Journey to South Africa - Part 3 – From the Namib Desert to the Cape and the Long Struggle North

The previous blog is at: Journey to South Africa - Part 2 – From Nairobi to Windhoek, A Story of Roads, Repairs, and Resilience

Welcome back to the third part of this blog series. If you recall, we left off in Windhoek, Namibia, having survived the long haul from Kenya. Here is how the road unwound for us.

The Namibian Coast: Swakopmund and Walvis Bay

Before heading out, my friends took the car for a check-up. Since we were aiming for the coast, they only did an alignment; a full service would have to wait. We left Windhoek around midday, driving toward Swakopmund.

The drive is unlike anything else. You pass through the Namib Desert, vast, open, and incredibly beautiful. The roads here are a dream; honestly, they are miles ahead of what we have back home in Kenya. They are clear, wide, and perfectly maintained.

Reaching Swakopmund feels like stepping into a different world. The demographic is predominantly white, and with the German architecture and cool ocean breeze, for a second, you might question if you are still in Africa. But you are. It’s just a unique, diverse side of the continent.

We walked down to the bay to touch the Atlantic Ocean. It was cold, refreshing, and surreal. Afterward, we drove toward Walvis Bay. This stretch of road is iconic: on one side, you have massive sand dunes; on the other, the ocean. It’s a photographer’s paradise. We stopped to take some shots, and I learned a valuable lesson about sunsets: you only have about three to five minutes to get that perfect golden hour shot. Once the light changes, it’s gone forever.

We grabbed dinner at a local bar that night. The steaks were incredible. You could really feel the South African influence here—everything is about the "braai" (barbecue) and good meat.

The Long Haul: Windhoek to Cape Town

The next morning, we started the massive drive from Windhoek to Cape Town. It’s a long distance covering deserts, hills, and valleys all the way to the Cape.

We had breakfast in Rehoboth around 8:00 AM. Shortly after, we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn. There is a marker there, and we took some time to snap photos. It’s a cool feeling to know you’ve officially left the tropics and are now in the southern temperate zone.

The roads remained phenomenal, even in the middle of nowhere. However, the speed limits are strict, and they are enforced. We got booked for speeding. We paid the fine and were sent on our way with a stern warning not to speed again. It’s a testament to how disciplined the drivers are there—unlike back home, people actually use their indicators to warn you before they overtake.

We had supper in Springbok and pushed through the night, arriving in Cape Town at around 2:00 AM. We were exhausted, but the adventure was just beginning.

Exploring Cape Town: Beauty, Wine, and Value Addition

The next day, we hit the ground running.

Our first stop was Cool Runnings in Tygervalley. It’s a toboggan track—you sit in a cart, get pulled up a hill, and race down. It sounds simple, but it is surprisingly fun and adrenaline-pumping.

From there, we headed to the Two Oceans Aquarium at the V&A Waterfront. It’s an amazing place. We saw sharks, massive stingrays (I managed to get a photo with a giant one), turtles, and penguins. There was even a fun Aquaman exhibit. We bought some merchandise and soaked in the marine life.

Next, we went to Table Mountain. You’ve likely studied it in geography, but seeing it in person is different. We took the cable car up. The view from the top is insane—you can see the entire city and the ocean beside it. We went a bit late, so it was freezing cold, but it was worth it. I realized that the best sunsets happen near large bodies of water because the horizon is unobstructed by buildings or hills. That line where the sky meets the sea makes the golden hour pop.

Afterward, we went looking for dinner and souvenirs, but we hit a culture shock: the supermarkets close early! In Kenya, we are used to shops open late, but here, everything shuts down. It was a "dismay" moment for us, realizing how different the pace of life is. We called it a night early—some of the guys had a few drinks, but sleep was the priority.

Wine, Mechanics, and Chapman’s Peak

The next morning, we drove to Bo-Kaap to see the famous colorful houses. We had breakfast there amidst the vibrant streets.

Then, it was off to Stellenbosch for wine tasting. This was my first time doing a formal tasting. It was a great experience—sampling different wines and learning the nuances. However, the reality of our trip caught up with us. We tried to find a mechanic to look at the car, but the "hard truth" of South Africa is that the formal sector works 8-to-5. If you don't go early, you don't get help. We couldn't find anyone open.

We spent the evening at the mall, had dinner, and watched some dancers at the wharf before heading back.

