"No one has submitted an adventure to invoke. Anyone who deliberately sets out in search of adventure but does not come to pick up empty shells, unless indeed it is a choice of gods and heroes as great among those most noble knight Don Quixote de la Mancha. We ordinary mortals poor soul who does not want but take a wicked giants windmills, received the visiting angels adventure. Caught unprepared our complacency. As usual with unexpected visitors arrive with often at inopportune moments. And we were glad to let them pass without recognition, without the slightest appreciation for such high favor. "
Joseph Conrad, The Mirror of the Sea
Hi everyone!
Here we in Southern Africa. This is the Africa we never imagined, Africa is not seen in the movies, the Africa we did not know there was so much in ignorance as to have the habit of generalizing and believe that the black continent is that, just black. The Africa in a very bad could say no is Africa. Part of the continent is increasingly contrasts with what we have left behind on the road.
The encounter with Delhi has been a breath of fresh air in the van, news about friends, talking forgotten, a few packets of salami and ham and rejoice the soul of any good English and not English . Incidentally we have brought a new set of heaters to the van, which had recently complained of the cold and the morning would not start.
Deli has been the perfect excuse to meet Namibia in depth. The J5 has released smoke and has behaved like a champion. Since the stepped Deli van only after we've been stuck in the sand and has only been necessary to push to start a couple of times, nothing bad about travel within this country about 7000 kms., right?
started the route towards Twyfelfontein by the Namibian courts fantastic to see a rocky valley with more than 2000 paintings and San rock art engravings, some over 6000 years old. They say it's one of the most important sites in Africa and not to despise such an honor we visit. Tourism Viva!
continue our one particular tour of national parks for wildlife viewing most important in Africa, Etosha NP. A 120-km main track through the park that appear directed branches that most water points, small lagoons infected with all kinds of birds, sprinboks, zebras, ostriches, oryx, wildebeest and the occasional giraffe.
Elephants do not stop being too, you see a rhino in the distance and a lioness trying to nap under the watchful eye of dozens of tourists, crammed into their vehicles and continuous rain clicks of cameras without breathing.
We were a little disappointed not to see more cats, a sweet sleeping leopard digestion in any branch of acacia, or prosecution of a lion after a gazelle. That he will do if that's what we always swallowed the 2 documentaries! Must be some other time. You know, the more you have, the more you want.
From Etosha we Caprivi direction. One of the more populated rural areas of Namibia, where we find villages in mud and thatch buildings and water wells surrounded by people waiting their turn to fill containers and return to their chores. It is a pleasure for us to reconnect with the African, as in the rest of the country's rural areas are populated by small isolated farms, lodges and some other small town lost, the rest is pure desert, sometimes mountainous, sometimes llanísimo to sometimes with acacia woods sometimes pure sand.
expected to find more vede area and lush as we read in a guidebook. Clearly, it is compared with the rest of the country. We introduce a day in the National Park Mahango, much smaller than that of Etosha, as we say more familiar, and that FLIP especially for the large number of hippos in the river is home.
Suddenly alejadito find a well of water, lying under a tree, which was not thought possible, we and our experience in the world of zoology. For what is not liked our presence and opened her mouth wide wide and for a moment we thought it would come to envestida the van. Things of the imagination because all he has done is teach his huge back and disappeared behind the weeds.
We road up to the Victoria Falls, and we must cross into Botswana. Again, a simple border in a remote and beautiful place on this continent. Once across the office we have to cross the Chobe National Park because the road required. After seeing large numbers of animals on the same road, especially elephants, remove ourselves from head to tour or excursion to the park paying. And begin to have more than enough apparently and more in this area that there is an amazing elephant population and occur in almost any corner, a few meters of the population. Who would have said when we were still traveling in Mali we were going to see much wildlife, though there would have given anything for seeing one up close and now we're drifting in the middle of the pavement to avoid colliding with a run over a giraffe or not has agreed to look at both sides before crossing the road.
