May1 - Day 113

Today was a leisure day as the bike demanded as well as the legs and more appropriately the mind needed a break.  The trip has been grueling both physically and mentally.  The day in and day out grind and the extreme miles and the road (or should I say no road) conditions have taken their toll.  A break was demanded and a break was given.

......................................................

Here is a picture of where we are:

We have seven more cycling days and will be in Capetown next Saturday the 9th of May.  I am astounded when I look at the map and see where I am and where I have come.  It is an amazing feat to have come so far.  There has been so many things that have happened, so many adventures, so many miles...  It has been amazing!

As we rode today we saw endless desert and sand.  But there appeared a strand of green as we entered the afternoon.  It was like when the the sands of the Sahara Desert along the Nile were turned green on either side of the river for a hundred meters or so.  This was the same.  This time it was the Orange River the was performing the miraculous transformation.  As we got farther south the green expanse grew in size.  There appeared vineyards of grapes that stretched for miles and miles along the river.  These vineyards were pumping water from the river to create the greenage and the wine industry of southern Namibia.  

The vineyards that appeared out of the sands of the Namib Desert.

To support the vineyards and the wine industry a shanty village of thousands of shacks has been erected.  There are people everywhere.  The shacks have no running water, no sanitation, no electricity or any normal comforts.  The shacks are sitting in the blaring desert sun.  A tough life for them.  But they are probably better off than many others....