Sand, sand and more sand

Trip Start Nov 17, 2009
Trip End Dec 17, 2010

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Where I stayed
hostel international
Xaraga Camp

Flag of Namibia  ,
Tuesday, March 23, 2010

After our Safari we decided to test our driving skills on the Skeleton Coast. We spread the journey by spending a couple of nights in Otavi and one in Twyfelfontein where we stayed in a lovely desert campsite. On the afternoon we arrived we decided it was about time we had a bit of culture and so headed to a world heritage site. Twyfelfontein or 'doubtful spring' (because it was doubtful that the daily output of water could sustain life) is the site of 6000 year old petroglyphs or rock paintings/carvings to you and me. It was well worth a visit and the pictures not only depicted animals but also the spirits of animals and the animals that peoples spirits turned into after death. After that we headed back to eat and watch a beautiful sunset before heading to bed.

The next morning, bright and early we headed to the Skeleton Coast. The Skelton Coast (sounds scary doesn't it!!!) is a 200 km long strip of land that is supposed to be one of the most inhospitable places on the planet due to its lack of rainfall (rainfall rarely exceeds 10mm annually). Its has also been the last resting place for many ships due to the fog and the rocky and sandy coast. Early Portuguese sailors called it Areias do Inferno (the sands of hell) as once a ship washed ashore the fate of the crew was sealed.

The scenery was absolutely amazing, something like you would imagine on another planet and it was as bleak as it was beautiful, definately didn't fancy having a breakdown there (the car, not me!!). Before we entered the park itself we saw springbok, oryx and jackals but once in the park there was nothing apart from sand, sand and a bit more sand. It was a weird experience, especially seeing the wrecks on the coast and the oil rig wreck that was bizarrely about 200m inland.

We had another stop at the Cape Cross Seal sanctuary, where there were literally thousands of the beasts. You could actually smell them before you could see them but to see so many seals in their natural environment was just amazing. I was secretly hoping a great white shark or a killer whale would turn up and give us a hunting show but it didn't happen.

Another couple of hours later we arrived in Swakopmund where after about an hour we found our accomodation (they had changed the street names), which was a hostel where camping cost us 3 pounds a night....bargain!!

Stayed around for a couple of days doing a few jobs and a bit of shopping, we also had to get the bull bar on the car fixed as two bolts had come off somehow. There is a lovely beach here but the water is freezing (it is the Atlantic) and altough it is about 30oC, it feels cold due to the wind.
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