A Small Breath of Africa: Baie Lekker Holiday! (1 of 2)

Part One: Johannesburg

Giulia arrived the last week in June and we had four days in Johannesburg before embarking on the road trip. I enjoyed showing her around Johannesburg and my life here. We went to Wits, Melville, Soweto, Magaliesburg and even a fun drive through Hillbrow. The day after she arrived we went to a local spa, which was quite a treat. There is a definite spa culture in South Africa (compared to the US) and I had to see what all of the “fuss” was about! We also went to the rolling hills of Magaliesburg, about 90 minutes northwest of Johannesburg, for a hot air balloon ride (Giulia’s birthday present). We arrived at the launch site, frost on the ground, and frozen ourselves. To stay warm, we huddled around a heater, drank coffee, and watched the team set up the balloon. It was fascinating to see the balloon take its massive shape. We boarded along with ten other people; the basket was divided into five compartments, two on each side, and a middle compartment for the pilot. We slowly took off – it was so calm and peaceful. The scenery was stunning with farm fields, a reservoir, and mountains in the background (not to forget the smog-covered Johannesburg skyline). We were up for about an hour and then landed in a farm field. To land, a team on the ground had to follow us by truck. We bounced once and then set down before the team ushered the basket to the trailer and took down the balloon. The next day, we had to pack and get last minute supplies for the road trip. In the afternoon we went over to Gerhard and Marlize’s to socialize, finalize the road trip, and make them an “eye-talian” dinner. Giulia and I made saltimbocca (with chicken, we couldn’t find veal), prosciutto and porcini pasta, and apple crisp for dessert. The next morning we set off on our 5200km trek through southern Africa…

Frosty morning before our flight!

Before heading back to Jo'burg we stopped at the Sterkfontein Caves in the "Cradle of Humankind" (home of the worlds earliest hominids)

Preparing the "eye-talian" dinner!

Tasmin helping

Ready to embark...

Part Two: Kimberly, Kalahari, Ai-Ais, & Fish River Canyon

Day 1: Johannesburg – Kimberley (500 km/6 hours)

We set off early driving through the Northwest and Northern Cape provinces to Kimberely, home of the famous diamond pit. Giulia and I enjoyed trying to pronounce the names of the cities we passed (in Afrikaans). Giulia, being the linguist she is, was much more successful! There isn’t much to Kimberely, with the obvious local economy being based on diamond mining. We spent time at the pit trying to grasp its size, watched an informational video about the settlement/discovery, went into the diamond vault (with uncut diamonds) and walked around the old town that they set up as a museum.

Diamond Pit

Hadida Guest House in Kimberely

Day 2: Kimberley – Upington – Molopo (outside Kalahari) (580 km/7 hours)

The next day we drove through the Northern Cape, each kilometer getting further from civilization. Interestingly, they were doing road work (much needed, I might add) having only one lane open for long stretches, meaning that we had to wait at queue before we were allowed to drive. It allowed us to get out, stretch our legs, and look in amazement at the beautiful countryside (and the “nothingness”). In Upington we had a makeshift picnic and watched the vervet monkeys scavenge for food at a local park. Onward we continued to Molopo, which is a resort and a “base camp” of sorts for the Kalahari. It is a beautiful resort, with modern amenities, which is truly a feat considering its location. We enjoyed a nice dinner at their restaurant – I had bobotie, a traditional South African dish (Gerhard had kudu bobotie!).

Upington

Picnic in Upington

Vervet monkeys

Molopo Lodge

My little car surrounded by bakkies

Day 3: Molopo – Kalahari (camping) (60 km/1 hour)

After a good night’s rest, we drove to the Kalahari Transfrontier Park, which is on the South African, Botswana, and Namibian border. With no formal border markings, we had to go through customs of sorts, as we would be traveling into Botswana (and not even know it!). We then went to the campsite to set up our tents before going out to look at the wildlife. The campsite had no electricity, so we were definitely “roughing it” and to make matters worse, the Kalahari is known to get cold at night (particularly since it is winter). After perpetually struggling with the tent (we seem to always confuse the same step when we’ve camped in the past), we finally were settled and set off to explore the park. Interestingly, the rangers advise/request/demand that you get petrol before leaving and lower tire pressure (don’t worry, the ole’ Audi stayed at the camp site – more on that later) because there aren’t many (if any) outposts for petrol. The Kalahari Transfrontier park is massive, the size of Connecticut!

In my mind, when I thought about the “Kalahari” I always associated rolling sand dunes (a la Sahara) and extreme weather. I was surprised to see a lot of brush and grass that foster the wildlife. We drove through the park for a few hours, stopping to make a late breakfast at a rest stop (eggs, bacon, a complete breakfast!) – what a wonderful backdrop to make/eat breakfast. After a long day in the park, we made a lamb potjie over the fire for dinner and huddled around the fire for warmth. It was a long, cold, and stiff night, but we survived!

