The African Adventure
4x4 Adventure Drive

Day 23

Friday 26 August 2005
Swakopmund Hotel, Swakopmund - Sossusvlei Lodge, Sesriem

Today participants had a couple of route options. Some decided to take a tour around the northern Namib Naukluft Desert, experiencing the curious moon landscape, before detouring through a pleasant wadi to see a giant 1,000 year old example of Namibia's strange desert plant, the Weltwischia Mirabilis. These plants are truly magnificent, growing from a split bole; the roots reach far down into the sand. The only way they can obtain moisture is from the fog and the dew.

Following this, the first route took those feeling adventurous on a 4x4 Rock Scupture Trail starting in Bloedkoppie (blood rock) before joining the C14.

Those participants wishing to relive the 1998 London-Cape Town Rally took the second route option. This took them down asphalt coast road, between the dunes and the sea, to Walvis Bay. They then climbed into the beautiful high ranching country of the Khomas Hachland, by means of the fabulous Gamsberg Pass (a great rally road), before looping round to come back down the even more breathtaking Spreetshoogte Pass.

Finally, those wishing to opt for a slightly shorter day took the faster roads to meet up with all the other participants at the little settlement of Solitaire, where all routes converged. Here we were all able to enjoy the sun and Moose McGregor's home-made coarse bread and apple pie before, taking the short run to our overnight halt at Sossusvlei Lodge in luxury tented accomodation.

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