Trip to Swakopmund

I'm going to be taking a short holiday, driving up to Namibia and back.

Any recommendations for good places to stay? We'll have a couple of days
in Swakopmund as our final destination, but will stop off along the way.
It looks as if the Fish River Canyon is a good place to get to the first
day.

Last time I was there we had a puncture in the desert, and I'm told that
the roads are fairly notorious for that. That time we discovered that
there was no wheel brace in the hired car, which was a bit of a bugger,
but fortunately, after a couple of hours, despite it being a side-road,
a fellow in a bakkie lent us his and were were on our way. This time I'm
better prepared, but I think we'll do most driving on main roads. It's a
pity as there is only one main road there and back and it would be nice
to have variation, but I don't think it really worth the hassle to go on
the secondary roads - or are they good enough?

It's quite hot at this time of year, but I think that it should be fine
with air-conditioning in the car.

--
Now the chapter I was obliged to tear out, was the description of this
cavalcade, in which Corporal Trim and Obadiah, upon two coach-horses
a-breast, led the way as slow as a patrole--whilst my uncle Toby, in his
laced regimentals and tye-wig, kept his rank with my father, in deep
roads and dissertations alternately upon the advantage of learning and
arms, as each could get the start.- Tristam Shandy Chapter 2.LX Laurence
Sterne
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Be sure to take plenty of spare water.
I was there 10 yrs ago - you will have a fab time - but I stayed at
friends so cant help you on any good places to stay, sorry.

Cheers
Greg

Peter H.M. Brooks wrote:
I'm going to be taking a short holiday, driving up to Namibia and back.

Peter, Fish River is indeed probably a good start but is a long way from
Jo'burg (If that is about where you are) well over a thousand k, I would
say.
Namibian C class (gravel) roads are excellent these days and one can
travel quite easily at 80+ kph with an ordinary car, just stay off the D
class without 4X4. It would be a great waste of Namibia to travel on the
B1 (tar) both ways.
From Fish River you could take in Luderitz, but in any case I would
recommend the C road via Bethanie or Aus up to Sesriem, for Sossusvlei,
then out of the desert for the cool of Walvis Bay and
Swakopmund......watch out for the fog! Swakopmund has lots of
accommodation of all sorts but I don't know your style, I use campsites
myself. If you plan to include the Easter period you must book in
advance.....it is probably too late already.....as all of Namibia, it
seems, goes to Swakopmund at that time.
Ideally, you would make your return trip via Windhoek, and then the B1 home.
I have lent my maps and books to someone just now, so don't have the
road numbers to hand, but will have them back in a few days.

Philip

Lwt Sculler wrote:
Be sure to take plenty of spare water.
I was there 10 yrs ago - you will have a fab time - but I stayed at
friends so cant help you on any good places to stay, sorry.

Cheers
Greg

Good water everywhere, pumped up from under the desert, wash your car at
sossusvlei if you want.

Philip

Philip wrote:
Peter H.M. Brooks wrote:

I'm going to be taking a short holiday, driving up to Namibia and back.


Peter, Fish River is indeed probably a good start but is a long way from
Jo'burg (If that is about where you are) well over a thousand k, I would
say.

I'm driving from Cape Town.

Namibian C class (gravel) roads are excellent these days and one can
travel quite easily at 80+ kph with an ordinary car, just stay off the D
class without 4X4. It would be a great waste of Namibia to travel on the
B1 (tar) both ways.

Thank you, now that is good advice!!!

From Fish River you could take in Luderitz, but in any case I would
recommend the C road via Bethanie or Aus up to Sesriem, for Sossusvlei,
then out of the desert for the cool of Walvis Bay and
Swakopmund......watch out for the fog! Swakopmund has lots of
accommodation of all sorts but I don't know your style, I use campsites
myself. If you plan to include the Easter period you must book in
advance.....it is probably too late already.....as all of Namibia, it
seems, goes to Swakopmund at that time.

No, I'll be back before Easter - it is just a short break between now
and the end of the month.

Ideally, you would make your return trip via Windhoek, and then the B1
home.
I have lent my maps and books to someone just now, so don't have the
road numbers to hand, but will have them back in a few days.

I'll be off tomorrow morning, but thank you for your ideas anyway.



--

Secretly I have always held the opinion that it would be less depressing
to be alcoholic than to be anonymous- Quinten Crisp, Resident Alien
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Peter H.M. Brooks wrote:
I'm going to be taking a short holiday, driving up to Namibia and back.

Any recommendations for good places to stay? We'll have a couple of days
in Swakopmund as our final destination, but will stop off along the way.
It looks as if the Fish River Canyon is a good place to get to the first
day.

Last time I was there we had a puncture in the desert, and I'm told that
the roads are fairly notorious for that. That time we discovered that
there was no wheel brace in the hired car, which was a bit of a bugger,
but fortunately, after a couple of hours, despite it being a side-road,
a fellow in a bakkie lent us his and were were on our way. This time I'm
better prepared, but I think we'll do most driving on main roads. It's a
pity as there is only one main road there and back and it would be nice
to have variation, but I don't think it really worth the hassle to go on
the secondary roads - or are they good enough?