Kasane
Once we start to find the most practical way of reaching out to Victoria on the other side of the border with Zimbabwe. The day trip to Victoria Falls ends up being the most expensive we've paid so far this trip this year, not counting the excess with those who robbed St. embassies in the payment of visas for most countries in Central Africa. But as we know there are quirks in life and there are some that we can not escape. To avoid all the paperwork to put the van in Zimbabwe for the visit, we hired a taxi something like that apart from us we will transfer speeds up visa issue (and its $ 30 per head). If you also then say to one who has to pay $ 30 more to see a waterfall one begins to feel like even mourn and repent. But that said, one day is one day.
Cross the border between Botswana and Zimbabwe without the van, we feel relieved at the same time you breathe something like have forgotten something at home, in this case the house. But seeing the long queues of trucks awaiting customs clearance, fast home away melancholy.
There are about 100 km ride to the falls from Kasane. The first thing that pleases the eye on the road is a splendid herd of elephants with their calves across the road, and most incredibly, there are a couple of cheetahs sitting under a tree and seem to be entertained watching the passing cars, some without even look at the cats, and other stunned by the best gift to behold this pair of cats as close to the road in broad daylight.
Even speechless by the spectacle of wildlife, after entering the time that we come to look, and almost mourn when paying the entrance to the falls is open the doors of this magnificent masterpiece of nature are the Victoria. Awesome.
Go back to Botswana where we continue our journey with Cristina and Dome. They have a couple Catalan had a small transportation problems and who choose to come with us to Maun. The night we went down in history because after they stop along the way we shop for the next dela van plant. At the time of going to bed we heard noises and had come to ask us if we Dome snored a lot. We do not know if snoring but they were the roar of a lion that has haunted past midnight outside. Once we left in Maun cross bordering the Kalahari Desert. We expected to find something like a waste of film and all I see is a dry acacia forest. Again, too much television in our lives!
We arrive in Windhoek. The description for a city with predominantly German architecture and not even remotely beyond the half million people is a delicate thing, because it is an African capital. Since then leaves the models were accompanied on the trip so far and makes you feel far from this continent. It has a European air with African reality, a mixture of white clouds on black asphalt. Iglesias pointed style of most Central European, tall buildings, clean streets, hospitals, luxury cars. Actually we both do a little light paranormal, Stops, yet so regulated, I think we had everything was unaccustomed to such graph.
In the city We stayed with a German who has lived long in Spain and that makes us couch surfer. Thanks Cristina for your hospitality and your advice!
we headed to Spitskoppe. It is a mountainous area in a certain way depends on how you look is like Montserrat. A series of granite boulders that rise from the plateau above two thousand meters. A perfect place to climb a couple of ways and enjoy some amazing little trip.
decided to go for a desert course and amazing
leading to Cape Cross to make a view the sea lions. Declared a heritage site of humanity which is the sanctuary for this species.
This part belongs to the famous Skeleton Coast, and nominated by the number of ships have been stranded along its thousands of coastal miles north. The drawback to the survivors of these shipwrecks was that if they could reach land they encountered a hot, dry desert that made them virtually impossible to survive.
Swapkomund Following the path we head back inland to reach the Namib Desert and Soslussvei.
A desert of sand and a reddish color that flows into the sea, the dunes, which they say are the highest in the world, up to 390 mtrs. After walking about 5 km and climb some of the highest dunes of the fun is time .. down. Shooting, running, crawling from the most unlikely, sprint .. do not really know what can be done in a desert, but what if we can confirm is that we have found ways to enjoy contemplative, but above all entertaining.
At the end of one of the most amazing descents I have done in our lives is landed in the Dead Vlei. A small white salt plain surrounded by red dunes where they have been immortalized dozens of skeletons of trees. It's like being stuck in a box, and have slipped into a canvas of others. One of those corners of the world will hardly erase from memory.
