May 3

More Damaraland

Irene was first up, as usual, and started her day with a walk-run over the dry river bed and along the dusty road. After a shower and a hot drink the others got up. Breakfast was rather rushed because the flies were bothering us. And because we had a number of places we wanted to visit.

Twyfelfontein or /Ui-//Ais, at the head of the Aba Huas riverbed is home to over 2500 rock engravings from over 6000 years ago. The engravings depict animals and animal tracks, some realistic and some as if imagined in dreams. We were guided around the site by another engaging Damara man who - as with our guide the day before - also demonstrated the four clicks used in the Damara language. I found this intriguing, of course, and tried it out. The clicks are created by popping tongue against mouth cavity. The ! symbol represents 'pop-nga' sound made by quickly bringing a flat tongue down from top of the mouth....

From the rock engravings we drove a short distance to a rocky area called the 'Organ pipes' (because the basalt is split into columns), then another called 'Burnt mountain' (because the rock is so black it looks burned).

As we drove south we came across more and more interesting rock formations (photos to be added when we get faster internet). The smooth, rounded rocks piled in mounds reminded us of Joshua Tree NP in California.

We stopped for a picnic lunch in the shade of a thorn bush, which means we hardly had much shade at all.

Our day ended at a the foot of the Brandburg mountain, where we set up camp in another riverine site beside a wide, sandy (dry) riverbed. Charlotte and Devon opted to run to the camp, jogging along the sandy track in what we considered oppressive heat. Al and I opted to wait for them at the lodge, sipping cool a G&T s in the shade by the lodge pool. That evening we opted to eat out, which was appealing although not as good as our camp cooking!