On Friday, September 13, 2014 – a lucky day contrary to what the Americans believe – we left Swakopmund at 10.30 am. A short detour to Nedbank and then we headed towards Walvis Bay. From there we drove along the ponds, in which hundreds of pink flamingos stood, towards the southwest.

A first highlight was the Kuiseb Canyon. The track wound in many curves down into the canyon and in just as many back up to the plateau. Every now and we crossed cars with South African license plates. As is customary on the gravel road, drivers wave to each other and make the thumbs up sign. Everything ok! So, the journey continues at a speed of 70 km/h and you are alone again on the pad dragging a long trail of dust behind the vehicle.

In the late afternoon we reached the Rostock Ritz Lodge, where you can also camp. What a surprise when we arrived and met Walter, who we knew from Swakopmund. A great joy of seeing each other again! We chatted and drank a rock shandy, the national drink of Namibia – apart from the beer! (As we approached the lodge, we crossed a large truck – a beer truck!)