Well, the picture says it all. The tyre arrived and was duly mounted on the roof-rack. We parted with an eye-watering, stomach-lurching sum of money and were on the road by 9.30am. Bumped into Raimie at the garage and had a chat and a less tearful goodbye.
We travelled from Keetmanshoop to Helmeringhausen, about 220km, 80 of those on a good gravel road. On the tar road I decided it was time for my first unimog driving lesson since two years ago (and about time too!). I was OK with some wooden blocks to raise my feet up so I could depress the pedals, but the next step will be to adjust the seat, which I was finding very awkward. B admitted that it wasn't really right for him either. At least I have started driving the truck - hence the promise of a Yorkie (for anyone not English - Yorkies are chocolate bars supposedly eaten by truck drivers!).
Helmeringhausen was a bit of a surprise. After 220km of dry scrub scenery, one suddenly arrives at farm and nice hotel with a beer garden (green) and waiter in a white jacket. Unsurprisingly, we had a beer and a very nice lunch while the truck cooled off in our camping spot round the back, close to a pen with goats and new-born kids. The ablution block also very nice with hot water from a donkey. After our showers we took the sundowner trail to the top of the ridge and sat on some rocks to enjoy the sunset. Saw a fox or jackal in the distance. Bird news: saw a kori bustard on the way here, which I was very pleased about.
We travelled from Keetmanshoop to Helmeringhausen, about 220km, 80 of those on a good gravel road. On the tar road I decided it was time for my first unimog driving lesson since two years ago (and about time too!). I was OK with some wooden blocks to raise my feet up so I could depress the pedals, but the next step will be to adjust the seat, which I was finding very awkward. B admitted that it wasn't really right for him either. At least I have started driving the truck - hence the promise of a Yorkie (for anyone not English - Yorkies are chocolate bars supposedly eaten by truck drivers!).
Helmeringhausen was a bit of a surprise. After 220km of dry scrub scenery, one suddenly arrives at farm and nice hotel with a beer garden (green) and waiter in a white jacket. Unsurprisingly, we had a beer and a very nice lunch while the truck cooled off in our camping spot round the back, close to a pen with goats and new-born kids. The ablution block also very nice with hot water from a donkey. After our showers we took the sundowner trail to the top of the ridge and sat on some rocks to enjoy the sunset. Saw a fox or jackal in the distance. Bird news: saw a kori bustard on the way here, which I was very pleased about.