Day 70 - ‘De Hoop’/Richtersveld

The first two nights in the Richtersveld were not great, if not wasted, in comparison.

We escaped from 'Potjiespram' at just after 09:00, heading for 'De Hoop' campsite about 50km apart, also on the Orange River.

Now let's just understand this properly! 50km in 'The Richtersveld' is not just a sneak around the block and up the road to visit some mates in an adjacent town, for a Pub Lunch (which is way overdue), in less than a half hour. Up and down,'Swartpoort', 'Halfmens', 'Penkop', and 'Akkedis' Passes were epic!

All of 5 hours, over 5 mountain passes and also not just a stroll up and down 'Van Reenanspass' either. The paths across the sandy valleys and plains, littered with rocks and mainly very corrugated, enough to make your back teeth rattle! In the mountains, passes are steep both ways and rocky and narrow. Thankfully we were the only campers in more than 162,000 hectares. To meet up with anyone oncoming here or to overtake would be impossible, or would mean one of the two reversing to a suitable point. Two track paths only and certainly no need for 'NO OVERTAKING' roadsigns. With a caravan trying to overtake the 'Fortuner' on the downhills is tricky, to say the least. Patients (of which I have oodles) is not negotiable!

Both up and down with the caravan, whilst not impossible tested mine to the limit, but most enjoyable! Particularly so to arrive at the other end firstly and secondly to have ‘home-from-home’, still on your ass!

Cold beers, droëwors and 'Chillybite' biltong, very much a staple lunch and still in full supply!

After a series of heart stopping twists and turns, and breathtaking views of unheard mountain ranges, the clinking of empty 'Windhoek' and 'Tafel Lager' bottles, could come to rest.

'Rest' is what was required, and it has been a... 🎵🎶'hard-day's night...🎶🎵!!!

The 'De Hoop' campsite is all one needs after today's epic trip! Completely alone except for "Boesman" (our name for the campsite dog, and all he just wants is some little contact, comfort and company and some food and love!🐶 (‘Remember ‘Boesman’ of ‘Trompie en die Boksombenders’… infame!)

Such a wild contradiction, this 'mountain- desert' and the Orange River in full tilt! So much water disappearing out so sea, along with carrots of diamonds! Apart from the bamboo and bush along the river bed the rest of the vegetation is mainly of succulent type, and one or two trees and bushes, battling for survival! A mixture of granites, dolorite, quartz, sandstone and shale were formed 200 million years ago when continents moved, plates shifted and softer material eroded, leaving barren, sandy plains behind, called the 'Springbokvlakte'.

"In 2003, an international treaty between Namibia and the RSA was signed, incorporating the Ai/Ais Hot Springs Park in Namibia and the Richtersveld National Park, resulting in the Ai/Ais-Richtersveld Teansfrontier Park. Before then and in 1991, The Richtersveld became the first contractual park, that brings SANPARKS and the local Nama community together in a system of co-management."

Love, Peace and Light!
M&K
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