11/14 Twyfelfontein to Swakopmund

This was meant to just be a travel day but a whole bunch of unexpected stuff happened - and that is what we like. We are all agreed Twyfelfontein is a one night stop, not two. No matter it was good to goof off last evening.

Quick predawn, preheat run, then breakfast and adios Twyfelfontein.

Pretty much dirt roads now for 300km southwest until the coast. There are numerous road side stalls selling crystals and imported chinese crafts - staffed by Herero ladies in their anachronistic, missionary inspired victorian fashions - easy to resist stopping. But then throw in a lady from the Himba tribe and there is a stop gonna happen



The Himba never got the memo.



yes, you're right that is mud in her dreads and no, she has never, in her life, ever washed any part of her body, just caked a blend of mud and oil on over and over again. Notice the height compared to the Herero ladies, btw. Statuesque.

Lots of laughs but Ms. Himba never cracked a smile. Sweets for the kids, bottles of water for the adults and we were on our way - to Swapokmund we thought but then saw a sign to the "white lady" at Brandberg. The white lady refers to a prehistoric rock painting that has proved a mystery. The style of the painting does not match any of the surrounding contemporary art. From the car park, it took our guide Stanley (a Damara) 45 mins to lead us up a supremely hot unshaded canyon to see the rock. here is the cartoon representation of the white lady (actually a man)



here is the real thing



I agree, the cartoon sketch is better.

After our lucky escape from sun stroke we cranked the AC and headed to Uis to track down Miss Vicky's coffee shop. Boy what disaster that was and had the good sense to move to the only other choice in downtown Uis where we had a reasonable lunch.

Nothing between us and the coast now - surely. But wait what are 50 cars and trucks doing on the horizon after having seen all of 5 cars in the last 5 hours. Of course, its a movie set. They are filming Mad Max XIII starring Charlize Theron



look closly and there is some dude doing push ups off the front bumber of the monster truck. You can't make this stuff up...

No one was inviting us to stop and hang with Charlize so we continued to Henties Bay and rather than get wet headed north to Cape Cross to check out the seal colony. In a word - disgusting. The smell was memorable, the sights forgetable. Lots of crushed and dead pups, squabbling adults and ... just disgusting.



No one wanted to linger so we headed back south down the Skeleton coast when yes, there it was and accesible, a skeleton ship wreck. Some of these wrecks are now inland upwards of 4km as the westward moving sand dunes have enveloped them. This one to


day is just 4years old and barely on shore yet. This is how the coast gets its name.

We continued south through to Swakopmund, your averge 19 century German town** situated on the edge of the desert and the shore of the Atlantic where we are spending two nights. The Cornerstone Guest house is a wifi equipped delight.

A quick shower and off to Kuuchi's restaurant and bar for seafood. I had kingklip and spatzle. Delicious.

OK you probably wanted another look at that head gear...



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** namibia was a german colony and provided support for u-boats attacking allied south atlantic shipping during wwii. nowadays there is a large german centered tourist industry (did i mention that before) even direct flights from franfurt to windhoek. that said, every namibian sign is in english. geoff thinks its a thumb nose at their earlier colonial masters who, surprisingly, made the british look good.

Location:Hendrik Witbooi,Swakopmund,Namibia