Come on, let's go to the desert!

On Saturday morning at 9 o'clock we set off towards Sesriem. Our destination was the Namib Desert. We had 480km of driving ahead of us, 400km of which were on gravel roads. We experienced the so-called "African Massage" as our guide liked to call it, as the truck shook and bounced on the rough roads, giving us a good shake. It was amazing to see the changes in vegetation and how it gradually became drier. There were a total of 17 of us, including three guides and Lena 😊 We arrived at our campsite around 3:00pm, set up our tents immediately, and quickly jumped into the pool. At 5:30pm, Sam, our guide, drove us a few kilometers to a dune, which we climbed to watch the sunset. It took us about half an hour to reach the top, so we had plenty of time to enjoy a beer, the view, the sunset, and (especially interesting for me) take photos. It was a beautiful evening and a great introduction to the dry and red part of Namibia. As it gets dark quickly after sunset and cools down, scorpions become active and can be very dangerous. The nearest hospital is in Windhoek. We actually encountered a very large scorpion, but we managed to steer clear of it in time. Just before we reached the bottom, we witnessed another natural spectacle - a full moonrise. The moon was huge and so bright that we could hardly see any stars in the sky. Back at the camp, we were all looking forward to a cold shower, had dinner, and went to bed early because the next morning started early. We left at 5:30am without breakfast heading towards Dune 45 - Namibia's most famous dune. We wanted to be one of the first cars at the gate, which opens at 6 o'clock. The sun rises around 7 o'clock, and we still had to drive 45km to reach the dune and climb it before sunrise. Despite confusion about the time and some alarms not ringing because some phones showed 5 o'clock and others showed 6 o'clock, we made it in time. Originally, the time change was supposed to take place on April 1st, but this year Namibia abolished daylight saving time.

It took us about 15-20 minutes to climb up, and the view was magnificent. On one side, the full moon illuminating the dunes, and on the other side, the sky gradually getting brighter. I have seen many sunrises and traveled to many places in the world, but this morning and this view were incredibly beautiful! It's indescribable, but I tried to capture it in photos. And yes - of course, I didn't just enjoy it through the lens 😉 I had never been in a desert before and was really looking forward to the trip. But I didn't expect it to be so impressive. Thank you, world, for being so beautiful 🌍 Thank you, Mom and Dad, for allowing me to have these experiences and adventures ❤️

After a quick breakfast at the foot of the dune, we continued directly. Next stop: Big Daddy - the largest or second largest dune in the world (there is often debate because dunes constantly change in height). We stood in awe in front of it, knowing that we wanted to climb it. But thanks to my still existing fitness, the fifty-minute climb was no problem for me 😊. It was so worth it!! I really didn't expect the day to get any better, but once again, the view was magnificent. Nothing but desert, sand, mountains, and the view of Deadvlei. We enjoyed the view for about an hour and took numerous photos before running, rolling, or tumbling down the shortest but very steep slope to Deadvlei. Deadvlei is a clay pan that formed from a dried-up river. There are trees there that are about 600-800 years old and some of them still bloom. Since we were already running late, it was getting hotter, and we didn't want to keep the other three girls who hadn't climbed up waiting any longer, we hurried and didn't stay there any longer but walked back to the parking lot where we waited for a 4x4 shuttle that took us back to the truck.

Back at the camp, we washed off the thick layer of sand, sunscreen, and sweat, jumped into the pool, and had lunch. After that, we desperately looked for a spot in the shade and treated ourselves to an ice cream at the reception. In the afternoon, we drove to the Sesriem Canyon, which is so small that it can hardly be called a canyon. It is only 32m deep, 15m wide, and 4km long. However, only a short section of it is accessible. When we returned, we enjoyed the sunset with a beer and toasted to this wonderful day. After dinner, we sat together and chatted, but I went to bed early because I was really tired from the sun.

This morning, we were lucky again and it rained - yes, it actually rained in the desert. That's why we didn't go to watch the sunrise this morning. We have been on our way back since 10 o'clock. After an hour, we made a short stop in Solitaire, where the best apple pie in Namibia is served - but it definitely can't compete with Grandma's apple pie 😉

This evening, we will have dinner to celebrate Katharina's last day and Anna's birthday, and tomorrow my new job at the school for the visually impaired will start. I am very curious to see what the new project will bring.

Sending you a big hug, your Hanni.