The desert is alive

The day started today at 7:00, an excursion to the Namib Desert was planned. After a quick breakfast, we set off and were promptly picked up by our guide Jürgen at 8:00. After picking up the other tour members and deflating the tire pressure to 1 bar, we drove into the desert with Jürgen. There we were introduced to the flora and fauna of the Namib and learned many interesting information about life in the desert, but also about the harmful influence of humans on it. The attempt to find the 'Little Five' for our cameras was not entirely successful, so we saw 3 of the 'Little Five', but even these animals were enough to gain an understanding of life in the desert. A perfectly balanced ecosystem, where there is a natural balance between prey and predators. The fact that this whole system is based on the winds and sea fog that prevail here makes the diverse life in the Namib Desert even more admirable. 5 hours of lively lecture on the connections of erosion in the Drakensberg Mountains in Lesotho, the Benguela Current off Namibia, the seismographic abilities of the mole, and the counterstrategy of the desert chameleon, to the chemical compositions of the differently colored sand surfaces was impressive and educational - but also thoughtful in the narratives about the effects of human behavior on the desert ecosystem.

After the trip, we were brought back to the camp and ended the evening at the restaurant with fish and oryx. Starting tomorrow, we will spend several days camping at very individual campsites, so we do not know when we will be back online.