On our third day, we prioritized the car. We found a brilliant mechanic—one of the best we've encountered on this trip. He was an engineer with about 50 years of experience. They finally fixed the brakes. We looked for a full service but couldn't secure one.

With the car somewhat sorted, we went for the "Cobra experience" and drove Chapman’s Peak Drive. If you go to Cape Town, you must do this drive. The views during the golden hour are out of this world. Driving along the coast with the cliffs dropping into the sea... it’s beautiful.

It really struck me how much value addition South Africans do. In Kenya, we have the Ngong Hills or the Great Rift Valley escarpments, but we haven't turned them into world-class destinations like this. Here, they monetize and preserve their natural beauty perfectly.

Off to Johannesburg and the Apartheid Museum

The next day, we left for Johannesburg. It was a long trip, so we prepared the car and left at 6:00 AM. The drive took us through some scenic routes and the longest tunnel in Africa. We arrived in Joburg late at night, around 1:00 AM, and crashed.

The next morning, we dropped the car off for a service and headed to the Apartheid Museum. It is a heavy but necessary experience. You walk through the history of South Africa, from the dark days of segregation to where they are now. It gives you a deep appreciation for their resilience.

We couldn't get the car back that evening, so we went to Nelson Mandela Square. We took photos with the giant statue and had a fancy dinner. Here, we learned that tipping is mandatory—it's included in the receipt, unlike back home where it’s optional. Another culture shock!

The Breakdown: The Journey Back to Botswana

The next morning, we retrieved the car and headed out, aiming for Francistown in Botswana. This is where our mechanical troubles returned with a vengeance.

Just after crossing the border from Gauteng into the North West province, near a town called Klerksdorp, the car started overheating. We pushed on, hoping for the best, but by the time we reached Swartruggens, it was clear we couldn't proceed. We decided to call it a day and found accommodation.

This small town became our home for a few unexpected days. We were welcomed by a lovely family who hosted us. Our meals were mostly at Wimpy. Since it was a weekend, finding a mechanic was hard. We found an old mechanic who tried his best, but he couldn't finish.

The work done there was... questionable. They sanded the engine top to fix the head gasket/overheating, but in the process, they introduced new problems. They disconnected the temperature sensors (so we couldn't see how hot the engine was) and removed the thermostat. We were driving blind.

Smoking to Zeerust and The Decision to Tow

We decided to limp the car to Zeerust, hoping for a better solution. On the way, the car was smoking heavily. We bought extra oil and coolant, nursing the car along. In Zeerust, we sought a second opinion. They said they could fix it by Saturday.

We also had a lovely encounter—we met a Kenyan couple living in Zeerust. They were so enthusiastic to meet people from home. It reminded us that Kenyans abroad are a family; we look out for each other in a way we sometimes forget to do back home.

However, the car wasn't getting better. When we reached the Botswana border post to leave South Africa, the car was smoking too much. We made a tough call: we weren't going to drive it any further.

We called a breakdown service to tow the car to Gaborone (about 20km away). While sorting this out, we had another hiccup. We hadn't declared some of the goods we had bought in South Africa while entering Botswana. The immigration officer was not pleased, but after some discussion, we sorted it out and proceeded to Gaborone.

Stuck in Gaborone: The Final Split

In Gaborone, we took the car to Motor Clinic Service. They ran tests the first day, worked on it the second, and finished on the third. They fixed the oil leaks and attempted to sort the overheating.

Those three days were a blur of uncertainty. We didn't "tour" much because we were anxious about the car. We spent our days in the malls, bought local SIM lines, and experienced the Gaborone nightlife. Some of the guys got hair treatments and massages to pass the time.

On the third day, it was rainy. The car was "fine"—still smoking a little, but running. That was the breaking point for the group. Three of my friends—Felix, Michael, and Smith—decided enough was enough. They had work commitments and didn't want to risk another breakdown.

They booked flights from Gaborone to Johannesburg, then to Doha, and finally back to Kenya.

And just like that, it was down to Sammy and me. We were still in Botswana with the car, unsure of what the next few hundred kilometers held. That marks the end of this chapter.

In the next post, I’ll document more about our time in Swartruggens and the rest of the journey through Botswana. Stay tuned.

The next blog is at: Journey to South Africa - Part 4 – From Nairobi to Windhoek, A Story of Roads, Repairs, and Resilience