Namibia chapter seven
Leaving Lüderitz.
I take an early breakfast, eager to get on the road. Saime waves to me as I back out of the driveway, and I return her wave as the gates close in front of me. I put the car into gear and head towards the B4, headed east, the ocean behind me.
A fog spreads in the hills around town and I drive into it. I stop opposite the Kolmanskop ghost town for a photo, the empty buildings appear to weave in and out of the mist.
I make sure not to miss the turnoff for the wild horses of the Namib. They congregate at a spot due to a watering hole that has been set up for them. I don’t expect to see many (if any) and am surprised to see how many linger by the watering hole and viewing corral. They mostly ignore my presence so long as I move slowly and quietly.
The horses are descendents of German and South African military horses abandoned after World War I. They now roam the desert on their own. They’re magnificent creatures and I find myself lingering far longer than I had anticipated.
In Aus I stop for gas even though I’ve not driven far. It’s still ingrained in my head to stop whenever I see a station even though I know where the next one is. It’s more for peace of mind and if I decide to take a detour (or find myself lost).
Just outside of Aus I take a left onto the C13 and leave the sealed road behind. It’ll be mostly gravel roads for the next few days, the colors shifting from dry yellow sands to deep reds and ochre.
My destination is the At Kronenhof Lodge. It’s a jumping off point to Sossusvlei and I’ve chosen to spend a night to break up the drive to the andBeyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge, where I’ve booked myself for four nights. The andBeyond is the main impetus for my journey to Namibia, thanks to my friend Angela, and I want to make the most of my time there.
Uncertain of road conditions and which road to take to the lodge, I had contacted them the day before for their advice. From the C13, there were two options, the D707 and the C27. They thanked me for my inquiry and wrote back: Yes, the D707 is a nice scenic road, the surface is some areas rough. The C13 are not to bad but has also some bad spots. The same with the C27 same areas are bad and others are nice.
I opt to take the D707. Along the way I spot what I think was a cow, but it turns out to be an oryx. As I approach it runs away, a small dot in the landscape.
The kilometers roll by, and I find myself stopping again and again to admire the landscape, attempt to capture it with my camera. The general sweep of the views before me make the desert seem limitless.
I see few cars as I make my way northwards until I stop by the side of the road to take photos of a tree against the rocky hills. While stopped I see another car approach and stop behind mine, and I cross paths with a couple on their own road trip around the country, stopped to take photos of the same tree. We exchange pleasantries and then proceed on our own ways.
A little way beyond I do spot cows laying in the shade of a tree. I slow the car and one gets up, its ease disturbed. I offer a quiet apology and move on.
At the entrance to the lodge’s property I let myself in through the gate. There are springbok, oryx, zebra, and giraffes on the property and I hope to see some en route to the lodge itself (spoiler alert: I don’t).
The main building is built into a hill overlooking the plains; the rooms are comfortable individual cabins set to the side. I check in and ask if oryx steak is ok for dinner. I ask what the other options are. Steak, steak, and steak, I’m told. Oryx, springbok, or beef. I tell him oryx is fine.
I ask the man checking me in if he’s the owner. He is. He lives here with his family, a wife and small kids. During the week the children are in school, some 300 kilometers away. The entire family comes to the lodge on the weekends. The children don’t see the need to leave.
I ask him how long the lodge has been open. It looks very new. He tells me that they started construction in 2019 and opened in 2021. It was bad timing, but they’re slowly getting more guests. I wish him luck and drive to my cabin to unpack.
In the afternoon I take a dip in the pool. the water is cold, almost as cold as the pool at the Fish River Lodge. I swim a quick lap and get out, letting the warmth of the sun dry my skin.
Dinner is quiet. There are two other guests this evening. I saw them check in, and they are finishing their dinner as I arrive. They speak German to each other and I don’t disturb them. In the morning we’ll connect over breakfast, but tonight I am content to sit in a corner of the large dining room and quietly eat my dinner.
When I step out to head to my cabin to sleep, I hold out some hope of seeing animals by the watering hole, but there’s no such luck. As if in compensation, however, the day ended with a beautiful sunset. 🇳🇦
24 May 2024
