Swakopmund - "Let's Find Something More Interesting"

"Let's Find Something More Interesting"...the words of Tommy our Living Desert tour guide in Swakopmund, after each time he spotted something amazing in the dunes that looked to us like sand. We'd be driving along in Tommy's special landrover when suddenly he'd leap out the car and run bare foot up the dune, dig frantically in the sand and would appear with a lizard. After sharing its habits and survival adaptions in the desert, he would let it go and then say "let's go find something more interesting". Around another corner, the same procedure was repeated and a different creature would appear. We saw beetles, spiders, geckos, lizards, chameleons and the highlight was a side winder snake. Tommy fed the chameleons some worms so you can see some awesome pictures below of the tongue of the chameleon reaching out for breakfast.

Tommy must have a part time gig as a weather man as he had to call in with the high for the day which was 56 degrees celsius on the dune...compared to 26 degrees under the surface. As a result of the heat, creepy crawlies get their water from the moisture in the air from the fog or from desert plants that contain water. A desert beetle collects moisture on its back and then it drips down its back to its mouth to drink. 40% of its body mass is water so when a chameleon eats a beetle it gets a good drink too. Amazing! Another amazing tale is the war between the wasp and spider. If the wasp wins, it stings the spider and lays an egg in the spider and the baby wasp will hatch from the spider! The gecko in the photo below can survive 20 minutes in the sun before dying. We watched in awe as it used its four feet as shovels to create a hole and bury its self back to coolness.

The word Namib perfectly translates to "vast open space"...this captures the essence of what we have seen so far in Namibia. You cannnot capture on camera the vastness of the open spaces! Someone described it to me as the opposite to claustrophia!

We have a new appreciation for the delicate life that lives in the desert and the destruction caused by ignorance of quadbikers who churn up the sand in the name of fun. Tommy drives on the same tracks each day so not damaging the area. Ever heard a dune roar? Imagine driving down the steepest incline you can envision over fresh sand that has not yet compacted and the noise of the air particles makes this unbelievable roaring sound! A ride at Disneyworld doesn't even come close to that exhilaration!

We are off to Brandberg Wes today back into the roof top tent and the wilds of Namibia! We will write again as soon as civilization permits and we find internet!!