November 20, 2015
Day 1: To Windhoek and start of self catered drive: warning for the purists: we rent a car for the next 12 days...
"How is the driving going?" asks the staff of Advanced car rentals. "Well, the windshield wipers work, especially when turning" Rachel says. Everything on the car is opposite so Patrick hits the wipers instead of the turn signal. We've needed to return to the car rental office just before closing because the fuel tank is leaking. We are given another vehicle and finally on our way.
"Look right, stay left". The tour company staff says, "keep the steering wheel in the middle of the road." At least we are used to cycling on the left side of the road.
We get to Windhoek by 0900 and check into a backpacker hostel. The plan is to do shopping and see some of Windhoek today before picking up the rental vehicle for a 12 day self catered tour of Namibia through Madiza Tour company. To see the parts of the country we don't have time or would even be possible to cycle. The tour company has mapped out an itinerary and arranged accommodations, mostly camping with a couple of Bed and Breakfast,including the first night here in Windhoek.
Only, the tour company has arranged everything one day earlier, so we scramble to get a taxi to the car company and meet up with the tour operator, Laurence, a French woman by 11am. While we wait for some things to be done to the vehicle, we are driven back to the hostel to checkout. We are booked for the night to stay at Utopia Boutique Spa and B&B.
All the paperwork and instructions completed, we drive off in a 4x4 truck with bikes in the back and panniers in the back seat and a 12 day itinerary with accommodations booked and paid.
Gas, shopping for food, ice for the cooler and we are set to start tomorrow morning with an itinerary: Etosha National Park, down the Skeleton Coast and Dorob National parks along the Atlantic coastline to Swakopmund to Fish River Canyon.
Twelve days, where we can easily go off the main road to see that site 5 kms down a dirt road...those sites that on a bike we would not even consider doing!! We will leave the truck December 1st in Keetmanshoop and start cycling to Capetown.
Disclaimer: For the cyclist reading this journal for information for cycling in Namibia, we will do our best to provide information...as much as one can do from a vehicle perspective. FYI, free camping in Namibia is illegal, though we can't confirm how much this enforced.
Today's ride: 26 km (16 miles)
Total: 9,987 km (6,202 miles)
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