The Skeleton Coast
Mars landscape, Moon landscape
Landscape of the heart.
Remember that you can click on a photo to see a bigger version.
I could not write while travelling, because for 10 days, I had no contact with my world! This is quite a scary thought for us internet junkies. But I never once missed it.
Flying into Walvis, I took the following two pictures from the plane.
The photograph below shows quite a few vehicle tracks. The sad bit is that if a vehicle makes these tracks on a hard surface in the desert, it can last up to a 100 years. So people should follow in the tracks of the front vehicle.
Still in Swakop we went on a half day tour with Tommy's Living Desert Tours
+264 811 281 038
Tommy is a fount of knowledge. He is so enthusiastic, funny and interesting. If ever you are around Swakop, do yourselves a favour and take this tour.
Some of the small animals living in this harsh environment:
The dunes around Swakop:
We were 7 vehicles, plus the guide, Marius's car. He was an excellent guide. He is calm, has a droll sense of humour, could handle all the different personalities on the trip. We called him Mr Google. We asked him about so many different aspects of the desert, be it trees, animals, he could answer us most of the time. He does various trips, also into Africa, Tanzania, Angola etc.
Flying into Walvis, I took the following two pictures from the plane.
The photograph below shows quite a few vehicle tracks. The sad bit is that if a vehicle makes these tracks on a hard surface in the desert, it can last up to a 100 years. So people should follow in the tracks of the front vehicle.
Still in Swakop we went on a half day tour with Tommy's Living Desert Tours
+264 811 281 038
Tommy is a fount of knowledge. He is so enthusiastic, funny and interesting. If ever you are around Swakop, do yourselves a favour and take this tour.
Some of the small animals living in this harsh environment:
The dunes around Swakop:
We were 7 vehicles, plus the guide, Marius's car. He was an excellent guide. He is calm, has a droll sense of humour, could handle all the different personalities on the trip. We called him Mr Google. We asked him about so many different aspects of the desert, be it trees, animals, he could answer us most of the time. He does various trips, also into Africa, Tanzania, Angola etc.
His contact details are:
Marius van Zyl +264 811 430 350
http://www.wildspace-adventure.com
Wild space Adventure Safaris CC
The first morning we got together, 2 way radios were distributed and I got to see the vehicle I would ride in with Chrisna : a bright red short based Landrover, called the Rooi Perdebytjie or "small red wasp"! And it was true to it's name!
On the left is my partner in crime, Chrisna, then my great friend Carol and Chrisna's husband, Thys. Thys helped me every step of the way. Everyday to put up my tent and fold out my stretcher, and then the reverse the next morning. He was always helping even with hot water for a shower, a drink in my hand... Poor man, he had 2 wives on this tour!
Chrisna has been driving in the desert since she was young, and she certainly outperformed most men. We never had to be pulled out from the sand etc, only on the last day in a riverbed. By then everybody had their turn or more!
We then drove into the Skeleton Coast National Park. Only a few guides can take people up the coast, and until about 3 years ago it was limited to 2 cars, and you could not drive into the interior.
Next time, more about the actual trip!
The first morning we got together, 2 way radios were distributed and I got to see the vehicle I would ride in with Chrisna : a bright red short based Landrover, called the Rooi Perdebytjie or "small red wasp"! And it was true to it's name!
On the left is my partner in crime, Chrisna, then my great friend Carol and Chrisna's husband, Thys. Thys helped me every step of the way. Everyday to put up my tent and fold out my stretcher, and then the reverse the next morning. He was always helping even with hot water for a shower, a drink in my hand... Poor man, he had 2 wives on this tour!
Chrisna has been driving in the desert since she was young, and she certainly outperformed most men. We never had to be pulled out from the sand etc, only on the last day in a riverbed. By then everybody had their turn or more!
We then drove into the Skeleton Coast National Park. Only a few guides can take people up the coast, and until about 3 years ago it was limited to 2 cars, and you could not drive into the interior.
Next time, more about the actual trip!
