This is Africa II

Never before have I seen anything like this.

In Fish River Canyon, we stood awestruck at the enormousness of it all, and marvelled at the emptiness. The Grand Canyon might be bigger, but it certainly can’t beat being one of the only four people having breakfast at the viewpoint of Fish River Canyon in southern Namibia.



In Sossusvlei, we watched the sand dunes, red and orange in the blistering heat of midday, change to brown at sunset and again to gold at sunrise. The undulated ridges and waving surface contrasted with the sky, which was purple and pink at one side of the horizon, and orange and red at the other.



In Namib-Naukluft Park, the plains stretched out to the far, far mountains. We were utterly alone except for the zebras, warthogs, and ground squirrels whose home we invaded for the night.

In Walvis Bay and Swakopmund, the sand dunes touch the raging ocean, and the salty mists shroud both sleepy towns in a chilly blanket. North of here, on the Skeleton Coast, rusting shipwrecks rest in their salty, shifting graves before being swallowed by the sea.



Nomadic tribespeople walk through city parks. Baobabs and quiver trees stretch from desert sand to blue sky. A million stars twinkle against inky blackness.

I can't wait to see what else Africa has in store for us.