STOP 6/ 7 SWAKOPMUND VIA OKONJIMA ( 775KM) The long road southwards from the mining town of Tsumeb is mind- numbingly dull, but fortunately it's mostly metal and we split the journey to view the fascinating cheetah rehabilitation programme at Okonjima. The nearby bustling town of Otjiwarongo is also worth a stop for supplies while their Spar store offers excellent lunches and a very acceptable range of pastries. ( Notice a pattern?). The enigma that is Swakopmund came into view late in the day and we made a beeline for a 4WD garage to check out that little front- end ' squeak' which had developed into a death rattle. Fortunately it was nothing more than a loose bumper fi xing, and the mechanic fashioned a repair for the princely sum of R70. Swakopmund is adventure- central for Namibia, and next morning we hooked up with Steven Dobson at Desert Explorers to experience quad biking and sand boarding on the nearby dunes. Steven's tricks on the bike had us spellbound, but it's not all about speed and exhilaration. He was also able to track down sidewinder snakes, lizards and chameleons, and initiate the eerie sound of ' roaring sand'. " Just over 2750 kilometres. On gravel roads. In two weeks. Piece of cake." Our transport contact, Gunther Lang of African Car Hire, sighed, rolled his eyes and ordered extra tyres 48 Travel Namibia LEFT TO RIGHT: One of Okonjima's rehabilitated cheetah, An early morning start for a hot air balloon ride over Sossusvlei Self- drive STOP 4/ 5 OKAUKUEJO/ NAMUTONI ( 500KM) With torrential rain making our northern route impassable, we headed back through Outjo, with a brief stop for fuel and some tasty German pastries at the popular Outjo Backerei. Northwards to Etosha we sped, passing antelope sheltering in the shade of some scattered trees and the occasional deranged cyclist attempting to become the next person to pedal from Cairo to Cape Town. Okaukuejo, some 18 kilometres inside the National Park, is a great stopping off point with an excellent range of accommodation, and the fl oodlit waterhole will guarantee you some wildlife, possibly even black rhino and the three big cats. Map in hand, it was time to head east, and the 4WD was holding up rather well, apart from a few squeaks. Etosha is vast, 22,912 square kilometres in fact, and it can be diffi cult to track down the wildlife, especially after the rainy season. On our own, we saw mile after mile of springbok but precious little else, apart from a fascinating family of banded mongoose. We picked up a guide at Onguma Plains who quickly located a wealth of wildlife, including a massive herd of elephants, which broke free from the dense woodland to engulf our vehicle. The gates to Etosha are locked at sunset, so give yourself plenty of time to escape. We left it rather tight, and the guide had no option but to put pedal to the metal and hurtle towards the exit screaming, " It's not a safari, it's a Ferrari!" STOP 9 WINDHOEK ( 420KM) We ventured home by way of the D1261 and the Remhoogte Pass, which may have been a misjudgement as the road was almost impassable in places. But after 2750km we returned safely, and without a single burst tyre. It certainly wasn't a ' piece of cake' but, if you prepare and listen to advice from your 4WD provider, it can be safer than parking at the local supermarket. STOP 8 SOSSUSVLEI/ WOLWEDANS ( 400KM) Without doubt this section through the Namib- Naukluft Park was the toughest part of the trip; mile after mile of dusty, rutted roads with little in the way of scenery. After the obligatory stop at Solitaire for fuel and some of their fabulous strudel, we staggered into Sesriem, our base to visit the famous sands of Sossusvlei. We decided to do it in style, and very early next morning teamed up with Namib Sky Balloon Safaris for a slightly nervy fl ight into the unknown. We were in good hands, however. Professional pilot Astrid Gerhardt from Lake Constance, Germany, soon had us fl oating 700 metres above the Tsauchab River and perfectly positioned to savour a sunrise. The views of the ' fairy circles', dunes, and wildlife were spectacular and it was with great disappointment that Astrid brought her 800kg balloon to rest some ninety minutes later. Despite being given instructions on bracing against the impact, we merely kissed the ground, and fortunately, the balloon was free of the dunes. Astrid explained there was no guarantee of a solid landing, and balloons marooned in the dunes often take two days to extricate. TOP TIP The town has several late closing laundrettes. Get your clothes washed and ironed for just a handful of rand. TOP TIP Cover all door locks with elastic plasters, otherwise dust from the road will choke up the chambers.

Travel Namibia 49 Does Iain's route leave you feeling a little breathless? Turn to p60 for an alternative itinerary