Category: Swakopmund and Damaraland

Arrived in Palmwag on the 3rd after probably the most bone wrenching drive so far. We’re surprised we haven’t had any flat tires yet but we passed several travellers who did. The driving in Namibia is an adventure in itself. You really don’t know what lies around each bend, deep dip, washboard and tight curves in the road. There are no towns or villages for hundreds of km to speak of. Just vast open desert, scrub and mountains. It is truly beautiful but harrowing.

Our camp was private and secluded and was located on an elephant path leading from a semi marshy reed and palm tree filled gully and to our delight, after dinner while sitting around our fire the resident old bull elephant wandered unannounced into our campsite. A site to behold. He was huge! The biggest we have seen and he casually munched on some nearby brush while Joyce scrambled to get the cameras. We followed him within metres and I was able to get a bit of video using my flashlight to illuminate him in the darkness. The elephant pictures didn’t turn out so just two pics of the palms.

We headed north-west on August 2nd to Adabi Mountain Camp. Another beautiful camp along another dry river bed. This place was rustic with no electricity, outdoor bush bathrooms and showers and the flies were a royal pain in the ass but the scenery and location more than made up for this small nuisance. In the early afternoon we were waiting in the “bar shack” for our driver to take us to the Twylefontain petroglyphs, a World Heritage Site when a van pulled up, 5 dusty and thirsty people disembarked, ordered 5 beer and immediately we knew the evening ahead would be fun. They were a mixture of Spaniards, Portuguese and British and were the first group of people who we met who were engaging, funny, adventurous, laid back and liked a drink or two. Needless to say the evening pre dinner drinks and dinner conversation was a hoot. They were very nice people and we wish them well.

Departed Swakopmund August 1st and headed north along the Skeleton Coast on a smooth salt highway. A very nice change from the bone rattling gravel roads we’ve driven so far in Namibia. The road was straight and the landscape desolate desert on one side and the cold crashing Atlantic Ocean on the other.  We stayed at Brandberg White Lady Camp, a very nice camp along a dry river bed and before setting up camp were greeted by a small herd of elephants meandering through a nearby camp site and some unruly mules adding to the excitement.

The lalalong, bababumpy road to Swakopmund!