Day 7: Timon's right in the middle of the nose

There is little to report about this day. Since we are in a country that is gigantic compared to European standards, it is necessary from time to time to endure long and nerve-racking changes of location. After all, we don't want to see only one side of the coin. In summary - we drive for about six hours on rather lousy - but not nearly as miserable - roads as the overly meticulous German campsite owner predicted. We get on each other's nerves a little, but that's part of it when you're getting to know each other and spending a lot of time together. Especially Robbert and I are having a little dispute about the role of the alpha male. I don't need to mention who wins in this context, some facts are already clear and don't need to be described in great detail. What's important to me, though, is that after rain clouds, the sun will shine again - figuratively speaking. As an old soccer player, I have a clear opinion on disputes - after a heated discussion, it should be possible to shake hands with each other - or, if that doesn't work, at least to hit each other in the face. We do the former - which is a pity, because all the driving and sitting opens the door to my physical aggression potential.

After the drive, which also takes us past the famous Spitzkoppe, we reach a really cool and very remote campsite. This is pretty much what I had imagined - hardly any people, spacious pitches, and in the distance, you can hear the monkeys and donkeys. Of course, the sanitary facilities are built in an open-air style, who needs roofs in the savannah. Especially in the historically not insignificant town of Twyfelfontein, which has gained fame through ancient rock engravings, it is obvious that rainfall is an absolute exception - which is why the engravings can still exist today, some six thousand years later - but more on that tomorrow.

We spend the day very relaxed. Lying down, enjoying the sun, sleeping. Every now and then, I get an adrenaline rush and try to climb a nearby mountain. After a twenty-minute ascent, it becomes a little too dangerous for me, as I am alone and mountaineering is increasingly being replaced by unsecured climbing. Ascending is generally not a problem - but an old and experienced rabbit like me now knows that there should also be a descent after the ascent - which would have turned out to be quite serious on this rock massif.

So, I turn around and experience firsthand how strongly subnatural phenomena like negative prophecies actually affect my active movements - it knocks me down. Not very bad, but bad enough that I feel a little provoked by a ground squirrel that cheekily watches me from a short distance. Therefore, I not only quickly take a photo of it, but I also start a fight with this Timon (Note: Timon and Pumbaa are a ground squirrel and a warthog, known from the Disney movie "The Lion King"). Unfortunately, we are on his turf and he gives me a few bruises in addition to the scratches from my fall. But let's keep that between us - I only tell the others about a fall.

In the evening, I light a fire, which in my opinion could be bigger, but according to the others, it is not ideal because it is directly under a branch. I turn a disadvantage into an advantage and use the rising heat to rest on the branch, just like Bagheera (Note: Bagheera is the panther from Disney's "The Jungle Book"). Since it is already dark, I could actually fall asleep, but only the warning that there may also be snakes in such trees keeps me awake, as they are the only creatures, besides my girlfriend, that I genuinely fear.