Multitasking

Day 10, 06.01.23, from Kanaan to Sesriem

Right after waking up, we set off for a small flat river hike, where, as we were told at the camp, many meerkats, or meerkats as they are called here, are supposed to live. After a rather boring round, we realize that they are either still sleeping or not interested in making our acquaintance.

A small breakfast, the stuff in the car put back in their proper place, we set off to Sesriem in the Namib. This time we encounter a few herds of zebras on the way, trying to hide among the oryx, but Cindy's trained eye doesn't miss anything, even though she is also driving at the same time. In the morning, Cindy unanimously decided that she would drive today.

This inevitably means that I am the passenger. During the nearly three and a half hour drive, I realize that the "be" in the word doesn't really suit me, and I shuffle back and forth on the seat. This is by no means due to Cindy's professional driving skills, but rather to the fact that the tasks of the passenger require a multitasking ability that we men, and thus I, don't really possess: keeping a lookout, providing the driver with drinks, snacks and good spirits, entertaining, finding and handing over the camera when observing animals, finding the right music (one of the more difficult undertakings), and all this in the chaos left behind by the previous passenger.

We leave the Karas region and enter Hardap, a region that covers an area of about 110,000 square kilometers. The entire coast and large parts of the west of Hardap are occupied by the Namib and are part of the Namib-Naukluft National Park, one of the largest nature reserves in Namibia. Attractions such as the Sossusvlei and the Sesriem Canyon are among the most important natural monuments in Namibia.

Adjacent to the Namib Desert to the east are numerous mountain ranges, such as the Tiras and Naukluft Mountains, which form parts of the Great Escarpment. The center of Hardap is crisscrossed from north to south by the Fish River and its tributaries. The east of Hardap is characterized by the wide, mountainless Kalahari.

We reach the Desert Quiver Camp in Sesriem without any incidents, just 4 km away from the entrance to the Namib Naukluft Park. We check into our small chalet and immediately inspect the bar and pool area. After yesterday's long and eventful day, we decide to spend the afternoon here and relax. As it says in the old testament "on the 10th day you shall rest" ... or something like that.

We quickly order a few ingredients for the braai in the evening, enjoy the peace and look forward to a relaxed end to the day.