Day Twelve:   Guest Blogger - Lynn Zeldin  - We drive the Skeleton Coast

Off to Grootberg, Damaraland on the Skeleton Coast.  Twenty minutes out of town, the T belt sign came on in our vehicle, causing all sorts of consternation and worry. Contact with rental company produced an "ok" to keep going, but to be on the safe side, we returned to Swakopmund and got a second opinion from a garage mechanic.  He was German so we had every confidence in his diagnostic skills and decided to continue on.

The scenery is pretty boring today - very flat and not too much variety.  There are the occasional signs for fishing spots, but mostly just a 1 and 1/2 lane, undivided road heading due North.  Beige sand with sporadic hillocks of grey-green hardy plants extend to the horizon in all directions for much of the drive.

Unfortunately, our vehicle scare delayed us such that we missed our scheduled lunch stop at the Cape Cross Restaurant, pre-booked by Michael.  I'm sure it was much tastier than the stale bun and cheese eaten in the truck parked outside the Permit Office at the Cape Cross Seal Reserve (arf! arf!). Permit fee was too steep for a short visit to see the seals, so we passed.   Let them suffer, bwah ha ha!!!

Back on the road again, still heading North, no one else on the road at all, except us.  We rolled up to the gates of the Skeleton Coast - appropriately a double gate with two skulls and crossbones flanked by a couple of ribs.  Yo ho ho, me hardies!  Once through, the terrain was even more desolate.  Desert, desert,desert - no buildings, towns, sites - oh!  An old rusty oil rig and lots of Inukshuks!  Are these a global phenomenon?

We have now entered Damaraland and the landscape has drastically changed once again - mountains, rocks, fields that stretch for miles.  We've been told that this is now land that has the greatest concentration of free-roaming lions in the world.  We have to beware of those and of snakes from here on in.

A quick tally thus far.  Total game sighted: 7 springbok, 5 Oryx, 2 ostrich, 1 hyena, 7 giraffes, and 17 baboons - a grand day's drive.

Passed through a small community - a collection of homes, hovels really, plus a liquor store and a medical clinic.  It really brings home how lucky we are.

Sylvia believes she saw an elephant in the bush on the way down to the valley.  Unfortunately, no one else did, but quite a memorable event for her.

When we arrived at the driveway to the Lodge, we faced it with a bit of trepidation - not doubting Jo-Ann's driving skills for one second - just looking at the veritable goat's path leading up at a 45 degree slope, with boulders jutting out of the path and cliffside, and a drop to the valley on the other side.  Definitely 4-wheel drive time in Low gear!  Jo-Ann persevered and delivered us in fine fashion.

At the top of the driveway climb, we were greeted by lots of oryx and springbok gazing at us with curiousity.  We stared back in delight.  They didn't seem impressed.

We went into the main lodge and were greeted by our welcoming host with refreshing drinks and then escorted to a deck which overlooked a valley beyond description.  Envision gazing out over Jurassic Park, The Land That Time Forgot and The Lost Valley - that is sort of close to what we were looking at.  It was mind boggling!

Each of our individual huts had thatched roofs with comfortable beds, private baths, and sliding glass doors that overlooked the same view.  I swear I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

 



After a stellar dinner and a walk under a million stars back to this wonderful little nest, my hubby and I fell into a deep and peaceful sleep.   The day had been perfect.

Ciao for now..........LZ