Yainguaz Camp Near Gobabis
June 1, 2002 Yainguaz Camp near Gobabis, Namibia
The countries of Botswana and Namibia are very different geographically from Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia. The topography is flatter even than Botswana and much of Namibia is desert except for Brandburg Mountain, a huge marble massif rising out of the desert-also called Fire Mountain because of the way it appears at sunrise and sunset.
We still have to cross the Ondundozonananan (not a typo) Mountain Range in the south of the country before crossing into South Africa. Probably for this reason there are no villages or even huts along the road; the nomads in the area are few and we see only a few people in the small towns.
Crowded House, a New Zealand group is singing the chorus to “The Weather With You” which is “Everywhere you go you always take the weather with you”…and then “If you can’t change the world change yourself…” This music has played so much it has become the truck’s theme song.
It’s a breeze crossing the border into Namibia-and no charge for our visa. We are south of the equator now…it is winter and it is freezing cold but Rod doesn’t put the flaps down on the long-haul drive….and I suspect Bob has asked to have them rolled up so he can see out. I am fuming at what I consider his selfishness. We are all in our sleeping bags. We need the girls from Britain here to mutiny…You Bastard! Lorelle would have yelled!
Half frozen, we get to the camp after dark and put up the tents. James inspects a broken spring on the truck as we eat our dinner in the dark. We can’t use the multi-use hall of the camp to put our tents in as we had hoped because the Afrikaner farmers are having a joint birthday/wedding celebration and all the space is being used.
Bob has put the tent on a hump so I am cold and miserable all night as I scrunch down in the corner.
Tags: African Continent, Camp, Gobabis, Music, Namibia, Truck, Worst Experiences, Yainguaz Camp
Zoe
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