few errands and doing internet. Fog is still in!\r

I did end up buying an LED headlamp as my old one keeps eating double A batteries!\r

Visited the excellent museum in Swakopmund and bought a souvenir warthog tooth on a keychain. I have not been buying much of anything on this trip as they end up just being dust collectors at home! Great sunset on the beach after watching an episode of McLeods Daughters.\r

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21 November - Our truck has been having radiator problems (but not as bad as the last truck) so we found another truck for the day to take us to Cape Cross to see the Cape Fur Seals and they were in the process of having babies....heaps of crying on the beach there and quite a stench! Back to Swakopmund to get our repaired truck and head south. Because of our late departure, we did not make it to Sesriem but did camp at Solitaire (population of 10) and enjoyed Moose's homemade apple strudel for dessert.\r

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22 November - Very early departure (4:30) so that we could catch the sunrise as we hiked up Dune 45....the Namibia dunes are spectacular! Many of the fol