Someone wanted to see this photo. It was on the way back from the Naukluft. I have been warned of the sand roads, but I still don't understand how this happened. The road was straight and solid, not much sand on it, no animals to run onto it and I only went 100km/h. I was alert and concentrated and just felt so well driving. The car started to loose its track and first I just took the foot off the accelerator and held the steering wheel straight. It did not help, so I started to press the brake which was wrong, people told me. But I did not want to drive into a tree or bush at full speed. The car went to the right onto the loose sand and spun around to face the other direction. I already thought I come to a halt, but unfortunately it then turned around onto its roof. I just switched off the engine and climbed easily out of the broken window. I was not hurt at all, no shock, no bruises, just a few minor cuts from the broken glass when I climbed through it not carefully enough. I knew my friends drove behind me so I went to the road to show them I am ok. They then managed everything for me, took my luggage into their car and spoke to people who stopped to help. The first driver informed the police in the next town (40km) and called a recovery truck. We wanted to wait for it as if you leave the car alone there will not be much left after a short while. People steal everything here. It took 3h for the truck to come from Windhoek. All but one car that passed during this time (which was about 10 in total) stopped and the drivers asked if we are ok and if they can help. How friendly! A farmer even asked us why we don't just turn the car around and carry on driving. He was probably right, the damage only seemed to be glass and metal, even the lights of the car were still working. But I was not too sure about this suggestion and the problem would have been how to turn a 2200kg car around. Finally, the recovery truck arrived and loaded the car. The people did not make a very professional impression, but we had no choice. The truck left for Windhoek and we a little later. Then, after 15km there were cars at the roadside and people stopped us. That recovery truck had an accident, a horse run into it. We saw the truck some 30m beside the road on farmland, my car fallen off it onto its side although it had been secured with chains. That was it. If it was not a write-off before, now it was. Shit. There was nothing more to be done but drive home and go to bed. This week I was busy sorting all the paperwork out for the insurance. And now I am on the outlook for another Landrover Discovery 2. Meanwhile I drive an ancient Nissan-Bakkie from the pharmacy I work for. What a different feeling!
