Our route took us across the Tropic of Capricorn and through two passes today, the Gaub and Kuiseb. Here the ground swallows the road as you descend into dry riverbeds.
The force of the recent deluge was evident with massive tree trunks piled high against the concrete road supports.
We wound our way through beautiful valleys as the temperature once again hit 40?C. Gradually the landscape changed as we pushed through the Namib Naukluft Park. Grasses dried and disappeared altogether as the dry wind picked up sucking moisture from every pore.
Water is more precious than fuel here and it is easy to see why. We were now each carrying 6 litres, two in our CamelBaks and four on the bikes and using every drop. There have been recent deaths here, which is sobering. Tourists unprepared for the heat ventured off the beaten path and perished through poor planning, bad navigation and hoping someone would come along. No one did – minor tracks are rarely used.
The temperature began to ease, then suddenly plummet by 20?C as we found tarmac again and Walvis Bay and the Altlantic came into view. What a welcome sight. Beachfront developments amid the dunes and on the shoreline are at odds with initial impressions as once again big development makes its mark on the land. Walvis was beginning to look more akin to Dubai to me as we drove the short stretch to Swakopmund.
Swakopmund has arguably the best preserved colonial German architecture anywhere. Clean, well laid out and pristine, you can see why it is a perennial favorite for local and foreign visitors. The Swakopmund Caf caught our attention as it spilled onto the pavement. Soon the best Chicken Schnitzel I have ever tasted followed by home made carrot cake and coffee were rounding off the day.
Cormorants were returning from their feeding grounds as we pulled into mile 4 campsite just outside of town. Just light enough to get the tents up and grab a quick shower before sacking out.
