We had pre-booked an excursion to go to the National Park. This meant a 06.00 breakfast!! Then into the vehicle with our companions for the day (2 Septics from Colorado who were on their honeymoon! Bless!). It was a 40 minute drive to the park entrance where we had to queue up until opening time. Unfortunately, this was the day when they decided to delay the opening by 15 minutes!

It was light as we entered but soon after we took a side road and pulled over to watch the sun rise from behind a range of mountains - and there was an oryx to watch as well. And then on into the park where we stopped again and our guide took us on a walk into the low dunes and pointed out insect, snake and scorpion tracks and the hiding place of the white dancing spider who makes a little trapdoor in the sand. All fascinating. The Namib desert is the oldest in the world at 55/60 million years and is bigger than Belgium!

Moving on we reached Dune 45 (they are all numbered) where we were encouraged to climb to the top. This is easier said than done and although the youngsters made the climb, the constantly moving sand defeated the oldies! As ADO explained ‘I didn’t get to be this old without knowing when to quit’! Still, it was an experience and we also saw a Namibian kestrel!

And then on to Dead Vlei. This is an area of the park where, as the climate changed hundreds of years ago, it dried out completely. As the aviation trees roots penetrate up to 60 metres into the ground they stayed standing. And, as a result of the lack of water and aridity, they were preserved from rotting and are still standing in a semi fossilised state some 900 years later. A fascinating place and our enjoyment was spoiled only by having to share it with some noisy Chinese. They get everywhere!

We then stopped in the shade of a tree and had a picnic lunch and then came out of the park and went to Sesriem Canyon - 30 meters deep and 3km long. As our companions pointed out, this doesn’t really compare to the Grand one! But you can get down to the dried up river bed and because it was narrow it was also shady which was pleasant.

Then back to the lodge and a well deserved beer and (very brief) dip in the pool. I really can not understand how they manage to get it that cold in a desert!

Tomorrow we move on to Swakopmund on the coast - a town and sea will be a complete change!

ADO & LMA xx