Day eight and nine: the long drive and entering Namibia

After a cold first night sleep in the tent, we woke up surrounded by the beautiful South African countryside. We had an amazing campsite breakfast of sausage and eggs, however the camp was severely lacking coffee. 

We then began a very long drive towards the Namibian border. Truck games ensued including celebrity heads (ill explain when we get home if you don't know what this is).

We stopped for a scenic lunch then arrived at our camp site over the river from the Namibian border.

It was stunningly beautiful. Obviously I took the first opportunity for a swim and as soon as the tent was up grabbed my bikini and took a quick dip. It was rather fresh but beautiful. Stevie watched! 

After setting up and prepping for dinner we watched sunset over the beautiful Namibian mountains.

Simply beautiful.

We had a lovely gin this evening in the bar after a supper of lamb cutlets and veggies. With some of the Aussies on our truck. 

This was the best night sleep so far as it was so much warmer!!

We awoke for an exciting 7mm kayak down the orange river. The natural border between South Africa and Namibia. 

This started very enthusiastically, however, Stevie was a little challenged by the concept of rowing in a straight line so we decided to give him a little break and let me kayak the entire 7km. It was a good work out after all, 

After kayaking it was a quick put down tents and then we headed to the border to cross into Namibia. It was the quickest and easiest border crossing I've done in Africa. 

Following this we set of into the Namibian desert. It was so different from South Africa. Arid, dry, rocky, with desert for miles. 200km later on much worse roads we arrived at the fish river canyon, the second biggest canyon in the world after the Grand Canyon in the USA.

Folklore says the canyon was created by a giant snake that was killed and when it fell down that's where it landed. A level geography at lancing might tell you differently, ( did I ever tell you I came top of the year at geography?!)

We took a hike along the ridge to take in the amazing views. It was stunning and so I spoilt. It was many years ago I went to the Grand Canyon but this was as awe inspiringly beautiful and so untouristy and untouched. 

We wandered back along the ridgeway, taking pics for Stevie's book cover... looking very levison wood with his ever growing facial hair...

Sami looking much less shoreditch and much more lost in the desert...

We got back to the truck and watched sunset over the canyon, it was simply breath taking. 

We then drove to our campsite for the night and had the challenge of setting up our tent in the dark. It was freezing! We had a very much needed hot meal of spag bol and then got an early night... ready for a 6am start the next morning.