The plan: head off before nine, drive to Swakopmund, a quaint little German seaside town, past the flamingos in WalfishBay. We set up the tents and in the afternoon drive to the famous moon landscape and the Welwitschia plant (= the Rose of Jericho) then back to Swakopmund and relax in the evening.
Reality: We’re on the road at 8:30. While packing up we watched the big traffic jam in front of the gate, because it wasn’t opened until 2 hours later when we headed off…
About eleven kilometers before Solitaire (a petrol station with shop, restaurant and campsite) our trailer breaks down. Flat tyre and broken suspension. What now?
Almost every passing car stops and help was offered. Some Germans take some of our luggage to Solitaire, a 70 year old South African farmer and his wife are willing to take another part of the camping equipment when a pickup driver offers to take our entire trailer to Solitaire. You always meet angels when you need them! In Solitaire we “rest” while Eneaus sorts out the options.
Solitaire:
At the end he drives us to Swakopmund (4 hours through amazing landscapes and the Tropic of Capricorn = südlich er Wendekreis)
drops us off at a self contained bungalow, after a quick visit to the flamingos and heads back to Solitaire to sort out the trailer and get the rest of the luggage. As it’s already evening by the time we arrive, there is not much happening today except dinner and bed. Well, what’s next?