We had driven nearly 5,000km from Kenya to Namibia and, after a wonderful few days with our friends Theuns and Thea, had finally arrived in Windhoek – a city that had become so familiar it was like being home. At Urban Camp we were welcomed back with open arms and made to feel as though we had never been away.
We spent two nights in Windhoek and had plenty of things to keep us busy. Most important was to pick up a bouquet of flowers for our friend Marissa from her daughters – her birthday is the day before mine and we were going to have a joint celebration when we arrived with them.
With the flowers safely stored in an ice bucket at reception in Urban Camp we headed into town to start preparations for getting ourselves and all our stuff to the UK. Changing vehicles meant that Henry would be left almost empty this time and most of our things would be transferred to the UniMog. That meant we had had to book flights with Emirates who offered double the amount of baggage than any other airline and could fly us one way into Birmingham rather than London.
It also meant that we needed something to carry everything in. We had two large carry bags and our new rucksack from Arusha but that was not going to be anywhere near enough. Kobus had recommended a shop in the city which sold everything you could ever need in the way of storage – boxes, tape, plastic wrap and bubble wrap being our top priorities.
We spent hours in there and came out with everything we needed including two large, plastic boxes that we hoped were large enough to fit everything into whilst at the same time just about meeting the airline´s size restrictions.
From there we went to our familiar supermarket and spent an absolute fortune on junk food. Chocolate, cakes, biscuits, ice cream – we had two birthdays to celebrate after all! One thing we forgot was beer and wine and it was a Saturday so by law all shops stopped selling alcohol from midday until Monday morning. We would be at the farm with Kobus and Marissa by then so it seemed we had made a terrible mistake.
Our next stop was to go and see Olly our lovely mechanic. As we had been leaving Theuns and Thea´s we had found that the retaining plate for Henry´s swing arm that carries the spare tyre on his back door had broken. The catch holding the tyre in place had snapped and the arm was lose and flapping about wildly. We had been able to tie it on with cable ties but it needed a proper fix and Olly was the man to do it.
When we arrived he was pleased to see us and as chatty as ever. He set about welding the retaining plate back together
Whilst all the time chatting about Landrovers, UniMogs, Namibia and life in general. It really did feel as though no time had passed since we were last here.
He also saved us from our no-beer error. He told us about a small store on one of the back streets that will quietly sell alcohol even at the week-end. We drove round and found that he was right – carrying our beer and wine furtively back to Henry in brown paper bags!
It was two days before my birthday and we were in the capital city of our favourite country – what else could we do that evening but go out for a posh meal for my second (of four!) birthday celebration? We showered, changed, had a glass of wine with Kristi at the bar and then jumped in a taxi to the cosy Olive restaurant
We had been here for my birthday the previous year and loved it. It didn´t disappoint this year either with amazing food and fantastic wine. In fact we pushed the boat out and tried wagu steaks which we had never had before.
The next day we were due to head to the farm for our final Namibian stop – Kobus and Marissa´s place where we would be leaving Henry for the next two years or so. We did a last minute shop for all the perishables we had promised to bring with us, remembered to retrieve Marissa´s flowers from reception at Urban Camp and then tried to say our goodbyes to everyone.
We had said goodbye here a number of times before but always managed to return before too long. This time was different, this time we had no idea when we would be able to get back.
Kristi and I hugged and I couldn´t stop the tears from coming. It felt as though my insides were being ripped out. How could we be leaving Namibia, leaving Africa, leaving Henry. Moving on to a whole new continent with a whole new truck. Moving on, in essence, to a new life that we knew nothing about? My head was spinning, none of this seemed real.
With my feet like lead, James managed to guide me into Henry for one last journey and off we sped down the familiar, long dirt roads south – the roads that were to lead us to the end of an era, the end of everything we had come to love
In keeping with my mood, the sky was thick and dark and we weren´t sure whether it was smoke or dust. Southern Africa was in the middle of a drought, not having had any rain for nearly two years, and dust and fires were everywhere
But when we arrived at the farm it brought a smile to my face despite everything
Kobus and Marissa were thrilled to see us and told us we looked remarkably fresh given the journey we had undergone – arriving here marked almost exactly 5,000km since leaving Arusha in Tanzania.
We unpacked Henry and settled into the room which has come to be ours. Their daughter, Liana, and her family were also staying whilst their new home was being renovated on the adjacent farm.
Liana and Jan-Ernst have two young children – Liarissa and Jan-Jakobus – who are absolutely adorable. Liarissa in particular at only 18 months old was already strutting around in her wellies taking charge!
There were also a few other friends and family around ready for the birthday celebrations
We had two different cakes for breakfast the next day. We all felt a little sick afterwards but someone was enjoying every mouthful!
