Hi Sam

Have just come across you all in the paper. You are heading towards Namibia. I spent from December 1999 to February 2000 there: it's a fantastic place. The dunes at Sossuvlei are an absolute must. If you go to Swkopmund there are loads of things to do. The dunes there are fab too, but I didn't spend much time there. Are you self-driving or relying on tours? I based myself in Windhoek at Chameleon Lodge and took their tours. You won't have padded cots to sleep in - it's more a backpacker thing - but very good. The trip up to Ovamboland through hours and hours of vastness and changing scenery was worth it for the scenery alone. Staying at the Kunene River and going to Koakland and meeting the Ovahimba people was the icing on the cake. Bulawayo was a relaxed place with some interesting local places to go at night.

I'll be following your progress - enjoy.