Felix Unite Camp (Namibia) to Springbok (RSA) - 133km

Namibia, South Africa

Day 115 – May 7 – Stage 81

The Final Countdown!  Today we crossed over from Namibia into South Africa, our home country, the last of the 11 countries to be traversed on our way down the length of Africa.

Left Felix Unite a little upset with their Management. Our son Ken and his wife had dropped off an envelope for us at Felix Unite Camp when they'd passed through the area on their honeymoon trip last year. It was supposed to be given to us on our TDA arrival, but Management had lost the envelope! Which about summed up the managerial skills of the people at Felix Unite, there is a lot to be said for any company in the hospitality industry to ensure that their employees receive the correct training in people skills.

A few kilometres before the Namibian Border, stopped at the Engen Garage (Wimpy) for Coffee with Murray, then onto the Border for our last border crossing. At immigration on the Namibian side, met up with Colleen & Johan, yesterday’s hosts at Amanzi Camp, who were on their way to Cape Town. 

We went through the Namibian Boarder, with no problem, but did hear that some of the other riders were hassled by an overzealous Namibian Police Official on entering the border complex. This is Africa (TIA) - a bit disappointing really, especially since none of the riders had been subjected to this kind of abuse at any other border crossing since leaving Cairo.

We crossed the bridge over the Orange River, and our entry into RSA was hassle free.  It was a real pleasure to be back “Home”.

After the South African immigration activities were completed, we started cycling up a very long uphill, taking us out from the Orange River Valley, but straight into a headwind from hell! The headwind was so strong, it took Judith and I a total of 6½ hours to do the 77km to the lunch position. Which included a crash on my part, when Judith was blown into me by the strong wind, causing me to go down on the tar road and enabling me to achieve a South African 'Tattoo'!  

Discretion being the better part of valour, we climbed the Lunch Truck, and rode into the Town of Springbok. On my recommendation Wynand stopped at the Springbok Lodge & Cafe, for us to savour their milkshakes. All were in agreement, these were the biggest and best milkshakes we had tasted on the TDA thus far.

Camp was at the Municipal Camping Grounds, where after the Briefing Session, Paul presided over the unofficial TDA presentations. I received the Yellow Jersey for riding EFI through the land of my birth (Zambia) and for tasting over 70 different beers so far on the Tour (EFDB) while also going Nutella and Peanut Butter free the whole way down Africa! (I think he was just looking for an excuse to present the Jersey to me, since I had bought two yellow jerseys in Nairobi to be used for presentations and he needed to return one of them to me!).

We forego the luxury of a tar road when we cycle out of Springbok tomorrow, it’s back onto the dirt roads again, heading up into the Cedarberg Mountains, let’s just hope we don’t experience the same energy sapping headwind that we had today!

Cheers,
Mike T

Murray and Mike T on the way to the Namibian/RSA Border

Judith on her way to the Border crossing

Some of the Ladies leaving Felix Unite Camp

Entering our Home Country of South Africa after nearly 4 months of absence 

Into a headwind on the way to Springbok

Having crossed into RSA and looking back towards the Bridge over the Orange Rive

Liz fixing her first puncture of the day with the assistance of Tallis

Murray assisting Liz with her second puncture of the day outside the Coke Stop

Todays Lunch Truck position

Bridgette and Wynand enjoying their milkshakes in Springbok

Philip having some quality time repairing his punctures

Paul awarding Julian the Dummy Award for the second time

Receiving the Yellow Jersey from Alex and Andje

Hugs and kisses from the Yellow Jersey Babes

_

The Longest Day of the Tour - Ghanzi to Buitenpos (208km)

Botswana -  Namibia

Day 100 - Apr 22 - Stage 70

Saturday: Today was Day 100. In Km's, the longest day of the Tour by far. Our previous best had been 186km and today's distance was to be a long 208km ride, and it would be a new personal best by 22km if achieved.


Everyone was up and having breakfast at the crack of dawn, and there was a definite sense of urgency and nervousness among the Riders as they ate their breakfast and prepared to move off & out of Camp.

I rode with Philip, we left Thakadu Camp as early as we could, but had to negotiate a 3km stretch of sand before reaching the tar road. This took approximately 30minutes as we had to walk through large sections of thick sand (didn't want to repeat the fall I had coming in yesterday).


The ride started off relatively well, and at the 42km mark we turned right onto the Trans Kalahari Highway, and headed for the Botswana/Namibia Border.  However, we soon encountered a strong head wind, which was followed by light cold rain.

