Overseas Desert Blooms

[Nomad64]

Saw this article on the South African desert blooms on the BBC website this morning.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-45449388

I was fortunate to be wildcamping on the Namaqualand Coast a few years ago at the time of the bloom.

Namaqualand is a stunning part of the world and much of it has been preserved in a fairly pristine state as a result of being part of the vast tracts of land owned by de Beers (and therefore subject to very tight security!), but not having enough diamonds to be worth mining and which are now being turned into national parks.

We were lucky to be able to go while the area was being turned into a national park which meant that access was allowed but there was little or no infrastructure - not a problem as it just meant leaving every week or so to get water.

Even without the blooms, Namaqualand is a spectacular rugged desert coast with shipwrecks, seals, whales seabirds and desert wildlife.

Highly recommended destination.

 

[Mesquite]

Thanks for that Nomad, you just added another trip to my dream holiday bucket list

 

[lou1661]

Some great shots there!

 

[bopdude]

As you say, rugged, very rugged, I was fortunate to travel through it twice whilst working on De Beers mine ( NamDeb ) just inside Namibia, a town called Oranjemund, 3 months there with a lot of golf, fishing and work.

 

[lou1661]

@Nomad64 anymore pics of the truck, looks like an interesting set up

 

[Broch]

@Nomad64 anymore pics of the truck, looks like an interesting set up

Never, ever, ask a Landy trekker if he has more pictures of his truck!!

 

[lou1661]

Never, ever, ask a Landy trekker if he has more pictures of his truck!!

why not? When i'm awake Landy stuff is always going on in my head and when i'm asleep i dream of my one true love..... Ahem if your reading this SWMBO thats you. (its actually my goat)

 

[Nomad64]

@Nomad64 anymore pics of the truck, looks like an interesting set up

As Broch says, be careful what you wish for - I lived and worked out of mine for nearly three and a half years so there are a few Landy pics but fortunately, the forum uploader limits you to ten so here is a random selection!

Breakfast, somewhere in Namibia



Land Cruiser recovery #1, Malawi



Mobile generator, Malawi



Turkana Rd, Northern Kenya badlands



Wild camping Nubian Desert, Sudan



Welcome to Egypt



Red Pyramid



White Desert, Egypt



Negev Desert, Israel



Land Cruiser Recovery #2, Morocco

 

[lou1661]

So, P plate last of the Tdi's? how did you get on with the maxtrax, lighter than traditional ladders but are they that effective? is that a Brownchurch rack? not long got rid of mine,awfully heavy and the wife was not a fan of negotiating the ladder to the floor during the night! Im sure that i recognise you from some facebook groups

 

[Nomad64]

So, P plate last of the Tdi's? how did you get on with the maxtrax, lighter than traditional ladders but are they that effective? is that a Brownchurch rack? not long got rid of mine,awfully heavy and the wife was not a fan of negotiating the ladder to the floor during the night! Im sure that i recognise you from some facebook groups

IIRC Tdis went on until 1998/99 with export only versions being made for a while after that.

Last of the non-electronic Landies, later engines have more power and refinement but at the expense of using fragile and expensive electrickery - a single TD5 injector costs more than a whole set for a Tdi. Heard some real horror stories from fleet operators of the Puma engined Defenders in the bush and saw a Tdi and R380 being fitted in place of a blown Puma engine and transmission in a nearly new 130 in Uganda.

I bought the MaxTrax at a South African 4x4 show after my fibreglass waffle boards got pinched. Used them last week to get the Sainsbury delivery van out a ditch and last winter to get a neighbour’s quadbike out of a snowdrift but not used them much on the Landy. No bridging capability but if you are not going to use them, they are a lot handier to carry around than those heavy and abrasive waffle boards.

Brownchurch rack is heavy but all those points of attachment spread the weight of all the junk on the rack along the gutters and down to the waist of the Landy. Don’t think I’ve ever used the ladder for anything other than attaching a shovel to but the rungs are a bit narrow.

Looks like you sleep in rather than on top of yours?

I did join one of the overlanding FB groups a while back but have not been active for a longtime although Mrs Nomad is/was quite active on one or two southern African 4x4 forums.

 

[lou1661]

I

IIRC Tdis went on until 1998/99 with export only versions being made for a while after that.

Last of the non-electronic Landies, later engines have more power and refinement but at the expense of using fragile and expensive electrickery - a single TD5 injector costs more than a whole set for a Tdi. Heard some real horror stories from fleet operators of the Puma engined Defenders in the bush and saw a Tdi and R380 being fitted in place of a blown Puma engine and transmission in a nearly new 130 in Uganda.

I bought the MaxTrax at a South African 4x4 show after my fibreglass waffle boards got pinched. Used them last week to get the Sainsbury delivery van out a ditch and last winter to get a neighbour’s quadbike out of a snowdrift but not used them much on the Landy. No bridging capability but if you are not going to use them, they are a lot handier to carry around than those heavy and abrasive waffle boards.

Brownchurch rack is heavy but all those points of attachment spread the weight of all the junk on the rack along the gutters and down to the waist of the Landy. Don’t think I’ve ever used the ladder for anything other than attaching a shovel to but the rungs are a bit narrow.

Looks like you sleep in rather than on top of yours?

I did join one of the overlanding FB groups a while back but have not been active for a longtime although Mrs Nomad is/was quite active on one or two southern African 4x4 forums.

 

[lou1661]

i used to sleep on top, however needs change, so currently using a ground tent. if you look on facebook @wildgoattravels love to hear some others experiences. Travel is the reason for everything!

 

[Nomad64]

i used to sleep on top, however needs change, so currently using a ground tent. if you look on facebook @wildgoattravels love to hear some others experiences. Travel is the reason for everything!

Had a look on FB - nice looking set up and travels.

Completely agree, Landies are great but doesn’t matter what you drive or ride, it’s all about getting out there - wherever that might be.

Some great expeditions on here;

http://africa-overland.net/