Option declined. We are such wimps.
Instead, a quickie tour of the nearby Sesriem gorge, a slot canyon lookalike just 1km from the hotel and on the way to the park exit. Score!
Then for the hoped for morning highlight, grabbing some wifi time at the e-cafe at the park entrance. Cool (not literally of course) place with a living roof, lots of PV arrays attached and a real time display recounting their shrunken carbon footprint.
I would be remiss not to mention that the e-cafe lies just meters on the outside of the park. Empirical data reveals that guards become most alert and bureaucratic when the traffic is light. This morning was a night mare
and, remember, this to get out of the park, not in!
Paperwork, paperwork....
It all worked out, we got to the e-cafe "gateway to refreshment at sossuvlei" safely.
and in case you guys following along at home are thinking i'm making too much of the heat let it be known that at 6:20am the temperature was borderline freezing
the sign sez 23c (i know, too small)
Anyway, back to the storyline here, the wifi dhcp server is of a vintage that IOS6 throws it for a loop requiring manual intervention. The magic recipe had been lost yesterday but was retrieved ready for me this morning. But alas, my people talked to their people and no refund was possible for the unused minutes from yesterday. Negotiations paused and then ensued while the priniipals stomped off. My people (Geoff, diplomat extraordinaire) reclaimed my 30$N ($3.50). I resolved to wait for blog posting access in Jo'berg - i have people waiting for this stuff you know...
Nothing holding us now we headed north back to Solitaire (did i mention the particularly fine bathrooms as well as the bakery). I did manage to ID one of the wrecked cars as a Morris Eight - i bet that piece of metal could tell some stories.
At Solitaire we headed onto C14 - the short cut, or was it to be the long cut. Fascinating changes in scenery, even after two weeks we had to stop and stare at running water crossing the road ..
We made it to sophisticated downtown Windhoek in 4:40hrs - 20 mins does not equal a short cut. I note that upon arrival Windhoek looked like a hell hole**, but now, well its amazing what desert time can do to your perspective.
Geoff's plane to Cape Town leaves 30 mins after ours. As the clients I must say rather him than us dealing with the rental car company regarding the now damaged but repaired spare tyre. Did any of you know that it is illegal to rent out a car in Namibia with anything other than a brand new spare. There is a heap of almost new, repaired tyres outside Windhoek airport which the rental car company claims they burn. Yeh really.
A final lunch on Geoff's handsome tab and its the big goodbye.
As in goodbye readers - that's it, its over.
And for all you commentators, thank you, you have made this so worthwhile and particpatory. Oops, commentator - thanks Gilly.
Stay tuned for Guyana coming up next....
i might yet post my fave pics but bigger so that you can actually see them.
** Joe's jaegermeister place excluded.
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Location:Johannesberg, RSA
