Beginpunt: Okahandja
Eindpunt: Rundu
Afstand: 648 km
Ek voel soos in die paradys.
Ek is vroegoggend weg uit Okahandja. Toe ek die eerste waarskuwingsbordjie teen vlakvarke sien, het ek nie besef hoe ernstig dit hulle bedoel nie. Dit is droog daar en die varke lyk soos geraamtes. Ek het by 70 varke opgehou tel. Hulle loop en vreet orals.
Ek het 'n vvlakark byna getref. Hy het van regs uit die gras gehardloop, reg voor my in. My eerste reaksie was om te rem, en ek het dit behoorlik gedoen. Ek en die vark het saam vir links van die pad af gemik. Gelukkig is hy soos 'n halwe meter voor my voorwiel van die pad af. Ek het gestop sodat my bene eers kon ophou bewe, en weer aan Anne se kruis geraak. Dankie. Dit was byna.
Toe ek Kavango binnegery het, was dit asof die gordyn op 'n wêreld agter my toegetrek het en voor my 'n nuwe wêreld oopgemaak het. Ek was toe vir die eerste keer werklik in Afrika. Links en regs van die pad hutte, komplekse, skole uit paal en modder gebou met 'n wielvelling as skoolklok. Vroue wat mielies en mahango fynstamp in hul houtblokke. Hare wat gevleg word onder die bome. Kinders wat onder die bome sit en kavango lemoene verkoop. Nee, dis nie regte lemoene nie. Dit is wel geel, het 'n harde dop, en as jy dit oopbreek, is daar vlesige pitte binne wat jy skoon eet of -suig. Smaak nie sleg nie. Ek kry die idee dit moet ryk aan vitamine C wees.
Ek het baie diere gesien: Honderde vlakvarke, swartwildebeeste, rooi hartbeeste, gemsbok, duiker, ses koedoes langs die pad. Met 'n motorfiets is foto's neem egter moeilik.
Dit was my verste afstand tot dusver, maar ek voel goed. Ek kon nog maklik 'n uur of twee gery het.
Ek sit nou in Rundu en kyk oor die Okavangorivier na 'n dorp, Calais, in Angola.
Dit was 'n mooi dag in Afrika.
(Roete vir dag: http://www.naboom2germany.co.za/Rundu.pdf )
I feel like being in paradise.
I left Okahandja early this morning. Just outside the town was the first warning sign against warthogs. I didn't realise that they actually meant it. The area there is very dry, and hundreds of the warthogs were grazing and feeding next to the road.
I had a very close shave. Once a big warthog came charging from the right. I was doing about 110 km/h when it appeared in front of me. I braked, and I mean BRAKE. The hog and the bike both went to the left off the road. It passed in front of me with less than 50 cm between the front wheel and itself. I had to stop to get my shaking legs under control. I had to touch Anne's cross again. Thank you. It was close.
On entering Okavango it was as if a new world opened in front of me. I was in real Africa. Huts, complexes with huts of different sizes and form, schools built of logs, mud and with a wheel rim as school clock. Women busy with poles milling mealies (corn) and mahango into flour for porridge. Children under the trees selling kavango oranges. It is not real oranges. It is yellow but with a hard shell. When you open it there is a juicy flesh that one can eat. It does not taste bad. I can imagine it has to be full of vitamin C.
I saw a lot of animals: Warthogs by the hundreds, gnus, red hartebeest, oryx antelope, duiker, six kudus standing next to the road. However, to take photographs from a bike is quite difficult.
The distance for today was the furthest on my bike until now. I felt good and could have continued for another hour or two.
I am now in Rundu, sitting on the banks of the Okavango river, looking across to a town, Calais, in Angola.
It was a beautiful day in Africa.
(My route today: http://www.naboom2germany.co.za/Rundu.pdf )
No comments:
Post a Comment