After lunch at the 80km mark, the rain intensified and it started to pour down quite hard. Combined with the headwind, the wind-chill factor increased, the temperature went down as low as 12 degrees & did not rise higher than 15 degrees on the day.

20km from the Border at the 188km mark, due to the overcast conditions, we lost the light and were picked up by Tallis in the Cruiser. It had become just too dangerous to cycle in the poor light and pouring rain -  especially with the big trucks which were kicking up immense amounts of rain as they sped past us.


As a consequence, both Philip and I lost our  Botswana-EFI by a miserly 20km!! In retrospect we could have carried on, but we would have been cycling in very dangerous conditions, and TDA do insist on putting our safety first.



A few moments later & at Immigration, Philip had to fill out my form, as I was just shivering so much from the cold as well as being slightly disorientated. Crossed out of Botswana, but in no-mans land between Botswana and Namibia, I fell off my bike, as I hit a large (yet hard to see) water-filled pothole, injuring my right elbow, hip and knee (only my third  serious crash of the whole tour).

I passed through Namibian Immigration without any hassles, crossed into Namibia and went straight to Camp (only 500m from the Border) to have my wounds dressed. Fortunately no major injuries, only some blood tattoo's. But here is a quandary, because I fell in no-mans land, do I claim a Botswana or a Namibian Tattoo, or do I credit both Countries??


In Namibia, we were staying at Eastgate, just the other side of the Border, where the Treloars usually stay when travelling from Johannesburg to Windhoek by vehicle. The current cycling  route has now become quite recognizable for both Judith and I.  Everyone and everything had been drenched in the rain as before on Day 95, so almost all riders opted for rooms.

Due to my injuries, I will make a decision to cycle or not in the morning (Additionally, I also have a large  number of loose rear wheel spokes). Time will tell.

Cheers,
Mike T

Due to the long 208 km distance breakfast was held early than usual

Riders regroup on the tar road after the 3 km sand road section before departing on the days 208 km ride

Turned right onto the Trans Kalahari Highway and headed off to our next Country

A sober reminder that cycling on all main roads should be taken seriously

 

Riders recuperating after their rain affected ride at the Eastgate Camp Coffee Shop

_

Mud & EFI-Zambia! - Livingstone to Kasane (81km)

Zambia - Botswana

Day 92 - Apr 14 - Stage 63

Friday: It was to be our last day in Zambia. We left the Waterfront Camp and cycled through Livingstone, taking the road to Kasane.  

The morning's sunrise in Livingstone

At the turn-off for the Border, one of the new Sectional Riders missed the turn-off, so I had to chase him down to get him to back track and take the correct road. Not an easy task as he was quite determined to cycle all the way to Namibia!

On the Zambian side, the line of trucks waiting to cross into Botswana at the border was at least 2km long, with some truck drivers informing me that they had been waiting in the queue for up to two weeks!

The two South African Ladies Liz and Judith cycling towards the Zambian/Botswana Border

Leaving Zambia and approaching the Zambezi Kuzungula Border Post

Trucks lining the road to the Zambian/Botswana Border

Welcome to Botswana

Kazungula Bridge Project

Waiting for the Ferry to arrive on the Zambian side.

One of the two Ferrys operating at Kazungula

Bridge building operations over the Zambezi River in progress

Clearing Zambian Immigration was painless and a pleasure, however the Ferry crossing was absolute [un]organised chaos! There was no system whatsoever, it was a total free for all, with vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians all trying to board at the same time, before the ferry started moving again.

They are currently building a new bridge over the Zambezi to replace the Ferry at Kazungula, and I am sure it will go a long way to relieving the chaos and congestion of crossing from Zambia into Botswana.

The Botswana Border crossing was also a pleasure and we were through that very quickly, and cycled on to the Thebe River Safari Camp.

As part of the 15th TDA Anniversary Celebrations, we were treated to a Game Cruise on the Chobe River.  Unfortunately the Rain Gods were not kind to us and our cruise was totally rained out, forcing us to return to the Camp, which in the meantime had morphed into a "Mud Camp" forcing us to take a room in the Lodge.

We were now in Botswana, and I had managed my EFI-Zambia!!

Cheers,
Mike T

All participants calm and happy at the start of the Cruise

Happy Smurf himself enjoying the cruise

Rain storm approaching on the Chobe River

Chobe River Game Cruise before the rains came down.

Taking shelter as the storm approache

Philip not enjoying the cruise and suffering from slight bought hypothermia

Some were more happier than others after the disrupted Chobe River Cruise

Sometimes you just can't hide from the rain

And we have arrived in Botswana...

Mud Camp after the rains while we were away...

