Survival of the X
THE NAMIBIAN SKY was pregnant with heavy rain.
So pregnant, it appeared as if a sizeable amount of the Atlantic Ocean was hanging above us, ready to cause chaos if it all tumbled down upon Mother Earth.
We were heading north on the B1 road, from Okahandja, in a fleet of BMW X3 xDrive30ds, part of BMW Driving Experience South Africa’s trip in this beautiful, stark place.
The normal tour, which costs R75 000 per person and includes full board, lasts eight leisurely days over 1 300km. It starts with two nights at the Okapuka Ranch near Windhoek. From there, the convoy of BMWs heads to the Erindi Game Reserve, Ai-Aiba Lodge, two nights at the Strand Hotel in Swakopmund, and a final night back at Okapuka Lodge.
We were going to cover the 1 300km route in just three days. Not that this presented an issue really; travelling just over 1 000km in a BMW X3 with 195kW and 620Nm and all the luxurious amenities you could desire is no particular hardship.
In fact, cruising along at 120km/h on the B1, the latest X3, which is built in Rosslyn, west of Pretoria, was running as smoothly as a leopard in slippers.
We arrived at the Erindi Private Game Reserve turn-off in high spirits. Here the tar road made way for some delectable Namibian gravel roads. These roads are notorious. Because they are often in such good shape, tourists tend to drive too fast, lulled into a false sense.
