Let's mix it up and fill in some experience gaps: RTW 2015

[JohnM]

Not looking an overly busy place, though maybe you were taking the photos very very early.

Don't like SB much but the food looks delish.

It was early on Saturday morning.

I hope you are not confusing mass-produced Marlborough tropical fruit bomb SB with grown-ups Sancerre or good Adelaide Hills-type SBs. There is a world of difference.

Those commercial NZ-type SBs would totally wreck oysters; not that S African one.

 

[JohnM]

aw I know this place. Loved hanging out at the Mole on a weekend afternoon drinking G&Ts and muscle pots at The Lighthouse.

There are some new hotels, restaurants, cafes at the Mole that literally opened for the first time yesterday.

I''m eating at Jetty tonight.

 

[JohnM]

Drove S about 35km to Walvis Bay area and scoped the sand dunes, including Dune7. Why it is called that, I do not know. There are about 7 gazillion sand dunes.

 

[JohnM]

App got in a loop again loading a pic.

 

[JohnM]

Frustratingly slow and getting in a loop frequently. I'll try again later.

 

[JohnM]

After the dunes I turned back to Swakopmund and headed further N toward the Skeleton Coast proper. Access to the real S C is quite restricted owing to its very fragile nature.

My endpoint was the (very smelly) seal colony at Cape Cross but, despite arid appearances, there was plenty to see on the way.



Flamingoes on the salt evaporation pans just N of Swakopmund.



Then the Lichen Fields - a very sensitive ecosystem of ground-hugging lichens that subsist, like the Welwitschias, on moisture from the fog.

 

[JohnM]

The seal colony.





How's your crystallography? Salt crystals for sale on an honour system along the roads near one of the salt plants.

 

[JohnM]

A fairly recent wreck. If you got wrecked here in the 15th century that was it - no water so you were toast.

 

[JohnM]

Had to have the amazingly good local oysters again tonight. Learned that they are grown just around the bay.

Sensational: plump, creamy, briny; possibly the best oysters I've ever had.



Sunset over the S Atlantic.

 

[JohnM]

Heading N to Etosha NP today for three nights.

Just checking my accommodation booking revealed today's oxymoron .

 

[TomVexille]

Wouldn't be much of a honeymoon...

 

[JohnM]

It may be appropriate for the extreme narcissist .

 

[love_the_life]

They may decorate your bed with rose petals :shock:

Have tried a number of SBs - both the mass produced slop from NZ and some more boutique ones from small wineries in the CBR region (which I admit were much better). I'm more a red gal myself.

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

They may decorate your bed with rose petals :shock:

Have tried a number of SBs - both the mass produced slop from NZ and some more boutique ones from small wineries in the CBR region (which I admit were much better). I'm more a red gal myself.

LtL.. I think we can torture MrM at a mutual venue.. I'm in

 

[JohnM]

Pfft - water off a duck's back .

 

[JohnM]

Inland-bound from the foggy and sandy coast to the more vegetated uplands on the 4.5h run to just S of Etosha today.







Shades of the Olgas.



White dual cabs are the pervasive vehicle of choice in Namibia.

 

[JohnM]

I'm staying about 25km outside the S gate of Etosha. When I was booking - in January! - I couldn't get accommodation in the park and it was scarce elsewhere. That must be how I ended up with the honeymoon suite.

But look above the bed to see what happened to the last guy...



The come-hither bath.



Shower and toilet off to the side.



It's late in the dry season. Wet season is imminent but it was poor last year.

 

[JohnM]

Central walkway. Sadly, the big central lodge and restaurant area, which was apparently quite glorious, was struck by lightning in February and burnt down. Reconstruction is under way but a set of marquee-type tents is serving the purpose temporarily.

 

[JohnM]

They have a montage of photos showing the lodge before it burnt down and the fire. Real pity.











No fire service out here .

 

[JohnM]

Africa..., sundowner..., sunset...:

Symphony for the soul .