Day Fourteen – Tropical Hypochondriac

As the day dawned, life was a little better. A distinct tension still hung in the air broken only by monosyllabic interludes between the Beamish and Somers camps. We were however functional, Redvers too, despite the fact that I could still see where a nut used to be and could see up into the gear box. The morning routines completed, we were in Mariental and already the shelves of supermarkets look like heaven after five days without a major town. Meat and booze were the principal orders but crisps, chocolate and fizzy drinks also featured. Phone cards, Stanley knives and various viscosities of Redvers fluid completed the morning.

To the garage with Redvers. A long story short, the missing bolt is from the inspection inlet to the gear box. Redvers doesn’t need it and won’t bleed from it. I’m now a Land Rover hypochondriac. Best result really.

The afternoon drive to Windhoek took us across the Tropic of Capricorn, apart from it being a line of latitude somewhere around 23 or 24 degrees south; we’re not entirely sure what it’s for. We posed like Muppets under the sign anyway because it seemed like the right thing to do.

Police Engagement #4 occurred on the Windhoek city limits. What a terribly nice chap! A tall dude of medium build with a big smile and an animated personality, who actually just wanted to say hello. He also taught us, ‘How are you?’ and ‘Thankyou.’ I stopped short of offering him a beer but the thought was there and that is what counts.