Real Namibia

“The best place to get stuck in deep sand is on the road into Sossusvlei. You are virtually assured of prompt assistance from one of the many people traveling behind you on the narrow road.”

How to get stuck in the Namib Desert... God's sandpit.

Every holiday or journey needs a story to carry home and amaze loved ones, friends and colleagues. A holiday romance is a good idea but can be tricky if you are married, in a long term relationship or have taken vows of abstinence. It can also prove difficult if you wanted a short fling and the other person was hoping for a marriage and / or a visa.

The best possible story is getting lost with getting stuck a close runner up. It hints at dangers in exotic destinations that make you look exciting, adventurous and together enough to survive. If you don’t return with at least one ‘lost’ or ‘stuck’ story, you may be regarded as a wimp. On the other hand, you want to make sure that the circumstances are neither fatal, nor dangerous.

In order to get lost or stuck in style, you need to be prepared for it. If you intend to get lost or stuck for any length of time, you may also need a sun umbrella, deck chairs, reading material, sun screen, a good supply of water in the vehicle, more than enough fuel and a cool box full of more luxurious liquid refreshments, though for safety’s sake, not the alcoholic variety.

In either instance, try and do it somewhere where you are in plain view of everyone. Bear in mind that crime, though minimal compared to cities such as Miami, Johannesburg and Bogota, is not entirely unknown. Be cautious about whom you approach for help. Road maintenance crews are a very safe and helpful option.

Getting lost is easy. Either get the directions wrong before you depart or take the wrong turning somewhere along the way. If this happens, retrace your route. You will find that if you have kept an eye on landmarks as you travel, this is not particularly difficult.

Whatever you do, don’t get lost on foot in the desert. This is probably the most dangerous thing you can do. As a rule, if you intend to get lost in the desert, make sure you don’t travel out of earshot of some audible sound source. The desert can be very disorienting and footprints may not be discernable, particularly on the slopes of dunes and on gravel plains. A large, loud sound system can be very useful, but may be a source of annoyance if you want solitude or to others intent on losing themselves.

Whatever you do, don’t get lost in a way that means you have to stay in the car for a night. Everyone will get nervous and a search may be mounted to find you, for which you will have to pay.

Getting stuck can be equally easy. You have two options: deep sand or mud and water. In either event, never put your foot down and power your way out of the situation. This could create a truly difficult situation as your wheels will spin and dig you in deeper.

The best place to get stuck in deep sand is on the road into Sossusvlei. You are virtually assured of prompt assistance from one of the many people traveling behind you on the narrow road. Getting stuck in the Namib dunes is not a good idea as this will either irritate the wits out of people who are concerned about the sensitivity of the ecological environment, myself included, or will entail getting stuck in an area demarcated for offroad driving, which will just make everyone snigger at your amateurish technique.

If stuck in deep sand, you have two friends: a shovel and the mats from the car. Dig the sand away from the undercarriage and the wheels. Place the mats under the front wheels and try to use them to get traction.

Beware of getting stuck in water and mud. It is much more difficult to extricate yourself from these situations and you will get messy. You also stand a chance of damaging the car in a way that requires a large amount of money to correct.

Namibian roads are not designed for large amounts of water, particularly as Namibia seldom has large amounts of water. On the other hand, during the rainy season, large amounts of water are not uncommon.

In the event of a river running across the road, don’t try to cross it. It is hard to tell how deep it is or how fast. Bear in mind that even those large offroad vehicles get stuck. Whatever you do, don’t walk into the river to find out. This constitutes suicidal behaviour.

In the event of getting stuck in mud, try to find bark and flat stones to gain traction. The best bet is to wait and ask a passing motorist to tow you out. If this is the case, keep well away from the tow rope in case it snaps and check the vehicle’s manual for any points where it is safe to attach the rope.

If you have a great big, tough looking winch, don’t be too tempted to use it. Winches are for expert offroad drivers with knowledge of stresses, strains and all the techniques that are used to alleviate them. Attaching the winch to the nearest tree may only have the effect of adding to your woes by lodging a tree through the windscreen and possibly injuring you badly.

Getting lost or stuck is a normal part of the adventure. Just make sure that you are prepared and approach the situation with your head rather than your spirit of adventure.

index • previous • next