So much for sleeping in, we were woken up at 5:15 due to a very loud on-going noise. It turned out it was the water pressure relief valve and the taps had to be turned on to relieve the pressure (so much for the water shortage, and so much for the sleep in!).
I sat and watched it getting light over the desert. Not the right side for the sunrise but still nice to watch the changing colours.
Breakfast I had tea, toast and marmalade and poached eggs, yum my favourite breakfast all I needed was the Dominion Post newspaper. After breakfast it was time to wash the smelly cycling clothes and hang them on the balcony. Hopefully the baboons, that we are warned about being numerous here, will not jump up on the balcony and take off with the washing. Would not be a great sight to see baboons leaping around with a nice bright cycling shirt. (Maybe this was how the naked ride eventuated).
Then a nice swim in the pool which is actually big enough to swim 2 or 3 strokes in, not spa pool size like pools we have seen so far.
Onyx at Sossus Dune Lodge
Lunch choice was steak with mixed vegetables and chips, or a toasted vegetable sandwich (not a good place for vegetarian or vegans to stay).
After lunch I did a solid blog catch up, with having to buy another WIFI voucher because the first has run out.
At 5 pm we were picked up to go into the desert to dune 45 (called this because it is 45km from the gate) for a walk up Dune 45 to watch the sunset.
The first 100 metres was the steepest, then it was not hard just a bit unsettling looking down the steep sides. I kept reminding myself that even if I fell I wouldn’t go far down the sand. Very beautiful watching the sunset from the top of the dunes.
Sunset at the dunes
Sunset at Dune 45
The name of the desert is the Namib Sand Sea desert https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namib
The guide pointed out these circles he called “Fairy circles”, where the ground has round bare patches but no one knows why they grow like this.
Fairy circles are circular patches of perennial grasses with a barren center that emerge in the deserts along the southwest coast of Africa. Info and Photo credit.
A typical fairy circle in Namibia. Info and Photo credit.
After sunset it was back to the lodge for dinner. Once again enforced seating with the group on the balcony, however thankfully they hadn’t made them wait until we got back before starting dinner.
Dinner was
Minestrone soup
Pasta
Hake or springbok – both options had roasted vegetables which were very nice. I chose the hake.
Dessert was Berries and pancake (no cream or ice cream)
I am pleased we are staying tonight but a bit worried that the transport won’t turn up in time in the morning as we need to leave at 6am to be back at camp.
The next five days sound very hard. On the board the distances are big with climbing and gravel and the comment by tomorrow’s ride is “your worst nightmare” which is not a reassuring thought!
Sunset over the dunes
Kaye's Awesome Adventures 