April
29th,
2011 (February 2011) – Dune
45 is
so named due to its location 45 kilometers from Sesriem along the
road in Namib-Naukluft National Park. It is one of the most
accessible dunes and sits very near to the road. We went for an
exhausting jaunt a good way up the 150m of good ole Dune 45 in the
evening on the day of our arrival in order to catch a glimpse of the
sunset. The clouds foiled our sunset aspirations but the view was
anything but disappointing. Besides, the sunrise on the following
morning more than made up for it.
The Namib
Desert is
f***ing ridiculous. It just is. If the place does not impress you
than I submit that you suck. It really is that simple. Judgmental?
Sure, but say that after visiting. I will admit that if your
experience is nothing more than a shuttle bus spectacular during the
busy season than perhaps a jaded reaction might be
understandable. Maybe. But
then again you visited one of the most dazzling sights on the planet
in a shuttle bus with folks possessing an excitement level on par
with bubble gum flavored bubble gum. Sorry to inform you that you do,
in fact, suck. Don’t like my conclusion? Tough titty
said the kitty to the big brown cow. I believe it impossible to over
use that phrase, especially during a serious conversation.
We
arose before the sun, brewed up some lifeblood (i.e. Nescafe
Expresso),
mounted Sparky, and jetted off to meet the day atop Dune 45. I think
it imperative to enunciate ‘Dune 45’ in a similar manner to the
way many folks effusively pronounce the malt liquor Colt
45.
Dune forty-FIVE!!!!...AH!!! It just feels right. So we waited atop
Dune 45 for Mr. Helios to grace us with his presence. We were not
alone but the summit was anything but crowded. And in this instance
it was nice to have some fellow travelers with which to savor the
moment and give the scenery some perspective.
We
gamboled about on Dune 45 for the better part of three hours. The
shadows. The colors. The wind. The air. All of it conspires to
beguile and make you consider the possibility that Wonderland may
actually exist. And if it does then perhaps this area of the Namib
lies within one of its zip codes. I walked along and explored the far
side of the dune careful not to disturb the perfection that defined
the wind-swept edge of the dune. I also did my best not to pass out
as trudging through the sand is, to put it mildly, physically
demanding.
And
the best way to conclude your Dune 45 experience? By tearing ass down
the side as fast as you can while attempting to avoid ‘ass over tea
kettle’ syndrome. Psychological regression is unavoidable. I
estimate that my maturity level bottomed out somewhere between five
and six years of age. Dune 45 is a time machine. Yes, yes it is.
After
Dune 45 we made our way to the end of the road to take a peek at
Sossusvlei. We
were forced to park Sparky at the entrance to the area as it was 4WD
only. The park service offers excursions into the heart of Sossusvlei
for a modest fee. I was woefully unaware of what Sossusvlei actually
was. I had neglected to read carefully before arriving. I figured you
drive you in, take a few pics, and then exit shortly thereafter. Au
contraire mon frère. It too is the stuff of desert fantasy and
comprises a fairly large area begging to be surveyed properly. Not
long after arriving I realized my sight-seeing faux pas and vowed to
return the next morning to enjoy the color bonanza we had experienced
on Dune 45. Simply put, at that late hour (10:30 am) the light could
not do the place justice.
And
just to punctuate surrealistic vision there were significant
reservoirs of water covering the area beneath the dunes. Richie
likey. Amazing. Returning was imperative. You want it. You want it
bad.
wawwwwwww amazing lanscape that I never see,, Hopefully someday I can go there,,
ReplyDelete