Ah, yes, at last… I'm feeling happier about things mechanical.
Since arriving in Windhoek, I hadn't been able to find anyone open & welcoming to sort out the various niggling problems we've developed driving here on those raggedy old back roads…
The roads less travelled…
Hell, they were lucky to get Nyati roll over them.
The brakes weren't niggling… They were serious… a potential disaster every time we came around a corner & any mountain pass became a downhill nightmare.
For me, that is… Nyati didn't flinch.
Provided we were using one gear lower than usual, Nyati simply growled slowly downhill, the vacuum brake holding us like a new Mother grips her pram.
I smiled when an old, former Namibian farmer in Port Nolloth told me he uses his 911 daily… He said they call them, "bring me home" trucks… Nice.
After waiting an extra week for Emo to open his garage, it became obvious he was doing us a hellofa big favour just by laying hands on Nyati at all.
Trucks really aren't his thing.
Yes, the brakes are now working, well too…
"So they should be, they're new, they've hardly been used" !!!
(You should have seen the German faces when I told them that… Teutonic humour doesn't stretch that far.)
For the work on the brakes, I AM grateful to him but there's other stuff needing specialised attention.
The idling/cutout switch's in pieces, air filter bracket & radiator overflow've broken off, inverter on/off switch's choked itself to death in the heat & dust… Stuff like that.
Not to mention the camelthorn that must have bent down lower to look at us when the Gypsy drove under & ripped the top awning off…
The broken window…
You know, those unmentionables.
When we get back from Etosha, Nyati's going to need another thorough lubrication service too…
Oh what I'd give to be in Hermanus… I'd ask Mrs. Kearney.
I'm not though… "This's Windhoek… Dig deeper Man".
Ziggy Neuman built most of Urbancamp for Bernard… "Aha… A builder… A kindred spirit… He'll speak the right language, albeit overlayed with a heavy German accent".
He did, he understood the need for less talk, more do, & introduced me to Dieter…
Dieter's in the business of servicing & repairing… Trucks.
One look at Nyati's NU number plate & Dieter dropped the Afro-German for the language of his Natal school days… Hallelujah… He speaks "Can do".
Since being at Urbancamp Nyati's been surrounded by other "overland" trucks…
Check out the big red bugger… The"Rotel" unit…
That's only half of the thing… There's still an accommodation module almost the same size, that everyone sleeps in tagged on behind… A behemoth…
Truly a monster… Hee Hee…Imagine digging THAT out.
Urbancamp's been another stroke of good fortune for us. Situated more or less slap bang in central Windhoek, Nyati's always halfway to wherever we want to go…
As in Cape Town, where whatever you want's always on the otherside of the mountain. Windhoek has a Northern & Southern industrial area…
If the aluminium canopy framing's done in one, be SURE, the guy to resew the zip's in the other.
We've had rain here too… Beautiful, heavy, rain…
Sunshine, rain & splendid evenings…
Splendid, because also staying at Urbancamp for a short while were Jac. & Vince…
An English overlanding couple first met at "Amanzi River camp", on the Orange River.
How great to see familiar faces…
English speaking too…
That's not all… Jac. seems to be addicted to G & T's…
Oh yeah… She pours a serious one… Ice… Slices of lime…Everything… Mmmmmm… Lots of gin… Mothers ruin.
I felt it my duty to help her, to keep her company…
It's not nice to drink alone you know.
Vince's posting a really cool blog of their extensive travels…
Well worth reading…check it out.
I'm sure our paths will cross again… Hope so.
All very nice, but there's been no "settling" here…
Too busy driving to all points North & South, getting "stuff" done.
Nyati's ticking over like a lightly lubricated Swiss watch now…
Skeleton coast… Etosha… Bring it ON… Oh yeah.
Now fully restocked with “mothers ruin” Paul, looking forward to meeting again
Jac and Vin