NAMIBIA

We could have spent the full 6 months (now reaching towards 7) of our trip just in Namibia. The country is incredibly beautiful and is the one country I would recommend travellers to go to if they only have time for a single country.
From the desert of the south to the woodlands of the Caprivi Strip and the Zambezi River, the contrasts, scenery and natural splendour (I know I sound like a travel brochure!) are magnificent.
And the roads, whether gravel or tar, are excellent. We were travelling at the same speeds on the gravel roads as we were on tar.
The Seffrica-Namibia border stays open all night (we got there at 8 pm and cruised through without a problem), the Namibian dollar is tied to the Rand (poor bastards!) and it isn't unusual to use an ATM and have it spit out Rands intermixed with Nam dollars. Because it is also part of the same setup, there are no forex charges and problems for Seffricans drawing money with their Seffrican bank cards.
Prices are all charged in Namibian dollars and are cheap compared with countries further north. You also get more for your money with hot showers the order of the day, rather than the exception. The one place we stayed where hot showers weren't available, the price was considerably cheaper - even though the water was sun-warmed to lukewarm.
Supermarkets are common in big towns but vegetables are expensive (most are brought in from Seffrica) but meat is cheap and is astoundingly good - you'll wonder why you've eaten cardboard for so long.
Distances between towns are long, it's stinking hot most of the year and lip balm is a must, as is lots of water. The good news is that we didn't have any problems drinking straight from the taps.
Bush camping isn't difficult except in the far north where the population density increases dramatically although even there we heard from some cyclists that people were incredibly friendly and welcoming.
Spares shops for car bits and pieces are frequent with the Midas/Cymot branches supplying pirate/generic parts and dealerships in most of the big towns.
Here are the pages we posted on Namibia:

FISH RIVER CANYON
On the edge of a giant canyon surrounded by desert, the surreal realisation that we're living one of our dreams.

SWAKOPMUND
Between waves of sand and sea, it's time for a hot shower and stock-taking of all we've seen so far.

OUTJO
We've found a wet spot.

POPA FALLS
We've found a wetter spot.

KATIMA MULILO
A river runs through it - the same way buses go wherever they want.