Namibia 2014

Monday29September

Second breakfast at Cañon Roadhouse campsite. Here's the view from the car roof since we're in the tent...

The campsite's sanitary facilities.

The panoramic view of the campsite from the dishwashing area.

Yesterday, it was a chanting goshawk waiting for me, today it's a Vigors' bustard (eupodotis vigorsii).

We therefore leave the region to reach our next campsite located in Aus.

We pass through a small, completely abandoned town: Goageb.

The fence follows us all along the B4, but the animals are discreet today.

Onboard camera in the car on the long, long, long B4 road... You'll notice that the steering wheel is on the right, as Namibia was under South African rule for 75 years (until 1990, its independence date).

Here we are finally in the small town of Aus, time for us to fill up and buy some provisions...

The church of Aus.

Another 4 kilometers of road with a superb view of the Namib Desert to reach the campsite.

The reception of the Klein Aus Vista Lodge campsite.

Here too, we have plenty of space to settle in, it's not high season and that's great!

And off we go, after eating, we hit the road again towards the Atlantic Ocean. We'll just do a round trip and be back tonight!

The B4 road crosses the entire width of the Namib Desert in its southern part. This desert runs along the Atlantic Ocean for 2000 km in a 100 km wide strip.

Here we are in Lüderitz, a coastal town nestled between the desert and the Atlantic Ocean.

We go directly to the former Shark Island (now a peninsula), a kind of small rocky arm that extends the city into the ocean. A historical fact about this small piece of land: between 1905 and 1907, the Germans established a concentration camp there to exterminate many Herero people, an ethnic group of Namibia. No trace remains of this heavy past; a campsite has taken its place on Shark Island...

On the left, a whale bone? On the right, colored strata frozen in the rocky ground.

Born at the end of the 19th century when the country was a German colony, the city has managed to preserve its Germanic architecture; you really don't feel like you're at the very bottom of Africa, but rather in Germany on a beautiful sunny day!

We reach the Lutheran church. Nestled in a rocky peak overlooking the city, it is called the Church of the Rock (Felsenkirche).

Exterior reflections of the rock in the stained glass windows of the Felsenkirche.

Views of the city.

In its rock, the Goerke Haus from 1910.

The blue Grünewald house.

Back in the Church of the Rock.

Some stained glass windows of the small church.

Inside, a letter from Wilhelm Meckel dated June 12, 1912. This document was found in 2012; it had been hidden in the church bell tower, as it was traditional during construction to leave archives or objects for future generations. And if I understood correctly, Wilhelm Meckel was the plumber, and he simply talks about the work on the copper roof covering.

We leave the city where, right from the exit, you can have a beautiful view of the sandy Namib Desert.

Just after, lies the ghost town of Kolmanskop, built by diamond prospectors at the beginning of the 20th century. It is possible to visit the site, but it's getting late, so we'll only enjoy the exteriors...

The region is also known for its horses that returned to the wild a century ago, notably in Garub, an abandoned old station that serves as a rallying point. We don't stop at Garub itself, but a little further where another waterhole also allows observing them... Well, it must have been a day off for them because there was only one...

It will still be an opportunity to treat ourselves to a beautiful sunset!

Tuesday30September

Waking up at Aus Vista Lodge campsite.

During breakfast, the social republicans live up to their name and try to make friends with us in the hope of sharing our meal... In a great burst of generosity, we offer them yesterday's pot soaking in its water...  

For this morning, it will be a short hike on the circuit that starts directly from the campsite.

A Cotyledon orbiculata

Panoramic view of the Namib Desert

An acacia in its desert

Ha! We found our horses from yesterday!

The Moon, daytime version.

We cross two klipspringers (Oreotragus oreotragus). This small antelope loves to climb the very arduous mountain sides.

"they are often seen standing on the top of a rounded rock, rocks in which they can move, camouflage themselves and find food easily. [...] The klipspringer has a very thick coat that cushions shocks in case of a fall. It can drop from a height of 25 m" © Wikipedia

We leave the Aus region and begin our ascent towards the north of the country. We will reach the northern border in 13 days! We have time to see it coming!   For today we have 120 km to go to reach the next campsite, the Namtib Desert Lodge. So we take the gravel and sand road C13 then the superb D707 track, superb not for the condition of the road but for its landscapes.

Short break in the shade of an acacia.

2 gemsboks (Oryx gazella). Or Thomson and Thompson???  

Another 12 km and we'll be there.

And there you go, all that's left is to find our spot! Under an acacia, of course! And here too, there's plenty of space, our closest neighbors are 50 meters away.

The kitchen is ready and the barbecue is heating up. Soon the kettle will take its usual place over the embers, but first we'll watch the sunset while keeping an eye on the meat and vegetables on the grill...  

Peppers, tomatoes, onions and beef. Perfect cooking!

The lamp provided with the car (like all camping equipment) allows us to extend the evening around coffee and other herbal teas...

For tomorrow morning, the objective is simple: reach the starting point of the 3-day trek planned in the Namib Desert, which we will start in the afternoon!