Let's mix it up and fill in some experience gaps: RTW 2015

[JohnM]

 

[JohnM]

 

[JohnM]

 

[JohnM]

I've seen one or two places in my miserable and boring life; the Namib dunes rates up there with the best of them!

 

[Major]

Wow...those balloon photos are all just stunning. Great work

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

Thanks MrM! These photos are fantastic! So glad you are having such a good time

 

[love_the_life]

Just stunning pics and great commentary. Loving this TR

 

[Pushka]

Just wonderful!

 

[drron]

Smashing photos.
And I had the same pinotage last night anchored off the Utria NP,Colombia.

 

[JohnM]

So glad you are having such a good time

That was always the intention, so going according to plan, Uppy .

 

[JohnM]

Today was another glorious 600km drive (500 on dirt) further S to Luderitz, a small old Germanic town on the coast in the Namib Desert. The scenery was particularly spectacular for the first 150km, before climbing up onto the plateau for a flat run until dropping down to the sandy desert near the coast.

It's hard to get the scale and beauty of the scenery in photos but I'll put a few up.





The pass up on to the plateau.


Flat on the plateau and easy to see the dust trail of someone coming from a long way off. Dirt road good for well over 120kph in sections .

 

[JohnM]

No kidding! Someone (not me!) had taken exception to the suggested speed limit and had snapped off the front part of the sign on this and the next sand caution sign.


Not sure whether the railway is still in use but a sand pusher, rather than a cow catcher, would be the go.

 

[RooFlyer]

Hey! In #351 you're just recycling some pics from the recent short cut, aren't you? Flat topped Mt Connor? Love the dunes and balloon pics.

 

[JohnM]

Smashing photos.
And I had the same pinotage last night anchored off the Utria NP,Colombia.

If they managed to serve up an oryx steak with it, then I would be truly impressed .

 

[JohnM]

Hey! In #351 you're just recycling some pics from the recent short cut, aren't you? Flat topped Mt Connor? Love the dunes and balloon pics.

There's always one smart-alec that checks everything .

 

[JohnM]

I've just had the alert from QF to pre-select my meals JNB-SYD on Monday.

Go online and the QF Eat online exclusive for the main is... springbok steak . Tick...

Also checked EF to see how the seating is going. I'm in 1K - natch. Funny how the front cabin seating is fully allocated on the starboard side and almost empty on the port side . Must be a lot of hopefuls wanting to glimpse some ice .

 

[TraceyK90]

Which route did you take?

 

[JohnM]

Which route did you take?

I was staying at Agama River Lodge, N of the Sesriem turnoff on C19. Kept going S on C19, deviated about 19km E to refuel at Maltahohe, then the C14 S to Helmeringhausen and the C13 to hit the bitumen at Aus for the run in to Luderitz.

Here for two nights, then the 850-click haul back to Windhoek on Sunday to overnight there before WDH-JNB Monday afternoon and then on to SYD & PER. Home Tuesday night.

Do you know whether the railway is still in use? If so, how do they handle the sand accumulation issue?

 

[love_the_life]

I've just had the alert from QF to pre-select my meals JNB-SYD on Monday.

Also checked EF to see how the seating is going. I'm in 1K - natch. Funny how the front cabin seating is fully allocated on the starboard side and almost empty on the port side . Must be a lot of hopefuls wanting to glimpse some ice .

People don't realise that the flight back is usually much more northerly as the head winds are not an issue as they are from SYD - JNB. Ice is highly unlikely IMO and besides that it is dark.

 

[JohnM]

Luderitz is an unusual little port town. It is stuck between a very remote and inaccessible part of the Namib desert NP and the Sperrgebeit (the 'Forbidden Zone') - because of its diamonds. The town started as a German port in the 1880s but went ballistic in 1908 when diamonds were discovered and prospectors flooded in. Subsequently, access controls for prospectors were implemented and only mining companies were allowed to operate.

It is still a diamond area and there are oyster and mussel farms in the adjoining bay, and fishing.

The town feels like a time-warp. The old buildings are well-maintained and give a bizarre hint of Bavaria in this desert environment.