As we still have a few days before the Delhi take the plane back to the beach, Walvys Bay. More time to enjoy watching sea lions, pink flamingos and white, the occasional jackal lost on the beaches, and beautiful dunes that lead in the Atlantic. Namibia is truly a marvel to observe nature. A huge country in which only two million people live and where they dominate the vast expanses.
returned to Windhoek to take his plane Deli. Lagrimillas eyes, hugs and goodbyes and it's time to go our way, again the three headed south, after these magnificent Namibian vacation this August. We passed half Namibia and we planted near from the South African border to make a of the most interesting walking country.
We are in the Fish River Canyon. Say is the second largest canyon in the world after Colorado, with 160 km in length, and as its name indicates, where the waters are supposed to Fish River. In the tourist office in Namibia, the Namibian Wild Resorts warn you that the trekin is about 90 km, I imagine that to scare you and ask for a medical certificate as these in perfect physical health. In a French guide say we are 85 km, hopefully to exaggerate. In the English guide that we have not even named the kick. Will we be lazy Latinos? In short, it being useless and out of how many miles has the canyon that we walk, we know for sure that you cover at least 4 days and maximum 5. Although they arrive at the gate of the Park read an article a few guys did in half a day. It's certainly not our intention to do it in record time but again too long because it is excess weight in the backpack.
The canyon is spectacular. The first day was down to the main channel and from there it goes along the river, although at this time of year, and to our surprise is almost dry, so You catch only numbers stagnant pools and ponds rather than flowing water. There is a dam upstream to regulate the flow of water and this time of year is not abundant. Within ten days are denied permission to do the kicking for lack of water.
the first day and perhaps the toughest we reached a small bend in the river with palm trees, an oasis where sulphurous waters are born. A paradise on earth after having his legs crushed under the sun.
The following days will gradually softening the ground adding that every time there is less weight in the backpacks, which at first seemed true weights.
After 4 days we got to Ai-Ais, the end of the ride. Sorry to leave behind the tranquility of the canyon, the daily baths in the heat of the day and rest of not seeing anyone for a few days, rather than flocks of monkeys, kudu, and egrets. Best of Ai-Ais a part of the van to park these days without pay, is that it has a thermal pool, (eye to detail, also free). What else can our body, hopefully all walks ended up well!
recuperaditos
Well it's time to cross the border into South Africa. Namibia output is passed smoothly and the entrance to South Africa does almost as if we entered as the air going south, just a few minutes for the stamps in passports and a smile from ear to ear nailed to the face of three. You could almost see you smile until the van. Incredible but true. We are in the land of Mandela, the southernmost country in Africa and we came up with the J5.
Once inside, letting go of emotions running from head to toe, started to discover the west coast. Mountains and valleys, rivers, fields of flowers and orange aromas that make flying off. A coastline of bays and beaches that surprised by the magic of the whales jumping in the skyline. Perhaps the reason why the Boers, the Germans and the British have never finished going away, renounced all riches. It is understandable, but the end justifies the means and apartheid was a genuine outrage and it is still something to worry about.
Finally after a few detours we arrived at Cape Aguhlas, further south you can not go. It is the southernmost point of Africa. There really is an indescribable feeling when you arrive. Hard to believe, not expected. You look back and see all the effort that has involved travel and are happy. An happiness conditioned to get what you offer and usually the more difficult .. ultimately, happier you feel. And little has not cost! A trip that changed our lives supesto, and so wrong vision we had of Africa. A journey that has come even more venom vagrancy.
As Reverte says, 'The trip is also a way to create, because it holds as soon as you see and hear, in memory and in the retina, to try to interpret it later, like you're an artist, a painter in front of the colors compared to the faces and forms, a world open to the sounds, voices and rhythms, or maybe and finally, a poet. "
assured that this is not a farewell fragonafrica because there is a kind of magnetism that makes some of us resist to move even the African continent, as iron magnet. .. enganchaos! So there will be a little more travel
Much love to everyone, always unconditionally. You to know that not stop thinking about you and that you are more present than you can imagine. Thanks to all.
Jose Gracies! Ninho Gracies!
And this is what appears below. Hotmail asks us to enter a number cell in which we will receive an unlock code to get us to our mail. 
