DAY BY DAY ACCOUNT OF MY 2011 NAMIBIA TRIP - DAY 2 (2011-05-14)

See part 1 of this series here: http://groblerdupreez.blogspot.com/2014/06/day-by-day-account-of-my-2011-namibia.html

Into Namibia, down memory lane in Keetmanshoop and the Quiver Tree Forest

Early rise for breakfast and then further North to the quaint little town of Askham, deep in the Kalahari, for a quick fuel stop and a few refreshments. Then on to the Namibian border at Rietfontein (RSA) / Klein Manasse (Namibia), passing the turn-off to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (no time to visit this time). Still tarred road. Through large salt pans with funny names like "Koo Pan" and "Hakskeen Pan" (Heel Pan), past small towns with even funnier names like "Groot Mier" (Big Ant) and "Klein Mier" (Small Ant). Past the small town of Rietfontein to the border post. No hassles with the trans-border formalities on both the South African and Namibian sides of this very small border post. Friendly people - I don't think they see many travelers per day.

Start of 200 km of excellent gravel road to Keetmanshoop via Aroab and moving one hour back in time - Namibia uses daylight saving time during the cooler months...

Marlene and Rene with the Klein Manasse (Namibia) / Rietfontein (South Africa) border post in the background where the road ends.

Our first lunch in Namibia

Namibian Kalahari dunes

At the one-horse town, Aroab, we payed the Namibian road tax of N$240.00 - normally payable at the border posts, but due to it's small size, our border post didn't handle money matters and then on to Keetmanshoop.

Moving back in memory lane...

Both myself and Marlene grew up in Namibia where we finished school. After marrying Marlene in 1976, we moved from Windhoek to Keetmanshoop. On this trip, we planned to drive past all places in our past of sentimental value. The first house we lived in after getting married was a one bed-roomed house in Keetmanshoop for which we payed R50.00 per month. The house is situated next to a huge Camel-thorn Tree.

Our second house in Keetmanshoop was an official state owned house for which we paid the astronomical amount of R8.50 per month and received a water subsidy of R11.50 per month to maintain the garden...

We stayed in this house until 1981 when we moved to Olifantsfontein near Pretoria in South Africa.

Back from memory lane, we bought food and wood for a cozy fire and drove to the Quiver Tree Forest on the C11 road 14 km North-East of Keetmanshoop where we grabbed our cameras and ran to catch the sunset between the quiver trees. 

Only after our photography hunger was stilled, we pitched tent, made a fire and prepared dinner...

Total distance traveled today: approximately 430 km of which 220 km was gravel road.

The map below is an interactive Google Map showing the actual GPS track we followed (imported from a .gpx file). Zoom in to follow our route. Click on a balloon for more information.