When we left you last I think we were just finishing in Sossusvlei. We left just before 9am to head north for about 200 miles to Swakopmund on the coast.

The roads were all gravel varying from quite good quality to quite appalling. This latter state was usually in the mountainous areas where they had become badly rutted especially on bends and steep slopes. As we approached Swakopmund the land flattened out and became totally featureless so that we were running (on a fast road made (we later learned) from salt and gypsum. But it was all completely flat and boring until the outskirts of Walvis Bay when we suddenly came across a large flock of pink flamingoes feeding in a river!

Having a little time in hand we had a drive around the waterfront area and had a quick (light) beer before the final 35km to Swakopmund and our guest house. This had 7 rooms was nice and clean not nothing special. We were, however, within easy walking distance of the town and restaurants.

That night we are at the Tug, a Swakopmund must visit - it being right on the edge of the water and built in the shape of, yes you’ve guessed it, a tug!

The following day, Thursday, we had booked a tour to be taken out in a 4x4 for 50km along the beach at times where the dunes (some 200m high) come right down to the edge - and I mean edge - of the ocean meaning you can only get past close to low tide. The return journey led us up on top of the dunes requiring our expert driver and guide to undertake some formidably steep slopes. Great fun was had by all!

That night we ate at the Jetty which is built at the end of a pier built in 1905.

Friday, we headed up to Camp Kipwe in Damaraland where web are housed in a rondavel situated in amongst huge boulders looking out across the desert to huge boulder mountains. We are here for one night only but it is very peaceful and ADO even had a dip in the ‘rock’ pool - which was fresh to say the least!

And now for an ATM saga!!

ADO & LMA xx