Roam abroad in the world, and take thy fill of its enjoyments before the day shall come when thou must quit it for good - Saadi

7 May 2019, Tsumeb to Sachsenheim Guest Farm, 80,9km
Sachsenheim Guest Farm N$1,380

After our breakfast this morning, we hit the road, taking the route through the industrial area to the B1, it being both shorter and flatter than the more traditional option. It was overcast for the first time in weeks, and what wind there was blew from behind our right shoulders. My back wheel, repaired at last, was no longer mimicking a concertina. It was firm and quiet beneath me, and my new chain made it easy to change gears. We left the backpackers at around 07:40 and were at Sachsenheim at 13:30, testament to easy terrain.
Not far outside Tsumeb, we stopped to visit Otjikoto Lake, actually a sinkhole of unplumbed depth, with vertical dolomite cliffs, and water reflecting the blue of the sky and the white of the clouds. A plaque commemorates the death of Johannes Stephanus Cook, who drowned in 1927 aged 24, while swimming with friends. His body was never recovered. In 1915, when the German Schutztruppe were about to surrender, they threw cannons and arms into the sinkhole, some of which have been retrieved and are on display in the Tsumeb museum. Eight cannon remain in the lake, and several guns.
We saw seven vultures in a tree. We could not see what attracted them. When Charl stopped to look at them, they took flight one at a time, winging away into the clouded sky. And we saw a raptor land on the left verge. When he took to the air again, it was with a small snake dangling from his beak. He flew over our heads (“please don’t drop the snake on me”, I thought) and away.
A good day. All things being equal, we cross into Angola on Saturday.

For today's route see below photos
For overview route, click on ROUTE tab above…