The day after that was my birthday and more cake was shared. I got hugs and good wishes from everyone all day and we spent a lot of time out on the farm collecting sheep, rescuing lost animals and moving various animals from Kobus and Marissa´s farm to Liana and Jan-Ernst´s farm ready for when the house was finished
In the afternoon I tried my hand at horse-riding
This lovely creature was an older and very gentle horse who spends most of his time wandering around one of the 4,000 hectare farms with no limits on his freedom. But he didn´t seem to mind at all when some inexperienced and rather nervous visitor clambered onto his back
I am no horserider! The longest I have ever spent on one was about five years ago when I did a gentle pony-trek for half a day in Wales. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I have ever ridden. So I was a little bit wobbly and more than a little scared…
But with the reassurance and guidance of Sinta, a very experienced horse woman and trainer, I eventually managed to relax and enjoy myself
But we had things we needed to do other than have a good time. The first thing was to get all our things packed up
We had two big rucksacks, two plastic boxes and two backpacks. No space was wasted
Each bag had to be weighed to make sure that they were under the individual maximum bag allowance – we used the scales Kobus normally uses for his sheep
We then weighed everything together to make sure we weren’t over the generous total allowance
It took two days to get it all done but by the time it was all packed, wrapped and weighed we were confident that we were good to go
The final thing we needed to do was to take Henry to his new home. The workshop where he was to be staying was on Liana and Jan-Ernst´s farm, adjacent to Kobus and Marissa.
Before taking him there we washed him to within an inch of his life
We took bits off, cleaned bits up and made sure he was in perfect condition ready to be tucked up to sleep for a couple of years
Then with a heart heavier than I ever thought possible, we drove him for the very last time, across the beautiful grassland of the farms
As we went I stared out of the window, watching the farm go by, seeing how parched the land had become in the drought
I was trying hopelessly to imagine what life will be like once we were gone and still not really believing that it was going to happen.
The workshop was perfect, Henry nestled comfortably into the corner looking as handsome as ever
James disconnected his batteries and took them out for Kobus to use around the farm – they would be no good to Henry after two years and it would also be a lot harder for anyone to steel him with no batteries!
As the huge doors to the workshop closed behind us I had to walk away from everyone else to let the tears stream down my face. I stood looking up at the sky with my arms wrapped around my chest sobbing until James came over and gently put his own arms around me.
Kobus drove us back to the farmhouse and we were all silent in the car. Eventually he turned to me with a sad smile and told me the story of when he and Marissa took their two young daughters to boarding school in South Africa many years ago. They had sat in silence on the way back until Kobus turned to Marissa and said that there was no point holding it in, they should just cry together – and they did. I felt James´ hand reach for my shoulder and I bit my lip
My memories of the week we spent on the farm will always be dominated by that afternoon and the sight of Henry disappearing behind the workshop doors. But they are also full of fun and laughter and good friends.
Of feeding animals and finally working out that it was baby cockerels that were making the screeching noise every morning
Having numerous dogs trying to sleep on our knees at the same time
And beautiful cats wanting endless fuss
Of young Liarissa and her wellington boots
And the kindness of Tokka – the head man on the farm – in helping me so many times without ever being asked.
Of wonderful meals of fresh lamb and steak from the farm, milk tart, tacos and custard
Of playing rummy, saying grace and feeling cared for
In short, it was a week that summed up everything we had experienced over the last three years in Africa – friendship, comfort, abundance, fun and love.
But, as with everything, our time here eventually came to an end and before we knew it the day of our flights had arrived. When we got up in the morning it could have been any other day but a heavy cloud was sitting on our shoulders.
We packed all our luggage into Kobus´s car
The mood was lightened when we tried to take a group photo. We started by me taking one with James in
Then James taking one with me in
Then we tried taking a video so we could all get in at the same time but that didn´t go so well either!
But no matter what we did, time was moving relentlessly forwards and we could not put it off any longer.
Kobus drove us out of the gates and across the farm roads. We stopped to pick up Jan-Ernst´s Dad, Koos, who was coming with us to say goodbye and to keep Kobus company on the drive back.
I jumped out to open the gate and as Kobus drove through I closed the gate with me still inside and waved them off calling out for them to have a nice flight. I was summarily collected back into the car by James!
When we arrived at the airport James and I queued up to drop our luggage off leaving Kobus and Koos waiting for us on the concourse
By the time we arrived back with them I was feeling tearful again and it made everything so much worse when I looked at Kobus and saw that his eyes were red as well. We hugged and said our farewells, hugged again and finally turned away, walking slowly through the departure gate and away from the life that we love so much….
The Sidetracked Sagas 