Stage 4: Rundu - Katima Mulilo

By now my trip was starting to get exiting. The kilometers per stage was doubling from what I started on from. Habitation was less and less and I was finding myself more in 'wild country'. Running the Caprivi has been my biggest concern since I started planning the trip. I had to do 100+ kilometers in two days in succession and I was not sure if I would be able to.

On leaving Rundu I had one of the very few mornings where I was pushed along by a mild tail wind traveling eastwards. As luck would have it I found a B&B in Nyiondo, but it was booked out by USAID. The owner did allow me to pithc my tent in the corner of the property, in the sand (there is only sand and lots of it) and I could use the bathroom and shower facilities (cold water). A shower is a shower even if it cold water. When one is covered in dust and sunscreen, any temperature water will do.

Shortly after leaving Nyiondo I spotted a roadside stall that looked very diffirent to others I had come across. I decided to investigate and there I met Gertruida Bosshoff. She sort of 'high jacked' me and I spent more time than planned chatting to her. The Bratwurst and egg roll did make up for the 'lost time'. Her husband was away at their new farm. They had just received farming land from the goverment in a land resteturion settlement. I was taken aback. In South Africa land is taken from white farmers not given to white farmers in similar cases! Apparently the Namibian Goverment does things slightly diffirently than in the 'States'.

Once I reached Divundu I considered staying at Ngepi on advise from a friend. However that campsite was 14 kilometers from the B8. The next day I would have to do around 110 excluding this 14 km, thus I would have to do 125km in one day, which I knew was not quite possible. Although my friend advised against the Popa Falls, I decided to pull in there. The Camp Site is run by the National Parks Board and although a needs a little attention, it is still clean and very welcoming. No on-suite's and no TV, but who needs that if you fall asleep by the sound of a rather big rapid not far away. From the Popa Falls Campsite one can not get to the actual falls. I had but little cash on me and my Bank Card would not work due to bilateral disagreement between Bank of Windhoek and ABSA.

I decided on an extra rest day as I had just run two 100+km days in sucession and I was more tired than anticipated. I went to see what Ngepi was all about. Boy was I glad that I did not go and stay there! 4km of thick sand! Even though I did not have any luggage on my bicycle I still had to push it most of the way. The campsite is very well organised and layed out with some interesting features, but not for a touring bicycle. The possibility of 'swimming' with crocodiles was also a miss lead. They do have a caged pool in the river, but the chances of seeing any crocodiles are close to zero. So I trekked back to my little log cabin at the Popa Falls Resort.

Early the next morning I was on my merry way. I had the Caprivi to tackle. 200 km of the most densely populated wild animals in Africa! Ja sure! An ambulance did tell me that there were elephants up ahead. Saw two some little way on the side of the road, maybe 30 meters away. Saw 2 warthogs also. Saw nothing else. At Omega1 I pulled off to fill my water bottles and look at maybe a place to pitch my tent. However I did not like the atmosphere in the settlement. Women would openly beg for food. Even though I tried to explain that I am on a bicycle and do not carry big amount of food with me, it did not matter. I was a tourist therefor I must have.

This settlement was originaly an army camp during the Border War and the 'settlers' were clearly remnants from the Koevoet and 32 Batalion groups. They were Ovambo's who were helping the South African forces or Bushmen that were used as trackers. I did try some local brew at the shop which tasted not too bad. But I decided to go and take my chances with the wild animals for the night instead.

After pushing on for another 20km I came across a clearing that was just off the road but still close enough. The place I could pitch my tent was justs wide enough for the tent but too narrow for an animal and thus they would have to walk around the tree (burnt out) and me. Every time I heard a car, I would make a duck so as not to be spotted. Before sunset I was set up and had my supper. Once dark, I would zip up the tent and not even put a light on incase it made me vissible. So it was off to dream land very early. To my disappointment I heard nothing, not even a jackal or a cricket. The spot I was camping on had no spoors, but the silence was even more concerting.

Despite that I still had a very good sleep. When I awoke the next meorning I was thirsty from the word go. I had something small to eat. Not long after setting off, I found a village where I found a shop that sells cool drinks. It was quite funny as the lady was not around and soon all the Bushmen were looking around at spoors and clicking away at where the lady could possibly be. Normally I am not that thirsty so early in the morning.

On my way out a Landrover came past and the young man walking with me said that the guy is going to Kongola. I arranged with him to pick me up and give me a lift if he finds me along the road. I was concerned about the second stretch as there were apparently quite a lot of elephant activity closer to Kongola. by the I would be quite tired and it would be late in the day too. To my surprise I found that there are more people living in that part of the park than in the first part. Off course I saw no elephants, but I did have an interesting rid on the back of the Landrover with about 7 other guys also going to Kongola. I was dropped off 10km before town. Made a bee line for the nearest shop, where I polished about 1,5L of fluid. Not having cycled much I was thirsty like crazy. Having 'skipped' a day I decided to push on closer to Katima as much as possible, before I look for a place to sleep for the night.

About 50km before Katima a saw a very neat looking Kraal and decided that it isnow or never. I pulled in and enquired regarding the Chief/head of the village so I could ask permission. The old man I spoke to was neither, but he had no problem that I could pitch my tent with the ladies. Petra appointed herself as my interpreter / caretake. Although I did not understand their language, I could tell that my story was retold to every person individually. I made myself supper and had all the kids sitting staring at me, watching my every move. I was even given water so that I could wash in the 'washing screen'.

Somewhere during the night I realised that something was terribly wrong with my stomach. I tried to ignore it, but soon had to take my scoop and torch and go and find the bush. Barely and hour later, I had to do it again. Somehow I had gotten a stomach bug. Luckily my Immodiums were not far away and I popped them as quickly as I thought would be safe. By morning light I realised that there was no way I would be able to cycle. My legs felt like lead, my body weak and I was not sure when my stomach would try and about turn again. I needed to get a lift to Katima, fast.

It was not going to be easy. There was a big funeral going on. Some big chief had died in a car accident and his funeral was 2 kilometers down the road in the direction of Katima. I had no choice but to push the bicycle those 2 kilometers, just to get past the funeral so that I could spot and stop a vechicle that was going through. It was a long 2 kilometers! Barely a hundred meters past I just dropped all the luggage and myself on the side of the road. Soon I was up again with my scoop into the bush. I could only hope that my stomach would settle for the hour's drive into town. I waited about 30 minutes before I found a bakkie that would take me to town. I managed to keep everything in place although it did feel like a very long hour.

The gentleman dropped me off at the Munusi Log Cabins as this was the closest to town centre. Once I got my cabin I just locked Sorrento to the postings outside, dropped my luggage on the floor and myself on the bed and slept solid for 3 hours.

Once I awoke, I already felt a little better and my stomach had decided to settle.