“A mind that is stretched by new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes
A change of pace
The First days travelling by car felt great. Covering hundreds of kilometres in one day in the luxury of cool airco. By the third day though I started to notice that things were not quite right. The scenery was beautiful as we drove towards Etosha National park but there was no place to stop and take a photo or just stare at it for a couple of minutes. Instead one has to stop at a designated “view point” or rubbish filled picnic area both of which give far inferior views compared to what I could of seen from my bike.
Shane Tours
For the last couple of weeks Mr Hyde has been on holiday and I have been playing tour guide for a visiting friend. It’s been wonderful to share my stories in person with someone who knows me well and also catch up with her adventures from recent months. Linda is more a 4 star hotel person than a digging a hole in the desert to have a shit kind. So for the first few days we took hotels which for me was a little culture shock after the last months in the desert where I usually sleep in my 4 million star hotel.
I found myself lying in bed at night unable to sleep wondering what was wrong, surely I should be able to sleep in a nice soft hotel bed what’s the problem? Slowly it sank in that maybe I’m going a little feral. The hotel air seemed a little too stuffy and warm, no cool breeze at night, it seemed too quiet. No cricket, birds or the evening call of the jackals, and no stars!!
The next days in the car I became more and more aware of how much I was missing my preferred means of travel. The cool airco seemed to leave me breathless because the air wasn’t fresh enough, no wind in my hair, the only sound was that of the airco fan and my dodgy ipod playlist, and not that of the animals, insects and nature outdoors. I think in future I’ll insist that any visitors come with a bike and camping gear 🙂
Etosha National park
Like many challenges during this trip I just had to accept my situation and deal with it. Travelling by car did have advantages though, travelling through Etosha by bicycle is not allowed and for good reason. Naturally I also had to bite the bullet when it came to paying for the campsite, camping was 1/3 the price of the cheapest rooms but at €40 for 2 people I had the feeling I was being screwed, I really hate these tourist traps.
Fortunately the rainy season has started so most of the wildlife is able to escape the man made watering holes near the lodges and live in a more natural habitat. This of course doesn’t please the tourists because they don’t get to see as much big game. We were lucky enough to see Springbok, Gemsbok, Kudu, Zebra, over sized chickens and 2 giraffes, all in a fairly natural environment rather than at a tourist watering hole.
We didn’t see any of the Rhino, lions or elephants but that’s life. We where however blessed with a 5 minute run in with these guys…….
The younger one was either too lazy or too curious to move on and just stared at us for 5 minutes, what an experience (though one I’m pleased I had in a car and not on my bike!!).
After Etosha we retraced my steps through to Sessriem, Dune 45 and Sossoesvlei and once again I got to enjoy an awesome sunset over the Zarishoogte from the LittleSossus campsite (the one with the sun bunkers).
But the holiday is now over, the company of a friend for a while has been great but I’m itching to hit the road again, looking forward to once again sleep in desert where I belong where the sounds that once kept me awake at night now help me sleep…
I’m now heading into Botswana for a couple of weeks to cycle near the Okavango then back into Namibia briefly to cycle the Caprivi strip before heading into Zambia near Victoria falls. I’m hoping to meet Peter Gostelow at or near the falls as our paths may cross there. I’ve followed Peter’s journey by bike from England for the last 2 years and will do some of his route in reverse, so I’m looking forward to grilling him for information.
For those of you who have needlessly worried about me getting eaten by a lion in recent month I have to say the time for needless worry is over. Now you can start really worrying as lions sometimes get spotted on the road I’ll be cycling later this month hahaha!!!!
A change of direction
This was my last sunset over the Atlantic for about the next year. For the next 4-5 months I’ll be heading towards Dar El Salam were I’ll get to enjoy the sunrise over the Indian ocean. After that who knows…..
For those of you not on facebook or twitter check out my vimeo page(button at the top of the page) for some videos I recently uploaded 🙂
We are feeling the same way about hotels lately, although the first night of being able to have our own “private space” is nice, and we usually like the opportunity to sleep in late without worry, we don’t sleep very well & it feels stuffy to us too. By the second day we’re ready to be wild camping again, for monetary reasons and for the peace and quiet that can only be found there.
Enjoying following your adventures!
These photos are really awesome! Beautiful pictures of the wildlife! I was glad to read that you were in an enclosed vehicle travelling through that area! How nice that your friend could join you for awhile. And even though you tired quickly of travelling in a car, and staying in kooshy hotel rooms, it is a good reminder of why you do what you do! Enjoy and safe travels!
Hi Shane, like you did before at Peter’s website, I do now, and did start to read your weblog. Thanks for writing nicely, I like your style, good to read. Did you already had an encounter with a lion! Men… suppose you cycle along the bend and there’s Mister Lion waiting… Ah! I would be scared as… don’t know as what, but very very nervous, hahaha : )
Although they look so cute, just like the cat at home (almost then).
It is nice to read you get used to the sounds of nature at night while they at first kept you awake. Keep enjoying the wild life, nature and cycling, being into full life! Have a wonderful time, I keep reading your website.
Cinderella
Thanks, looking forward to reading your adventures too:)