Magnificent Namibia - February 28 to March 13, 2009
MARCH 10 - 11, 2009:
the Namib-Naukluft Desert
Our final major stop at the Sossusvlei area of the
Namib-Naukluft Desert was as memorable--in a very different way--as our time
with the Bushmen.
Our pictures don't do justice to the sand's dramatic colors, changing almost moment to moment
from sunrise to sunset.
It was as if we stepped inside one of Georgia O'Keefe's magical, spiritual,
desert paintings...
To see other interesting sites during our last few days along the
road,
Go to
Namibia_1 to see the !San Bushmen.
Namibia 2 to see
naked women and desert-adapted elephants.
and
Namibia 4
for the Skeleton Coast and strange road signs.
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(Above Far L to R) At sunrise, we approach the dunes that stretch up
to 80 miles toward then hundreds of miles along the Atlantic coast. Over many millenia, winds continuously shape the red dunes into knife-edged sinuous waves which have absorbed old seas. The sand quickly shifts color from pale pink to rust, deep red, lavender and purple, depending on the sun's angle on the shadows and curves. |
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(Above Far L to R) As the sun comes up, Carolyn and Wendy walk
across the former sea-bottom to climb up one of the many tall dunes. From our view at the top, our trail looks like a snake's vertebrae. The tallest of nearby dunes is over 3,500 feet high. |
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(Above Far L) Carolyn stood on her balcony looking at the storm
approaching (Above L) our tent/cottages (Above C). The torrential rain formed streams (Above R) that merged into a river where there was only a dry riverbed less than 30 minutes prior. We literally watched the "river coming down" that became over 7 feet deep where it had been totally dry an hour before. Within 2 hours gorgeous double-rainbows (Above Far R) signaled the end of the flood and storms. |
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sunset, we drove along the dunes again, seeing green plants (Above
Far L) which will dry up and disappear within a month. (Above L) Wendy walked up the ridge of a nearby dune, sat on its warmth (Above C, WW is the dot on the edge), drew a pattern then (Above R & Far R) followed her trail back down. Same dune, so many colors and textures... |
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(Above Far L) The still-moist air created a rainbow sky over the
distant mountain range as we stopped (Above L & C) next to the Land Rover for the traditional safari sundowner: gin and tonic with bitings (snacks). We watch the moon rise (Above R) and sun set (Above Far R) on the Namib-Naukluft Desert. |
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