We've had the privilege of driving thousands of km through landscapes in Namibia that are beautiful, surreal, infinitely varied, sometimes peopled but usually not. And harsh - sudden potholes, corrugation and sharp stones that stab through tires. We carry two spares, and often crawl along after blowing a tire, because you don't want to be down to no spares in the middle of nowhere in the heat.
One memorable night we took a loop that looked easy and logical on the map, but ended up being totally empty and very bad for long slow stretches. The campsite we thought we'd find didn't materialize, so at dusk we just pulled off into the desert. A serene night with moon, stars, wind, antelope, mountains and miles of emptiness, my favorite night yet although our nerves were a little on edge.
Each tire repair has been an experience, with dozens of roadside people attacking the problem efficiently with minimal tools. We've done our own tire changes, but blew one near Grootberg in front of a family's very modest house, so we had the 4 boys pictured below helping us in no time - lots of laughs and a way for them to make some money. So far not one negative experience with local people.
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