Namibia, Africa (Erongo Wilderness Lodge and Swakopmund) Sept. 4-5, 2012

Driving our own car has been great, but you should know that the roads leave something to be desired for most. (I would definitely recommend a 4 x 4). Most are gravel or dirt roads.

These are the desolate roads all over Namibia

We encountered more donkey carts along our way along with free roaming animals to the Erongo Region. We are heading to the Erongo Wilderness Lodge. Four hours later we arrived after going 40 minutes down a farm road that we mistook for our route and nearly ran a donkey cart off the road.

We met this nice man and his sons on our wrong turn.  We almost ran the donkeys pulling the car off the road.  He informed us that there were only farms on this road.

It is a different landscape than Damaraland, and less scenic. Our Lodge is a series of tented camps set in the hillside, but not as nice or as well constructed as our last stop.

More primitive tents than what we have had along the way

Tents set into the rocks.  The dining tent is on the other side of the hill.

The road into the tented camp.  (reminds us of Southern Utah)

We only spent the night, went on a short hike and headed to the Skeleton Coast along the Trans-Kalahari Highway to the city of Swakopmund. We are staying right on the Coast in a condominium type suite called Burning Shores.

A lot drier at Erongo

Our short hike

Our condo on the beach  "Burning Shores






We stopped along the coast to rent Quad Bikes and rode them across the Namib Desert. It was great to see the tranquil and always changing dunes. Here you will find the highest sand dune in the world called Dune Number Seven.

Beautiful sand dunes right next to the ocean, separated by a lonely road.

We rented quad bikes and drove all over the dunes

Having Fun

Sand Ripples that change daily, if not hourly

The Ocean right next to the dunes

Riding the quads

Barb and Scott

The Skeleton Coast.  It is so desolate, and when sailors made it to shore and thought they could walk away from the ocean, they died from lack of water, vegetation, and life, thus...The Skeleton Coast

The road to Swakopmund

You can see the dunes that stretch for miles

We encountered flamingos farther down the coast and Scott got his thrills driving our Jeep along the beach.

Pink Flamingos

Flamingos on the sand bar

We encountered a baby sea lion by himself on the beach

Scott had a blast driving on the beach

We had the beach to ourselves

The King

Be aware of police roadblocks! We were warned of this but somehow spaced it. When stopped and asked for to show his drivers license, Scott said, Oh, it's in my pack in the back seat. Turning around to retrieve his pack, he realized he had left it at our condo. They charge $1000.00 Namibian Dollars on the spot! ($250.00 US). Luck was with us. The girl officer was nice and I showed her my license, so she let me take over the driving and didn't make us pay.

We are driving tomorrow down to Sossusvlei and have been told that the road is very bad and will take us 6 or 7 hours.