Africa - Namibia, Monday, March 6, 2017

These tiny little planes are taking us into the Namib Desert today.

Today, we have an action packed day scheduled starting with a flight across the mighty Namib Desert, which is said to be the oldest desert on earth.  The dunes look like endless waves on the ocean as far as the eye can see and beyond!  The sands move with the wind and devour anything in it's path such as this deserted diamond mine.

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Nothing can stop the desert.

As we moved closer to the shoreline, we saw hundreds of seals sunning themselves on the warm sand.  Also ran across a couple of ship wrecks.  One, the infamous Eduard Bohlen, ran aground in 1909 carrying supplies and passengers from Germany.  It now rests on the beach almost 1/2 mile from the water as the sands have moved and left the Eduard Bohlen high and dry.  

Seals lounge on the beach.

Eduard Bohlen was swallowed by the desert.  Almost 1/2 mile from the beach now, this ship ran aground in 1909.

As I photographed this shipwreck, I thought about what the captain and crew must have thought after being at sea for possibly months when suddenly they reach land, get off the ship to look around and see nothing but sand.  Can you imagine?  Bummer!

Imagine running aground, getting off the boat and seeing nothing but sand to infinity and beyond!

There is literally NOTHING for miles and miles.

We continued up the coast, passing our hotel, The Strand of Swakopmund before returning to the sandy runway at the Swakopmund airport.

The Strand Hotel.

Hotels and housing developments are popping up in the Namib Desert, but only along the coast line.  Look beyond the road and you'll find nothing but sand and dunes.

The endless dunes look like ocean waves and vary in color.

Flock of Flamingos.

There was a mirror suspended from the wing so the pilot has a visual of the airplane.  I captured this photo of the reflection.

We got a late start this morning because of some low lying clouds, so we were pushed for time to get to our next activity ... Quad Biking the dunes of the Namib Desert.  Jeff was here on his Semester at Sea experience and loved the dune ride.  So I've been looking forward to this since booking the trip.  What a great adventure.   The desert was beautiful.  The dunes endless and the ride amazing!!  It was the most fun I've had in a sand box since I was a kid!! 

Geared up and ready to ride.

Midget is ready to roll, too.

So is Stevie.

And Lorri.

Away we go!!

Midge makes a "sand angel."  She'll be dusting sand out of her shoes for days!

We stopped on top of a dune for a break.  Look at all of that sand. The endless dunes are amazing!!

Trouble with a capitol "T" looking for a place to happen!!  Stevie, Midge, Julie and Lorri.

Dunes and more dunes await.

Rolling up and down the continuous dunes was exhilarating and so exciting.  I would have enjoyed really cutting loose with the machines spinning them around and flinging sand everywhere, but the fun police wouldn't allow it. 
 

Let's kick these pigs!!

So I sort of obediently stayed in the tracks of the leader turning slightly higher up the dune on each turn and holding back a bit to allow some distance between me and the leader so I could grab the throttle and wiggle the ATV for just a bit of an adrenaline rush.  It was like trying to hold back the tide, but I behaved.  I can't help it.  I like to move fast.  Cars, ATV's, just life in general.    I usually have only two speeds ... wide open throttle or dead stop.   Most of you know that about me and know why Jeff always called me 139.   If you don't know that story ... well, it's a good one to save for a glass of wine sometime.

We made a new friend after the ATV ride.

A bit apprehensive at first, I wasn't sure this fella wouldn't take a bite out of me.  Turns out, Jeff met this same bird while he was in Namibia last year.  Small world!!

We became fast friends and he did a parrot selfie!

Very friendly, but didn't speak English.

After the ATV ride, we arrived back to the hotel in time for our afternoon ritual ... happy hour.

Happy Hour.  We're sporting our new "high heel" camo wear, a gift from Stevie and a huge hit!!

Dinner tonight was a short drive out into the desert for a beautiful sunset cocktail hour.   While enjoying camel rides and hors d'oeuvres, the champagne arrived by way of sky divers.  Very dramatic and entertaining.  These NatGeo folks think of everything.  

I never miss an opportunity for a camel "selfie" with Luke.

Sunset cocktail party singers.

Sunset cocktail party atop a sand dune.  Notice there is no booze flowing.  We're waiting for the arrival of the Champagne.

While we wait, Lorri takes a camel ride.

Everybody's happy about the camel rides ... well, maybe not the camel.

Camel photo bomb!!

Jane would NOT miss a cocktail party.  She's a trooper!

The champagne has finally arrived!!  Such a grand entrance!!

As if the sunset cocktail party wasn't enough, the dinner was even more spectacular.  Just a short ride down the road, our desert dinner was served in an area enclosed by jagged hills and sand dunes that were dotted with luminaries.  Local singers were performing and merchants had their arts and crafts on display.  It was truly a beautiful, surreal setting and a wonderful end to our visit to Namibia.  

What an amazing setting for dinner.  This photo unfortunately doesn't capture how beautiful this spot is.  You'll just have to use your imagination.

Tonight's entertainment.

Tomorrow, we leave for Botswana.  I have no idea what the wifi situation will be like there.  So if I go dark for a couple of days ... well, I guess that means they have no wifi.  I'll catch up in Rwanda.