Sand and crystals
It’s amazing how the weather can change in 24 hours. We arrived in a sand storm, had a beautiful day off yesterday and left for Henties Bay this morning in 12? C with thick fog!
The fog didn’t last long and after a brief stop to photograph a shipwreck and help haul out two bikes that got a bit too close to the beach entrance, we headed inland and away from the Skeleton Coast region. Within 30 minutes the temperature was climbing and after an hour, insulated layers gratefully added this morning, were being hastily removed as 30?C registered on my thermometer. It was still only 11.30am.
Dusty long straight roads were the order of the day, broken only by small villages here and there where children waved at the passing show while goats bleated from the sparse bushes. Gradually the scenery changed from low-lying dunes to Mopane woodland as we pushed further into Damaraland. The stunted Mopane’s butterfly-like leaves provides sustenance and cover for a variety of wildlife, who wisely, are in deep shaded cover during the heat of the day.
Local Herero and Himba ladies were evident here and there at small crystal stalls by the roadside. Ochre covered Himba and nationally costumed Herero, looking starkly juxtaposed as if from different times, which really they are. Brightly coloured crystals prove magnetic to the more magpie-like amongst us and I daresay small lumps will be winging their way globally, shortly. A trinket to tourists, it never the less provides much needed revenue to boost local livelihoods.
This is one of the most scenic and spectacular regions in Namibia and is still largely untamed. Both animals and humans have had to adapt lifestyles to the harsh sun blistering and arid conditions. Open plains and massive granite koppies have replaced the sandy wastelands and its in the shadow of one of the most famous in this region, 35 metre high Vingerklip (finger rock) that we call a halt to a relatively easy day.
A sundowner rounded off the day at the top of an adjacent koppie, where once again, a blood red sun bade adieu to the day and a big, full, blood-red moon rose to grace the heavens.
La luna del cacciatore – hunters moon.