It's quite hot at this time of year, but I think that it should be fine
with air-conditioning in the car.

www.wheretostay.com - order their free brochure. or call them and go to
their offices in Green Point to collect it. :-)

--
http://www.capetownnews.info

Richard wrote:
Peter H.M. Brooks wrote:

I'm going to be taking a short holiday, driving up to Namibia and back.

Any recommendations for good places to stay? We'll have a couple of days
in Swakopmund as our final destination, but will stop off along the way.
It looks as if the Fish River Canyon is a good place to get to the first
day.

Last time I was there we had a puncture in the desert, and I'm told that
the roads are fairly notorious for that. That time we discovered that
there was no wheel brace in the hired car, which was a bit of a bugger,
but fortunately, after a couple of hours, despite it being a side-road,
a fellow in a bakkie lent us his and were were on our way. This time I'm
better prepared, but I think we'll do most driving on main roads. It's a
pity as there is only one main road there and back and it would be nice
to have variation, but I don't think it really worth the hassle to go on
the secondary roads - or are they good enough?

It's quite hot at this time of year, but I think that it should be fine
with air-conditioning in the car.


www.wheretostay.com - order their free brochure. or call them and go to
their offices in Green Point to collect it. :-)

Thank you - I'll do that...


--
"They cooked him on the Nine Stane Rig
And a grand brothe they made on't,
And had his gear and beasts awa'
His good wife and his daughters twa,
He, 'twas salt tae the broth they made on't.
- Scotch ballad, quoted by George MacDonald Fraser in 'The Candlemass Road'
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On Mon, 14 Feb 2005 08:00:39 +0200, "Peter H.M. Brooks"
wrote:

I'm going to be taking a short holiday, driving up to Namibia and back.

Any recommendations for good places to stay? We'll have a couple of days
in Swakopmund as our final destination, but will stop off along the way.
It looks as if the Fish River Canyon is a good place to get to the first
day.

Last time I was there we had a puncture in the desert, and I'm told that
the roads are fairly notorious for that. That time we discovered that
there was no wheel brace in the hired car, which was a bit of a bugger,
but fortunately, after a couple of hours, despite it being a side-road,
a fellow in a bakkie lent us his and were were on our way. This time I'm
better prepared, but I think we'll do most driving on main roads. It's a
pity as there is only one main road there and back and it would be nice
to have variation, but I don't think it really worth the hassle to go on
the secondary roads - or are they good enough?

It's quite hot at this time of year, but I think that it should be fine
with air-conditioning in the car.

Don't get lost now. eg
--

The Loon.

What is said here is for amusement
purposes only. Any opinions expressed
are promised only to waste space on
your hard disk.

Philip wrote:

Peter H.M. Brooks wrote:
I'm going to be taking a short holiday, driving up to Namibia and back.

Congratulations on an excellent choice of holiday destination.

To what Philip has so helpfully provided, I'd add that the accommodation at
the Ai Ais hot springs is basic but clean. Nice place, although this time
of the year it's probably hell hot down there.

As for Luderitz, I suppose you've heard that the ghost town of Kolmanskuppe,
a few kays inland is meant to be interesting. I've never been there, but
friends raved about it.

On your return journey, near Keetmans is a place I think they call the
"Giant's Playground". Just a bunch of huge boulders amid kokerbome, but I
quite liked it. You'd have to ask at info to get better directions.

Perhaps draw one of Lawrence Green's Namibia-centred travelogues from the
library? It'd make a nice read for the trip, and perhaps give some tips.

--

Slow Eddy

"Peter H.M. Brooks" wrote in message ...
I'm going to be taking a short holiday, driving up to Namibia and back.

Any recommendations for good places to stay?

Well, what are you looking for ? Cheap, fancy, seaside, B&B, private, ....
You don't mention when your trip will be, but out of season will ensure
abundant available accomodation. Swakop is full of private residence
B&B setups.

We'll have a couple of days
in Swakopmund as our final destination, but will stop off along the way.
It looks as if the Fish River Canyon is a good place to get to the first
day.

Uhmmm, again, when is your trip, FRC is closed over most of the summer.
I think it opens again in April, but you need to make sure.

Last time I was there we had a puncture in the desert, and I'm told that
the roads are fairly notorious for that. That time we discovered that
there was no wheel brace in the hired car, which was a bit of a bugger,
but fortunately, after a couple of hours, despite it being a side-road,
a fellow in a bakkie lent us his and were were on our way. This time I'm
better prepared, but I think we'll do most driving on main roads. It's a
pity as there is only one main road there and back and it would be nice
to have variation, but I don't think it really worth the hassle to go on
the secondary roads - or are they good enough?

It's been spot-raining quite a bit lately, so the secondary road conditions
are anyone's guess. I hear many of the Kaokoland roads have been
washed away, but the South should be OK. One option would be to
take the tar road TO swakop and the secondary roads back to CT
after more and present investigation as to their conditions. I know that
when I travel to Windhoek I'd rather take the Komashochland or
GamsbergPass road than the tar road. Provided I'm not in a hurry of
course.