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After our quick lunch, in the car on the road-side just outside of Khorixas, we continued our drive south through the dessert. Just before Uis, we made a 40 km detour (round trip) to Brandbergen.

The Brandberg (Fire Mountain) is a massive pink granite mountain. The mountain is named for the effect created by the setting sun. The summit, Königstein, is Namibia’s highest peak at 2573 m.

Inside the mountain is the White Lady, said to be one of the finest remnants of prehistoric art on the African continent. Our travel guide gave us no information about how far the White Lady is from the car park, and we have had no internet access for the past couple of days. We decided a 40 km detour was worth it to find out. Turned about to be at least a 2 hour hike. Something we did not have the time for should we make it to Swakopmund before dark.

We headed back to the main road and continued south to Uis, and the west toward the Sceleton Coast.

Around Uis there were stalls along the road, where things (don’t know what, we didn’t stop) were sold by local tribespeople. Tourists are not encouraged to buy from them i.e. the Himba people. It is said that encouraging this trade works to draw people away from their traditional lifestyle, and draws them toward a cash economy that undermines long-standing values and community cooperation.

From Uis it was just driving through the desert for 170 km. The only place to drive was in the middle of the road, because of the loose sand/gravel. Other cars could be spotted many kilometers away, due to the dust caused by the tires, and there was plenty of time to yield to the left before the cars met. There was nothing but sand, sand, and more sand. Maybe the odd rock in the sand.

Other things we encountered on our drive were road scrapers, donkey carts, some cattle on the road, and people walking.

At Hentiesbaai we reached the Atlantic Ocean. The air got more humid the closer we got. I could sense the Ocean before we could see it. I must say, I do prefer living close to the sea. We continued south to Swakopmund, a small town by the South Atlantic Ocean.

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The small town of Khorixas, the capital of Damaraland before Namibias independence (1990) was not a very pleasant place. We had been for-warned by Bianca at Ouhave. We just wanted to buy a pie or something for a quick lunch in the car. And fill up the tank. They had a man watching the cars, while customers were in the shop. The shop even had a security guy, he checked everyones receipt when exiting the store. Shoplifting must be a big issue.

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The Petrified forest is located about 40 km west of Khorixas. It cost us NAD 280 to enter. We also gave a small tip to the compulsory guide, and to the man in the car park.

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Another rollercoaster road from Vingerklip to the main road towards Khorixas. Roughly 55 km. Deep inverted bumps where the rivers would flow during wet season. At this time they are completely dried out. There were warning signs, still a hidden double dip sent us flying. We landed on the road again with a big thump, the whole car shutting down. Luckily a switch off/restart of the engine was all it needed to go again. Needless to say, we were out in the middle of nowhere.

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Since we are in the middle of nowhere, choices for dinner was limited. We did, however, have a choice between buffet in the restaurant in the main building, or in the Eagle’s Nest. In the Eagle’s Nest a braai would be served, an African BBQ.

To reach the restaurant we had to walk along a steep path, then climb the stairs to the top of the rock. Alex counted the steps on the way back: stairs 198, total number of steps 725 (give or take). The views made the climb worth while. We started our ‘climb’ at 17.30, dinner was served after the sun had set.

Food was superb, choices of Kudu steak, lamb, chicken, and springbok sausages. Potatoes, veggies, and garlic bread. Vanilla custard trifle and, cheese and crackers for dessert.

We descended in the dark, but there were short garden lights along the path.

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The Vingerklip is the geological leftover of a Ugab Terrace. The Rock Finger stands on a hill top and has a height of 929 m above sea level, the rock itself is 35 metres high.

We went in a hike, just over an hour round trip, up to the base of the rock. Since it was about 27 degrees, we waited until the late afternoon before heading off. From up there the views of the landscape were spectacular. We walked around the base of the rock before heading back.

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Our lodge at Vingerklip is out in the middle of nowhere. No internet connection whatsoever. The area is the amazing Ugab-Valley, with its table mountains and plateaus. It is a beautiful landscape.

After a nice lunch we relaxed on our balcony. We had a view of one of the local waterholes. We saw zebras walking off when we first got there. Then came large birds, possibly guinea fowl. Followed by a large group of baboons. The next morning the birds came back, and just as we were leaving a pair of large Eland antelopes arrived for their morning drink.

It’s a fantastic lodge, two rooms share a small cottage, with entrances on opposite sides. Again we had a loft for Alex.

Food was great. Coffee, tea, and cake whenever we wished (you get what you pay for).

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(24 June)

This morning we only had a short trip to our next destination, less than two hours. The first part of the road, to Otujo, was a good quality sealed road. We then turned onto a rollercoaster, gravel road. We saw a mountain chain in the distance to the west, and south. Passed through deep riverbeds. During wet season it’s most likely not possible to drive here.

We passed some homes built from brick, or clay, others made from tarpaulin, or what looked like black garbage bags.

Warthogs, and a few herds of sheep and goats, were our animal sightings thus far. Before reaching Vingerklip (pronounced fingerklip) – Finger Rock, we also had to go through two closed gates. We’re lucky to have our own gate-boy.

Driving on the roads of loose sand or gravel is just like driving in snow.

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(23 June)

When we arrived at the Okakuejo waterhole in the late afternoon, there was an elephant drinking, and also quite a few antelopes.

As the elephant had quenched his/her thirst, he/she wandered away slowly. Two giraffes came wandering slowly from the opposite side, stopping often, standing still, listening, and looking around. Atelope skipped and hooped to the waterhole to drink in small groups.

We were hoping the giraffes would drink, a few times they were almost by the water. They took their time, stopping, scouting around them. We saw zebras approached from the left, they came in a long row. They walked towards the waterhole in a semi-circle. The giraffes backed away a bit from the water, and let the zebras drink. After the zebras were finished they walked away, in a row, straight away from us. Our two giraffe friends kept listening, and looking around. Four oryx then approached from the direction where the zebras had headed off towards. A third giraffe approached from the right.

Clearly the different animals took turns drinking at the waterhole, all the while the giraffes were keeping watch to keep them safe.

After the oryx had skipped away, in the same direction they had come from, the giraffes finally walked all the way to the water’s edge.

Eventually they all three bent down to drink. A sight well worth the wait.

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This game-drive was done by our selves in our own vehicle. Animals in Etosha were, mostly, easily spotted.

Springbok antelopes and wildebeest didn’t come two-by-to, but by the hundreds. After the drive we enjoyed having springbok for dinner… We were so tired of them we hardly took any pictures – they were everywhere. Zebras were also plentiful.

There were also Kudu-antelope, black spotted jackal, and several ostriches. A funny looking animal with a shell like body that we haven’t been able to figure out what it was.

At one of the waterholes there was a lion couple, possibly cubs hiding in the tall grass accorder to other sightings.

We only saw three elephants, one in the far distance, and two close by.

There were many, many giraffes with their long necks. They are funny looking, but one of my favorites.

Some birds we were not able to identify.

Black rhinos are very difficult to spot, the reason being they eat grass. White rhinos eat leaves on the trees. They are not really black and white. The colonists misinterpreted the Afrikaans weijt (wide), for white. Hence the name. The white rhino has a wider snout than the black.

We saw two cars parked in the road, looking into the higher grass. They said there were to black rhinos there. With binoculars we were able to spot them, looking like two large rocks, only moving slightly. After finding them with the binoculars, they were also easily spotted without. Pretty cool!

Towards the end of our drive we saw vultures (can’t specify) waiting. Watching some more we saw a couple of black spotted jackals. They had slain a pray, that we were not able to see, and the vultures  were waiting there turn.

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