The Green Pool & the Orange River
…and a well-earned gin and tonic
After days of riding, we reached the South African border town of Vioolsdrif, just a stone's throw from Namibia. Between us and the border lay nine kilometres of brutal corrugations, an unexpectedly shabby riverside lodge, and a reminder that adventure rarely looks the way you imagine it will.
All in all, it wasn’t too bad though: a day of rest, gin and tonics overlooking the Orange River, and the growing excitement of knowing that Namibia – a country we'd dreamed about visiting for years – was waiting just across the water.
Our infamous 'end-of-day kicker' revealed itself as we turned onto a rough gravel road that hugged the river for nine kilometres. The corrugations were relentless, made worse by the fact that we were already exhausted after eight hours on the road. The bikes shook and vibrated as we bounced along, each ripple travelling up through the handlebars and into my shoulders, the jarring running through my legs and spine.
Corrugated roads test everything – bike, body, focus, patience. The fatigue builds, working its way in through your hands, your arms, your spine.
This time was no different.
By the time we arrived at the Orange River Rafting Lodge, it looked nothing like I'd imagined.
The pool was green. The staff indifferent. The cabins were in varying states of disrepair. Ours came with a leaking toilet, constantly dripping taps and a back door that fell off its hinges the first time we used it.
Still, the bed was comfortable and the shower hot.
And as it turned out, that was enough.
Excerpt from : The Accidental Motorcyclist, 2026
The following morning, we crossed into Namibia – and into a landscape unlike anything we had experienced before..
The end of day kicker: a corrugated road leading to the ‘resort’…
Richard doing what Richard does best: making friends at border crossings. His tourism pitch for Australia?
“You want to die? Come to our country.”
