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Africa Namibia
Well this was my 2nd long RV trip. Cross the South African Borders to Namibia, a land of many contrast, big watery swamps, to salt lakes, to huge fresh water lakes and then barren desserts.
Executive Summary: Here is the Google Earth Route File, for your Google Earth viewing pleasure http://www.rudigreyling.com/pictures...arth_route.kmz Here is a picture of our anticipated route.  Day 1 (17 May): Home -> FAPN (Pilansberg) -> FYKM (Katima Mulilo): Stay 2 nights and refuel Day 3 (19 May): FYKM (Katima Mulilo) -> FYTM (Tsumeb) Refuel -> FYMO (Mokuti): Stay 2 nights Day 5 (21 May): FYMO (Mokuti) -> Scenic route -> FYSM (Swakop): Stay 2 nights and refuel Day 7 (23 May): FYSM (Swakop) -> FYWE (Aeros) Refuel -> GBV -> FAPN (Pilansburg) -> Home For those that are interested can see our tracks, via Cell phone GPS tracker, it is FREE. Isn?t technology great? http://www.vfrplanner.org/app/nav/tracker/index.htm Then click on VFR TRACKER MAP. You need to register to see the tracks?look out for the RV7 tracks from the 17th of May onwards. Total Distance Travel: 2500 sm / 4000 km, with +/- 16 Hours of flying. Weather played along, blue skies, no thunder storms, no dust storms, and the coastal fog stayed away from the airfields. This is my first time in Namibia and it was splendid. The great untouched country. Sometimes while flying you look and can?t see signs of civilization, you are glad your backup buddy is sitting somewhere on your wingtip loose formation. Below are a couple of pictures and write-ups of trip day 1 & 2 DESTINATION 1: CAPRIVI http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caprivi_Region Quote:
Anxiously ready for the trip:  Another Kimberly hole somewhere over Botswana. Civilization gets sparse pretty quickly over Botswana, just the mines bring some activity  Over the Makgadigadi Salt Pans:   .... |
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Then suddenly lots of water in the Caprivi:  The Katima Mulilo airport in the middle of almost no-where.  We waited for 2 hours for customs, ?No Transport? and eventually our host drove us to the border to clear customs. We stayed over for a small company specializing in Zambezi house boat/fishing trips. Their Base Camp on the river:  The next day we went out on a river cruise: No not this type of boat?  ?but this type:  .... |
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When sunset approached the skipper chose a white sandy island and we parked for the night, sleeping in the tents on top of the boat, not another human soul, light or sound around.  The next morning we were woken by a beautiful sunrise:  ?and a Zambezi Island Breakfast.  Some FLIGHT DATA: Trip Time for the longest leg this time: FAPN ? FYKM : Flight time 3H41, 87.5 liters fuel used, Distance 565sm/906km, FL085, Lots of headwind. Notes: My wingman, runs a carbureted RV, so he can?t go lean of peak and not balls to the wall either otherwise his fuel burn goes through the roof, so I back off a bit so we can stay in loose formation as backup for each other over this barren areas. NB: We were very dissapointed with the Katima Customs delays and the hefty fuel price (+/- R16 / liter) and fuel levy charges (+ VAT + Call out + Credit Card Fees) at Katima, Note to others plan only to use it for small fuel top-ups or avoid.  DAY 3,4 to follow soon... |
This is so cool! It's the stuff we only get to see on the Discovery Channel over here in the USA. Thanks for sharing!
Vic |
Beautiful country Rudi - looks like a good place to carry a PLB! I love the river trip - that looks soul-satisfying....
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Great trip! I am so frustrated sitting here behind my desk this week while we are experiencing good flying weather for the first time in months..... But this is inspirational, thank you.
TODR |
Thanks for the report! I don't know why my friends left South Africa!
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Cool
Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful |
DAY 3 & 4
DESTINATION 2: ETOSHA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etosha Quote:
FYKM ? FYTM (Refuel) - FYMO The flight from Katima to Tsumeb was very bumpy?wonder why one gets thermals over the desert ;-) We climbed to FL85 to try and smooth it out, but still bumpy. So there we sit, too high to see good ground features. 2 Things stood out. The river coming into the Caprivi Strip  The 90degree artificial border between Namibia and Botswana, see our flight plan where we clipped the corner. You can?t miss this international border line.  We refueled at Tsumeb and then on to Etosha. From the air the Etosha pans look like an inland see.   The shallow water, sand banks and sun makes for some interesting colours  ... |
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We landed at Mokuti Lodge, for a 2 night stay  This is where we parked and jip you are seeing correct?  ? after landing we saw I had low tyre pressure on the right wheel. We quickly detached the wheel spat so that it does not crush it when it goes completely flat.  We deflated the wheel completely and then used some ?tire weld? on it, then I taxied up and down the runway 10 times to distribute the ?tire weld? goo evenly inside the tyre. I decided to leave the wheel spat off for the duration of the trip in case it goes flat again. Mokuti lodge is your standard luxury hotel with good outdoor amenities.  But we were here for the Etosha Park and some game watching. Here is the gate to the park  ... |
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