Kalahari!

Springbok

Gemsbok

Red Wildebeest

Blue Wildebeest

Trying to stay warm!

Lunch in the Kalahari

Day 4: Kalahari – Molopo (60 km/1 hour)

The next morning we woke up, slightly frozen and dazed from the night’s cold. We decided to go back out in the park, have sandwiches at a rest area, and then come back to take down the campsite. We were fortunate to see a jackal and followed him (or her) for a while, seeing it hunt in the bush. It was incredible to see the animals in the natural habitat - the hardships of the Kalahari (landscape and climate). The Kalahari is beautiful and like nothing that I’ve ever seen. The colors and the rawness of the landscape is indescribable and pictures do not do appropriate justice. After taking down our tents, we drove back to Molopo and crashed.

I fall asleep everywhere...

Back to Molopo

Day 5: Molopo – Ai-Ais (camping) (200 km/3 hours)Day 6: Ai-Ais

After a good (and warm) night’s rest, we set off for Ai-Ais in southwestern Namibia. We drove through saltpans to Rietfontein, the border post. Odd enough, you had to pay the border fee in a town called Aroub (ah-row-ah-b) some 40 kilometers from the border. I realized right away that we weren’t in South Africa any more because of the roads. There were kilometers and kilometers of gravel road and little else. If you went too fast on the gravel (which seemed to be so thick it was like snow at times), odds are you would come across a small dip and bottom out (what fun!). It was a beautiful landscape, so raw and untouched, but I was often too busy battling with roads and hoping that I wouldn’t “drop a muffler” or other parts of my car. As we neared Ai-Ais, the landscape changed dramatically and we were surrounded by mountains and in time, canyon; the roads changed dramatically too, they were perforated with small bumps so it felt like you were in the dryer. It was all worth it, however, as we came upon the Ai-Ais National Park, situated at the bottom of the Fish River Canyon. “Ai-Ais” means something like “burning water” in Nama, known also for its hot springs. We quickly set up our campsite (with electricity) and headed to the indoor hot springs to relax. It is such a beautiful area, a resort and camping area in the basin of the second largest canyon in the world (sadly enough the resort was washed away during a flood about five years ago).

Arouab, Namibia

"Nothingness"

Animated Gerhard: "Bloody hell, I love this!"

Heading to Ai-Ais

Off to the hot springs!

Ai-Ais Resort

Dusty car...but it made it in one piece!

Day 6: Ai-Ais

The next morning we woke up slowly and made a hot breakfast (eggs complete with biltong!). Afterward, we set off into the canyon, hiking along the fish river. We spent the late morning/early afternoon hiking and exploring the vegetation and beauty of the park. There is a five day/80km hike from the top of the canyon down to the bottom back to Ai-Ais… it would be an incredible hike! After thoroughly exhausting ourselves, we cleaned up our campsites and checked into the resort. Giulia and I went back to the hot spring and relaxed in the afternoon before making dinner with Gerhard and family.

Giulia's Hair + Grumpy Scott

Fish River

Making the "All-American" chili

Day 7: Ai-Ais – Cañon Lodge (80km/1.5 hours)

After a wonderful stay in Ai-Ais, we had a 80km trip north, following the canyon to the famous lookout point and were staying in Cañon Lodge (an oasis in the desert). No problem, only 80km? We set off on the bumpy Ai-Ais road and the quality of the road continued to plummet. Battling on, my nerves were tested and at one point I considered making my own road, rather than having to take the main road to the lookout. When we finally arrived to the turn for the lookout point, Giulia suggested that we travel to the Cañon Lodge first, then go together (in Gerhard’s truck) to the lookout point. Relieved and not having to battle the roads for another 20km, we turned around and went back to the lodge (we originally passed the turn off for the lodge, about 2km from where we stopped). Cañon Lodge, is an oasis in the countryside near Fish River Canyon, and is situated in a national park. The landscape is fascinating; it looks as if a giant pilled a stack of stones in the desert. Cañon Lodge designed its 30 freestanding cabins using the rock as part of the architecture (each cabin is different). There were rocks protruding from the walls and they used crevasses to create bathroom spaces or additional bedrooms (hard to describe – see pictures). After checking in, we set off for the Fish River Canyon look out point. It was an incredible, expansive scene of the canyon…breathtaking (hard to describe). We spent time walking around the rim of the canyon before heading back to Cañon Lodge. When we got back to the lodge, we investigated the beautiful resort, climbing on rocks overlooking the pool (and in the distance, nothing!). I’ve never been so far away from civilization. As Giulia said, it’s almost as if you’re deaf, there is no noise whatsoever. Afterward, we dressed up and went to the lodge for a wonderful dinner; it was incredible the variety and freshness of the food, considering our location (it was a great final hooray!).