_

3 Days of Rest - Victoria Falls

Zambia
Day 89-91 / Apr 11-13 


Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: After a short 3-day riding section, which included some long cycling distances (a total of 489km) we had a well-earned & much appreciated, three glorious Rest Days in Livingstone - glamping (glamorous camping) alongside the Zambezi River at the Zambezi Waterfront Hotel Camp Site.

As one of the Oversees Riders commented to me, "Africa continues to surprise and disappoint all the time". But I will dwell on the positive aspects of our three days in Livingstone.



Day 1: The first of our rest days was declared a NAFI Day (No ambition, Flip-all Interest) and we spent the whole day in the Waterfront Camp. I just stayed and loitered with intent in the Restaurant/Bar Area. Later in the day, a few of us Riders managed to decimate the Mosi Draught Beer supply, much to the consternation of some of the other Riders who arrived later in the evening! Thanks go out to Peter and Deborah who assisted greatly in consuming the draught beer.

Murray and Andje organised a Cheese and Wine evening at the Pool and a great time was had by a select few - which included Liz and her husband Tim, who had motored up to the Falls with two of their sons on a boy-only Road Trip to meet up with her, and to spend some quality time with Liz during our three day rest period.

Our Group visiting the Zambian side of the Victoria Falls 

Day 2: Our second day in Livingstone was a bit more adventurous.  A group of us caught a Shuttle Bus and went off to the Falls, and proceeded to view the Falls from the Zambian side.

We paid our  $20 USD (very reasonable entry fee) and our first stop was a walk down to The Boiling Pot, a walk I had last done with my late Mother when I was 10 years old. The experience of seeing the whirlpool situated just under the Bridge was as exciting and as exhilarating as the first time I had seen it as a child! A most worthwhile climb down and out of the Boiling Pot.

Then it was off to and over Knife Edge Bridge to the Danger Point view site, in the process of which the majority of us were well and truly drenched by the spray from the Falls! 

The Falls are currently experiencing a major inflow of water, and the spray is very excessive, not conducive to great viewing but still a great experience. Judith aptly called it "upside-down rain".


Our final viewing point was at the edge of the Falls on the Zambian bank, where the River plunges over the lip and down into the Gorge below. All agreed that our visit to the Falls was truly a most enjoyable experience, which I rank as one of the highlights of the whole Tour thus far.

Soon after, it was off to Zimbabwe on foot; walking over on the Bridge (we have become quite blase about changing countries) and crossing over for lunch at The Lookout Cafe, followed by High Tea at the Old Colonial Victoria Falls Hotel.

In the early evening we caught a taxi to the Zimbabwe Immigration Offices, left Zimbabwe, crossed back into Zambia, then caught another taxi back to Camp, after a most superb and productive day.

View of the Victoria Falls Bridge while walking down to the Boiling Pot

Peter down at the edge of the Boiling Pot

Judith and Deborah on the rocks at the Boiling Pot

Philip, Murray and Brad down at the Boiling Pot

Edge of the Falls where the Zambesi River plunges over the Precipice

Judith and Deborah enjoying the spray from the Falls at the Viewing Point

Rainbow as seen from the Bridge

Geological Time Scale of "Mosi Oa Tunya" (The Smoke that Thunders) 

The Bungy Jump off point on Victoria Falls Bridge

Walking across the Bridge from Zambia into Zimbabwe 

Welcome to Zimbabwe our unofficial 12th Country crossing 

Art work at the Lookout Restaurant in Zimbabwe

View of First Gorge from the Lookout Restaurant 

Brad enjoying the opportunity of sampling some of Zimbabwe's finest Zambezi Larger

Cairo 5 165 miles away and only 1 647 miles left to Cape Town

Solange enjoying the view of the Falls from the Victoria Falls Hotel

Michael, Andje, Peter and Deborah very happy to be finally at the Old Colonial Victoria Falls Hotel

Enjoying "High Tea" at the Victoria Falls Hotel

Day 3: Our third day was spent doing the last bit of washing, organizing and the packing of our Daily and Permanent Bags, catching up on administration and trying to update the Blog, another truly NAFI Day.

Onward to our next leg of the tour, soon...


Cheers,
Mike T

Cruise Boat on the Zambezi River passing Waterfront Camp

Sunset over the Zambezi River our last Zambian sunset

The five day section before our next rest day in Maun

Victoria Falls to Kasane and a crossing into Botswana

The Stanely Room at the Hotel

Pianist entertaining the Hotel Guest's

Colonial memorabilia adorns the walls in the Hotel

The Bulawayo Room - Now if only the walls could talk !!

_