Each morning, the sun rises in the East, makes its journey across the sky as the world turns, and sets in the West. We were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the sunset on out first night, atop Dune 45. The clouds moved in while we were strolling to the top, so our view was slightly obstructed, but a warm colorful glow still lit up the sky and valley below.
The next morning, while most of Namibia was surely sound asleep, we made our way back under the cover of starlight. The journey to the very top was grueling, but well worth the payoff. With my feet sinking into the sand and a slight breeze across my face, I sat quietly, watching the sun come up. The experience was shared with fellow travelers, but unlike most settings, it didn’t detract from it. We were all there to appreciate the same beautiful display and somehow, sharing it just felt right.
After a few hours on top, we frolicked down the side, made another round of Nescafe, and carried on to Sossusvlei: the pot of gold at the end of our rainbow. The area is off limits to small vehicles like ours, so we parked our car and caught a ride inside. The salt and clay pans surrounding the area are usually dry, but heavy rainfall caused the Tsauchab River to rise, forming a small network of lakes at the base– a sight few get to see. Timing, is in fact, everything.
We wandered around briefly, but the light had started to shift, so we called it a day. This was a place best visited bright and early, so we extended our stay. Another starry night, another round of Nescafe accompanied by Elton John’s greatest hits, followed by a morning of skipping in the sand. It was a good day… a very good day indeed.
