Namibia

I don't have a whole lot of words beyond the vagueness of "beautiful" and "amazing" and "incredible" to describe our time in Namibia but I have many, many pictures.* We flew into Windhoek and spent a night before going to We Kebi Lodge** in southwestern Namibia. Namibia is largely comprised of the Namib Desert but it is also experiencing an 8-year drought.*** The drive was through areas that were once farmland and that are now desperate for a a rainy season with actual rain.

We arrived at the lodge and were shown to our personal hut with 360 views of the property.

As if the landscape wasn't spectacular enough, the farm has over 2,000 animals on property and many hang out in the area right around the lodge. We saw eland, hartebeest, zebras, and oryx from our windows.

The next day, I took a walk around the property to take it all in. Hoofprints are everywhere, trees are host to elaborate birds' nests, and the zebras came to give me a personal greeting.

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 There was even a baby zebra that went on a walk with us and let me feed it a bottle!

We went to a neighboring farm that had cats of all kinds that were rescued. They had either been injured and could not live in the wild or had been born in captivity. The caracals are my new best friends- the one seen here is Jack and is five months old. At about one year he won't get near people, but for now . . .

There was also Lisa the leopard and Oscar the cheetah. We were not allowed in the same space as Lisa and were not allowed to touch Oscar. Probably smart for all of us. 

 Other wild animals:

 The next day we went to Sossusvlei, dunes located in a portion of the Namib Desert. The blue sky, the red sand... it was incredible. It was like being inside a screen saver.

*****

 After a casual walk around a lower dune, we went to Dune Big Daddy. It lives up to its name.

 Fellow traveler Katie and I decided to dare climbing it.

It essentially went like this. 

Clockwise from top left: 1. What a fun excursion. 2. JK, this is hard. 3. I don't want to do this anymore. 4. BLLLLAAAARRRRRGGGHHHHH 5. I did it!

To show what we walked, I did the red path before cowabunga-ing down. The yellow dots show an option I had to continue climbing that I obviously did not take. The green "X" approximates where I thought I would die.******

My phone confirmed it was high. 

 But truly, it was worth it.

This is Katie who graciously sat with me when I truly thought I was going to end it all. Or have it be ended for me.

But going down was THE BEST. Like pogo stick sliding down cool sand THE BEST.

 And then more views.

 And at the way way bottom on the other side was a clay bottom.

You're wondering where the pictures of AT on the climb are, aren't you? She did not climb. I narrowly escaped with my life only to discover her like this.*******

 She was not too exhausted for photos, thankfully.

From the dunes we went to a canyon in the same park. Pre-drought it would be filled with water that supplies the area.

The next day we went on a game drive to see more animals. There were herds more eland, springbok, hartebeest, and oryx. The real treat was seeing the the rhinoceri!********

Our next stop is Zimbabwe and Victoria Falls. More water, more animals, more beauty!

See you then!

-KT

*This is a mere sampler platter.
**We are not sponsored by them but you should still go there. #notsponsored #notanad
***Are you a climate change denier? Visit Namibia!
****If you're not the front zebra, the view never changes.
*****Everything the light touches, AT.
******Please tell the ladies at my local YMCA step class that I regret missing classes these past few months but, in my defense, we never ever do our routines in sinking sand.
*******One of us is living our best life and it is so obviously not me.
********Kidding! The real treat was getting to use the plural of "rhinoceros" several times in a row.