Day 8-9: Hondeklipbaai to Kleinzee then back to Brazil.

It was a misty morning as I headed out of Hondeklipbaai after having coffee and saying bye to Rudi and Jennifer.  I also thanked them for the brown sugar they let me have for my oats after mentioning that’s what I had eaten for breakfast, and that it tasted pretty bland, because I didnt actually have any of my own suger. The brown sugar did its job for the next couple days, so thanks again.

 

 

Now if only there were some Silent Hill monsters.

Yup, those will do.

The mist was pretty thick. I couldn’t see beyond 30m or so but started to clear up within a few hours as the sun made its way up into the sky. I arrived shortly at Koingnaas where I had to show my ID in order to be allowed to use the next section of tar road as it is in an area controlled by De Beers mining.

Plus Koingnaas is an awesome place to soothe your 'pose with the skull of a dead animal fetish'.

It was the start of the so called Diamond route. There was nothing special about this road. Just a long stretch that ran for about 65kms. I was given directions to Karin and Rockys place but somehow misinterpreted them. These were friends of Pavarni who she had met whilst working on a particular oyster research project a little while ago. Once again I was stoked to have a place to stay.

Boring.

Clearing up.

Just couldnt handle the boredom.

Poor bugger.  Your half shell is wonderfully sun bleached tho.

I had mistakenly thought that they stayed in Kleinzee which I arrived at after about 65kms of riding. Now I was on the lookout for a silver caravan with direction to follow from there. I had recalled passing a caravan about 17kms back or so but disregarded it seeing as I thought I must look for it in actual Kleinzee. Again I had to show my ID and answer some basic questions at the security control post before being allowed in.

Plus it was starting to get all misty again over Kleinzee.

See. Another photo from a different angle confirms it.

So I rode through the very unpopulated town which was booming decades ago thanks to the discovery of diamonds in the area, looking for this silver caravan. Long story short, I ended up near the back of Kleinzee somewhere, where luckily I met a detective who said I had gone too far. He knew the people I was talking about and I was bleak to find out I had ridden past them. I honestly didn’t have the energy to ride back 20kms or so, especially as I would be riding into a headwind and up the hill heading out of town. Luckily the detective called some policeman who came over and we packed all my stuff in the van and they drove me the 20kms or so back to my destination. It was strange being in a car again going so fast. Ah, there was the silver caravan, then we turned down the gravel road which was hella bumpy so I was super glad I wasn’t riding this on my bike and we finally arrived at Brazil as I was to find out.

I was met by a wonderfully friendly woman called Karin and her lovely daughter Jessi. I had arrived later than expected but after explaining everything, it was alright. I even got a handmade card welcoming me from Jessi who I was told was waiting my arrival with much enthusiasm. My first thoughts were, ‘Wow, I am so glad to stay here cause Kleinzee is just so kak compared to this place.’ The ‘Brazilians’ as Karin, Rocky and Jessi humorously refer to themselves stay right next to the ocean and live pretty much off the grid. They have watertanks and solar panels for electricity and everything had this amazing charm about it. I thought it was a slice of paradise I was staying at, and there was nobody else around for miles, other than the people I was staying with. Totally isolated and loving it.

My awesome welcome gift. Thanks Jessi

Glad to be in Brazil

Once I had settled in I was given a tour by their daughter Jessi of the surrounding area. She is home schooled by Karin and is such a wonderful child. Full of cheerful energy and a zesty attitude to life especially the outdoors. We saw some older abandoned weather beaten buildings where she showed me some bats living in them I recall, whilst taking in the local shoreline all explained to me by Jessi of course. We were also accompanied by their two dogs Belladonna and Flexidaisy. These dogs could go where they wanted in what was pretty much the biggest garden for them I could imagine. Later in the afternoon I got to meet her husband Rocky who is a diamond diver who works in the area whom had just returned from a days work. Rocky had two other guys working for him, Timmo and Dwayne. Timmo stays with his girlfriend Stephni, a jewellery designer in a house next to Karen and Rockys, where as Mike was staying in a room in the main house. All very down to earth people with a wonderful energy about them. We tucked into a tasty and hearty dinner, followed by some good old talking before I was given a mattress to sleep on and went to bed. Man I was glad to be here and not in Kleinzee.

Distance: 80kms

9. Brazil

I was glad to be able to stay for a full day so I spent it just taking it easy. I let Karen get on with homeschooling Jessica while I went for a walk in the other direction compared to yesterday. I had the two fun dogs accompany me. Was a calm day out on the ocean with a minor overcast sky if I remember correctly? I took my time walking along the coastline enjoying the stones, bushes, shells, bones, waterpools, textures, smells and everything else that was there. I came to a large log which I lay on for a bit before heading back.

Belladonna. Such a cool little dog.

I then spoke with Stephni a little more and got to see where her and Timmo stay and her workshop. Wow, what an awesome place to work in! She had this amazing view of the ocean and the isolation was just amazing. Totally the opposite of city living. I could totally understand the appeal of this place. I almost felt like never leaving.

Flexidaisy. She loves this trampoline.

Main house to the left. Timmo and Stephni's place to the right.

Some garden rock sculpture that Rocky did.

Loved this place.

The view. Bit overcast that day but still amazing.

More view, scultures and bones.

As above.

Fun relaxing area.

Cant remember what you two were called. Meow.

Then got to see the guys unload the bags of ocean gravel they had collected over the last couple of days. These bags were lifted onto a truck from the boat which then gets sent to a mineral processing factory somewhere else to separate the diamonds from the unneeded gravel. Each bag weighs about a tonne I believe and they only ever extract about a handful of diamonds from each. Still, a handful of diamonds is big bucks. I also found out that they only dive when the ocean is flat which worked out to about a weeks worth of work every month, roughly!!! Man I should be a diamond diver I thought, but alas, the Atlantic Ocean is way, way too cold for me and my skinny body. Plus I would prolly get seasick more than I like.

Unloading the spoils.

It was then time to enjoy some lekker supper once again plus I got to talking more about how I would tackle my Namibia section. I was given some useful information regarding the route to take. I also noticed that Rocky was wearing this awesome suit after he had showered. It’s called a ‘freezer suit’ and is a one piece insulated yet slightly puffy looking type of clothing covering pretty much your entire body except your head, hands and feet. Result, all over body warmth, chop chop. Perfect for after a day’s work out on and in the cold ocean. After watching some TV I hit the sack. I had chosen to ride again the next day but part of me wanted to stay in Brazil forever.

Distance: 0kms