Hot showers can do much to restore the spirit and so, in the morning Atlantic mist, we left Palmwag in high spirits with far less dust on our bodies than when we arrived! Our next journey started on the straight and well-maintained, unsealed roads that Namibia has in abundance, but that was not to last long. After only a few kilometres, it was off again onto some tracks that were, according to the maps and the GPS, not really going to lead us anywhere civilised! Desolation Valley was a remote, stark, dry river valley which took us through narrow gorges and wide plains, over dry river crossings and passes. Each turn revealed the most incredible geology and geomorphology: towering mountains, exposed cliff-faces of twisted and tortured strata, basalt columns, shining metamorphic rocks strewn over the ground. Rare though were plants and animals - this is one dry place. The occasional tree, sparse clumps of grasses, dry desiccated bushes and the occasional 'forest' of Welwitchias were all we could see.

But the landscape was harshly beautiful and the vistas to the south from an altitude were stunning, with the Brandberg Mountain rising up before us and other peaks receding into the distance.

We camped one night in a deep gorge with the folded strata of the cliff faces rising up vertically around us. There was much evidence of Hyraxes living there but we saw not a single one, even when the sunlight penetrated far enough down the rock face to entice them to come out and warm up.

At last the end was reached after nearly 2 full days' driving along rough roads and tracks. We hit a T-intersection, a real road, and turned west towards the coast.