Namibia: The Coast & Namib Desert

It’s been a bit longer than usual since my last update as we have been busy dealing with some new mechanical issues with the car. These have been a burden both psychologically and in terms of logistics (though we have not been fully stranded on a roadside quite yet!) but have meant we have met some interesting characters at garages along the way. As a result, for the time being I will keep my accounts of the trip a bit less detailed and more impressionistic.

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From Twyfelfontein, we set off for the notorious Skeleton Coast on the Atlantic Ocean. Driving along bone-crunching gravel roads, with the car seemingly about to fall to pieces, the scenery changed dramatically as we approached the coastline. I didn’t think there could be much of a difference between desert scenery, but Namibia proved otherwise. From the arid sandstone of Damaraland we quickly entered a vast sandy moonscape. Just when the area couldn’t get more inhospitable, we came across two stranded Austrian tourists who had had two flat tires that afternoon and needed a ride. We helped them to the nearest outpost 30 kilometers away, but what struck me from the encounter is how we humans have been able to bend the earth to our will over the last few decades. In what used to be one of the most perilous coastlines in the world for sailors - the beaches are dotted with shipwrecks - now twenty-year-olds in swimming trunks and flip-flops can simply jump in a small sedan and (safely!) drive around without a map or any clue about the area. This is not to say that we ourselves were much better equipped :)

Namibia: Etosha National Park & Damaraland

The road from the Caprivi Strip to Etosha National Park is very quick and easy as it cuts straight through the arid plains as if it was drawn by ruler. But Namibia is a huge country and the distances between human settlements of any size are impressive. We knew we'd travelled a long way west when we noticed that sunset in Etosha was 20 minutes later than in the Caprivi Strip. Travelling by road gives you great perspective on the sheer size of our planet and the physical forces shaping it and this was particularly clear here.

Namibia & Botswana: The Okavango

On Day Day 18 of the trip, we set off for our next stop, in Namibia's Caprivi strip. This long finger of land sandwiched between Angola, Botswana, and Zambia, a relic of colonial times, was named after a prominent German nobleman of the early 20th century and recently renamed the Zambezi strip. To get there, we decided to cross two borders, to Botswana and then into Namibia, in order to avoid the notoriously poor road that passes directly through Zambia towards Namibia at Katima Mulilo.

Zambia: Victoria Falls

On Day 15, my parents arrived in Lusaka in excellent spirits despite the marathon trip from the West Coast of the US.

Zambia (South Luangwa NP & Lusaka)

With the car back on form (a few inevitable whirring noises aside), we set off early from Lilongwe towards the Zambia border at Mchinji.  Everything went very smoothly as we crossed into the fourth country of the trip, the main highlight being some locals selling coconuts to the immigration officials while they stamped our passports. From the border we went straight to our campsite just outside South Luangwa National Park and decided to relax for the afternoon before heading off early into the park the next day.

Relaxing proved a bit more difficult than we had imagined. Aptly-named Croc Valley Camp is located right on the banks of the hippo and crocodile-infested Luangwa River. The owner warned us to securely stow away all our food as hippos and elephants often cruise through at night to graze on anything and everything. But it turned out that the biggest peril was the boisterous band of monkeys and baboons making an infernal din while swinging wildly through the camp, fighting each other and pilfering unsuspecting guests. The annoyance was partly made up by the hilarious sight of a dozen monkeys playing on the three hammocks in the camp. Fortunately at sunset the primates retired to the treetops, leaving room for bigger foragers to come in... Overall, it was an amazing immersive experience at a lovely camp, but it did make me wonder how our hunter-gatherer ancestors navigated the perils of the wild while we failed to guard even a small bag of crisps from our pesky companions!

Malawi: Part II (Nkhata Bay to Lilongwe)

With the crew down to two and the car noticeably more nimble in corners, we set off south from Nkatha Bay along the lake. The scenery had become familiar but no less enjoyable and we decided to take our time as we made our way towards Lilongwe, Malawi's capital, and on to the Zambia border. So, having covered nearly 2,000 kilometers in the first week, we split the next 400 into four days, stopping at lakeside campsites along the way and making the most of the sun and water, whose temperature was perfect for a midday swim.

Malawi: Part I (Karonga to Nkhata Bay)

We've spent the last three days enjoying northern Malawi. From the amazing sunsets on the lake and stunning hillside vistas to the super friendly and laid-back local attitude, Malawi has been a revelation.
After a somewhat hair-raising night drive from the Tanzania border on Day 3, we reached our first campsite at the FloJa Foundation, south of Karonga. The Foundation, set up by a Dutch couple, runs a nursery school for vulnerable children as well as providing a couple of camping spots for passing travellers. The fantastic campsites are right on the edge of the lake and have excellent facilities (the first shower in four days was a particular highlight). Since we arrived after dark, we made sure to wake up in time for the 5:45am sunrise across the lake the next day - fortunately this only involved lifting our heads off our pillows to look out our tent window...